City make double swoop

jamesp_1927 · Posted: Sat Jun 23, 2007 8:00 pm

Cardiff City are to sign Scottish pair Gavin Rae and Steven MacLean after both players agreed three-year deals.
Rangers recently released midfielder Rae, while striker MacLean was out of contract with Sheffield Wednesday.

Cardiff beat off stiff competition from the likes of Hearts and Norwich for Rae, 29, capped 11 times by Scotland.

MacLean, 24, was also in demand, the striker who started his career at Ibrox having finished joint top scorer for the Owls last season with 13 goals.

He arrived at Hillsborough from Rangers for an undisclosed fee in July 2004, having enjoyed a successful loan spell with Scunthorpe United in 2003-04.

MacLean was voted player of the year in his first season with Wednesday after becoming the first Owl to score 20 goals in a season for 11 years.

However, a broken leg sustained in 2005 wrecked the following season.

Rae confirmed to BBC Sport that he had been in Cardiff for talks and expected to put pen-to-paper on a three-year contract by Wednesday.

He had joined Rangers from Dundee in January 2004 in a �250,000 deal.

However, a series of knee injuries curtailed the Ibrox career of the hard-tackling midfielder and he was not offered a new contract.

Cardiff have not revealed the terms of the deals offered to the pair.

From BBC

I feel these a two very good players. MacLean has a top goalscoring record, something like 55 goals in 96 starts. Very impressive and from what I have read, Wednesday fans are'nt to happy to have lost him.

Gavin Rae, well I dont know much about him, but seen a few clips of him on Youtube and he looks very comfortable on the ball and very solid.

All in all two great signings and it shows, you dont have to spend big to get good players.

MT40swfc · Posted: Sat Jun 23, 2007 8:30 pm

MacLean not a bad signing, good little fox in the box player and a sublime penalty taker but all players have their flaws and unfortanatley MacLean's is that hes bit of a money grabbing git. But hes been a good servant to the club and good luck to him.

jamesp_1927 · Posted: Sat Jun 23, 2007 8:43 pm

Joining Cardiff is hardly 'money grabbing'. I mean its not as if we can afford to splash the cash, as we have signed 3 players, not spent a penny, and we expect to sign another 3 next week again, not spending any money.

He will be on around �3,000 - �5,000 a week.

Tacchini · Posted: Sat Jun 23, 2007 10:55 pm

LOL,Gavin rae?Your welcome to him.

jamesp_1927 · Posted: Sat Jun 23, 2007 10:59 pm

I feel very privoliged.

I feel he will be a very good player, speaking to a Rangers season ticket holder and he feels hes a decent player.

And a decent Rangers player would be quite good for us I think mate.

MT40swfc · Posted: Sun Jun 24, 2007 3:36 pm

He was on around 4,000 for us but to renew he was wanting to be the top earner and we had to pay Rangers 50k to renew it. But that'l probebly just be one of the factors in his decision to leave with like any other player he wants first team football and we rotate our strikers is it likely he'l be in Cardiffs first team because I dont rate him higher than Chopra or Thompson.

Tez Arne · Posted: Sun Jun 24, 2007 3:42 pm

Good to see you back on here mate.

Who won the Fantasy championship by the way?

jamesp_1927 · Posted: Sun Jun 24, 2007 5:13 pm

He will probably partner Chopra as we have been looking to replace Thompson. Thompson is a top target man and a great worker, but he just doesnt find the net.

So it will be MacLean and Chopra I think upfront for us.

Tez Arne · Posted: Sun Jun 24, 2007 5:17 pm

Why is Chopra not linked with any Premiership clubs? He scored a load of goals last season and was probably a better player than Nugent who is valued at �8m.

jamesp_1927 · Posted: Sun Jun 24, 2007 6:58 pm

The club are asking a hefty 7 million for Chopra. He has only had 1 good season, could be a one off, so most Prem clubs dont want to take a risk on such a unexperienced player.

Where as Nugent has been consistently scoring over the past few seasons.

Bubble_Blower · Posted: Mon Jun 25, 2007 10:06 am

Gunter had been the target of Everton recently!!
�750k and then you have Bale another Welsh Player similar age but slightly more ability go for �10m?
Not right is it?
Gavin Rae is quite a decent player who got the Arm band when Ferguson was either injured or out of favour at Ibrox!!
Hey decent signings who may just be what they need to hit the back of the net!
All they need now is a top keeper-Taylor of Villa has been mentioned and anothe CB for Injury case as they seem to leek to many goals!

jamesp_1927 · Posted: Mon Jun 25, 2007 10:17 am

If Loovens stays fit. We will be fine. Its just when Johnson and Purse play together as they are so similar. A center back isnt needed.

Gunter, he is overated in my opinion. And apparently he will be making a 1.5 mill move to Everton which I will be very happy about.

I have seen him play many times this year and only once has he impressed me, that was against WBA but he didnt do a great deal there either. Darcy Blake and Arron Ramsey have much better future's ahead of them and a lot more potential.

We are chasing 2 goalkeepers those mentioned are Taylor (Villa), Roy Carroll and Tim Krul of Newcastle.

Bubble_Blower · Posted: Mon Jun 25, 2007 12:02 pm

Krul is one for the future but maybe a bit young for that level at the moment!
Carroll hmm at first i thought no-but he could certainly fit into the squad very well?!
Taylor is the most likely option IMO didnt understand why Arseanl let him and Stack go?

Bubble_Blower · Posted: Thu Jun 28, 2007 3:43 pm

Just saw Mr Roy Carroll in Cardiff!!!

YoBBo · Posted: Thu Jun 28, 2007 3:51 pm

really hed defiantly b a gd signing since alexander is gone and the other goalies arent very gd.

Maclean is a gd signing my frend online from glasgow he supports rangers and i asked him if rae was ne gd and all he did was laugh.

Roger johnson was really gd last season.

gunter is gd i dont think hes not as overrated as many players thou, gd enuf thou.

Ow ye i havnt asked u what u think about cardiffs 1st signing that capaldi guy what type of player is he?

jamesp_1927 · Posted: Thu Jun 28, 2007 4:49 pm

Speaking to some Plymouth fans and they said hes a good solid wing back, he likes to get forward but he lacks pace which does catch him out from time to time.

He sounds like a solid signing, dont see why he is an improvement on Barker though, although Lawrie Sanchez was quoted by The South Wales Echo that he is the best signing of the season.

YoBBo · Posted: Thu Jun 28, 2007 10:37 pm

hopefully then he'll make a gd addition to the squad come on pahly post a comment Wink

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City make double swoop

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