I don't see how this could be portrayed as bad news for Wigan fans.

If true it could only be bad news of the supporters of the club Fielden were to join on such terms.

Ask Bradford fans re Iestyn's long term contribution to on field performance and off field recruitment.

Maybe it is maybe it isn't, thats for others to decide. It's just the general concensus from Wigan is that Fielden will have to re sign but on big reduced terms. I would love to know why they think that when i'm sure there will be a few other teams would take him on with a salary close to what he is on now.

What makes you think other clubs would want to / be able to pay such a high salary for him? Your only worth what someone is willing to pay for you.

Unless Mo Lindsay has left Preston North End already and become Chairman of another RL club, nobody would be daft enough to pay Fielden close to what he's getting at the moment.

There are two Mo contracts still being paid at Wigan that both end this year and currently take up 25% of our total cap space, and one of them is Fielden's.

Add together:
- The Mo factor
- Fielden's reputation and transfer fee
- The situation Wigan were in when he signed

and you get a stupidly high contract.

Your kidding right. You don't think somebody like Rovers for example would not be able to pay his wages at the same time publisizing it as a marque signing. Hull, Wire a return to the Bulls also fall into this catogary.

No I dont and I seriously doubt any team would want to. Wire? what space on the cap do they have? Maybe the Bulls if Orford left, but again i doubt it.

You're making no sense whatsoever now with this train of fantasy surrounding Stuart Fielden, you do realise this don't you.



By paying the other 23 1st grade squad members the remaining 75%

I wouldn't recommend it but it's hardly beyond a possibility to do so.

Leeds are paying 90% of theirs to one player don't forget.

I don't know who you are or what info you have on salaries, but how do you know how much Fielden is on? Another Wigan poster refers to 2 Wigans players contracts being 25% of your cap, one being Fielden which I find incredibly hard to believe. Maybe his salary is exaggerated by some and not what many believe it is?

My point is most if any will not know Fieldens salary so speculating on who can and can't afford him is purely that, speculation. As you say not ideal paying just 2 players a quarter of your player budget is not ideal but then who am i to disagree. As for your final point I didn't think DB was on such a pittance.

Well if anyone wants to offer him wages that compare to Peacock, Morley and Graham then they can take him off our hands and we will sign someone else

Personally i cant see it

he would have been on a large wedge at Bradford and must have left to Wigan for primarily money reasons. You dont pay a 450k transfer fee for a player then pay him peanuts

All this maybe true. My point is, nobody knows what he is on now, so nobody knows if anybody else can or will pay his wages. And I think somebody will offer him closer to what he wants other than the massive reduced wages the Wigan fans think he will accept.

I deliberately played it down to save JJB's feelings.

Being in the know must be such a privilege

Well put it this way, signing players the current coach has actually worked with seems like a smart move.

Particularly when they are the right side of 30.