Dwight McNeil's move to Crystal Palace collapses

I'll not believe McNeil is gone until I see him in a Palace shirt holding the scarf over his head.

Just for once it was looking good for Everton.

Someone wants sacking, it would have been the best deal of the season.

Did Palace offer £20k and for some strange reason, we thought they said £20M?

Latest from Sky Sports News' Vinny O'Connor and James Savundra:

Dwight McNeil's move to Crystal Palace from Everton has collapsed.

The deal was for a loan with a £20M obligation if certain thresholds were met.

Sky Sports News understands paperwork was not done in time.

Now that is so old school Everton. I thought TFG were a well-run organisation...

Kidding he might have a few big goals for us in him yet. Honestly don't think he's got up to full match speed yet this season.

Welcome back, Dwight.

Looks like we are stuck with the mopey sod for a bit longer.

And I say this with no malice towards Dwight, just the incompetent bean counters.

Now that is old school Everton. I thought that TFG were supposed to be the professional organisation we all crave for.

Based on this, nothing has changed.

Maybe it was Palace who were late with completing their part of the paperwork?

But due to Palace's sale of Mateta collapsing they changed terms from £20M purchase to a loan with an obligation and then pulled out

(Via - David Ornstein)

Maybe they saw sense!

And like various other new signings, he should not expect much game time.

I suspect Dwight will come in useful in quite a few games this season when we are needing to manage games to a successful conclusion.

It was Crystal Palace that failed to get the paperwork in on time.

Were not going down. We are not going to win a trophy and we wont qualify for a lucrative CL place. I would like TFG to lay it on the line to him now - Give the loyal fans what they want or we'll get somebody who will.

hopefully they will have more patience, and will realise we are not yet in a position to move to total football, not with our current fullbacks, and three teenagers in the team.. They will realise there is a mature plan in action to build the team incrementally back to the European spots over the next 2-3 years, and that will be more than enough to meet his job requirements.

Mind you; Now that you mention him. He achieved something in one season that Moyes has failed to do in twenty seasons when he won a domestic cup and If you think he will get relegated this season, come and see me on betfair.

By the way. Nobody is calling for "total football". we just want Moyes to stop hiding behind the couch and surrendering possession before a ball is even kicked.

Moyes was given well over 100m for players. he was also allowed to bring in a top class player on loan from City. There is no doubt we have better players than Doucourie and Harrison, but we still surrender the Lions share of possession week in week out Thats on the manager and his cowardly approach

Isn't that why McNeil transfer fell through? Somebody enlighten me here please.

Much more likely, Palace got cold feet having overpaid for the Wolves guy and failed to recoup anything for Mateta. Strikes me they are in some disarray right now.

Or at least that is what I'd like to believe because McNeil's race was well and truly run with us.

If we go charging around after the ball and all gung-ho, the away teams will just pick us off. We have to be cuter than that; that requires confidence and a relaxed atmosphere. Neither of which is currently present at BMD.

Our style has improved immeasurably even in just months, as you say, we have players now who love the ball. And, significantly, those same ball players all love playing for the manager.

Usually ball players don't like playing for Tony Pulis. And it will continue to improve.

He's not wanted here by most fans, the manager didn't seem to rate him, and Palace seemed to be at fault over the paperwork or wanted to change the deal.

Dwight looked like he wanted to go so he's the biggest loser here. I hope you get a move in the summer, Dwight, and carry on and have a successful career elsewhere... hopefully in the Premier League.

We don't have the players to play football. Sad and true, I know.

Fans? Yes, of course! Supporters?? Not so sure? Following Everton seems to be a bit toxic at the moment.

One of my first memories of visits to Goodison was the Ferguson derby and we were shitter then, but more together.

We have more talent than at least half the teams in the Premier League. Yet we cower against all of them. No excuses.

Moyes doesn't have to go "Gung Ho" -- thats just an extreme used by people apologising for him. He could win over the fan base tomorrow. All he has to do is send his team out on the front foot.

He won't... because he won't.

Even the socialists could run the place better. Just fucking do one, Everton.

Take it even further back to the derby, this was Liverpool as low as they've been in many years and we sat back like we were terrified of them until we were 2-0 down, then we gave them a game.

Moyes has done alright with his pragmatism. It just crosses the line into cowardice way too often for my liking. Not asking for 1970 Brazil, but at least try to fucking win from the off. There are no unbeatable teams in the Premier League this season.

The closest to the truth from my little search from Lampard's first 11 was

Pickford
Patterson Godfrey Mina Mykolenko
Alan Gomes Townsend
Gray Gordon Richarlison

Maybe similar?? Both shit, agreed.

The last £45M player we bought ended up being wrongly accused (by the club) of sexual offences against a minor. And written off the books at a great cost.

Meanwhile, in the real world, everyone else is scrambling around doing deals to fill the bench and we're fucking about, as per usual, like it's 2011 again and Bill's hidden the Arteta money down the sofa.

I was at Brighton on Saturday (in the home end behind the goal) and I was so bored by the time Beto decided he could finally get his feet in order, I was numb.

I'm not saying I like Moyes's football. I'm saying it's a nice change to not lose every bloody week!

are you forgetting we had like seven players out?

They've treated him disgracefully.

And like I said, Moyes's pragmatism is fine up to a point. He's got us all but mathematically safe, and it's much appreciated.

At this point, not turning up to play for the first half, week-in & week-out, is beyond frustrating. We could beat all of these teams. But we do nothing but protect the 0-0 for half the match, every week.

Isn't football about trying to win?

I certainly wouldn't want the fantastic footballer (proven innocent but we all heard it), Mason Greenwood on my team.

To be fair, If I'd been with the travelling Blue Army, I may (definitely) have been in ecstasy too?

But still, football isn't supposed to bore you for 97 minutes first, is it?

I've done more than enough to derail this thread so I'm bowing out. Maybe I'm the dinosaur here and not Moyes.

Business is business, but they made the offer, they had the player complete a medical. That's a pretty shabby look imo.

There is due process in criminal investigations and that means you are innocent until proven guilty. Yet the club threw Gylfi Sigurdsson under the bus first sniff. And wiped their hands. It was despicable. And there's silly old me thinking Scousers all stuck together. Unless…..

Taking the word of plod as given though. Dear me…

I felt like from someone that rarely contributes and barged in a thread, you beat me to it.

Sorry to you, and to all blues. I love me blues, that is all.

"Wrongly accused (by the club)"

Was that a joke?

Didn't the club pay his wages for around 18-24 months? Then he fled the country?

If they thought he was innocent, I doubt it'd play out like that?

That is standard employment practice where an employee has been charged in a criminal case. The club would have taken external legal advice before doing so.

However, the more pertinent fucking question to ask is, why record signing Tyler Dibling …. a left-footer no less (and probably not a Catholic)

Do you want to explain this bollocks - 'left footer', 'Catholic'. WTF does 'Catholic' have to do with it? Explain.

You wrote '(by the club)'... It's there. We can all read it. We're not stupid, not least when you try to deflect or smokescreen with your 'Plod' stuff, lambasting and lampooning others in cowardly gaslighting, when there is only one idiot who needs to explain his words.

'You see that first half with four centre-backs, I see a midfield [of] Dewsbury-Hall, Grealish, Dibling and a revitalised Garner'.

Grealish did not play. Dibling got his usual late walk-on part. v was, I thought, well below par that day. Garner was decent despite some awful set-pieces.

It's got to be hugely awkward and embarrassing for McNeil showing back up at Finch Farm tomorrow after news of his departure was leaked, then greeted with applause from most fans.

I feel sorry for him really. It would have been a good deal for us and for him; not sure it would have been great business for Palace but c'est la vie.

When he was informed that Palace had an offer in for him, his career disappointment was tempered with the relief that the offer did not involve the other Palace... and Ex-Prince Andrew. :-)

They still create fuck all, we still surrender possession and we are one of the lowest scoring teams... I just see mind-numbing football.

It's not his fault the club paid £20M for him and then paid him millions a season. He plays football for our club, that's it. The fact he's not Messi isn't really his fault.

And let's not forget he helped us stay up a few seasons ago even when his partner was very ill. Go and look in the mirror, some of you.

For my part, I think he has been awful this month. I'd be happy if he never started for us again. But I don't hate him -- how can I? -- and wish him and his lovely lady all the best.

I think Nick's just trying to be humorous.

What the fuck?

It's not humour. This fella has never been humorous. From his pleas to march on the club on Saturdays -- when he was never there -- his has been a voice of "Fuck off this" and "Fuck off that" and "You dozy twats who do this and that".

I've never been called a left-footer as a Catholic who vehemently supports Irish independence. In my experience, left-footer has, pathetically and sadly, been used against people who love someone of their own sex.

You'll be telling me next that "sheep shagger" is also derogatory!!

Quite who is sanctioning Brennan Johnson, McNeil and Strand Larsen, and keeping an unhappy Mateta, when the manager is leaving, is an odd one.

Not far off £100M was being spent, with not a clue if the manager fancies them or not. Seems crazy.

On our unnamable player (mainly 'cos I'd bugger up the spelling) -- wasn't he the original complainant as he went to the police (Manchester plod I think, not Merseyside?) and made a complaint about blackmail?

Also, as a Catholic born and raised in North Liverpool, left-footer meant something else. Mind you, I was surrounded by Catholics.

Moyes fucked up the team, well this time 14 months ago we were all nervously looking at our fixtures wondering where the next goal would come from let

Fast forward 14 months and, while the displays are hardly scintillating, it's not the worst I've seen either.

We've had injuries, suspensions and Afcon and we've done okay coping with that.

I suspect you'd like Sean Dyche back... You know: nervous last couple of weeks of the season, shitting ourselves if we'd survive or not.

Moyes has ensured there'll be none of that again so name me your choice of manager who you think will bring this brand of attacking football everyone craves.

I've got news for you: there isn't one, even Guardiola, Slot etc are getting it in the neck from parts of their fan base, and these have recently won major trophies and one of them is still fighting on 4 fronts.

I despair at some of our fans sometimes, I really do. The club is in a better place than it has been for years yet the likes of you, Sean, and others can't see the bigger picture.

Looks like he went through the mill yesterday with his non-transfer. Tough game at times.

He supported his partner when she was ill. They've had a tough few years together.

https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=122287831202208399&set=a.122105577914208399

https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=122287831202208399&set=a.122105577914208399

Dwight is a very lucky fella.

Not the greatest of players but his recent trials and tribulations might explain a lot. I wish him well at his new… ahh!

Here is what the Athletic posted:

“Palace were proposing an initial loan deal with an obligation to buy the winger worth £20million.

McNeil, 26, completed his medical at Palace, who submitted a deal sheet before Monday's 7 pm transfer deadline but the south-London club withdrew their offer before 9 pm.

It followed Jean-Philippe Mateta's proposed departure from Selhurst Park collapsing, with Palace later pulling out of the McNeil arrangement.

McNeil shared a lengthy Instagram post from his partner Megan Sharpley in the early hours of Tuesday morning, which read: “(To have something) torn away from you at the last second, with absolutely no explanation. Going from everything — to radio silence, no phone call, no communication, and be left, broken hearted with nothing but confusion hurts more than I can say.”

McNeil wrote: “While even now I'm still left in the dark. What I do know, and have been supported with, I am an Everton player. I will use this as motivation.”

First they say they want you -- say how they really need you -- suddenly you find you're out there walking in a storm.

I still remember the away game at Brighton, when they were flying high and we didn't know where the next win would come from and relegation seemed inevitable. Dwight absolutely destroyed Brighton in that 5-1 demolition, he was sensational.

Used in his preferred position, he can be influential, and he is the sweetest striker of the football at Everton presently, bar none. I hope he can get his mojo back, and start getting the goals for us.

I think myself he is a goal threat if played centrally; I don't think he can be used as a track-back wide man.

It is what it is now; get on with it and push for a European spot.

Although I suppose that was in the old days when the clubs held all the power.

He's rightly deserved footballing criticism for the latter and should get some recognition for the former.

He's also a human being who has been through a tough time with his partner, and was on the receiving end of a shit show from Palace yesterday. Currently a poorly run club on a downward spiral.

A move would have been the right thing for Dwight and Everton at this time, but for now he remains part of us, an Everton player, no doubt to be revisited in the Summer.

Separate point, this continual "we should be grateful for not having to assess our upcoming fixtures against fellow relegation strugglers at this time of year", thank our lucky stars.

Yes, I'm glad we're not in a relegation fight, but that's not the ceiling of our ambition surely. There is a bigger picture. We should be making the most of every opportunity as presented to us. Looking upwards not downwards all the time.

I'd have been happy to see McNeil go, but fuck me, some people on here need to grow up and talk to real people in person.

One source says Palace tried to change the terms. McNeil certainly knows he is no longer wanted here.

Very true, sad, and shows what society has become.

It's likely all football clubs have lousy supporters, but Everton seem to have them in droves.

Seems to be your hobby.

McNeil isn't that bad an option to have on the bench anyway, at least preferably to a fourth or fifth goalie!!!

We've got 3 kids and Ndiaye for both wings, I think we need Dwight and I am sure he'll play his part.

On a more serious note why not try that line-up.
Moyes loves a 4-2-3-1 set-up -- at least it would be playing square pegs in square holes (except for the back four). I really hope he doesn't start McNeil on either wing against Fulham.

The way I see it, the McNeil to Palace deal falling through has created a difficult situation -- especially for McNeil.

Comments that people don't agree with get removed because everyone has to think and act the same way or people start crying -- what a childish immature soft world we live in.

I feel bad for my kids having to grow up in a world where everyone is judged for what they say and think. What happened to freedom of expression??? So, so, so sad.

Someone with some technical know how needs to create a separate EFC fan site. I'll contribute etc. This is shit!

Did they notify the game's governing body of their intentions and then withdraw? Or just not lodge any paperwork at all with the Premier League?

If Everton notified the Premier League, should the League have sought confirmation from Palace as I suppose they have to match up paperwork for any transfer? Or should the League insist that both clubs lodge at the same time in each other's presence?

Given PSR and the Man City shenanigans and it's vaunted successor, does the Premier League follow any good business practices?

If you don't think we have some low-life supporters, you have a problem.

We are never going to go from relegation fodder to European qualifiers in 12 months, well, not if we are looking for boom and bust. Can we all not just get behind the manager and stop asking for him to be replaced?

We are still a long way from where we want to be and it's not going to happen overnight. We have a solid basis to build on now and the future is definitely looking brighter.

They are allowed to critique the club, the manager or each other without you calling them lousy.

It does seem that most of the blame lies at Palace's feet but it does take two to tango.