QPR ready to make a bid for Bristol City's Bradley Orr
QUEENS Park Rangers are ready to test Bristol City's resolve by making a formal offer for long-serving defender Bradley Orr.
And Paul Hartley could be on his way back to Scotland just 12 months after moving to Ashton Gate from Celtic.
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Bristol City's Bradley Orr
One of the most consistent right-backs in the Championship in recent seasons, Orr has been linked with a possible move to Loftus Road since the end of last season.
Although City have yet to receive an official approach for the Liverpudlian, it is believed Rangers boss Neil Warnock is preparing to table a bid of around £500,000.
It is understood Orr's representatives have been in contact with QPR officials, who are now set to make their interest formal.
Should an offer be forthcoming, City are likely to hold out for the best price possible for a player who has a year left on his Ashton Gate contract. Already short of defenders, new manager Steve Coppell will not want to lose such an experienced performer and the Robins are unlikely to be tempted by an offer of £500,000.
But every player has his price and the club will consider doing business if the money is right, rather than allow Orr to leave as a free agent at the end of the season. The former Newcastle United player has been offered a contract extension but has yet to sign, choosing instead to keep his options open.
Hartley has a year left on his contract, but his future is uncertain and the Scotland international is set to have talks with Coppell later this week.
It is not known if the Scot figures in the new manager's plans. But it is understood City will allow Hartley to leave, provided the buying club is prepared to pay up the remaining 12 months of his contract.
Hearts manager Jim Jeffries is monitoring the situation and is ready to make a move if Hartley is not given the assurances he needs from Coppell.
Although Hartley made 34 first-team appearances in the Championship last season and won the admiration of a majority of City fans, he is thought to favour a move back to Scotland, where his family are still based.
Hartley is keeping his options open until he meets with Coppell, but he admitted: "It comes down to what Bristol want and what the new manager wants.
"I have only had a five-minute chat with him and I will probably have another talk with him and see where it goes."
He added: "I would never say never. I had a great time at Hearts and I know Jim Jeffries well, having spoken to him over the years.
"I have another year left on my contract here, but I've always wanted to come back up the road, to be fair. I'll just wait and see what happens."
It will become apparent if City are prepared to allow Hartley and Orr to leave when the squad depart for a pre-season tour of Sweden next Sunday. If those two players are left behind, it will fuel speculation that they are set to leave Ashton Gate.
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by The Robins Public House, Ashton
Wednesday, July 07 2010, 8:10PM
“I am not suprised Bradley is leaving - he hasn't been playing as well as he did the first couple of seasons & it will be nice to get a new face in town.”
by Simon, Briz
Wednesday, July 07 2010, 6:16PM
“Possibly Bluebaldee! But rats leaving a sinking ship? I am not sure about that. I think there have been some idiots on today, just enough to make the true red-blood boil. But that's life...”
by Bluebaldee, Bristol
Wednesday, July 07 2010, 5:58PM
“Cor Blimey!
The 'Teds are touchy today, innum?
Here's a picture to cheer you all up:
http://www.whoateallthepies.tv/Ian%20Holloway%20kidney.jpg
Simmo147, Portishead, has of course provided our delusional, frothing-at-the-mouth red friends with a dose of truth, reality and logic.”
by mark, longwell green
Wednesday, July 07 2010, 5:19PM
“after the 1996ers sold up eastville stadium to the greyhound company and moved to twerton to squat with a non-league club, i remember popping down to eastville stadium one lunchtime to watch a greyhound racing card.
you can only imagine how much I roared with laughter everytime one of those dogs trotted across the pitch to park up and soil on it.
i hope your bufty john lewis shorts arrived in the post this morning....”
by Simon, Briz
Wednesday, July 07 2010, 5:05PM
“Simmo147, is factually correct on all accounts. In the time before Parachute payments - which are to save clubs these days who have players on large contracts, when they are relegated from the top flight. The reason why City had no option but to form a new business, was because there were no laws concerning Administration at the time. This is the only reason why the Gas refer to us as Bristol City 1982 limited. It was a nobel act by the Ashton Gate 8 to dissolve their contracts. If the laws surrounding Administration were around in 1982, then it wouldn't have happened. I started watching City in 1983 -1984 so that was before my time. It's not a nice episode in history, but it is the truth. I have happy memories of watching Alan Walsh play - that's all I care about!”
by Nobby, 3 Lions
Wednesday, July 07 2010, 4:34PM
“Stephen Walters, Portishead - whilst your are obviously having a very bad day, and biting at everything, your memory is playing tricks with you.
They did catch-up and thrash the runaway leaders of (the old) Div 3 in 1990 to WIN the championship.
Now have a lie down and maybe start getting out a bit more.
PS Sorry mate, I am a City fan but love an easy wind-up.”
by simmo147, Portishead
Wednesday, July 07 2010, 3:02PM
“Mitch in Ashton Vale: I think you will find that City did reform as a CLUB in 1982. Can I refer you to your own website: http://www.bcfc.co.uk/page/Records/0,,10327~63412,00.html
If you scroll down to the year 1982 you can read (Assuming that you can indeed read?) that a new CLUB was reformed, not a Company.
In the mid 90's all clubs started creating subsidiary Companies so that they could seperate the ground from the football club, therefore protecting it in the event of money problems.
As described by the other fellow from Portishead, this is what Rovers did in the mid-90's and you will find that City have done the same thing.
This is what protected the grounds of clubs such as Leeds and Southampton when they got into major debt.
Rovers paid their debts in the mid-80's but unfortunately honesty doesn't always pay.
As for 'Groundhog Day' - If (and it's a big if) we ever get a ground refurbishment then we can properly honour the great Geoff Bradford. To name one of our stands after him at the moment would be an insult.
And anyway, I think City could have done more to honour the Ashton Gate 8 who saved your CLUB. They acted as if they didn't even exist up until a few years ago.”
by Groundhog Day, U S A
Wednesday, July 07 2010, 2:30PM
“Stephen Walters you've summed it up nicely.Rovers will never get away from the fact that they sold Eastville to the Greyhound Company in the late 1940's who sold it for Millions to Ikea.They've acted like Pirate's ever since and can't even aknowledge Geoff Bradford which say's it all.The rest of the comments are the usual Trollope.”
by ben, bristol
Wednesday, July 07 2010, 2:09PM
“how is the goalkeeper search going?? still begging reading to release there keeper for another few months? joke that rovers can't get themselves a permanent goalkeeper.”
by Bluebluemoon, # 83
Wednesday, July 07 2010, 2:09PM
“Do you wanna borrow my landing net steve ?”