I hope it works out for him, he really seems a decent type. He was very kind to my lad when he was a mascot years ago. I have always had a high regard for him as he seemed to conduct himself well as a player?
Southend is an up and coming club. Good luck to Fortune who has always been a model professional if rather a mercenary one. (But aint they all !)
Was he really a mercenary? I always classified players as mercenaries, as the ones who went from club to club irrespective of contracts with no allegiance to the club or the fans. Many of the players that were recruited during the premiership years could have been classified as that. Fortune stayed with us for much of his career and then at the end of his contract decided he would try for better, as we declined and at the time felt he could demand a more. In the end it did not work out for him injury being the main reason his value decline.
If you are going to say he is mercenary then you must also bracket Carl Leaburn in this as he refused a contract for some time so that he could move on to a higher league and presumably higher wage.
I think it would be very unfair to classify either of these players as mercenaries, in the sense that it is normally applied to players in the modern game.
Fortune paid all his own expences when at Sheff Utd. Would rather have some 1 like him any day than to55ers and con artists like Marcus Bent,Traore,theFox in the Box Jeffers(if the box had booze in it) and others.
Also Pardew made it clear he didn't rate Fortune as he loaned him to Stoke for half a season and was prepared to let him go permanently until Diawara left - would never call him a mercenary - he stayed here for a number of years without ever being first choice
Now trying his luck with the Gills , below from the Kent Messenger
Gillingham are giving a trial to former Charlton centre-back Jonathan Fortune.
The 31-year-old defender has been training with the Gills – when they have been able to beat the weather – with a view to joining until the end of the season if he can impress manager Andy Hessenthaler.
The Gills boss revealed that he will cast his eye over Fortune, and take another look at West Ham midfielder Ollie Lee, in a friendly at Chelsea on Tuesday.
Hessenthaler told the club’s website: "Jonathan Fortune has been in and has been doing a bit of training but with the weather it’s difficult to assess them.
"Ian Hendon has told me a lot about Ollie, I’ve seen him a couple of times and he’s an interesting one. He’s been told by West Ham he won’t be offered another deal at the end of the season – we’re looking at all players, every time one is put to us we’ll have a look.
"We have a game arranged at Chelsea on Tuesday so that might be an opportunity to look at them."
Fortune has spent the vast majority of his career at Charlton, although he has been plagued by injury in recent season.
The Islington-born defender has been sidelined since an Achilles injury sustained against Hartlepool in May, 2011. He has since featured on trial for Leyton Orient but is a free agent, having been out of contract since leaving the Addicks at the end of last season.
Comments
He was very kind to my lad when he was a mascot years ago.
I have always had a high regard for him as he seemed to conduct himself well as a player?
If you are going to say he is mercenary then you must also bracket Carl Leaburn in this as he refused a contract for some time so that he could move on to a higher league and presumably higher wage.
I think it would be very unfair to classify either of these players as mercenaries, in the sense that it is normally applied to players in the modern game.
Never has a post been as untrue as this.
The man is a legend not a mercenary.
Gillingham are giving a trial to former Charlton centre-back Jonathan Fortune.
The 31-year-old defender has been training with the Gills – when they have been able to beat the weather – with a view to joining until the end of the season if he can impress manager Andy Hessenthaler.
The Gills boss revealed that he will cast his eye over Fortune, and take another look at West Ham midfielder Ollie Lee, in a friendly at Chelsea on Tuesday.
Hessenthaler told the club’s website: "Jonathan Fortune has been in and has been doing a bit of training but with the weather it’s difficult to assess them.
"Ian Hendon has told me a lot about Ollie, I’ve seen him a couple of times and he’s an interesting one. He’s been told by West Ham he won’t be offered another deal at the end of the season – we’re looking at all players, every time one is put to us we’ll have a look.
"We have a game arranged at Chelsea on Tuesday so that might be an opportunity to look at them."
Fortune has spent the vast majority of his career at Charlton, although he has been plagued by injury in recent season.
The Islington-born defender has been sidelined since an Achilles injury sustained against Hartlepool in May, 2011. He has since featured on trial for Leyton Orient but is a free agent, having been out of contract since leaving the Addicks at the end of last season.
And to Turnstile Jnr