MARK McGHEE has started his rebuilding at Aberdeen by signing Rochdale defender Rory McArdle under freedom of contract.

 

The Dons boss hopes to recruit at least eight new faces, with the 23-year-old seen as the ideal replacement for Charlie Mulgrew.

 

Ex-Sheffield Wednesday ace McArdle can play anywhere across the back four and was a target for clubs north and south of the border.

 

His form has earned him a call-up for Northern Ireland's trip to the USA and Chile this month.

 

A Rochdale insider said: "We couldn't compete with Aberdeen when it came to wages."

 

Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/2978529/McArdle-moves-a-Don-deal.html#ixzz0oMWdboXU

saying he has signed but not seen it anywhere else

Good stuff, so suddenly League 1 is not where its at for wages?

Looks like a decent signing, quite impressed at how quick off the mark we have been. No time to hang around i guess.

 

 

Not quite a League 1 side  - they've just been promoted & the fact that they're getting rid of a defender probably means that they reckon he wont cut the mustard in league 1.... Having  said that he has played in about half of they're matches this season.  Went on loan to sheff wed in 06/07 and didn't get a game for them (that must have been in the championship?).  This could go either way. Have never seen any L2 football, but have seen plenty lower League 1 stuff (carlisle & hartlepool) and the standard is terrible...

 

Position  Team  P  GD  PTS

Full League Two table

1 Notts County 46 65 93

2 Bournemouth 46 17 83

3 Rochdale         46 34 82

4 Morecambe 46 9 73

 

 

 

Aberdeen FC move in to sign McArdle

Rochdale defender looks set to join Pittodrie

 

Published: 19/05/2010

 

ABERDEEN FC were today closing in on the signing of Rochdale defender Rory McArdle.

 

But Rochdale boss Keith Hill claimed Aberdeen FC could yet have to pay compensation to land the player.

 

The 23-year-old’s contract at Spotland expires on June 30 and Hill is resigned to McArdle leaving.

 

Read more: http://www.eveningexpress.co.uk/Article.aspx/1743557#ixzz0oMxVmOQq

Not quite a League 1 side  - they've just been promoted & the fact that they're getting rid of a defender probably means that they reckon he wont cut the mustard in league 1.... Having  said that he has played in about half of they're matches this season.  Went on loan to sheff wed in 06/07 and didn't get a game for them (that must have been in the championship?).  This could go either way. Have never seen any L2 football, but have seen plenty lower League 1 stuff (carlisle & hartlepool) and the standard is terrible...

 

Something isn't adding up as the same article says his current form has got him an international call up!

Something isn't adding up as the same article says his current form has got him an international call up!

 

http://www.rochdaleafc.co.uk/page/ProfilesDetail/0,,10441~32097,00.html

 

Only going off this - he is a former NI U21 player. No idea about the current NI senior squad.

http://www.rochdaleafc.co.uk/page/ProfilesDetail/0,,10441~32097,00.html

 

Only going off this - he is a former NI U21 player. No idea about the current NI senior squad.

 

He has been called up for Northern Irish squad to play Chile at the end of the month. Rochdale fans seem to think he is at best a back up for them and are suprised that he is getting a move to SPL club.

http://www.rochdaleafc.co.uk/page/ProfilesDetail/0,,10441~32097,00.html

 

Only going off this - he is a former NI U21 player. No idea about the current NI senior squad.

 

The squad going to chile is basically their reserves.

He has been called up for Northern Irish squad to play Chile at the end of the month. Rochdale fans seem to think he is at best a back up for them and are suprised that he is getting a move to SPL club.

 

Not on the sites that i have looked at, most are saying that he was considered a solid partner for their other centre back!

 

Guess the proof will be when he actually plays for us! Can he be any worse than ifil, foster and mulgrew were? Doubt it!

Not on the sites that i have looked at, most are saying that he was considered a solid partner for their other centre back!

 

Guess the proof will be when he actually plays for us! Can he be any worse than ifil, foster and mulgrew were? Doubt it!

 

Worryingly Ifil played in the league above this lad.

 

Last player we signed from this level was Tommy Wright.

 

As you said though will just have to wait to see how he looks when he plays for us.

Holy shit! We out-muscled a mighty League 1 side for wages!

 

FFS Fuck Sake McGhee!

There are definately decent players to be had from L2 and like I said in a previous thread where we were discussing keepers. The dale defence seemed pretty composed and solid when they came to our place but that was a fair whole ago and I can't remember if this guy played. Having said that I always thought Ifil looked solid when I saw him.

Ifil wasn't bad when I saw him against utd at tannadump but I attribute that to being alongside considine. 

It must be just me who doesn;t think Ifil is anywhere near as bad as is being made out. 

It must be just me who doesn;t think Ifil is anywhere near as bad as is being made out. 

 

I think the same. Diamond and Considine would be my first choice CB pairing but I dont mind if Ifil plays to fill in for one of them

It must be just me who doesn;t think Ifil is anywhere near as bad as is being made out. 

 

Nope, he's actually worse than is being made out!

Nope, he's actually worse than is being made out!

That's possibly the most accurate thing you've ever said! 

 

I can't remember the last time I saw a "defender" that has such a poor grasp of actual defending, looked like he couldn't even get to grips with the most basic of defensive techniques.

 

How we managed to build such a decent defensive record at the start of the season is truly beyond me, he looked like an accident waiting to happen in every single game I saw him in!

That's possibly the most accurate thing you've ever said! 

 

No, I think it was pre-season Holland when I said "we're in trouble" when brustanesheep was asking the Dutch pimps with the machette if they had a fat quine on their books.

It must be just me who doesn;t think Ifil is anywhere near as bad as is being made out. 

 

I agree 100%

 

Confidence was his problem. He started off quite solid at the back. Couldn't pass but couldn't BE passed.

 

I'm not saying he's Aldair but at the start of the season I think he saved us a few goals which over all proved valuable He certainly wasn't at fault for as many goals as others.

 

As for this McArdle bloke. 23 year old on the verge of the NI team sounds fine to me. Even if it doesn't work out we should be able to get a fee from him.

 

If it wasn't for the experience of last summer I'd allow myself to be (mildly) optimistic about this one.

No, I think it was pre-season Holland when I said "we're in trouble" when brustanesheep was asking the Dutch pimps with the machette if they had a fat quine on their books.

 

That remains both the funniest and scariest moment of my life!

 

I agree 100%

 

Confidence was his problem. He started off quite solid at the back. Couldn't pass but couldn't BE passed.

 

I'm not saying he's Aldair but at the start of the season I think he saved us a few goals which over all proved valuable He certainly wasn't at fault for as many goals as others.

 

We must have been watching a totally different player then, because the one I saw looked to be almost completely devoid of technical ability, lacking in positional sense and totally unequipped to deal with strikers who had even a bit of ability.  And I've honestly never seen a central defender who lets the ball bounce infront of him instead of heading it in my entire life!

 

I've not been so disappointed with a signing in a long time after having high hopes for him going into the season.

 

 

As for this McArdle bloke. 23 year old on the verge of the NI team sounds fine to me. Even if it doesn't work out we should be able to get a fee from him.

 

If it wasn't for the experience of last summer I'd allow myself to be (mildly) optimistic about this one.

 

The fact he's a young player on the fringes of the NI team is a plus, here's hoping he comes in and does a good job, although I'd be lying to say I was optimistic...

I do think what you're saying describe's Ifil in the 2nd half of the season but generally I think he was an assent until the 1st game away at st mirren (excluding the gash performance at the tattiedome). He never had the passing ability but his tackling was better than the rest and his heading wasn't worse than the rest. I think he just suffered a loss of form from confidence and also an unfair reputation of supposed failure - you're Mcghee's new guy SAVE US YA CUNT OR WE'LL FUCK YOU UP

 

 

I do think what you're saying describe's Ifil in the 2nd half of the season but generally I think he was an assent until the 1st game away at st mirren (excluding the gash performance at the tattiedome). He never had the passing ability but his tackling was better than the rest and his heading wasn't worse than the rest. I think he just suffered a loss of form from confidence and also an unfair reputation of supposed failure - you're Mcghee's new guy SAVE US YA CUNT OR WE'LL FUCK YOU UP

 

I'd disagree that it only described his 2nd half of the season.  He always looked devoid of technical ability and I honestly feel that our run of clean sheets masked the bombscare performances.

I know he's had a bad season but considering foster, probably our best player this season, has been our bomb scare for the last 5 or 6 years, I'd be happy to keep Ifil and give him a chance. He can tackle and can be a rock which can't be said of anyone else in the team.

 

If his passing can't be improved this season then he goes. Hopefully Considine and Diamond will both be fit, McArdle will be decent and so it's not a risk to give the guy a chance. I doubt even Russell anderson would have looked good in the team this season or last. We need a midfield that can protect the defence because, let's face it, spl standard centre backs are not going to be good enough to get by without that protection.

Ifil's one of these guys who does ok if he does the simple things well like win headers and clear his lines. Unfortunately, that type of player is fine to have in your team if you're a St Mirren or Kilmarnock. We have to be aiming for better than that. No point in hoofing the ball up the pitch if it comes straight back again.

 

I would say Lee Mair is a better central defender and was probably on about a third of the wage Ifil is on.

Dons swoop to sign defender McArdle

 

By Michael Gannon

 

Published: 20/05/2010

 

Northern Irish defender Rory McArdle will travel north today to sign a pre-contract agreement with Aberdeen.

 

The 23-year-old central defender will join on a free transfer on a two-year contract from Rochdale, despite the Lancashire club winning promotion to English League 1.

 

The Dons saw off competition from three SPL rivals to land the 6ft 1in defender and will not have to pay the English club compensation as he turned 23 before the end of the season and the defender spent his formative years at Sheffield Wednesday before moving to Spotland in January 2008 after a loan spell.

 

McArdle’s contract at Rochdale does not expire until June 30 but he is free to sign a pre-contract agreement with the Dons.

 

He will be at Pittodrie today to finalise the deal before joining up with the Northern Ireland squad which departs on Saturday for next week’s friendly encounters in the United States and Chile. Nigel Worthington’s side faces Turkey in Connecticut on Wednesday then Chile in Chillan next Sunday.

 

Ross County goalkeeper Michael McGovern is also in the squad and has played with McArdle for the Northern Ireland under-21s.

 

He is convinced McArdle has what it takes to shine in the SPL. He said: “I have no doubt Rory can cope with playing at that level. He is a very good player and he has tons of experience.

 

“He may just be 23 but it seems like he has been around for ages.

 

“When we played together with the under-21s he was already playing every week in the Rochdale first team.

 

“Rory is a good talker and organiser and he is a very determined player.

 

“I was surprised to see some of the talk about him being a replacement for Charlie Mulgrew because, from my experience, he is an out-and-out centre half.

 

“He may have added that to his game in the last couple of years, though, because he is a decent player. I have no doubt he will do well at Aberdeen.

 

“It will be good to see him next week with the rest of the squad. If he asks me about the SPL I will be happy to fill him in. I am sure he will look at the move to Aberdeen as a good chance to boost his international chances as well. Rochdale’s loss will be the Dons’ gain.”

 

The club was keen to keep hold of the defender, especially as centre back Craig Dawson is expected to move to Middlesbrough, and a new contract offer was made.

 

The recently promoted League 1 club could not match the money on offer from the Dons, however, and McArdle is keen to become Aberdeen manager Mark McGhee’s first signing of the summer.