All clubs have to submit a squad of 25 players on September 1st, including 8 'home grown' players. This then can't be changed until January. If there are lots of injuries at a club then youth players can be introduced on top of the 25 registered players, but no more senior players can be registered.

Not really sure what to make of this rule. I guess it gives more chances to younger players and it stops the big clubs being able to dominate with their huge squads of talent that allows them to rotate every week. But I've read a few thing in the last few days that a lot of big name players may miss out on being registered due to injuries. Woodgate, King, Andy Johnson, Anderson, Hargreaves, etc are a few names who may be in that situation. This seems pretty negative in the those players have no incentive to get back to fitness, they'll basically be doing nothing for 4 or 5 months but still picking up their 40k, 50k, 60k+ a week.

I think its good that the PL / FA is trying to address the issues in young players getting a chance etc but totally agree about this being a really bad rule for those injured players.

Seems like another hasty bit of bureaucracy that once again hasnt really been thought out properly.

Wonder if Man City are aware of this rule. Surely there is not going to be a squad place for one of either Santa Cruz or Bellamy?

At the moment they have the following strikers:

Adebayor
Santa Cruz
Bellamy
Caicedo
Tevez
Jo

And most likely Ballotelli coming in during the next couple of days.

Robinho is also due to return when the Brazilian season ends in a few weeks.

They have something like 40 players who have Prem apperarences and something like 35 of which are regular first teamers so they going to have to get rid of a lot of players.

In theory, this could further screw young players. Mancini has said he wants 2 world class players for each position. I wonder how many youngsters he will be bringing in to back up each of these world class players. Some very young players will be getting very rich for doing very little.

1 England GK Steve Harper
2 Argentina DF Fabricio Coloccini
3 Spain DF José Enrique
4 England MF Kevin Nolan
6 England DF Mike Williamson
7 England MF Joey Barton
8 England MF Danny Guthrie
9 England FW Andy Carroll
10 England MF Wayne Routledge
11 Denmark FW Peter Løvenkrands
12 England DF Danny Simpson
14 England DF James Perch
15 England MF Dan Gosling
16 England DF Ryan Taylor
17 England MF Alan Smith
18 Argentina MF Jonás Gutiérrez
19 Spain FW Xisco
20 Republic of Ireland FW Leon Best
21 England GK Fraser Forster
23 England FW Shola Ameobi
25 Democratic Republic of the Congo MF Kazenga LuaLua
26 Netherlands GK Tim Krul
27 England DF Steven Taylor
28 Hungary DF Tamás Kádár
29 Slovenia MF Haris Vučkić
30 England FW Nile Ranger
31 Northern Ireland MF Shane Ferguson
32 England FW Ryan Donaldson

That's our squad list of 28. Not sure who would count as our 8 home grown players as they have to have been at the club for 3 years between the ages of 16 and 21. So that means the likes of Ranger, Vuckic and Kadar wouldn't count as they haven't been here 3 years yet - not sure if they then count as youth players as they didn't come through our youth system. Harper, Carroll, Shola, Taylor and Krul will no doubt count. Forster and LuaLua will should they stay. That's 7. Then probably one of Shane Ferguson and Ryan Donaldson to make the 8. I guess Gosling will not be registered untill January.

The like of Simpson, Barton, Routledge and Perch will count as 'home-grown'. Ranger will possibly also count due to his time with Southampton (I'm not sure how old he is and can't be bothered checking) and possibly Gosling too (how long wa he with Everton?

Oh right. That's pretty much covers most of the British players then.

How it realtes to us is well explained on here

http://www.nufcblog.org/2010/07/new-premie...and-white-eyes/

Surely this will mean a lot of players available on loan from the likes of Man City if they can't register them to play? I mean, they can either pay them for doing nothing for half the season or send them somewhere else to play.

Whose rule is it anyway? FIFA's, FA's EPL's? Can extra players play in European comps?

So if Campbell comes, that would be 22 players that need to be registered, that leaves room for 3 new players to come in and with us having double the required minnimum quota of 8 home grown players (will become 17 if Campbell arrives) we will have no problem whatsoever.

The "under 21 play any time" rule works in our favour as well seeing as the likes of Gosling, Kadar, Vuckic and Ranger fall into this category. So as the big spending elite will be somewhat hindered by this (especially Man City) we actually have a lot of freedom.

Id have Bellamy back on loan for a start

I would too although with a bit of reservation about his disruptive past. I wouldn't want to start bringing in players who are going to spoil the good team spirit around the training ground. I think he's kept his nose clean at City and grown up a bit, although someone will now point out I'm wrong about this. Frankly, we need a player with pace and guile up front and he would be far better than anything we could afford to buy. Are we ambitious enough for him though? Think Man City would keep him tbf.

Agree his attitude could be a problem but like you say he hasnt really had too many problems at Citeh. Thing is with Bellamy that a lot of people kind of ignore is generally he gets pissed off / causes trouble down to his will to win which at the end of the day isnt the worst trait in the world.

I can see him leaving Citeh myself, they have to shed players and I think he has had a few little run ins with Mancini so I can see him being one of the first out of the door. As long as he could stay fit he is exactly what we need up front and I think he would be fantastic alongside Carroll. If he was available on loan id have him back here like a shot.

Ive said it before he should never have left in the first place and wouldnt if Souness hadnt pretty much turned everyone against him and forced him out of the club because he didnt like him.

I'd take Bellamy back as I'd expect he's far less likely to get into an argument with Hughton than Souness or the like, and he'd be on his own if he decides he hates Hughton as the other players seem to like him. That said, I'd want Hughton to be ruthless if needs be.