It'll be a rapid slide into obscurity for Benni now. As other posters have mentioned above, to not even be motivated enough to lose weight in time for your home country's World Cup says it all.

Sullivan's comments are typical of his hugely unprofessional manner. It is disgusting that Benni is in the shape that he is, but you don't talk about such issues in the press. He always talks in a derogatory manner about his own players and staff and it's not the right way to go about things. Remember when he slammed Frank Querdrue in the press whilst at Birmingham, claiming him to be a complete waste of money? I'd hate to play for that ######.

Still, £2.5m has to be one of the best deals ever. I remember a lot on here criticising Sam for leaving him out of the side, but maybe we now know for sure what the reason behind this decision was.

First of all I want to express how deeply saddening this event is. It's not just the fact that a man has died, but that he has left a kid behind. For me, there are few things more tragic. My condolences go out to those on here that knew him. I have to say, I think I might have seen him at games in the past - his face looks familiar.

I am also curious, however, and want to know a little more before I reach any wrong assumptions: am I right in thinking that, in reaction to the bar being closed at half time, Rovers fans became rowdy and ended up throwing a bin, which hit John Taylor on the head and subsequently killed him? This story about him trying to 'head it', being rubbish?

If true, then I hope this event will make people think twice before they engage in yobbish behaviour and drink beyond their limits.

Also, Sam maintained all along that he was prepared to sell McCarthy. There was no need for him to behave the way that he did. He did so purely to enhance the negotiating position of potential suitors.

Same as I feel about Roque. Great player; SHOCKING attitude.

I TOTALLY agree with you.

If Benni were obviously fit and enthusiastic, then there would be no need for Allardyce to talk about it in the press.

On the flip side, if your manager were criticising you so publically, the very least that you would do is get into tip top shape and show a good work ethic on the pitch and while, without necessarily have a beaming smile whilst on the bench, not look as though you don't give a solitary ###### about the club.

I'm getting De Ja Vu from a few seasons back when he was angling for a move to Chelsea.

He is an appalling example of a journeyman.

I thought he'd been around more teams than he has. Still, the first two points stand. Furthermore, I remember him really angling for a move away after his first season with us and his attitude has been terrible for a long while now.

Again based on what? His amazing goal scoring record? His amazing assists tally?

He has a half decent first touch and runs around alot, and thats about it. He has never been a decent goal scorer (just look at his returns for past clubs). We alreadly have one massive gamble on the go with Kalanic, to spunk another 5million up the wall on someone like Di Santo.

Di Santo has 15 starts, 3 sub appearances and has 1 goal to his name. Im sorry but that is a joke for someone who calls themself a premiership striker. Even tripe like Dickov and Kuqi scored ALOT more than that.

And on Pongolle no i wouldn't, 5 starts and 8 sub appearances and only has 1 goal to show for it.

I used Di Santo more as an example. Although, I certainly wouldn't be adverse to him joining were the fee acceptable. He is young and looks promising. I'd rather the money be used on improving the midfield though.

Benni does next to nothing these days. Benni's stats since his first season have hardly been amazing.

EDIT: Oh, and Kalinic looks bloody good. Have you not been watching him?!

Benni bic mac is a perfect example of your washed-up, past it, journeyman footballer who's lost his hunger for the game (though not for McDonalds, clearly).

If we can get anything like £1.5m+ for him, then we should look to sell and put it towards either bringing in Di Santo on a permanent basis or to replace the likes of Diouf, Pedersen, Hoilett, Dunn and Andrews who will more than likely all be off in the summer.

If we get a bid of £2.5m, then we should SELL. He's washed up, his best is long gone and his heart certainly isn't in it, not at Rovers anyway. Sam doesn't fancy him and he rarely starts.

Get rid and use the money to bring Di Santo in on a permanent basis. Or use it to bring in an attack minded / creative / passing midfielder. It really is a no brainer to me.

Any Idlewild fans out there enjoying Post-Electric Blues?

Going to see Editors tomorrow night, at manc academy, could only get one ticket off ebay so i'm on my own, i qonder what they'll be like, hope the guitars are still loud

You are so lucky. I could have got tickets for one of their London dates, but not one of my friends would come with me. I probably should have gone by myself I suppose, but I'm not sure I would have enjoyed that.

He was brilliant before he did his knee. Like so many others that injury took his game away to the extent that I'm actually pleased Rangers are getting shot.

Eck should know better, I'm surprised he's taking him.

Yeah I thought he was an absolutely quality player before that injury. Imagine going back to a time prior to that injury with a younger Tugay also in the squad. Now, snap back to reality and think of last season's CM pairing of Mokoena and Andrews...

One of the finest gents to ever grace the English game. I loved Sir Bobby, may he rest in peace.

Fair enough Gumboots, I see what you're saying

Thinking about it, Anelka has a fair few penalties as well last season.

Yes, except they all count just the same and presumably pens are included. You've still got to score them.

Yeah, but I'd imagine the conversion rate for penalties to be considerably higher than in open play. I',m hardly knocking him, just saying that the stats are slight deceptive. I don't think that's an unreasonable thing to say.

McCarthy's stats are slightly deceptive due to the fact that he scored a fair few from the spot last season.

I'm amazed at Roberts' conversion rate though. In fact, I'm still in a state of shock!

I wouldn't read too much into that. He's simply keeping his options open and it wouldn't surprise me if he were annoyed at being on the bench while Chris Samba took his spot in the first team.

The only thing I would say is that his reference to his fellow team-mates might not go down too well.

Oh really? I haven't seen them. Don't suppose anybody has a link?

He's still a class act. With our other striking options almost certainy including three 6ft + target men types, it's imperative that we keep Benni. I think he'll be great alongside a work horse who can set things up on a plate for him.

I'm a bit behind the times here, but I'm listening to the Editors: An End Has A Start, and I've been totally blown away. Wow, unbelievable lyrics.

His voice is so passionate, so resentful, so angry, so passionate - I love this album so, so much.

Lucash has looked at what West Ham are offering and the situation they are in and concluded he's much better off as a free agent in the market place.

My guess is that if he were under contract, he would still command a transfer fee of £4m in all likelihood.

So as a very proven PL full back, he thinks he can command a "normal" wage of say £30K a week plus pocket most of the transfer fee he is not costing any cub he joins.

West Ham on the otherhand might (and I stress might) be extremely grateful not to be even paying him the 20% reduction in pay they offered. It depends what RBS are saying to them about their own £48m bank loan. (That is seperate from their soon to be liquidated owner's debts).

Check back a year ago and you will find countless stories about Newcastle trying and failing for Warnock.

Take your time over it.

£4m? He is 31 remember and would be on big wages, making the deal even more expensive.

I do agree though, he's probably looked at what's on offer and knows that, with his Premier League experience, he could probablmost likely do better for himself on a free as he would save any prospective club from paying a transfer fee. If he values money above other considerations, then I suppose it's fair enough for him to reject the contract and to move on.

Well, as expected, it looks as though Barton will most likely be offered yet another Premier League life line:

Megson on Barton

OK I've seen that replay of Barton's tackle and he definitely got the ball. It's also quite clear though that his main intention was to wipe the player out. Therefore, it should have been a yellow.

Although the Liverpool players have a right to be annoyed in this instance, I swear that, in general, as soon as a player goes to ground, the ref's first thought is to blow the whistle, give a free kick and dish out a card and the opposition players to react angrily as if a crime has been committed.

Fife, Den, I've re-read my post and realised it's very confusing.

I meant to say 'therefore it should have been a RED'. However, in general, I swear that in today's game, as soon as a player goes to ground, it's a foul and that refs are just too card happy.

OK I've seen that replay of Barton's tackle and he definitely got the ball. It's also quite clear though that his main intention was to wipe the player out. Therefore, it should have been a yellow.

Although the Liverpool players have a right to be annoyed in this instance, I swear that, in general, as soon as a player goes to ground, the ref's first thought is to blow the whistle, give a free kick and dish out a card and the opposition players to react angrily as if a crime has been committed.

I'm not sure really. The Rafa/Fergie thing was shameful. The lack of interest in playing the top 4 has started to bug me (originally I defended him for that, but getting beat 4-0 does not sit well with me regardless of the opposition). We've only picked up 7 points in our last 7 games. We play too many players out of position and our football is dire. I've been getting through by telling myself that its a needs must situation and next season will be different, but the more I think about it the more I'm starting to think that Sam just wont be capable of that.

Yeah, I can totally understand that Rafa incident, though I find that more baffling than anything.

On the top 4, regardless of the 4-0 drubbings we got, I still totally support that decision and would have done the same thing in Sam's position. Unfortunately it didn't work out the other week at Stoke, but these are the risks you take IMO. I think this is purely a personal thing - I'm not too bothered when we lose to the top four, because we rarely get anything out of the games anyway. I'd rather not risk our better players and save them for games against more equal opposition. However, for a lot of people, a defeat to Liverpool matters just as much as a defeat to anybody else in the league and I totally get that. I think of things in a similar way to Sam in this respect, I guess.

True, our recent form hasn't been as impressive as it was when Sam first came in. However, our striking options have been pretty poor, you have to admit? We've also reverted back to making some horrible defensive errors. I think the injury problem and having so much dead weight in the squad is also the reason for playing people out of position. I don't personally think this will continue, like you suggest, next season - Sam's already said that it is purely a case of circumstances dictating Samba up front, while Warnock has already played in midfield most of the season.

My words of encouragement will be 'wait until Sam brings in his big @#/? centre forward', because his football will immediately become a whole lot more successful.