I guess how they’d handle the conversation with him would influence how he’d feel about the situation. Of course with our lot they’d almost certainly handle it badly. One final thing, showing empathy isn’t, and will be, a weakness.

You and Wilsden clearly have a better handle on the process. My weakness is a permanent overload of emotional intelligence rather than the garden variety type (tongue in cheek) of process intelligence. Just seems harsh on a young lad whose hopes and dreams of making it as a pro end with being wheeled out for a ritual humiliation. Ignore me, I'm just a softy.

Ok thanks.

That's mine done!

Rather quiet recently.

Yep literally are the forgotten champions

A permanent transfer requires a new work permit - I guess the benefit would lie in him not taking up an ESC slot of any prospective new club. This might be particularly helpful if he were to move to a L1 or L2 club as they only get up to 2 ESC players. It would also make it easier to loan him out as currently he’d count as an ESC player for both us and the club we sent him to.

If you’re on gardening leave you’re still technically employed.

Well unless I'm misremembering, it would also allow him to be sold to another UK club, as once you have the exemption thingy you don't need to reapply at another club. So it would increase his pool of suitors, helping him get a move, plus put 'Championship experience' on his CV rather than 'signed but never played a game'. I also think it's less disrespectful than the alternative - outright cancelling his contract to make way for the deal, which is absolutely what will happen if we need the space and he isn't exempt from needing to use it.

Mention of Waggott being "still employed" sends me into a cold sweat. Is it normal for employees who have been dispensed with but who are on gardening leave to be referred to in that way? I take it he doesn't actually do anything or wield any influence any longer?

Nope, not said it for a while now.

Fantastic post, well put. (Except perhaps the very last point, I'm starting to not believe the club's line on that in a literal sense, but I won't go into that now) That list really shows how rare good CMs have been for us, and yet I'm sure certain posters will still say they expect a Travis level replacement.

Charge your battery!

Can anyone confirm if Travis has changed his bio. Im positive it mentioned rovers but could be wrong

…there’s plenty of older Venky apologists in the fanbase too.

Never forget....those tossers took the piss out of our protesting fans.

It's almost a carbon copy of the last big fire sale that lead to relegation when you stand back and look at it and of course the younger Venky apologists in the fanbase won't have seen that or won't really remember it and how it all started. Add in the revolving head coach and staff door and directors and staff leaving or being shoved out whilst inside the club a novice from nowhere suddenly seems to be running everything. Only difference this time is players sold aren't being replaced by old men on tens of thousands per week. End result will probably turn out the same sooner or later though.

The City lads didn’t look happy during that mauling. Well played chaps.

They might, the fabric is getting a bit ropey. 😉

My bad but as you say the point holds (I think).

The ticket office hasn't been open on a Monday for a while.

I can’t see why not.

This clearly doesn’t affect your overall point but the E is Elite (Elite Significant Contribution).

Our recruitment has been a bit strange when you think about it. We signed a player who had been playing at left back for last season and much of his career as a winger. A central midfielder to play as a number 10. And 2 right backs, one who has kicked on playing as a wing back and the other as a right sided centre back. I wonder if we will end up playing a back 3/5 this season purely by accident because of imbalances in the squad and recruitment.

I’ve not been following this, but if Mafoumbi came on for his 30 second cameo and converted his whatever to a whatever, could we then send him on loan? Because if I were him I’d want to go somewhere in league two where I might get some senior minutes, and would gladly make a first team appearance just to be able to get that? Or am I misunderstanding this?