" FRAIZER CAMPBELL & SIMON LAPPIN "

Carl Curtis writes for the South Wales Echo.
Saturday 02 Feb 2013.

"I am excited by the signing of Fraizer Campbell as I believe he will get the goals that we had hoped Nicky Maynard would have supplied before being cruelly cut down by injury.

The fact Campbell signed for Sunderland from Manchester United three years ago for £3.5m, rising to £6m, demonstrated his ability.

But, due to a knee injury, he found his appearances limited and his progress stalled.

With his injury now behind him, Campbell will want to prove that he is good enough to add to his one England cap.

And with City sitting relatively comfortably at the top of the Championship I am sure that he chose us believing that he will be playing in the Premier League next season.

Malky Mackay had said in the lead-up to the transfer window that he wanted cover at left-back, and by signing Simon Lappin he has got just that.

We didn’t really get to see much of Lappin during his loan spell here prior to Christmas due to his sending-off at Barnsley.

But at Birmingham on New Year’s Day he looked comfortable at full-back.

I still believe that we have the squad to get promoted this season.

Leicester and Watford are two of the top six who have found a decent patch of form recently, although the Hornets did surprisingly lose in midweek to Bristol City.

But it is these sides that I feel will mount the biggest challenge to our efforts for a top-two position.

With Leicester’s continued involvement in the FA Cup, our league fixture has been moved back to April – and I hope that when the time comes to play them we will still have a significant points gap over them."

The above is most of what I wrote in the Echo yesterday, but I took criticism because I would have liked a couple more signings, ie a right back and target man, at the end of the day those are my opinions but it seems that some people got upset by the headline the Echo attributed to the article rather than read the content.

I think the signing of Campbell is an excellent addition and in last week's paper I wrote that it was a shrewd bit of business, as was proved by his debut yesterday.

Lappin is more than adequate cover and I think the 18 month contract is the right length to give.

Malky Mackay's signings have, in the main, been successes and I don't believe anybody could argue with them.

This signing could prove to be a masterstoke by Malky.

Fraizer was nackered after next to no time yesterday, yet still managed to grab the winning goal.

He looks a very promising lad on and off the pitch.

How can you be disappointed though? you claimed at one stage we were in talks with a full-back and from what I see it didn't come off. so not as if we didn't try?

I said in September we should get him in on loan, and was chuffed when we finally signed him and on a permanent basis, everyone learn the song this lad is going to be a gem.

me he looked pacy, works hard, chases defenders and lost balls! and suprised me how high he can jump, looks like he can win a few headers!

Me. I think he has the potential to be a great signing, when we were linked with him I was annoyed as it wasn't a targetman but from what I've saw yesterday, he isn't really that small, he can hold the ball okay and chases everything, he's a true goal poacher, been crying out for a striker like him for ages

Always been a big fan, got far more to his game than a poacher and got off to an awesome start.

How can you be disappointed though? you claimed at one stage we were in talks with a full-back and from what I see it didn't come off. so not as if we didn't try?

I didn't say that we didn't try though, did I ?

I would have been a lot happier if we had managed to get another two in, that doesn't mean I am not happy with what we did bring in though does it ?

I am exicted but he has set a platform with that goal now and I hope he continues to start off the bench for the next 1-3 games

Judging by how much he was suffering at the final whistle after 30 mins play he has got a while before he can play a full game. He's got to stay fit, if he stays fit he looks a threat but I don't think we can rely on him. At a minimum he looks like a player who could throw in 8-10 goals in the premier league each year without starting the majority of games. Still believe we will have to sign a Grant Holt or Ricky Lambert type player who we can rely on week in week out. I'd try for Jordan Rhodes in the summer.

What pleases me the most is that we have a manager who is a shrewd businessman in the transfer market;
And if we reach the promised land I hope we ain't a club that throws its money around like QPR.

And I just hope to god Malky stays for a few more seasons.....because the big boys will come looking for him.

I posted earlier, i think Malky has signed a "gem" in Fraizer, i really do.

Very excited, judging by his reaction yesterday so is he

Campbell will turn out to be a top signing if he stays injury free
On CC world he says he has the injury prone tag but he has only had two injuries but unfortunately they were long injuries.

He has genuine pace which we have lacked.
At the price we paid i think it's a top top deal.

Campbell will turn out to be a top signing if he stays injury free
On CC world he says he has the injury prone tag but he has only had two injuries but unfortunately they were long injuries.

He has genuine pace which we have lacked.
At the price we paid i think it's a top top deal.

Campbell will turn out to be a top signing if he stays injury free
On CC world he says he has the injury prone tag but he has only had two injuries but unfortunately they were long injuries.

He has genuine pace which we have lacked.
At the price we paid i think it's a top top deal.

Fully agree 2B2H, at the price we got him for he could well be the best singing ever by City. The lad got a lot prove to himself in that he can get more caps for England, as if he's through the injury problem he could be their main striker for the next few years which bodes well for us. A doesn't guy as well by all accounts.

Always been a fan. Nippy and always gets himself in some dangerous positions. Will certainly prove a handful to some of the championships defences. Not overly concerned regarding fitness etc. Another cracking bit of business. And the first thing he did whilst entering the pitch was the ayatollah! Campbell is a bluebird!!

I think the problem was with the portrayed headline Carl where you state you were underwhelmed with the signings. There was also the issue regarding the player who needed to be younger than helgeson but taller.
It seemed like you were criticising the signings without coming up with alternatives. One of those things

He is clearly in Hodgsons mind so can't be to shabby

The Leicester game being moved could be a blessing for us. Campbell will be up to full match fitness then and firing on all cylinders

The Leicester game being moved could be a blessing for us. Campbell will be up to full match fitness then and firing on all cylinders

Thought the same thing. But would have been nice to have it on the scheduled date as they are getting a back log of games.

I'm not fully bothered by the game being moved.. Leicester showed against Wolves they were nervous and lucky to hold on imo.