I see your reasoning and it's a sadly solid argument. That said Rotherham aren't that good and fatigue will set in with all the extra games they have to play. Boro are no mugs though - getting a good result Vs Watford - and could be pushing for playoffs so certainly won't have that down as a Rotherham win. The other two teams do have some good players though which means it's far from a forgone conclusion that Rotherham win those two games. They didn't beat Millwall who have a similar mid table beach vibe. I'm not saying it's not possible - it is and that's a terrible indictment of TM - but I still don't think it is probable. They haven't looked that convincing at any point this season. More likely from those games is 4 points, perhaps 6 max, which still gives us a bit of breathing room. Even a win against us on top of those 6 points and we are still 2 ahead even without picking another point up. They would still need to get an additional win even if we didn't pick up another point. So that's 4 wins from 7 to 9 games that they have. That's a big ask for a poor team. And this is assuming we don't pick up any more points. We looked decent against Norwich, and in the last 7 or so games have picked up 7 points. Now that is far from praise worthy or laudable but assuming we keep on a similar vein we're likely to pick up a few more points via draws meaning Rotherham will need another win on top of that. 7 from 42 isn't good, and whilst 7 from the last 7 (I think) is still pathetic it suggests we can limp to the finish line. Huddersfield will be on there hols, Cardiff are having a wobble - both games I can see us getting a point in. These extra points would mean Rotherham need to get another positive result on top of the ones already listed. It's getting a bigger ask by the moment. The final thing I would add is I have seen a number of undeserved wins this season. The Millwall first time round game (I think) sticks out when we had a stupid 4-2-2-2 formation, players all over the place and yet still fluked a win. There's every chance that more by error or design we might fluke a result - there are some quality players in the dross (Elliott and Armstrong) that could bail us out. A few fluked results - draws or wins and the task grows even more difficult for Rotherham. It may be tight but I am confident we will just stay up. An extra 3 or 4 games on top of what's left (for both teams) and I would probably have a different conclusion.

Not much - which is a polite way of saying naff all. Please don't mistake what I am saying - I'm not saying we aren't dire, we are. I'm not convinced we will be getting a load of points either - - a couple of draws at best imo. What I am saying is that I can't see, specifically Rotherham but perhaps a couple of others too, overcoming an 11 point gap with so few games remaining. Even if they all best us Rotherham, Sheffield etc all need another few wins outside of thar. And other teams are not as obliging as us. So to sum up there's nothing in our performances, rather I think the 11 point gap is enough to see us sneak home safe this year. Next one does look a nightmare though. And please don't take me thinking we will stay up for a lack of concern at how badly things have gone and how poor we now are.

By the way that question about our current longest serving player really ought to come with a health warning.

Sorry mate. I got 13. A few were guesses mind!

Hard to disagree with that! But the other three? That's what I am not convinced about.

I'll miss your wildly over optimistic comments. Not sure such an ultimatum is necessary.

Rotherham haven't beaten Millwall or Wycombe. Even we managed one win Vs these teams. Honestly with form like that I can't see where they will get 3 or 4 wins from. Crap though isn't it, relying on other teams to be crap so that we can stay up...

With TM still in post after 1 win in 14 it shouts out that he is here for non footballing reasons. And that got me thinking - what's his role in this? It's clear Waggott is the business part of it and Venus has links with property developers and the like. I am beginning to suspect TM is the face of the project to ease fans fears and get support for the project. What if all this man of integrity, honest working chap guff isn't just self preservation but an image to project to fans to help smooth the way for the training ground project? As in such an honest guy endorses it, then it must be ok type thing. And up till very recently, and perhaps still, TM has that persona with large swathes of the fan base. After all he's not short on other excuses for why we are crap. And why else keep a manager who is abjectly failing? Maybe "Honest Tony" is the PR for the project.

Agree lockdown has been a huge help for him as no criticism. Given he cannot take even the slightest bit of questioning (how arrogant) it's probably only fed into his god complex as well. As for the press - I'm yet to see any real challenge. And if 1 win in 14 doesn't garner more searching questions I can't see 1 in 15 or even 20 doing so either.

Ah. Well that's encouraging to hear. Mind you like we need Travis. Because next season Rothwell and the Trybull will be tearing it up in the middle, Downing has another year left in him, Johnson a couple more years left and Holtby and Evans can do the hard yards. We've also got Buckley who can play there if he isn't needed at right back or false nine. So totally covered and not a problem if Travis is frozen out whatsoever.

If only the poor chap could have spent some.money on our forward line.

In other words you can't understand and therefore question me. What a deluded plank to think he is unchallengeable.

Although given we have Cardiff next that could be cause for optimism. Or a rebound hiding for us. Cardiff aren't in great form at the moment. Feel we could get a point from that game which would lurch us towards safety.

“I take pride in the performances, not the results, I’ve always said that I’m a performance related coach and I think the performance of the team has generally been good. Well I think this is the nub of the problem. If you think the performances are good no wonder we are on a terrible run. I'm also a tad bemused that you think that the results and performances have no correlation. Perhaps in one or two games but not 14. If TM genuinely can't see the correlation between the two or thinks performances have been good he is utterly deluded. Or he doesn't think that's the case and he is utterly lying. Lying to save his sorry hide. Which would make a mockery of Mr Integrity. So either he is deluded or lying. Either way it shows his time is up.

Honestly can't see us going down. Rotherham are looking weak and unlikely to win, and the chances of Wednesday and Rotherham all winning a few on the bounce is very unlikely. They need a 50% win ratio just to catch us up and that's not going to happen. Add in if we get a couple of draws, or fluke a win somewhere, and that means another win is needed on top of that. And whilst a win is questionable I can see a few draws Cardiff aren't in great form for example, Huddersfield will be a dead rubber match, plus we play some of the weakest teams in the division. 2 more points from that means that Wednesday and Rotherham need 4 wins each to overtake us and that isn't happening. Next season however looks terrifying if TM is still here.

I'm not going to slate this by TM. We are likely not to go down (mainly because we have such a large cushion and will scab a couple of draws to make sure) so no need to rush him back. Goodness knows how many players we have rushed back only to get reinjured, so no need to add Travis to that list. Heck Travis has already been thrown in when not fully fit this season. A bit of caution and making sure we have the best chance to have him fully for next year is more important. As for the game, two crap managers bailed out by the quality of their players. I think their manager may be worse, but their players are better. So going for a Rovers draw showing "we can compete with anyone in the division." Never will such a draw be heralded as such a heroic result. And the point will edge us comfortably towards safety.

I doubt they could score even if they were in the car in question...

In fairness TM ALWAYS says he won't hide from a result (or run away from or other such words.) Problem is he then spends the rest of the interview doing just that offering every excuse under the sun. Lousy human being imo.

Were we ever realistically in for him? If so huge miss by us. Edit my recollection was we were outbid by Villa, so some excuse there as you say. Bauer though - no way Preston should be able to get players before us.

Well given we got much worse in Walton I wouldn't put that down as a correct decision at all. How good Raya is, is another debate but even with his clangers he is miles better than Walton who had more clangers in him and less of the superb saves as well. Kaminski for Raya ignoring the Walton debacle (although it really isn't possible to do) seems a decent swap on the face of it for the fees involved. But even Kaminski has looked a bit error prone of late and less of a strong swap than earlier on in the season.

You missed out Bauer who we chased for ages and still ended up missing out on (to Preston...) despite being on a free. Have repeatedly said he was imo our biggest miss transfer wise under TM.

Personally I'm wondering what would have to happen for TM to get worried. I'll admit I've a morbid curiosity as to what might cause that as it's clearly not defeats, lack of goals or performances.

What got me about it was that it was obvious that two of the three would need replacing within a couple of years. I said it, others said it - their age made it obvious. He spent £12 million on not replacing Graham. His attempts at replacing Mulgrew were a one season loan and Ayala! One he didn't try to replace, the other he couldn't at great cost. As for Dack could perhaps argue Holtby as cover but that's hardly been a raging success either.

That's a good point. I'm not too convinced although when a few dead rubbers come up for opposition we might just do it. But to finish around where we got relegated after 3 years in the league and £15 mill plus in investment - my word, that's full circle stuff. And a terrible indictment of TM.

Worryingly the most forward thinking he has done in the last 3 years is to get next year's excuses in early... As for today - once again showing he is out of his depth when can't beat the whipping boys of this division.