Official: Chris Iwelumo signs for Watford

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From the Watford website

http://www.watfordfc.com/page/NewsDetail/0,,10400~2395152,00.html



THE Hornets are delighted to confirm the signature of powerful striker Chris Iwelumo, who today signed a two-year contract at Vicarage Road.

The Burnley forward moves to Watford for an undisclosed fee, having had one year left to run on his Turf Moor deal.

Born and bred in Scotland, the 32-year-old began his footballing career as part of St. Mirren's youth set-up, but made the first of a dozen career moves when he joined Danish club Aarhus in 1998.

Successful spells at Stoke City, Colchester United, Charlton Athletic and Wolverhampton Wanderers have been punctuated by shorter loan stints at four other clubs - and a brief time in Germany with Alemannia Aachen.

The 6ft 3ins hitman, who has over 100 career goals to his name, joined the Clarets in summer 2010, and scored 11 times from 30 starts - while also featuring on a further 19 occasions from the bench.

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From the Watford Observer

http://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/sport/9146917.Iwelumo_becomes_Watford_s_fifth_signing/



Watford have completed the signing of Burnley striker Chris Iwelumo for an undisclosed fee.

The 6ft 3 frontman had a year left on his contract at Turf Moor and has agreed a two-year deal with the Hornets.

Iwelumo has played for a dozen clubs in his 15-year career and has scored 112 goals in 458 appearances, 314 of which were starts.

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From the BBC

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/14200193.stm



Watford have signed Burnley striker Chris Iwelumo on a two-year deal for an undisclosed fee.

The 32-year-old, who joined the Clarets from Wolves last summer, made 31 starts and 19 substitute appearances while at Turf Moor, scoring 11 goals.

The Scotland international started his career at St Mirren before a spell with Danish club Aarhus.

He moved to England in February 2000, signing for Stoke, before spells at Charlton Atheltic and Colchester.

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I would have thought wages would have been a stumbling block; fair play to the guy if he's taken a wage cut in order to be guarenteed first-team football. I think with all the pace and youth we have upfront, an experienced and physical presence is just what the doctor ordered - someone to hold up the ball up and bring others into play.

We were promised signings and theyve come by the bucket load - well done Dychey, Wilson, and Bas for that matter...

 

I totally agree BBT. It's great to have all the young talent we have coming through the ranks but to really compete at this level it is essential that we have the experienced players to balance the team. I am satisfied with who we have seen come in so far, just need that elusive left back and another striker, then we are ready to go!

In Dyche we trust!

 

Well done Bucks, thanks for the detail.

I had heard the fee would be £0, but clearly that has not been the case and Iwelumo would have wanted a settlement from Burnley.

Signings by "the bucket load" - yes, but don't ask about the quality. If I were asked who I thought was the best signing so far .....

 

Absolutely Elixir - the more signings you bring in, the more chance there is of one or two of them flopping completely, especially if the majority are unknowns. On the flipside, the chances of you unearthing a gem also increase. I just think its good that we're getting our business done early: in previous seasons we've got to this stage and no new faces had come in, then everything seemed a bit last minute and the squad had no time to gel.

Alls else i will say is that the spine of the team is looking very solid, with a good mix overall of experience and youth. Any additions further to a left-back would be fantastic - im sure the mandatory loanees from Man U/Arsenal will be through the door any time soon (lets hope theyre more Tom Cleverley and less Danny Drinkwater)...

 

Speaking of possible loanees, how about Thomas Cruise at Arsenal? He's a left back and has played a few times in the League Cup.

 

I'm actually chuffed with this signing!

Thomas Cruise, hasn't he been released from Arsenal now? if so, wouldn't say no to signing him up!

 

i have mixed feelings, purely from all i've read. i wonder if we'll get to see him at Wealdstone tonight...would be good ...welcome to Watford Chris

 

H are you going tonight

 

He always had a nack of scoring against us, no wonder he was dychey's "no.1 summer target"!

Now for Paul Dixon please!

 

Err where has it been stated he was Sean Dyche's no 1 target? If so, err I guess this says a lot about "ambition". Playing style ...... if he was the no 1 target, then watch out for the long balls.

Who is Paul Dixon?

 

Dixon is a LB at Dundee i believe, and we cant be sure that CI was the #1 target.

How can you question the ambition?? SD has come out and said he wants to play 'pretty' football and he wants to succeed. There has been investment in the squad and there will be investment in the ground and stadium.

 

yes indeedy ...are you?

 

Yes indeed I'm looking forward to it

 

i think that's harsh, i think SD has a lot to prove, and is itching to get on and prove it. He has plenty of ambition from what he says. And we can only go by that for now. Let's see how things look when the season gets going, but i for one am feeling very confident that we'll get our 52 points and more.

 

And if he had signed a player from the lower league no doubt it would have shown a lack of ambition as well, right?

We have a player with Championship, International and some Premiership experience... Might not quite be the player you want (who is, by the way?) but I think it certainly shows ambition of SD and the club to sign someone like this!

 

Looking forward to the updates guys! Make sure those phones are fully charged!!

 

no.1 target- source rookery online, apparently SD is chuffed he got his man.

Paul Dixon, dundee utd LB, been linked with him for a number of weeks now.

 

great! ..see you there

 

it's charging already! ...my battery is rubbish though lol