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Aston Villa fans comments on selling Matt Targett to Newcastle United – Interesting…

2 years ago
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Aston Villa fans watching on today as news came out that Matt Targett had now made a permanent move to Newcastle United, following on from a successful loan spell at St James Park.

Aston Villa took the unusual step of stating the transfer fee in their official announcement, saying ‘a permanent move to Newcastle United for a fee of £15m.’

Aston Villa fans then wanting to believe (see below) that this meant their club had received this amount PLUS money on top for the loan spell.

Whilst The Telegraph reported that they had ‘asked Newcastle United’ and been told that the £15m included £2m for the loan spell.

As well as the debate / argument over what the total transfer fee actually was, a more overwhelming theme running through the comments from Aston Villa fans.

The (honest?) small minority happy to speak positively about the player their club has sold.

However, the vast majority desperate to go to great lengths to claim just how poor Matt Targett supposedly is, especially compared to Lucas Digne.

For Newcastle fans, if Matt Targett carries on playing like he did last season, there will be no complaints. Taking out the defeats at Spurs and Man City, Targett’s other 14 NUFC matches saw only eight goals conceded and he really seemed to thrive on the support he got from the Newcastle United supporters…

Aston Villa fans commenting via their Villa Talk message board on Matt Targett’s permanent transfer to Newcastle United:

‘Targett popular with players and staff alike but not some fans

Good luck to him. Never understood the malice he got on here

Somebody in the squad is worried they will be the next VT bottler/coward.’

‘Physically and mentally weak player move on.’

‘He’d bang you out pal.’

‘To be fair, Micah Richards was EXTREMELY popular with the players and staff at VP lol.

That is no indication of a player, as a player.’

‘In simplistic terms did we make about £3m on him, brought for £12m and sold for £15m?

Not the best deal but also the not worst. Similar to him as a player, not the best not the worst.

Played a vital part in keeping us up and had a good season last year. Clearly wanted to go though, although he’ll no doubt be backup at Newcastle soon.’

‘Thought we signed him for £18m. Not sure of the accounting, and I could even be wrong about the fee.

Still a hell of a fall from grace though.’

‘Not as bad as some make out.

Was player of the year for us the season before so shows he isnt rubbish. Just very inconsistent

No hard feelings from me. All the best matt.’

‘Feels like we don’t often announce fees very often?’

‘We definitely don’t when we buy. Maybe when we sell we’re less guarded. If the public don’t know our net position on sales and purchases its got to be better for our ability to negotiate a price.

Maybe Newcastle would only complete if it got announced, in a sort of “this is a good deal for us” kind of way.’

‘Always gave 100% (on the pitch, at least), despite his obvious limitations.

I’ll always remember him for his goal against Brighton and getting absolutely ragdolled by Lukaku.’

‘Not a bad player but someone who couldn’t adapt to the loss of Grealish and didn’t show any desire to fight for his place.’

‘By the start of this season we were looking super incongruous with the 2 Matt’s at fullback. We were going to upgrade on him eventually, I’m glad we did it so swiftly and decisively looking back. Getting a good fee for him too is great.’

‘£15m + 3-5m for the loan is a good price. Digne effectively cost us £5-7m. I’ll take that. Good move all round.

Us announcing the fee means we’ve probably pushed for us to be allowed to announce the fee in the negotiations. Purslow keen to show when we are getting decent money, not often nowadays exact fees are outwardly discussed by clubs.’

‘Did a job, like most of those original PL signings did, glad we’re moving into the next phase now.’

‘I’m sure Newcastle fans will love that he didn’t mention us battling for Europe, even though its quite obvious why he wouldn’t mention the team he has JUST transfered from lol.’

‘He did name teams that finished above Newcastle last season.’

‘Let’s remember he went on loan because he wasn’t good enough to be our first choice left back.’

‘I always liked him, but if we’re planning on rising we need players willing to fight for their place in the team. He seems to want a place set in stone and that simply won’t do.

I’m not sure whether the fact he believes he has no chance of unseating Digne and taking his spot says more about Digne, or Targett.’

‘It definitely says more about Targett. As a professional footballer, especially at Premier League level, you need an elite mentality, an unwavering belief in yourself that you either are, or can be, the absolute best player. There are a few exceptions where it would be understandable for a footballer to conceed defeat in ousting another (I can’t imagine the back ups to Messi and Ronaldo in their prime thought they had any chance of getting in ahead of them) but outside of that, you need squads where each player truly believes he is good enough to play. It seems to me like Targett already knows he can’t reach Digne’s levels, hence wanting to leave only weeks after his signing.’

‘Leaving side the mind numbing waffle about the financial package that literally not a single person in here has any knowledge of whatsoever, the reason he’s leaving is that he’s not as good as Digne at football.’

‘I’m delighted to get anything for him. Our money back is amazing.’

‘All the Newcastle fans out on twitter pretty much saying they’re getting him at the lowest quoted price.

Shocker.

Like they know the price…’

‘I’ll make a prediction that there won’t be a single genuine post next season wishing that targett was still here. I also predict that Newcastle fans will have a different view when they start seeing every opposing team focus on him as the weak link in their defence next season.’

‘No Newcastle fan will ever admit they were wrong.’

‘I am not sure I agree with that. They are already saying getting Targett is better than bringing in Digne or Lodi.’

‘Scary fact. Matt Targett is our 3rd most expensive outgoing transfer of the last decade behind Grealish and Benteke.’

‘Just remembered something that i thought on the day of the very first Gerrard training session when the OS released the video. Everyone else was chatting and relaxed as they walked out. Targett was looking so scared it was untrue.’

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