It's a great debate to have. Not sure it would help though even if legal. I understand (adjunctive therapies defo NOT my expertise) that some emerging research suggests that certain peptides, particularly growth hormone (like BPC157 or TB500, again, so I'm told), MAY play a role in accelerating tissue repair and reducing inflammation. It's certainly not NHS approved! :-) and they're not part of standard UK medical practice and best considered 'experimental or off-label'. Anyway as you say they're banned in competitive sports and probably carry longer term risks for the player. He's got what he's got and my guess is it's something that won't go away, so one for us to avoid. But, what do I know, play and pay may be worth a punt to lessen our risk, could be a Hail Mary that pays off.

We beat Barcelona 3-2 in Reus with a Shearer hattrick. So is this the Qatar WC squad we are playing? https://www.rovers.co.uk/matches Gobsmacked- there is a GBP5.99 offer to watch both Qatar and Elche on Rovers TV!

I have to say Usyk surprised me as I knew he was good but there were signs a few years ago he wouldn't be one of the greats. Bellew was ahead on points when Usyk stoped him, and then Chisora gave him a very tough fight when he stepped up. I felt like a good big one would just be too good for him, but that's not the way it has played out. Parker has improved and has earned the shot. Had Dubois not got injured he may well have been fighting for the unified belts last Saturday. Not that I think he'd win, but it should be the next port of call for Usyk. After that, he's beat all of this generation and probably should stop.

No really good young player is going to stay at Rovers long term. Those days are long gone. If we couldn’t keep somebody like Adam Wharton we won’t be able to keep anyone.

That is just an overused cliche. He is very young and has had injuries (perhaps part of growing) even playing for the Under 21s. All I propose is adding a player to compete with Cantwell. As it stands, if he is unavailable, we would have to flog Tyjon and dismissing the outdated notion that "hes a young lad, he should be able to play every day", we dont know if he could physically sustain that sort of workload at senior level. He struggled in academy football. Bringing someone in would prevent that and we can use Tyjon when we want to. Theres still scope for plenty of football for him, and he can still earn a place. We ultimately also dont know if he is up to it quality wise yet at Championship level. Well, all the above depends on his future. If he wont commit then it makes little sense to put so much work into developing him.

This isn't a kick about up the park to be fair Rev. Even in the paltry 'kids football' as it is coined around here, the miles and high intensity sprints that footballers are expected to do these days are incredible. A lot of league 2/1 players survive because of their physicality; you'll find some magnificent technical players in the National League and below but they won't have that natural fitness to survive professional football. It has moved on from being able to play every day at whatever age you play at now.

So not a contract. Conversations wont stand for anything when his contract expires.

Clearly not true.

But great for keeping BRFCS message board ticking over. I read Ismael as needing forward(s) plus two or three in other positions. So between 4 and 6 more signings. Anyone told Pasha???? PS no loans yet plus noises coming out of Boro point to them being willing to pay silly money to land Brittain...

Ismael sat down with Tyjon and his parents to sit out his pathway and how he wants to use him this season and long term. That's how we will convince him to stay here long term is being part of the first team

If you're managing his minutes then you need another #10. Cantwell has proven he can't consistently play twice a week. We need an option on the bench / for that midweek game that we can rely on. Tyjon can be in the mix, but if he's not ready to grab the job with both hands we need another.

Man City have put a £35m price on James McAtee.

Man City have put a £35m price on James McAtee.

This being a professional footballer lark isn't such a bad life.

His goals and assists last season would suggest otherwise…and that was in a team set up defensively. I was never his biggest fan till last season but I think he’s a genuine goal threat at Championship level.

Only issue with Prem Loan's on the wing is they have tended to be lightweight and not cut out for mens football (yet), unless we get someone who is stupidly quick they end up getting lost and/or forced to turn back or cut in all the time.

Van Heck took a while to get going - I thought Hill was awful at CB, much better at RB.

I am currently reading Duncan Ferguson's autobiography and got to the chapter where he is on the verge of leaving Dundee United and mentions the clubs who were looking to buy him. He mentions a bid from Rovers with Dalglish at the helm but interestingly writes that Dundee were looking to build a new stand. Ferguson says that Jack Walker got wind of this offered to pay for the new stand to be built in lieu of a transfer fee. No coincidence then that Jack could have supplied the steel work himself and get Ferguson even cheaper. In fairness Ferguson does allude to this himself. He was such a shrewd operator and never missed an opportunity. We were blessed that he was one of us.

I guess a sideways squad filler from another championship/relegated last year team like we had in the lads from Stoke and Birmingham last year - someone who will go from not playing at all because of an imbalanced squad/selection restrictions or who doesn't want to play in league 1 but their team is confident of getting promoted so want's to keep them long term (ie. someone from Luton). They might take being a rotation/cover option here over that. All the good premier league loans we have had have gone in and been first team starters from the get go, the ones who have come in as squad rotation have been generally poor.

Not sure I agree with your point on the CB front - we have signed good prem loans who did not arrive as guaranteed starters - e.g. Van Heck, James Hill etc.

For those interested in golf, there is a YouTube video of jimmy bullard playing with pro golfer Harold Varner 111, and in it Bullard asks Varner about why he supports us. Varner talks about going to a training camp and watching Ryan hedges of all people make a crunching tackle and was taken by that. He also talks about weimanns goal v Burnley. Worth a watch

What calibre of loan are you going to get if they're not guaranteed much playing time? A CB, unless he's the next Ferdinand, isn't going to play. Same for a ST. RW is the only real open spot for a talented loanee.

In the first team.

Ohashi would also be an option in the ten role, but it pushes the shortage to the striker position, although at least Gueye is a senior player and

The way I look at it is - if he’s good enough he’ll get in, if he isn’t he won’t. We can’t be playing somebody who isn’t ready just in case he might sod off to the Premiership at some unknown time in the future.