September 10 2003

Simon Jordan

"He will score goals. There is no doubt about it he’ll score goals." On the day he signed Ade Akinbiyi for the club, Simon Jordan was in no doubt the £2.3m he just paid Leicester City was well spent, writes Joseph O'Shea

That was the 5th of February 2002, when the chairman was preparing to break up the prolific Morrison-Freedman partnership, and give Trevor Francis the burly target-man he believed would complete the promotion jigsaw.

At the time, Jordan was claiming full responsibility, but eighteen trying months and three goals later, he is quietly trying to cut his huge losses and off-load Ade on a free.

It was a huge relief to Palace fans when Steve Kember announced that Akinbiyi was "not in his plans", but as he said: "the problem might be getting rid of him."

Walsall, Stoke and Gillingham have since formed a disorderly queue, but the stumbling block appears to be a loyalty pay-off.

Jordan is understandably unwilling to compound his losses, but while the £2million mis-hitman picks up a hefty weekly wage, Kember cannot bring in any more players.

Jordan has done brilliantly to bring Neil Shipperley back and snap up Michael Hughes, but having sacked Francis because he didn’t believe he could achieve promotion, surely Kember’s fantastic start merits further investment - with a left-sided player the priority.

Julian Gray’s transfer saga drags on and on, but as one of the most promising free agents still available to Premiership clubs, Jordan is right to wait for someone to stump up the £500,000 he paid three years ago. At least Gray is no longer picking up a wage.

Resolving the Akinbiyi situation would put a final lid on Francis’ tenure and allow Kember to take the club forward to greater things. Surely that is worth one final hit in the pocket?

Join Neil McSteen from the Stadium of Light on Saturday (KO 3PM) as he brings you all the action as it happens. Then on Tuesday I will be back at Selhurst for the visit of Bradford City (KO8pm)

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