Very cynical and insensitive of me but I'm not fussed Buckley is gone. Moreover, the fact he never advanced as a player from more or less his debut and the fact he's now signed in Saudi in his prime id suggest are related, and as much as it's sad hes leaving after 20 years I'd be asking myself why if that was me and be looking at my motivations and whether my decisions such as this move will help me further

Buckley consented to a farewell interview with Rovers TV today, still in his club tracksuit. It is a hard watch as the lad is clearly devastated to be leaving. He appears shellshocked and close to tears. He started here twenty years ago - aged six. What a shame he couldn't build on his early promise. He is a good lad Bucko and I enjoyed watching him when in form and confident. I believe this move is best for both parties and I hope he can settle abroad and recover his love of the game .

Garrett has a torn groin and is out until at least Oct/Nov I believe. Might get a loan in Jan I guess, but yeah never quite kicked on as we all hoped after JDT left. In theory he's a good fit for Ismael, 6'2 and athletic, hard working with some ball playing ability. Next summer will be decision time I think.

Neither will make it at Championship level - these are not kids with Garrett 22 and Montgomery 21. Garrett has struggled on loan at lower league level whilst perhaps Montgomery found his level at Marine and Chorley last season. They would struggle even in League 2. For perspective, neither can hold a candle to John Buckley who first broke into Rovers 1st team at 19 and has amassed circa150ish appearances since. Good luck John Buckley - a move to fresh pastures overseas might just clear his head and give him a focus. There is talent there but the lad does need to sort himself out.

I don’t really have a Scottish team tbh, I watch some games and I live near Aberdeen more than anyone so keep an eye out for them and yea spose I have a soft spot for hibs too, always seem to produce good young players.

Think they'd be better telling them it's 5pm.

I thought the player liaison lady was fired?

The future would look better if upcoming talent such as Phillips, Finneran and Tyjon had been retained.

Needs doing this week if it's a goer, with the window closing 7pm on Monday or I wouldn't have confidence in them getting it done on time. Hang on, I wonder if they realise it closes at 7 🥲 if one of the club plants is reading this, remind/inform the powers that be please....

You’re doing that direct comparison thing again mate, I get it because you’re a logical thinker but it’s not that straight forward. You could probably apply it more if JE had stayed and then we’d lost Dolan, Travis, Brittain, Batth, Buckley and Weimann. But with VI coming in and having watched us at the back end of last season and early this season, I’m genuinely glad most of them didn’t sign and I can understand why others have left. Its a new world now and rightly or wrongly the profile - in particular the physical attributes of the signings we’ve made are like night and day to what we had. So, the ‘glaring holes’ you refer to are really hard to justify. Tavares would’ve replaced one of Travis or Sonny in Val’s new midfield. Not because they’re not good players, because he wants bigger, stronger athletic types. It’s done now, this is the biggest shift we’ve had in years.

My mistake 0-3 Bradford.

Let's not count on it, probably a weakened Norwich.

John Buckley makes move to Saudi Pro League club, Al Kholood, for an undisclosed fee and subject to international clearance and approval from governing bodies. It ends a 20 year association with Rovers. A clearly gifted midfield player who never could quite get his game together. We kept waiting for the penny to drop, as we waited for Joe Rothwell, for example, fruitfully, in that case. But for Buckley, who was shifted around to right back, wing, false 9, the vision and passing ability was not matched by, it seems to me, confidence to take the lead. I thought we were looking at a Premier League player when he first started to breakthrough, in the mould of, perhaps, Adam Wharton. Buckley had moments, for example, when Mowbray fielded him as a false 9, with Reda Khadra offering a pacy distraction, Rovers made a charge to top spot in the league at Christmas. Then, there was a end of season run, when nothing was on the line, Buckley played regularly in central midfield and I'm sure I didn't hallucinate at least one 20 yard screamer. To go to desperate Sheff Wed and get shunted onto the wing and on the bench and then to fall behind Kristi Montgomery, fresh from his Chorley loan spell, were the final nails in the coffin. It seems a great move for Buckley for a few different reasons (though Continental Europe, maybe, Spain, would've been ideal) and his time at Rovers was fading away. But the biggest question is, where is the next Buckley coming through? The next Wharton? The Rovers U21 are in the doldrums, fielding teams that struggle to beat non-league second strings. Players that show promise seem to fade away, disappear on loan or get injured and never quite recover. With Travis on his way out, JRC gone, now Buckley, it is an end of an era of academy/U21 graduates but the future pipeline is a major concern.

Pity his mother didn't use one.

What happens if you are over estimating it? We will see over a season whether it's been problem or not so much. Also need factoring in the changes tactical that has happened this season.

That Telegramme has 177k followers and is the Lorient local paper/site. May be something to it who knows but if they're looking for €6m they're having a laugh. Even Lorient fans saying that's way over priced for the lad

I'm going to Lorient again on Saturday to watch them play Lille so will see if he plays or not.

It makes you wish he was from Holland, then we could give him a Dutch cap...

Love Morishita already. He’s going to be a character that’s for sure. Let’s hope he can play a bit too 🙂

Most stay at what was The Avenue, now owned by Dunny, especially close to the end of the window and are then given advice on where to live from the captain and liaison. Younger players tend to go towards Manchester, those with families often stay local.

You're slipping! Olson got his first start for Oldham in the EFL Trophy, in a 5-1 battering by Man City's u21s :): https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/live/ce35d425r4rt Had a glance at their forum and the general consensus is Olson's CB partner had an absolute mare.

Norwich dispatched by Saints at home in the cup. Seen a couple of grumbles online for Manning out already. Hope their poor form carries into Saturday 🤞🏻

Weird question that I've always wondered as someone who visits the area, which hotel do these players live in when they first arrive? In Manchester?

So.....we could have had a very productive window in terms of sales once Travis goes. Brittain c£3.5m Travis c £4m if Wrexham get him. Buckley and JRC c £1m each. c £9.5m.

Saw him score the first goal on Sunday v 9 man Rennes. Big range guy. Did OK for his goal