Fergie out £5.25m Bellamy in £6m Good business or not ? I wouldn't be surprised if Hughes already has a midfield loan signing lined up

Rangers web sites have this all as a done deal at £5.25m - if this is true Can't help feeling somebody is having a little fun - but I will listen to Radio Lancs intently at 08:00 am

Though I rate Bellamy - and would readily have him on loan - I don't think he represents good value for £6m + the huge wages that are being quoted. However - what better way of showing that we mean business (and as someone has already pointed, maybe bring a few fans back) than taking Bellamy from under the noses of Brum. And lets not forget - he has long been a first team player at that NE "giant" that never wins anything

This isn't going to happen. Just a re-hashed story which will put pressure on Brum to meet his wage demands. Rovers have turned down £4m for Ferguson - so why would they all of a sudden accept it ? Our only chance is a loan deal - or a swap involving Ferguson (if he can be pursuaded to go). Even with a swap - I would be wanting Rovers to extract some money from Newcastle as part of the deal.

"Humiliated in front of the nation" - what utter rubbish. Nobody expects us to win (even our own fans) - so the only team that can be humliated in this scenario is Chelsea (I hope I don't regret saying that when they knock 5 past us ) This game for Chelsea - is like us playing a first division team - same sort of gap. But you never know - against all the odds we could get a draw. Or even nick a win - yes the most likely result is anywhere between 2-0 to 4-0 to Chelsea, but you never know. The most interesting thing for me - is how good a manager Mark Hughes actually is. Though we have had a drastic improvement over the last 10 or so games - this will be the first time we have come across one of the top teams since that improvement began. Chelsea are arguably the best team in Europe, with probably the best manager - if MH can take our current squad and get any form of result, then I think we may actually have unearthed a decent manager

Lets remember that Murray said that he wouldn't improve his £3m offer - so I am still to be convinced that it is over. However, in the cold light of day, whether Rovers regret turning down £4m will depend on Ferguson. I think everyone agrees that a Ferguson/Savage midfield pairing had everybody excited prior to his transfer request. We may actually have that opportunity - providing that Ferguson puts in a reasonable amount of effort to keep his place (and everything coming from Rovers suggests that he will). I think Rangers have missed an important point about the Premier League - as Palace have shown with Routledge - it is sometimes better to retain a player and let him go for lower money at the end of the season if it means staying in the league or finishing higher. The money that Rovers could lose by hanging onto Ferguson until the end of the season - is nothing compared to getting relegated, or the potential £500k per place that is on offer.

The midfield wasn't our problem last night. Even Tugay at his peak would have struggled to do something last night - as both teams were set out to nullify the other. Looking on the bright side - yet again we limited the opposition to a limited number of opportunities to score. What we desperately need is a target man up front who can hold the ball up. This would enable our midfield runners to join in the attack. I feel that our inability to hold the ball up was the main reason that Emerton had a poor match as most of his runs were from too deep. Hughes has done wonders in improving the performance and resilience of the team - any money from Ferguson would easily cover the purchase of a midfield player of similar ability - and the target man we so desperately need.

I think it is more than that - I think Rovers are at the leading edge of what is happening in football in general. Due to the rapid rise in our attendances we obviously have more "fair weather" fans than most premiership clubs (or we would have been getting gates of 20k prior to Jack's money). We also have one of the smallest and most fiercly fought over catchment areas of probably any Premiership club. But overall - almost every footie fan I talk to is sick of the over-exposure of the Premiership, and the total money monopoly that now dominates football. Though Liverpool enjoyed dominance in the 70's and 80' you could still have a Wimbledon, Notts Forest or Ipswich rising to prominence. Now the reality for the majority of clubs is just trying to stay in the Premiership. Even the mightly Liverpool play a game of constant catch up with the top three where they constantly have to qualify for fourth place to even keep withing touching distance. We effectively have a Scottish Premiership - there is no competition for the top three clubs. Look at it realistically Chelsea have lost one match so far - Arsenal lost none last season - hardly a competitive league.

In some ways I agree with you Waggy - but, I can't stop wondering how good a midfield we would have with Savage and Fergie. He may have the chance to prove himself tomorrow (if picked) - as I am sure that any signs of a lack of effort will be picked up by the home fans. Eitehr way - I am sure that after tomorrow - things will start to become a little clearer.

Whether Rangers have any players worth part-exchanging is an interesting one. Hughes liking for big defenders could bring Ball into the equation as our new left back - he did play centre-half for Everton occasionally. I think we should go for an alternative strategy - £6m cash or £4m plus Amo back to Scotland

Instead of just having a go at Fergie - why hasn't anyone mentioned what a good job with the media Hughes is doing in all this. None of the ranting and raving that we saw with Steve Bruce - just a measured response that he wants Fergie to be part of what he is building. No digs about him wanting to go back to a lesser league, smaller club, no mention of ambition etc. He has nicely left the door open for the Board to either reject the transfer request - or put a valuation on him that his talent deserves (has to be more than £3m). He has also given Fergie the opportunity to stay if he can get his personnel issues resolved. Though only time will tell how good a manager he is (after all Hodgson had a brilliant start to his time at Rovers) - his handling of the media and players has (to date) been first class.

Unfortunately a player is only worth what a club is willing to pay for him. With Fergusons transfer request - it leaves us in a difficult position. We need Everton and Newcastle to start sniffing around to up the fee to something more palatable. Even if we only get £3m - it will still be another £3m above the Savage money for Hughes to work his magic (hopefully). I have been v disappointed by Ferguson - just prior to his injury he looked as though Souness was right. But since his comeback he seems to have lost the drive that makes the difference between a tidy midfield player (which he is) and a Vierra, Gerrard or Keane. Contrast Ferguson with Tommo - both out injured for long periods. Tommo wants to repay the club - Fergie just wants to go back to Scotland. Not only that - by asking for a transfer fee he undermines Rovers chances of getting a fair transfer fee to compensate for all the wages they paid him when he was injured.

Izzetnot - this all seems to have descended a little bit - your initial arguments were well balanced - but u just seemed to have slipped further and further down. You can criticise previous managers all you want - as we often do. But Hughes is only doing what he can within the budget he has. We are under no illusions - we now have a limited budget and have to try picking up players as we can. Two international captains for a total of £300k seems good business to me - and well worth the risk. We are a small town in lancashire, that manages to sustain a competative premiership football team on gates of approx 25k. This a town with a population of 125k, and with a significant number of local rivals steeped in more tradition and success that Birmingham will probably ever be. Birmingham - second largest city in GB - average gate 30k - go figure that one Lets forget all this "we are bigger than you" rubbish - at the end of the day the best team will end up highest in the league come May. And the following season it starts all again.

All these comments from McLeish and Murray really do make you think - they are going as close as anyone dares to telling Fergie to break his contract with Rovers. In all this Rovers have kept a dignified silence - do you think our friends from Birmingham could learn something

I can't imagine that Rovers can afford to let Barry go without a transfer request (removing the need for loyality bonuses and the like). As I said in previous ramblings - I still think he will end up at Newcastle - a little closer to north of the border. Hughes and JW are doing their best to keep Fergie's transfer value as high as possible - I hope it pays off. One final note - in all this I think Fergie at least owes us a decent transfer fee for stickking by him during long term injury.

I don't think either club (at this moment in time) can say it is better off than the other. Yes Birmingham have enjoyed a recent resurrgence - but overall the season is one of steady decline - maybe linked to the loss of your favourite loan star. You are about to lose the midfield star of your team (Bruce's words - not mine) - and we might lose ours. What gives me, as a Rovers fan, some heart, is that we seem to be in a period of gradual but steady improvement since Hughes took over (though our real test comes in Feb when we play the big guns). On the otherhand Bruce seems to be making some strange purchases (Yorke) - much like Souey before he left us. Football is all about opinions - but I would rather have our squad than yours - but you do have better attacking options. Lets see where we both end up at the end of the season - I am sure we will both be fairly happy as long as it is outside the bottom three

I may be wrong - but I think that Barry's agent may be using Rangers to flush out other interest. I would imagine that when Souey left he gave gentlemans assurances that he wouldn't unsettle any of his old team. What better way - let Rangers do the dirty work and then jump in with an offer when the player is clearly going anyway. Fergie to Newcastle - watch this space. I have to agree with what a number of people on this message board have already written - I don't think he is anywhere near the level of Keane or Vierra (as promised by Souey). He is talented (without a doubt) - but no more so than any number of similar midfield players that we could get from the continent. I do wonder what his best position within the midfield is - I don't think he is exceptional as an attacking midfield player, or as a defensive/holding player. However, we should still hold out for maximum cash - use it be buy Savage ( a proven premiership player) and then take a risk on a younger midfield player from the continent with the remainder of the money.

How can anyone have a go at Hughes for his team line up. When I heard the team sheet, my initial thought was good, well balanced team - giving fringe players a run out, and chance to impress. Lets not forget that this team was packed with internationals and one on paper easily good enough to beat Bournemouth. But for some fine goal keeping, and poor finishing we would have won this one easily. I prefer to take the positives - Hughes now knows the size of his task with our defence and fitness. Already he seems to be instilling more confidence into players like Emerton and Jansen. For me his team selections so far (only two I know) have shown balance and a sensible formation given the players at his disposal. Best of all - no excuses, no mention of lady luck, no mention of all the chances we had. Just an obvious commitment to put right all the problems that Souness left him with. Another point for those having a go at Hughes - the guy has only been in the job a week - it will take a lot longer than that for his tactics and approach to the game to start impacting on the team pattern. I'm still optimistic that Hughes is the man for the job - even after such a poor defeat

Good luck JB - you can't possibly show any less effort than Yorke, and must be quicker - go for it

I just want to say - it has been pointed out that his type of head injury takes approx 2 years to get over. This is the final year of his contract - and based on previous medical advice probably the last season that we can still hope that he can get back to what he once was. Matt is the last link to the era when we got promoted with Duff, Dunn etc. when I genuinely thought we had a chance of getting in the top four. He helped to get us promoted - and deserves our full support in what may be his last season with Rovers. I for one, am praying that he recovers the form he once showed. Not for Rovers, but for Matt himself - who I am told by people that know him is (as GS would say) a proper human being. He has also always given his all in the blue and white - and deserves our utmost repect for that

This has got to be a win-win situation ? We get rid of a 32 year old has been for £500k, and his 32k a week wages. We then get on loan a 22 year old player who can't be any worse - but has it all to prove, and so hopefully will work harder. He will undoubtably be on less wages than Yorke - and we still have £500k in the bank. Why is anyone moaning about this ? We have to take risks on players like this in the hope that we unearth a gem that has been over-looked by the big boys. Being on loan for the season means that we also don't have as much risk (other than his wages) - as long as we have first refusal on him (and an agreed fee) if he is a star in the EPL

Blue phil - I agree with your sentiments about Yorke. But would have been happier if the money saved in wages were used to bring in an experienced striker. Gally and Stead have lots to prove - Dickov is hard working, but doesn't have explosive pace, and Jansen has yet to recover any of the form he showed prior to his injury. All four will work hard for the team - but do we have the pace and explosive finishing that so many of our rivals seem to now have ?

The Duff rumour makes perfect sense to me. As we now have an abundance of left sided players - it would give GS the chance to play even more left footed players out of position as he did against WBA Seriously - Duff showed that he has an eye for goal, and plays as the second striker for Ireland. I am going to keep on dreaming that Kamy will come good with this latest rumour Given our recent poor gates - maybe the board have decided we can't afford to have five strikers on the books Personally I am glad to see the back of him - but worry who is going to score the goals for us

From what I gather about De Pedro - he may be able to play the deep strikers role that Yorke used to play so well. It's time for Gally

I don't see any problem with his comments. A far better attitude than some players we have had - that appear to only be here for one final pay day. Being realistic, it would take a number of a youth team players exceeding expectations (as Utd had with Scholes, Beckham etc), a number of shrewd investments that exceed our wildest expectations, for us to get anywhere near the Champions League. And that is where all players with ambition to play at the top want to play these days. If players like Duff and Dunn (who came through the youth system) don't show too much loyality to Rovers - what chance a player who admits that United are his favourite team ? If Pedersen is as good as he thinks he is - he will provide enough excitement and skill to help us into UEFA again - maybe a run in a Cup. Then we sell him to United/Chelsea for a huge profit - everyone is a winner