Broony and McGeady to Birmingham.

**~~BravestHibs~~** · 30-10-2009 03:26 PM

Don't know if this has been posted before and it is in the Record, but I thought I should post it all the same.

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/2009/10...6908-21784196/

Exclusive: Birmingham boss Alex McLeish set to raid Celtic for Aiden McGeady & Scott Brown

Oct 30 2009 By Keith Jackson
ALEX McLEISH is set to offer Tony Mowbray the funds to rebuild his Celtic squad - by launching a double swoop for Aiden McGeady and Scott Brown. Record Sport can reveal the former Rangers manager has informed his bosses at Birmingham City that the Parkhead pair are among his top targets for the January sales. And initial behind-the-scenes discussions have already been held in a bid to ascertain how willing Mowbray might be to cash in on two of his most valuable assets for a joint fee likely to be around s12million.

McLeish has been promised a bulging transfer kitty by Birmingham's new owner Carson Yeung as he prepares for the big push towards Premiership survival in the second half of the season. And the names of McGeady and Brown feature prominently at the top of his list. It is now up to Mowbray to decide whether or not he is prepared to sacrifice one or both of his best players in a bid to raise money f o r his own rebuilding work.

The Celtic boss has already gone on record as saying he would like to bring in as many as 10 new recruits when the market opens for business but he is also aware of the financial restraints which are likely to be placed upon him. In order to make more radical changes Mowbray would have to raise his own spending money by offloading a number of the current first-team squad. And McLeish is ready and willing to take McGeady and Brown off his hands.

But although insiders at St Andrews expect firm bids to be tabled for both players, they insist McLeish will not be held to ransom for either of them. A close source told Record Sport last night: "Alex has drawn up his list of targets for January and both Aiden and Scott are among the players he wants most of all. It's now a matter for Tony Mowbray to decide if he is willing to do business .

"Alex has other options he will turn to if Celtic don't want to do business or if they are asking for ludicrous amounts of money. It's been suggested Birmingham might have to shell out s8m to buy McGeady alone but that won't happen. The owners have made money available but they arenot going to spend it recklessly."

"Alex likes Aiden and feels he has the quality to make an impact at this level. He spoke with some of his Republic of Ireland team-mates and received glowing reports. Similarly, having worked with Scott during his time as Scotland manager, he knows exactly what he would be getting. In an ideal world he'll snap them both up when the transfer market opens but a lot will depend on the kind of prices Celtic demand."

New Middlesbrough boss Gordon Strachan, McLeish's best pal and former Old Firm rival, is also weighing up a bid for Brown, having paid s4.5m to take him to Celtic from Hibs. Strachan is a big admirer of the midfielder who is facing a month out with an ankle injury. He is unlikely, however, to be able to match the wages Brown would bank in the Premiership at Birmingham .

I posted the link due to the hilarious comments at the bottom of the article. 1 person advocates £12 million for McGeady alone.

**shagpile** · 30-10-2009 03:59 PM

£40M to spend & that is the height of their ambition? £8M for McGeady the one trick pony. This puts Browns value at less than the £4.4M we sold him for.

If McLeish does sign Brown i hope he plays the guy as he should be played, not as celtic play him.