Thatcher signing near

Former Spanner Ben Thatcher looks set to join Charlton. Manchester City are reported to have agreed a fee for the full back who has played as a Welsh international. Massives boss Stuart Pearce is ready to let Thatcher leave Eastlands with Stephen Jordan currently the first choice at left back and centre back Sylvain Distin also able to provide cover in that position. 'The clubs have agreed a fee (variously stated to be £100k and £500k, the latter sounds more realistic) and the player is speaking with Charlton,' said Pearce. `'That's as far as we are now.'

Some fans have reacted negatively because of what they term Thatcher's alleged thuggishness but others argue that what we need in our current plight is some fire and aggression. If he does the business for us, well and good.

Traore has now been sold to Pompey for £1m. If he plays as out of position at Fratton Park as he did for us he may find himself in the Solent. However, rumours of a swap between O'Brien and Diaware do not seem to be well founded.

The fee for Jerome Thomas to go to Fulham is now reported to be £2.5m, a good profit on the £100,000 we paid for him. There are also reports that Paul Konchesky may re-join Charlton which may be the case as he and Curbs didn't hit it off. I hope if he does and I make a critical remark in a match report I don't get an E mail from his sister.