It very much remains to be seen whether the new players are good enough/up for it over the course of a season, but someone (or someones) behind the scenes seems to be actually trying, and other than the managers it's been a damn long time since we were able to see that. I expected us to add a couple of freebees and a bunch of loans to a very depleted squad and call it a day, this level of wheeling and dealing and seemingly attempting to scrape together a coherent squad with a tactical plan is unheard of in post-Venky rovers. I don't think that there is any way a random Saudi club came in for Buckley without someone here actively trying to find a way to move him on and actually make some money off the deal at the same time - in previous seasons we'd have just paid him off to get him off the wage bill. Someone is doing some leg work. It feels a lot more like the transfer strategy of back when we were a serious club. I'm also going to go out on a limb and say that I think this all comes from a decision made at some point after we had re-signed Forshaw. I think that at that point freebees and loans was absolutely the order of the day. We've seen this extremely late and sudden decision making before in reverse - when Ennis went from being a speculative punt early in the window to our marquee signing as the taps were abruptly shut off (not that they have been particularly opened now, but you get my meaning). This of course does beg the question why now, why not for JDT or Eustace? Who or what has actually prompted this? When are they going to get fired? How are Venkys and Pasha going to screw it up this time? It's shaping up to be the first season in a very long time that I am, idk excited seems strong but lets say intrigued, actually quite interested in how we are going to look rather than just my default of 'oh god we're definitely going down this year....' Venkys out, Pasha out etc. etc.

Have to say I didn't recall that until I saw it mentioned My dislike of that man is due to his character, although I can happily add that to the list of things I dislike about him

It's the only slight criticism I would have of Trav. When he indulges in the shithousery I think it's to the detriment of his own game. When he concentrates purely on the football, great player - at this level.

Your Liverpools and Man City's didn't win all those trophies with negative thoughts. We're in for a good hiding before a balls been kicked, what's wrong with positive thinking. 4-0 Rovers.

When have you ever seen him be soft? He might not be Tyson Fury but these claims he is soft seem massively exaggerated to me. Never seen him show fear or get leathered. Just plays his wind up part and temper well enough to not throw a silly punch and cost us a game.

Both Goddard & Michalski have played senior football, however, Goddard was in the Irish Premier & National League (relegated with both last season), & Michalski was in the 7th & 8th tier of English football But yes, absolutely need a second choice keeper who is not basically a novice

Etta James - I’m So Glad (I Found Love In You

Can’t believe after 15 years of lies people will side with the club, there’s 2 sides to every story and I hope Trav can tell us his side.

Nar, I think Suhail was always the gatekeeper with regards to the purse strings. I think this is his last ditch effort to save his skin. @glen9mullan has mentioned previously that he is very close to the edge, I think he's unleashing the fabled war chest (to an extent) in an effort to get fans on board. Quell the unrest and report all sunshine and rainbows back to Venky's. Added bonus: he's managed to cut the wage bill at the same time.

Isn't a Skoda brain exactly what you want? Practical, sensible, safe. value for money I'd say Ferrari feet and Skoda brain would make a great footballer 😁 (all tongue in cheek obviously)

I agree with this. The authorities should have stepped in when there was a stink of agents running the club. They should also be keeping a watchful eye on the court case situation but as yet we've not defaulted on anything. The fact that they keep pulling the rug from underneath anyone who gets within a sniff of 6th spot is just bad business but not illegal. The EFL can't come along and demand more of the Adam Wharton money be spent on transfers.

Waggott was all about doing most transfers close to deadline day because that was the time he believed the transfers were cheapest. He often said that in interviews. Which is probably true, but in my view that means pursuing players that are less attractive to most clubs and who does not necessarily fits a profile we are after.

There were so many of these at the gig, it was unreal! In fact, there were tons of the classic ones with Guinness sponsors on the front, too. I'm too old and not in the right enough shape for a footy shirt nowadays anyway 😅.

No offense, but jeez do people have short memories or something? Rovers fans think he's a cock because at the start of the 22-23 season with JDT, before the game (which was Martin's first home game as swansea manager), there was footage released of him on their socials saying how they were going to pass us to death and by the 2nd half we'd be knackered and they could pick us off at will. We went there and battered them 3-0. He's been a bellend ever since.

I'm not sure he's box-to-box per-se, how often is he busting a gut to the attacking box? He's a solid championship midfielder but with his limitations (he'd be a league above if he didn't have any). Most crucially, I could never really see him helping Rovers cross that 6th place, or 2nd place line - it wasn't uncommon for him to go missing in the latter stages of the season. Sam Morsy kept him out of the team at Ipswich, and I think that sort of backs-up Yeti's claim, he'd be more of a squad player for a team with ambition to get out of this league. (judging by Eustaces signings Derby are not that). I'd obviously much rather he be that squad player here at Rovers, alongside Trondstad, Tavares and Baradji, as firstly, two of these are unproven and secondly it's likely we'll have injury issues and drops in form at some stage.

@K-Hod I was in the airport yesterday, you get the picture, sat around for many hours waiting for the flight to be called….. Anyway, I see this young lad and his dad wondering around in a football shirt, but one I’d never seen before. I must have seen them 4/5 times, is it a Saudi team I was thinking, or a 3rd kit…… Nope…..It was a Fontaines DC shirt made to look like a footy top 😂 Then on further inspection it’s actually a Bohemians FC top. Thought of you, glad you enjoyed the gig and I’ve made it a mission to have a listen.

Crazy amounts of spending, both last season and this. Also it's possible both sides are better than they looked because we made the general play hard for them? It's also very early in the season, teams are rarely fully at the races for the first 2-3 games.

Waggott no longer on the premises?

Something has deffo happened. We brought in north of £40m and reinvested, at best, 10% of that. This time we've brought in far less but spent more? If we assume: Brittain - £3m Trav - £3m (money not even here yet) JRC - £1m Bucko - £1m That's £8m brought in and we've probably spent 80% of that money?

I expect these to improve as the season goes on (as Manning's Bristol City seemed to do last year) so this is probably a good time to play them. It seems like they're (another!) team that plays out from the back with defenders who aren't up to it, so hopefully we can take advantage of that.

One things for sure - he'll have the game of his life when he returns to Ewood. He'll have the home end pulling their hair out and his replacement sent off by 60 minutes.

Agree that they're well suited. I expect him to be a big hit there to be honest, but I'd also have expected him to be a big hit at Coventry. Or at Millwall if they managed to sign him last year. Or others if they had the money to spend. I think because he's a bit of a wind-up merchant and can be a pantomime villain, we can be in danger of overdoing what he brings/doesn't bring as an 'enforcer', and missing how good (at this level) his all-round game is. We saw it when he first came into the side and could immediately do what Evans and Smallwood could do as well as plenty more besides on the ball. We've had countless central midfielders in the last decade or so since we've been relegated, and Trav is one of at most two or three that don't have glaring weaknesses in his game.

If there's anything to this rumour, then well done to the folk who attended the fans forum. Ultimately, I think we need Venkys to leave to make the necessary strides forward as a team and club. However, any pressure that releases the purse strings can only be a positive. Regardless of my personal opinions on anyone involved in running the place.

Honestly lost complete respect for Valerian. Can't believe he'd throw him under the bus publicly. Be a bit more professional. Pathetic.

Agree 100%. No good having Ferrari feet, but a Skoda brain. Unfortunately, the way modern football is going, it appears that the requirement is for players to be 'athletes first, footballers second'.