The official 'Tomkins has gone to Crystal Palace' thread.

SuzanneClaret

;weep

Lukerz

Makes sense given we have:

Reid
Ogbonna
Collins
Nordveit
Kouyate
Burke
Oxford

Who can all play CB.

Someone offering you £10m for the transfer kitty in a position you have plenty of cover.

Onl issue is Reid and Ginge usually miss about 2 months every season through injury.

Best of luck Tonka. One of my favourite players. But the deal just made perfect sense for all parties.

SuzanneClaret

It did.

I'll stop weeping in a bit.

;weep

SuzanneClaret

Maybe not.

steve

Suz have a drink or two its allowed in midweek when something like this happens ;redwine

SuzanneClaret

Been there, done that ;biggrin

Slaven_Cups_His_Beard

Reckon the boy is gutted to be leaving, the chance to run out at that new stadium in claret and blue would've been fantastic for him.

Well one things for sure Slaven doesn't mess around he's got rid of Amalfitano after a spat and now stuck to his guns on Tomkins.

If the money helps get a decent replacement or adds to the kitty then that's fine.....it just bidness

Moore_than_a_nick

Had a pair o' lamb chops in the fridge left over from a takeaway. Couldn't bring myself to get them out and heat them up, cos they'd just remind me of Tonks.

Very sad to see him go, specially since for me it's a toss of a coin between our four senior centre backs, so I'd plump for the local lad. Consolation is that our gaffer knows a thing or two about being a centre back.

Moore_than_a_nick

Interesting story on KUMB saying that Dicks didn't rate Tonk's passing, and Tonks passing from the 1st XI coincided with Dicks arrival as a coach. Personally would have thought Slav would have more say on which centre backs played. But the intrigue...

HappyHammer_ish

Slaven_Cups_His_Beard said:

Reckon the boy is gutted to be leaving, the chance to run out at that new stadium in claret and blue would've been fantastic for him

Gutted for him for this reason as well... To think he been here through some really bad times n teams... Relegation etc.. Then doesn't get to be a part of possibly one of the best things to happen to us in a long time... Shame..

Moore_than_a_nick said:

Very sad to see him go, specially since for me it's a toss of a coin between our four senior centre backs, so I'd plump for the local lad. Consolation is that our gaffer knows a thing or two about being a centre back.

It makes sense, to do the deal, but for me, whilst I love him too, ginge would have been the one I'd sacrifice... Obviously that only works if there's an interested party... But with his age etc and rinks being the local...

tomkinsworldclass

Slaven_Cups_His_Beard said:

Reckon the boy is gutted to be leaving, the chance to run out at that new stadium in claret and blue would've been fantastic for him.

Well one things for sure Slaven doesn't mess around he's got rid of Amalfitano after a spat and now stuck to his guns on Tomkins.

If the money helps get a decent replacement or adds to the kitty then that's fine.....it just bidness

Was relatively close to a testimonial as well ;bowdown ;hug ;weep

WHU_Champo_league_in_7_years

HappyHammer_ish said:

It makes sense, to do the deal, but for me, whilst I love him too, ginge would have been the one I'd sacrifice... Obviously that only works if there's an interested party... But with his age etc and rinks being the local...

Think that's the reason we sold Tomkins though because if we sold collins because of his age etc we probanly would've got £2mil which let's be honest is not even worth it

Tomkins was closer to his prime and probably had more to offer but he was a more sellable asset sadly

While I'm sad to see him go I like that we managed to sell a player who isn't a 1st teamer for double figures, surely a first for the club and likewise seem like the board are being aggressive over the sales of Sakho and Valencia which personally I feel is good to see

As someone above mentioned there are reports that dicks didn't like his passing ability and based on Bilics prefered CB pairing he likes having 2 CBs who are confident on the ball ad happy to travel with it so Tomkins doesn't quite suit that style

HappyHammer_ish

Yeah agree with the money side champo.. Like I say, it makes sense in every way except sentimentally...

Though I always thought tonks was one of the better centre backs on the ball... ;hmm

eskimoking

Moore_than_a_nick said:

Interesting story on KUMB saying that Dicks didn't rate Tonk's passing, and Tonks passing from the 1st XI coincided with Dicks arrival as a coach. Personally would have thought Slav would have more say on which centre backs played. But the intrigue...

I read this and thought it was ridiculous. If it's true I worry about Dicks' judgement. Tonks is a better passer and controller of the ball than Reid and Ginge for definite. I had heard Oggy was a ball player before joining but personally I've not seen enough to suggest he's better than Tonks on the ball.

Also, Tonks has played CM and RB for us, the others have not. Would suggest he's better than them with the ball.

sweepy23

The West Ham of old would have had to sell our best centre back.

However sad it is to lose Tonks, it pleases me we seem to be keeping our best players.

Defensive players I'd have been more concerned about losing:

Reid
Cresswell
Ogbonna
Antonio
Oxford
Burke

Good luck Tonks. Thank you for everything.

Vorselaarhammer

Just reading Slav on the OS it seems like the new signing can play in just about every defensive position including both RB and LB....

We seem to be covered.

Hammerwombat

Good luck for the future James, and thanks for your loyalty and commitment.

Hammer at heart ;bowdown

ASLEFshrugged

Mark Noble and Tony Carr are now the only ones left who were here before S&G took over.

SuzanneClaret

I'm still here ;biggrin

WHU_Champo_league_in_7_years

ASLEFshrugged said:

Mark Noble and Tony Carr are now the only ones left who were here before S&G took over.

And reid and technically Collins as he's here now
;whistle

And that squad got us relegated so kind a happy most of em are gone

Slaven_Cups_His_Beard

Reid was purchased by Grant who was hired by Sully/Gold

So no, the two mentioned by Aslef is correct.

WHU_Champo_league_in_7_years

Slaven_Cups_His_Beard said:

Reid was purchased by Grant who was hired by Sully/Gold

So no, the two mentioned by Aslef is correct.

Haha touche

So S&G bought our best defender for the last 6 years

Very good of em
;cool

ASLEFshrugged

Reid was indeed Avram who then only played him 12 times and quite a few of those out of position at RB.

So S&G got us the best defender for the last 6 years along with the worst manager ever and I'm including Lou Macari

Lukerz

Green
Reid - Tomkins - Upson - IIunga
Faubert - Noble - Kovac - Parker - Boa Morte
Cole

Stech, Gabbidon, Spector, Barrera, Diamanti, Piquionne, Sears

;bowdown

Ravel49

Proper West Ham team that ;carew

OldCastleSwift

Slaven_A_Laugh_Lukerz said:

Green
Reid - Tomkins - Upson - IIunga
Faubert - Noble - Kovac - Parker - Boa Morte
Cole

Stech, Gabbidon, Spector, Barrera, Diamanti, Piquionne, Sears

;bowdown

We've come a long, long way...

Sarawakammer

I saw Tomks as the future heart of the team, once Noble started to slow down. Every successful Prem team needs a local core of players: just look at how easily Man City give up under pressure, and Chelsea lost their way without the Terry/Lampard axis. Really sad to see him go, hope it works out well for him. Think palace have made a smart buy there. Anyway, ;clap for all you've given the club, James