Sam Johnstone

[baggieal]

I don’t get why anyone is upset with him, he has a contract and is honouring it, he isn’t throwing his toys out the pram and downing tools to get a move. Ultimately it’s up to the club to agree a new contract or he goes at the end of the season, he has been a good servant and I would wish him well.
Ultimately it’s FOL’s fault we are in this predicament, ask yourself this if you had a choice would you stay at a club being stagnated to death or move to one with ambition?

People are getting upset because he wants his cake and eat it!! How about signing a new contract with a release clause so his club get a fee and he can leave! He does not want that as no club will want him for a fee as seen last time around!!! On a free a Premier club may want him as a number 2 and he might be happy to sit on his backside for a huge salary increase!

I would love to see the hardball approach - sign the contract with a release clause in your favour or be our number 2. Being a number 2 could seriously hamper his future chances so me thinks he would probably sign. Johnstone is decent but not that good FFS and given the choice would rather had Button as number 1 had in meant Pereira would have stayed!

Hate players calling the shots - end of!

[DaveP67 is back!]

People are getting upset because he wants his cake and eat it!! How about signing a new contract with a release clause so his club get a fee and he can leave! He does not want that as no club will want him for a fee as seen last time around!!! On a free a Premier club may want him as a number 2 and he might be happy to sit on his backside for a huge salary increase!

I would love to see the hardball approach - sign the contract with a release clause in your favour or be our number 2. Being a number 2 could seriously hamper his future chances so me thinks he would probably sign. Johnstone is decent but not that good FFS and given the choice would rather had Button as number 1 had in meant Pereira would have stayed!

Hate players calling the shots - end of!

Take a step into the real world! In the case of Johnstone he has honoured his contract either the club agree a deal or he leaves at the end of the season, I suspect he is weighing up his options and if we go up may well sign a contract, if we don’t then he will go, your notion that players owe a club something is nonsense, they get to where they are through their own talent and hard work. We have all been employees and have moved or stayed based on factors such as salary, job satisfaction and family, I have never made a decision based on upsetting some corporate hierarchy or perceived notion of loyalty, ultimately Johnstone gets paid by some faceless Chinaman who he has probably met once!

[Albionic68]

Take a step into the real world! In the case of Johnstone he has honoured his contract either the club agree a deal or he leaves at the end of the season, I suspect he is weighing up his options and if we go up may well sign a contract, if we don’t then he will go, your notion that players owe a club something is nonsense, they get to where they are through their own talent and hard work. We have all been employees and have moved or stayed based on factors such as salary, job satisfaction and family, I have never made a decision based on upsetting some corporate hierarchy or perceived notion of loyalty, ultimately Johnstone gets paid by some faceless Chinaman who he has probably met once!

Pretty much how I see it to be honest. He came back early from international duty to crack on with pre season, got his head down and didn't kick up a fuss. He's being professional and fulfilling the terms of his contract.

Don't get me wrong, I haven't been his biggest fan over the length of that contract and it's just typical his overall game has improved to such a degree as he enters his peak years as a keeper.

There're still faults to his game but he's much better than he was. The chances are he wasn't offered a contract earlier as there were so many gaps in his game. But regardless of his previous talents he again got on with the job when a contract presumably wasn't in the offering.

One thing though. I doubt he's ever met Lai in person as to the best of my knowledge he hasn't set foot at the Albion since our relegation in the Pulis/Pardew season.

[baggieal]

Take a step into the real world! In the case of Johnstone he has honoured his contract either the club agree a deal or he leaves at the end of the season, I suspect he is weighing up his options and if we go up may well sign a contract, if we don’t then he will go, your notion that players owe a club something is nonsense, they get to where they are through their own talent and hard work. We have all been employees and have moved or stayed based on factors such as salary, job satisfaction and family, I have never made a decision based on upsetting some corporate hierarchy or perceived notion of loyalty, ultimately Johnstone gets paid by some faceless Chinaman who he has probably met once!

Perhaps you are not a professional contractor then we respect. My point is to include in the contract a get out clause and even a good pay rise if we are promoted so he signs and does not leave on a free.

Be interesting if a hard ball purchaser offered the above and said if you don’t sign a contract with everything in your favour then you will be number 2. Would he want to rot in the reserves? No! Nobody wanted him before when he was number 1 so certainly wouldn’t want a number 2.

Yes many would want him on a free as nothing to lose and doesn’t he know that! That’s my point and why should the club end up with nothing!! Yes he’s better than Button but not that much difference in my view! Our biggest loss by far was Pereira!!!

[DaveP67 is back!]

Perhaps you are not a professional contractor then we respect. My point is to include in the contract a get out clause and even a good pay rise if we are promoted so he signs and does not leave on a free.

Be interesting if a hard ball purchaser offered the above and said if you don’t sign a contract with everything in your favour then you will be number 2. Would he want to rot in the reserves? No! Nobody wanted him before when he was number 1 so certainly wouldn’t want a number 2.

Yes many would want him on a free as nothing to lose and doesn’t he know that! That’s my point and why should the club end up with nothing!! Yes he’s better than Button but not that much difference in my view! Our biggest loss by far was Pereira!!!

Think we have to agree to disagree on this, re commercial contracts I have managed many, some in the tens of millions, ultimately both the club and Johnstone signed the contract it is being honoured end of story..

[baggieal]

Think we have to agree to disagree on this, re commercial contracts I have managed many, some in the tens of millions, ultimately both the club and Johnstone signed the contract it is being honoured end of story..

I agree Dave let’s agree to disagree! Pereira was a huge huge loss. Johnstone is a good championship keeper but won’t be any tears when he leaves. I sincerely hope he’s a number 1 elsewhere and not a mercenary sitting on a bench as a number 2 because of a huge pay increase! Would I blame him if so - not really but money is not everything to everyone with the exception of Premier/Championship players. That’s why I loved watching Harrogate Town with Mick - players giving everything - community feel and yes they also knew where the net was!

[wba13]

Johnstone is now England’s No2 keeper and totally deserves it. Has gone from a good keeper to an excellent keeper and fans who still can’t see this only see who he took over from and which other midland club he played for. He will go on to a bigger and and better things and will be a No1 wherever he goes. Will be missed by most Albion fans because most know how good he is. He wasn’t voted player of the season and players player of the season for no reason. I think I will take most fans and especially the players and England manager and coaches than fans on a forum.

[kettering_baggie]

Agree, he will be a big loss if he goes. I was not at all impressed with Button when I saw him play and Palmer is still inexperienced at this level, hopefully, though, he will step up and come good. There are also good reports about young Griffiths, who is out on loan somewhere. I once had a manager who gave me the advice to ‘look after No1, because no other ****** will’! I suspect that Sam Johnstone is doing just that.

[mickd1961]

He doesn’t command the six yard area and his not knowing whether to “stick or twist” when leaving his line should be gone from his game at his age.

The fact he’s the country’s number two keeper is a sad reflection on how far standards have dropped.

Not even in my top 5 of Albion keepers since the early 70’s......bang average.

[baggieal]

He doesn’t command the six yard area and his not knowing whether to “stick or twist” when leaving his line should be gone from his game at his age.

The fact he’s the country’s number two keeper is a sad reflection on how far standards have dropped.

Not even in my top 5 of Albion keepers since the early 70’s......bang average.

Post of the week! Nothing against him but he's average at best! Losing fantastic players like Pereira, Gallagher and Okay are those who should make you weep. Even with one of them we would be way ahead in this weak league!

Ramsdale went for a good fee and fact of the matter was - nobody wanted Johnstone or even offered. Are they all wrong or stupid?