Travis has had a fantastic 6 weeks and moved his stock forward greatly. I don’t think that’s beyond any of our young players yet you and others will gladly write someone off who hasn’t! Not for me.

No, but I’m not the one suggesting it’s wasted when the 19 year lad hasn’t even started two games in a row yet. The only thing ridiculous is that!

You’re judging a 19 player by a handful of starts/sub appearances. When you’ve stopped doing that I will be waiting to have a more sensible discussion. Inferiority complex much? Social media society is as fickle as it gets, why would football fans be any different; Case in point. 47er expects and thinks a 7m signing is entitled to be a world beater. If he doesn’t do it right away, he’s a shyte/obscene waste of money.

All that would be great JHR if he hadn’t actually said we couldn’t afford the players we wanted!

You’ve seen him come off the bench for a handful of appearances and that’s it? 19 year old not worth it, sack him? Thank Christ you aren’t involved in our academy. I know that figure is the perfect excuse to expect another Rhodes - but the reality is completely different. Football has moved on even in that time. I actually thought you talked a lot of sense about football but your take on Brereton and our transfer business is so transparent that I am embarrassed for you. (@Paul Mellelieu will be ripping his own hair out)

Different gamble between a structured deal for a 19 year old and trying to take Boro’s record signing and fitting him into our wage structure. You know that, I know that. Try again. We also both know there would be no Brereton if the club or recruitment showed (as many are saying) no ambition at all. I personally think writing BB off at this point is almost as stupid as Revidges anti-Graham tirades, but that’s just me.

A sense of entitlement - if you don’t get what you want you complain. The problem is the expectancy is ridiculous too - just read through the thread. There are an embarrassing amount of short sighted comments - many in frustration to not signing a player who cost twice what our record signing was, and probably earns more than Dack and Mulgrew combined. I find someone who constantly complains about Graham/Bennett extremely odd since we are at it. As pointless as ever. Precisely - I mean such a lack of ambition to go spend a big chunk of our turnover and invest money on our squad eh? Reality is though Blueboy - if you’ve decided already that money is wasted, bloated or as you call it “obscene” ( a few rising to 7m in 2019!!), then I suggest your expectations of a 19 year old lad with 1 league start are misguided. Bit different for you though, because Brereton is the stone you grind your “I never rated Tony” axe with. Flex round that. See that makes little sense Tom. You’re talking about this being our main way into new ownership, yet the only way we could spend such figures is by borrowing our current incumbents money! That’s more reason for them to keep us from certain perspectives. To give some scope too, playing staff total wages at the minute (approx) are less than 250k a week. Villa, Stoke, and WBA are nearer to 1m a week. Youre advocating an attempt this season via gambling transfer fees and wages but then suggesting if we stay in this league we lose our better players. What do you think stacking up wages will do to that process if you aren’t one of the 3 promoted (from how many challenging)? Accelerate it. If you can only see the pro’s of that, and not the potential cons - May I suggest you look at rovers business post relegation and then the eye watering figures we ended up losing (or owe the owners). Being FORCED to sell really does change your options!

I harbour plenty of hope for promotion, the difference is I don’t think gambling is necessary at this point. As others will point out - a large group of posters seem completely oblivious to the other side of the coin. Only 3 teams go up, no need to go over the result of parachute payments running out in this league, we should all remember that. The irony is, many of these posters are advocating the club drops its prices, or takes a hit to get more fans in the ground. “Give me more, and charge me less”. Nah, not even a slight bit over entitled.

I agree. Others won’t though, your narrative doesn’t suit a vision of an unambitous club and manager who cannot recruit. How others can say that in the face of us reportedly spending 10m+ in our return to the championship and developing a competitive squad that’s not doing to badly in the league.. beyond me. Sorry @K-Hod - I’m not quoting them all, but this thread is an embarrassing example of the over entitlement of modern football support!

Out means out!

You’ve never made sense.

You mean like clubs did to us for Cairney, Hanley, Duffy etc....! Spot on.

I’ve no qualms with the idea about momentum and striking whilst we’ve got a good squad - but you’re mistaking (what I would describe as) a more realistic ambition for accepting mediocrity! Where have I heard that before? As I said to Miller, most competive league in the world potentially, 12 teams minimum all still in a position to strike top six, all ambition to get the big money of the prem. That drives cost, wages, fees up. If we broke the wage bill for someone and failed to go up - then you see the assets sold off to pay bills. Remember before? For me, develop and add potential each window and improve the ones we have. On that, I’m not getting out my pram if we don’t buy anyone. You can though, it’s quite hilarious. As for Norwich and Southampton - What point does that make? Norwich hardly spent a penny and went up second in the league under Lambert and with Grant Holt upfront... I seem to recall Henri Lansbury (a loan) was key. Southampton sold Bale, Oxlade Chamberlain and a host of others at that time - players they developed and sold for big profits funded their improvements and kept them in the prem.

... you just said it’s either A or B if we don’t sign someone, which is exactly what you’re criticising Chaddy for!

Nope, he’s right up our street. Already knows many of the squad, young, a position we want and has had some level of unfound potential to develop. I wouldn’t be very happy to sign Gallagher, ecstatic on a permanent.

I personally don’t think going from league 1 to the premier league in 2 seasons is “ambitious” I think it’s flipping hopeful at best, and downright ridiculous at worst. By the same token, some fans said Dack would be gone last summer too, and a few of those who are looking to stick the oar in “a lack of ambition” for only adding Chapman wanted rid of Mowbray a month ago.. It’s up to you if you want to complain and moan if we don’t sign a striker or get promoted though. Have a blast.

Without Prem revenue, reductions in season and walk on tickets might attract more fans but it certainly won’t improve turnover. Im not saying that there is no better options to the current schemes either. It’s just not as simple as you say. The wage boom in the championship + 9 years of stagnant public wages and austerity from the government play into this.

Any of them on 6 month loan would be a decent addition to the squad, who do you think Tony’s target is?

Jeez it’s not even 8am and the sulking starts.

Everybody would've loved to see more already, but can I remind you that my point is he hasn't been given the time or the chance to be judged yet? Do you genuinely think that its fair to say his transfer is a "Massive blunder " (Mercer, Jan 19)? By the way, just to be clear - three assumptions on your point; 1. The money we "spent" on Brereton could've been used for other players the manager wanted, and has caused a huge hole in our playing budget - IE there is plenty of discussion about more money being available for young players as opposed to more developed and higher wage/experienced players and there is also plenty about structure of deals with his protracted wage compared to say, Assombalonga. 2. We had targets for other positions we required, who came available for the right deal/wage at the right time. I remember the manager lambasting Bamford being out of our range because of the fee AND wage, and I have referenced Waggot's "flex" more time than you've had a glass of wine with wee Dougie and C o yley - again, his suggestion that we could spend more fee for a 19 year old with less wages is constantly ignored by the "Bash Ben Brigade"... and that was from the acting chairman! Who better to ask? 3. We knew he wouldn't hit the ground running or would take longer than necessary. Hindsight is 20/20 or whatever the saying is. You talk as if all business is simple, maybe if you spent more time crafting a more balanced view about the recent goings on at the club, more of us would take you seriously.

Your personal views are only ever scenarios that suggest the worst outcome. I should know I imagine like many fans with Ben, the club expected more from what they got so far. That doesn't mean, like you @47er and many other assume - he will never come good, he will never improve and he will never be worth his fee. Skepticism, and criticism of his impact so far is absolutely fine from my point of view, and I am sure you can accept that my personal opinion is that he has at least 12 months and needs at least a few starts in a row to even be considered as given a chance. Needlessly bringing everything else in our transfer business, back to his suggested fee, wage and now I see more an assumed signing on fee rumour - it (as at least 5 people have pointed out today) achieves absolutely nothing.

Some good points and I think we agree that the plan needs to more like 24 months as opposed to the 12 months (from league 1 to the premier league in two seasons) that is being suggested by @Miller11 I don't think I inferred that I mean 50 years either.. I just think its common sense to build the club up properly. The amount of money we lost was the reason why we had to sell players post GB. As I suggested, spending a figure about 1.5x our last published turnover on one player would be be great, but if you aren't promoted it would cause us to lose a lot of money. Id advocate the mindset to carry on after promotion too - look at Bournemouth, signing young players from the championship like King and Brookes and turning them into hot property. Howe even speaks of developing his own players. I'm not naive enough to guarantee that a couple of our best players won't be plucked from our midst in the summer if we aren't promoted, but I am certain that the wage bill currently allows us to offer new contracts, and not be forced to sell. I imagine it also allows us to reinvest any sales, but I also couldn't guarantee that the Rao's wouldn't pull the carpet out either, but they have far more to gain by us being well supported and eventually promoted. Didn't we lose nearly 50m in one season that they stacked up pay offs/costs into? I don't know the exact figures of FFP, but I assume it to mean the owners can invest 24 million in the playing staff in fees/wages over 3 years without any sanction. 8m in the team every year spent wisely on assets that improve. I personally can't see that causing another "sell your centre backs for 10m combined and then sign Wes Brown and Gordon Greer to replace them" scenario. Although, I could definitely see those kind of cockups if for some reason we go all out, spend a load and the pieces don't fall into place. The competition to reach that pot of money in the tier above is as fierce as ever. Venky Apologist - the definition at last, thank god its not just a list of black and white sweeping statements.... I have never met one person who absolve the Rao's of their accountability or claim they are good owners- but I have had plenty of quality discussions about what having them as owners has meant for the club. Amongst the myriad of utter BS they have served up, you'd be a fool to think it is all bad. One fine example is the constant support of the academy, no coincidence that it is essentially one of the key reasons we are having this discussion about being in reaching distance of the playoffs, we wouldn't be anywhere near without Raya, Lenihan, Travis et al. Finally I will dismiss any random criticism based on assumption - or give back if I feel that there is unwarranted criticism directed at fans who trust what the current chairman/manager are trying to do based on their actions!

Paranoid delusions are exactly how I’d describe many assertions about our clubs dealings over the years. It seems that not believing them all makes me a “Rao” apologist. As for the actual strategy you’re suggesting, fair enough if you want an instant attempt, but can I remind you that this has been tried before, by us and others. It’s the scenario that comes if we aren’t promoted that you’re ignoring here - if we are selling players like we did prior to relegation in 12 months to “avoid ffp” or “curtail costs” then I’d be mortified. Develop a squad that’s always improving, sensibly investing the money we can in more potential future stars for the fringes of the squad and grade 1 academy, improve and develop them, and when the big money bids come for players (remember what happens to transfer fees when opposition know you need to cut back) it will be enough to replace with some quality. (w/o more borrowed owners cash - which is exactly the financial problem, owing THEM!) On the original post, maybe stick to taking the mick out of Balaji and not the fans. If you’re going to slag fans off, maybe stick to those who cba watching the team. Who are these venky apologists anyway? Come on @MCMC1875 how does supporting my club make me apologise for owners that I clearly despise? Pointless bland insult. Careful now, you’ve not jumped to the immediate negative conclusion, bland banal insults await.

The viewpoint you are belittling (that we tried but couldn’t compete) is probably the case for 9 out of 10 clubs in most windows, but you’re dressing it up as an excuse. The excuse then becomes a fiction (normally one of BRFCS’s favourite “monopoliser of untruths”) that these stories have been fed to fans to create false hope, to bring round to the idea that they want to instantly return to the premier league without ever having that intention - hence “scandalmongery”. On the other hand, You'd like to see them pump in (remember they lend, not give) the equivalent of 150% of our turnover for last year to attempt instant promotion(on one player I may add if you’re talking BA)?... and you are concerned about our finances? In my opinion; Our finances are exactly how they are, from trying to buy our way out this league, albeit with a snake in the dugout. I prefer to see the club put its money into players that aren’t going to break the wage bill and will get better. Assombalonga would be something outrageous, but it’s not a guarantee, nothing is. Putting in the building blocks in firmly, and developing the club, squad, ethos and everything else is the nearest you’ll get to guaranteeing success.

This; "but in 6 months these last couple of days being reimagined as a valiant battle against all odds by Steve Waggott to get the deal over the line... I can hear it now when we are no further on... “You can’t knock Venky’s. We tried to sign Assombalonga in January, and he got Boro/Derby/Bristol city promoted!” The notion that this is simply a smokescreen to avoid criticism down the line is utterly embarrassing. Plus - I don't ever recall asking you to be grateful? I simply stated your expectations are ridiculous, especially when you are a huge Rao cynic (like many of us). The finance situation at the club isn't going to be improved by lumping loads more above turnover on a marquee signing either, especially since it guarantees nothing and this league is as competitive as any in Europe. There are 12 teams aiming for three spots. Looking at the last few years and simply expecting better than someone of SG's ilk is an oxymoron in itself. Nothing wrong with not rating a player, you know I'd sooner us look to sign someone cheaper but Gallagher undoubtedly has unfound potential. As for the last two comments - does moderation only happen when its targeted at you @K-Hod or what? :)