‘In the pipeline for a year’ – Tottenham Hotspur signed Nottingham Forest midfielder after transfer request
Tottenham Hotspur were made to work hard but eventually they landed their target from Nottingham Forest. Andy Reid joined the club on January 31, 2005, just minutes before the transfer window closed. GettyReid moved to north London after a year of being courted by the Lilywhites[/caption] He wasn’t alone either, joining Spurs alongside fellow Tricky Trees star Michael Dawson in an £8million double deal. The Lilywhites had been chasing Reid for some time before the swoop with the club even referencing the year-long hunt in their announcement. In the end, the Ireland international was just happy to get the move sorted. “I am just delighted to get it done,” said the 22-year-old. “It has been talked about for a long time and now I am thrilled that is has all gone through. I am looking forward to playing Premiership football. “I had no hesitation over signing, Tottenham is such a big club and I like the way the chairman, Frank [Arnesen] and Martin [Jol] have transformed things. They are bringing lots of young players through and I just want to be part of that.” Reid had been so keen on the move that even put in a transfer request to get the deal done. “I feel I have no other choice than to formally state my desire to leave the club,” he had said the previous August. “After a sequence of disappointing events during the last six months I have today reluctantly submitted a transfer request.” Reid added: “I understand the club has to run itself as a business but surely a player is only worth what someone is prepared to pay and some of the values that have been placed on my head are ludicrous. GettyReid was liked by supporters but ultimately couldn’t make a first XI spot his own[/caption] “You only have to look at the fees other clubs have paid this summer for experienced internationals who have only ever played in the Premier League to realise that I have been vastly priced out of a move.” And the pull of top-flight football alongside Republic of Ireland teammates Robbie Keane and Stephen Kelly was key too. “It is important on the international front as well. If you are playing Premiership football it gives you more of a chance to play every game on the international scene. “My main priority at the moment is to try and win a place in the Spurs team. I have watched the team and have been very impressed, it is a young team developing and I feel they are getting better all the time. “I am excited and looking forward to coming in and meeting all the lads for training. I haven’t spoken to Robbie yet, but I will do. I’m good mates with him and Stephen Kelly as well. AFPReid’s excellent left-foot and brilliant dribbling won him fans at Spurs before he left for Charlton[/caption] Reid enjoyed his time with Tottenham but ultimately only made 27 appearances across one year, scoring one goal. That goal was a cracker, though, in a 5-1 thrashing of Aston Villa, thundering home from outside the box. Reid then left for Charlton in deal worth £3m, before spells at Sunderland, Sheffield United, Blackpool, and then a return to Forest in 2011. Dawson, meanwhile, grabbed the opportunity with both hands – just like he said he would. “I had no doubts about the move whatsoever,” he said. “It was a couple of years ago when I was away with the [England] Under-21s and joined up with the full squad and had a training session. “In the last couple of years it has quietened down and now Tottenham have come in and given me a chance – I want to grab it with both hands. GettyDawson ended up having the bigger career with Tottenham[/caption] “There is big competition for places here and it will bring a lot out of me. I just can’t wait.” In the end Dawson, with his no-nonsense defending became a mainstay in the Tottenham team, forming a heroic partnership with club icon Ledley King. He spent almost 10 years at White Hart Lane, winning the League Cup in 2008 and featuring six-times in the 2010/11 Champions League campaign, while also becoming club captain after King’s retirement. Now Tottenham are intent on raiding Nottingham Forest for another midfielder. This time it’s Morgan Gibbs-White capturing their attention, although any deal, similar to Reid’s might be protracted. The Tricky Trees have accused Spurs of an illegal approach after triggering the England international’s £60million release clause. Gibbs-White could head from Forest to Tottenham, just like Reid didGetty If he does arrive in north London, he will join recent signing Mohammed Kudus who signed for the Lilywhites in a £55million transfer. New Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank has also landed young Japanese centre-back Kota Takai this summer. Meanwhile, loan deals for Mathys Tel and Kevin Danso have become permanent too.

Tottenham Hotspur were made to work hard but eventually they landed their target from Nottingham Forest.
Andy Reid joined the club on January 31, 2005, just minutes before the transfer window closed.
He wasn’t alone either, joining Spurs alongside fellow Tricky Trees star Michael Dawson in an £8million double deal.
The Lilywhites had been chasing Reid for some time before the swoop with the club even referencing the year-long hunt in their announcement.
In the end, the Ireland international was just happy to get the move sorted.
“I am just delighted to get it done,” said the 22-year-old.
“It has been talked about for a long time and now I am thrilled that is has all gone through. I am looking forward to playing Premiership football.
“I had no hesitation over signing, Tottenham is such a big club and I like the way the chairman, Frank [Arnesen] and Martin [Jol] have transformed things. They are bringing lots of young players through and I just want to be part of that.”
Reid had been so keen on the move that even put in a transfer request to get the deal done.
“I feel I have no other choice than to formally state my desire to leave the club,” he had said the previous August.
“After a sequence of disappointing events during the last six months I have today reluctantly submitted a transfer request.”
Reid added: “I understand the club has to run itself as a business but surely a player is only worth what someone is prepared to pay and some of the values that have been placed on my head are ludicrous.
“You only have to look at the fees other clubs have paid this summer for experienced internationals who have only ever played in the Premier League to realise that I have been vastly priced out of a move.”
And the pull of top-flight football alongside Republic of Ireland teammates Robbie Keane and Stephen Kelly was key too.
“It is important on the international front as well. If you are playing Premiership football it gives you more of a chance to play every game on the international scene.
“My main priority at the moment is to try and win a place in the Spurs team. I have watched the team and have been very impressed, it is a young team developing and I feel they are getting better all the time.
“I am excited and looking forward to coming in and meeting all the lads for training. I haven’t spoken to Robbie yet, but I will do. I’m good mates with him and Stephen Kelly as well.
Reid enjoyed his time with Tottenham but ultimately only made 27 appearances across one year, scoring one goal.
That goal was a cracker, though, in a 5-1 thrashing of Aston Villa, thundering home from outside the box.
Reid then left for Charlton in deal worth £3m, before spells at Sunderland, Sheffield United, Blackpool, and then a return to Forest in 2011.
Dawson, meanwhile, grabbed the opportunity with both hands – just like he said he would.
“I had no doubts about the move whatsoever,” he said.
“It was a couple of years ago when I was away with the [England] Under-21s and joined up with the full squad and had a training session.
“In the last couple of years it has quietened down and now Tottenham have come in and given me a chance – I want to grab it with both hands.
“There is big competition for places here and it will bring a lot out of me. I just can’t wait.”
In the end Dawson, with his no-nonsense defending became a mainstay in the Tottenham team, forming a heroic partnership with club icon Ledley King.
He spent almost 10 years at White Hart Lane, winning the League Cup in 2008 and featuring six-times in the 2010/11 Champions League campaign, while also becoming club captain after King’s retirement.
Now Tottenham are intent on raiding Nottingham Forest for another midfielder.
This time it’s Morgan Gibbs-White capturing their attention, although any deal, similar to Reid’s might be protracted.
The Tricky Trees have accused Spurs of an illegal approach after triggering the England international’s £60million release clause.
If he does arrive in north London, he will join recent signing Mohammed Kudus who signed for the Lilywhites in a £55million transfer.
New Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank has also landed young Japanese centre-back Kota Takai this summer.
Meanwhile, loan deals for Mathys Tel and Kevin Danso have become permanent too.