Simpson contract talks stall as exit door opens

Contract talks with Danny Simpson have broken down according to several local journalists.

The right-back has been in contract negotiations with NUFC for some time now but at this present time it appears that a deal will not be reached, and with Alan Pardew recently insisting that he signs or leaves it paves the way for Simpson to leave the club in the summer.

However it may not be as dramatic as that. Remember, none of us know what is going on with negotiations and just because they appear to have stalled at the moment it doesn't mean that talks won't be revisited in the future. Cast your minds back to Steven Taylor, who was on the transfer list under Chris Hughton after failing to agree to a new deal, and he is still here so all is not lost.

However I'll be honest. I view Simpson as one of the players who would be easily replaceable. Yes he's done well and is generally solid, but there are a host of other players who fit that category so finding a suitable replacement wouldn't be too hard to accomplish. In an ideal world it won't come to that but it pays to prepare for the worst as far as NUFC is concerned.

Simpson was signed whilst we were in the Championship so is presumably on a Championship wage. No doubt, after being a virtual ever-present since our return to the Premier league, he'll want a wage that reflects that. Is there anything wrong with that?

Of course I'm only speculating as I don't know the facts or figures involved but to me it seems like a pretty good hit which is echoed from a number of fans.

I was also shocked to see people calling him "greedy" and generally abusing him on Twitter, which is a fantastic idea and shows that the players have our support. Sarcasm intended. Being serious though, that kind of thing is going to do no good. The phrase "cutting off your nose to spite your face" springs immediately to mind.

We'll see what happens of course as Simpson still has until the summer of 2013 to run on his contract. I doubt he'll be going anywhere in January but beyond that there is a possibility that he could be off. In the interest of balance though there is an equal chance he could strike a deal that would make him and the club happy.

Keep calm people!