None of those were available on heavily subsidised loans though.

No, we knew Raya wanted out long before he actually went. The awarding of an extra season to Leutwiler shows that. In any event we had time to line someone else up before sanctioning his departure. To not do so was very dangerous. Hard luck excuses like 'other clubs might not want to let players out' won't be enough when we're struggling. We've had ample time to deal with this and work through our list of targets.

Clock is ticking. Soon enough time will be up. Positions like GK and CB are not ones that can be neglected or 'put off' to a later date as we've tried doing before. Especially not with our record of goals against. A dangerous game to sell Raya without someone already here to replace him. 2 weeks on and no arrival is alarming to say the least. 2 weeks to go. Leutwiler or Fisher v Charlton will be completely unacceptable.

Completely agree. But after Mowbray's defensive u turn and Waggott's lies about season tickets and pitch investments I've just about given up listening to either of them.

Careful, some think it's all made up in your head. The evidence is there for all to see. The same thing happens time after time regardless of manager. No other explanation for Mowbray's u-turn on defenders. Venky policy doesn't allow for it. Therefore no experienced proven CBs to come straight in are allowed. But he can sign a loan or two on heavily subsidised wages who can cover a couple of gaps in the squad. People live in la la land accusing others of being negative or conspiracy theorists but it's there in black and white when looking through past dealings. Obviously bringing in a couple of decent free agents on good wages for a season or two whilst shipping out a keeper that nobody gets upset about to offset what we spend gets people more amenable to not properly addressing the defence. Others just prefer not to face up to uncomfortable truths and heads go into the sand.

Not really interested in how much City are paying him. Kasey Palmer will have been on good money and that one was a waste of everyone's time. Yes the fact he played regularly in a half decent side last season is a positive and leads to hope he'll be up to more than the Byrne's, Harper's and Hendrie's we've ended up with. Still expect him or whoever comes in to be 3rd choice filling in when injuries arise rather than a new CB who will be built around.

Surprise surprise

This is the problem. Those with pedigree cost big cash. Nowt wrong with a lot of those players loaned if you're paying the money for them. Those Villa got like Abraham and Mings, without doubt fantastic loans. We aren't shopping down that aisle so we get the cheaper unproven ones whose parent clubs are happy to send out to develop and get game time. None of the loans we've had have worked out, apart from Cairney but he was a proven Championship player on his way back from injury, not a kid looking for games.

And there is Rovers transfer policy in one sentence.

Do you think anyone at Rovers actually gives a stuff? I reckon Umbro could turn up with claret and blue zigzags and Rovers would sit back and allow it. Far easier to just sit back and let events unfold than kick off about it. Was it Preston who recently ditched their new away shirt because it was unpopular (much nicer than this). Wonder what odds on Rovers doing anything like that?

Agree, but even if you don't want to be tied to such a limited range there are many other colours that would be sensible and could look decent. Anything wrong with black, orange, gold, dark green, hell even pink would at least ensure no need for a 3rd kit and this rubbish.

We shouldn't need a 3rd kit. I can't think of a single club in England that has home colours that would clash with blue/white and our traditional away colours of red/yellow/orange. Absolutely dreadful effort and they expect people to pay 50 quid for it! I look forward to the day we have a kit supplier and commercial department with some sense. Look on the bright side! At least they won't have to go through the process of applying new sponsorship stickers to the yellow shirts. It was hard work when they had to stick on Crown Paint badges to the red and black halves because some idiot thought dark blue was a good away shirt. This time round just need to stick the yellows in the wash and good to go!

I doubt even that comes into it. My impression is they're on autopilot mode and just leave it until Umbro turn up and tell them what to do.

Unforgivable if we need a 3rd kit. Could almost understand it if we actually had a 3rd kit that was for sale and promoted in an effort to make money but the last few years we've just turned out in the kit from the season before. Sort of thing a non League outfit would do.

Diabolical. And to think it will almost certainly look worse with a big black sponsor stuck on the front. I'd say embarrassing but just another slap in the face to supporters really.

They're all mates. Not sure if it's a good thing or it's going too far. Bennett and Johnson are best mates from their Norwich days, Mowbray will know all the Middlesbrough lot, even the young lad White who joined last week is best mates with Adam Armstrong. Not suggesting its dodgy in any way, a lot of football operates on those sort of lines, but it would be refreshing to sign someone from somewhere that has actually been scouted and sought out rather than just people who are known to us.

Johnson, Butterfield and Carson. Looks like someone has been visiting Derby a lot recently.

It's set to be worn at Rangers on Sunday so you would expect they would need to have it out before then.

I imagine it's an insurance policy. Sell a midfielder or one gets seriously injured and we'll have a vacancy. Keeping him around the place for a few weeks will be loose change if we quickly need someone to step in and he's already here.

No, I didn't edit the bit about Gallagher. I said we'd used up the Raya money by buying Gallagher. Therefore we have spent but only what has been brought in through sales. Nowhere have I said no money would be spent. Only that we would make sure all or the vast majority was brought back through sales. I don't think we will see any money spent unless we sell someone else. Hence the focus now becoming loans which means we have to wait. Happy to be proven wrong but my sales before buys expectation is spot on so far. Interestingly I heard a name last night about a CB on loan who was playing in the Championship last season. No idea as to his capabilities but fits the loan model.

I commented once on page 436 to say that the outgoing wages of Downing, Reed and Palmer would go some way to offsetting the added wages of Downing and Johnson. I'm afraid you'll have to do better than that. Where have I said that we wouldn't spend any money this summer?

Anyone else bored/unimpressed by Mowbray's talk of 'changing the style' of our play? I'd just like us to get the basics right. Have a solid defence and a settled, well organised team where everyone knows their jobs inside out. This talk of changing things and moving people around fills me with dread when I look at Mowbray's background and this squad. I don't think it is clever or exciting to try and shoehorn players into different positions or to try and 'outwit' the opposition with attempts at various systems. Just a manager and team with a clear defined style of play and organisation will do for me. I think Mowbray sees himself as some sort of innovator. He can certainly overthink things. The success stories in this league are usually built on managers with a clear set way of playing who recruit for that purpose and coach their players to know it like the back of their hands. I don't have much faith in that here. I still think Mowbray has this underlying obsession with playing 5 defenders and last night shows that with Hart and Rankin Costello being groomed for those positions. The problem is every time he's tried it hasn't worked. Yet i still expect we'll get more attempts to the detriment of results. I worry some fans will embrace it because some love to see different formations, players and systems put to use.

On one of the photos, if you look closely, you can see the 'sponsor' stripe is basically a white sticker over the shirt. I think they'll be winding everyone up and a version without the sticker will be released before the season. Fair do's though they've gone to town with it by playing in it tonight and even convinced the FA that it's genuine. Also interesting how Huddersfield were able to complete a game at Rochdale on a pitch that looked absolutely perfect. Makes me wonder what the real reason was that our game was cancelled and moved to behind closed doors.

He was playing at Southend who survived in League One by the narrowest of margins. He'll be 23 later this year. Not really young. If impressing in a few months at a rubbish League One team is enough for us we'd be better going after some players from Accy Stanley.

Not really, it's as expected. Ever since Mowbray came back from India it has been going one way with regards to new defenders. I believe we are waiting for a generous Premier League club to send us a CB on loan for the season on the cheap. Good news for the money men, bad news for getting someone in now to establish at CB and organize around.