No it doesn't. If the owners want to invest more money then they tell the manager that he can spend more, and if the manager wishes to do so then he does. It doesn't have to be a promotion or bust model. If we don't go up we don't have to make massive cuts or sell players to make up the shortfall. We could just do what we're doing at present and did last season but on a bigger scale. E.g. what most Championship clubs do - spend multi millions on new players every year. Do you really think that every club that spends money has to slash costs if they don't get promoted? Notice I didn't say I supported blowing the wage bill right open again, but investing in transfer fees can be done if the desire to do it is there. We need to move away from this ludicrous FFP concern. Cutting the cloth accordingly is a myth unless we sell a player for big money every couple of years. Not many clubs in the Championship do that. Debts are spiralling and will continue to do so each and every year we're out of the Premier League.

Marriott's CV reads similar to Rhodes' when he came here. Early 20s, off the back of an incredible season in League One, done the business for the last couple of years scoring every other game on average, came through at Ipswich but sent out on multiple loans to a variety of lower league clubs, then let go by Ipswich and goes from strength to strength since leaving them. I'd expect he'd cost multi-millions which shouldn't be a problem if the owners wanted to do it but I don't think they really do want to do it so likely won't happen. It would be nice to bring in at least one 'big' signing - a statement - icing on the the cake etc. I'm not suggesting going silly or spending silly wages but someone like Marriott would be the sort - goalscorer, interest from numerous clubs, sought after etc.

I think we need 2 centre forwards. Question marks on Samuel and Nuttall and it isn't realistic to rely entirely on Graham. We need options and the ability to change things up front.

He made the point about loyalty and I'd like to think that was what swayed it. He's come on leaps and bounds in recent years so much so he's starting to force into contention on the international stage so he's clearly doing something right. Add in that he's been at Rovers since he was a kid and that he's had his fair share of injuries in that time which Rovers have helped him through I'd certainly hope that those things were in his mind. He probably wasn't keen on playing in League One as 3-4 others at the club weren't but Mowbray managed to convince them to knuckle down and correct the disaster of 16-17 by winning promotion. Sheffield United's ace card of being in a higher league than us has now disappeared so I don't see what on earth he'd gain by going to a club like that or indeed most other Championship clubs, at this point when he's settled and established at Rovers. He's not ready for the Premier League yet but a couple of good Championship seasons and he might be. Thankfully we've safeguarded ourselves against that possibility.

For me there's a world of difference between a loan and a 4 year permanent cash buy. As we've seen multiple times in the past loans, particularly of youngsters with minimal experience, are often short term low risk punts with minimal commitment from Rovers and no harm done if it doesn't work as the player can quickly return to his parent club in January or next summer having played a handful of games. If the player works out successfully then it can often be very difficult to then obtain him permanently. When committing to a 4 year cash buy the club and manager has to be confident that the player will be right - that he will fit in, have a role to play, will be here for a number of years and the consequences of committing to a significant outlay are that we have to be sure of a good chance of a return. It's more to do with the club's intentions. To me dealing in loans like we were under Coyle in 2016 is a worrying sign and one that doesn't fill me with optimism. To see the club going further than that and paying money and giving 4 year deals to such players is a much more positive and ambitious step. It could turn out to be a masterstoke or it could be a failure but its a question of intent and trying to sign players for the medium to long term who will be here and take us on over time, not just for 6 months to get some experience before clearing off again.

Excellent news with Lenihan. Now just need to do the same with Dack, who in theory should be easier to do than Lenihan.

Reassured by the permanent nature of the deal. Firstly because it is more of a committment from Rovers and so we have to be more sure than were it a loan and secondly because if he does well he will be an asset to the club.

Who is Kent

When I see us being linked with a highly rated teenage Man City midfielder on loan I immediately think of Jack Byrne. Not fair on the player to have that view but it's hard not to see similarities and be wary as the policy failed last time round in the Championship. I've made my views on loans clear many a time but for the avoidance of doubt I don't like them. Hope I'm proved wrong but I think we need to be getting proven experience in at this stage rather than taking promising kids from other clubs' academies.

Yuck. Blue away shirt = need a 3rd shirt so expect last season's to be worn at Ipswich, Birmingham, Wigan and Millwall. Sheffield Wednesday will probably be a hybrid kit to avoid a clash. Stupidity but honestly wouldn't surprise me as it fits with the training gear they've released.

Don't think these new owners have any money. They've taken the club on by paying in instalments with the parachute cash as security. Can't see them being heavy spenders by Championship standards unless some money comes on board. Probably still outspend us either way though.

That Alex Rodman who was at Shrewsbury last season has joined Bristol Rovers on a free transfer. Shrewsbury seem to be losing a lot of players but interesting to note that as yet none of them have been picked up by Championship clubs, despite a clamour from some for us to sign one or two.

My club cash balance currently reads at £17 or so, which I presume is 5% of my £349 season ticket. Last season my season ticket was £299 and I received almost £15 in club cash (5%) so in return for my £50 (17% increase) I'm getting about £2.50 more club cash back. So pay an extra £55 for a season ticket and membership and get an extra £2.50 back for club cash in return.

That Adelakun has joined Bristol City from Scunthorpe today. Sounds like they're also getting Weimann from Derby.

On the Partick website it says that the game is being played at Central Park in Cowdenbeath.

Before last season when away tickets went on sale the usual selling process was for season ticket holders only, and if there was high demand that would be accompanied by an additional requirement of 1,2, or 3 away game purchases. That's fair enough as those first in the queue were those who had been to the most games. Those who hadn't been to any away games or weren't season ticket holders had to wait for a period until they could get what was left. Last season when the 1875 club was introduced the usual buying process was for those season ticket holders WITH 1875 membership to get priority, meaning in theory you could be a supporter with 20 years of going to every away game and not be guaranteed an away ticket if you didn't sign up for 1875, meanwhile someone who had never been to an away game could get priority ahead of him purely by paying £5 for membership. Fleetwood was a cock up in itself as I know lots of supporters who had 1875 membership didn't get one because the club immediately put them on sale to more people than they should meaning all the tickets were snapped up within a few hours. I've got a 100% away ticket purchase history for the last 7-8 years, yet in theory if I don't buy this 1875 membership then I won't be able to get my away tickets as soon as they go on sale, and there is a chance in theory that I won't be guaranteed away tickets and could miss out. Probably won't happen but it is a risk. What happens if we get to the play-offs and are away at say Leeds? The members will get priority over non-members, limited allocation, and if I understand it correctly there is the possibility that a non-member who has been to every game could be unable to get a ticket whilst a member who has been to a couple of away games would be ahead in the queue. Clearly the 'simple' way round it is to cough up another £10 for membership to avoid all this which is likely what I will have to do, but I don't think it is right that as a loyal supporter I should have to pay an additional charge to ensure I can get away tickets as soon as they come out when I believe buying history and loyalty should secure that

As I mentioned earlier, if the club was so concerned about making more money then they'd have replica kit on sale now in 30 degree sunshine as everyone is getting ready to go away on their summer holidays. As usual we'll be late bringing it out by which time people and their kids will be back from their summer holidays having spent up and the weather will be poor. No doubt the excuse will be 'but it's up to the manufacturers as to when we get delivery' in which case I'd suggest we should look elsewhere for a kit manufacturer as we're missing out on a key sales period here. Likewise the delay in obtaining a new shirt sponsor is another thing that could have been boxed off weeks ago.

The majority of other clubs have a loyalty scheme in place where those supporters with most points accumulated through past purchases are able to get priority on buying away tickets. Therefore the club rewards their loyalty. What Rovers are basically saying is that loyalty counts for nothing. More important now is whether you have joined the 1875 club and paid them an extra £10 on top of the £300+ that most will already have shelled out for a season ticket. The result being that someone who has had a season ticket for 30 years without missing and who has bought every away ticket for 10 years but who won't join the 1875 club is behind a person who has never been to an away game and has only just got a season ticket but has paid to join this club. I don't think that's right. I'm also not aware of any other club that does it. If they're putting a priority scheme in place it should be season ticket holders with X number of away games bought, or points accumulated through purchases. Not that a priority scheme will even be required this season but it was last year and speaking for myself I like to get tickets bought as soon as they go on sale. I'd prefer it if they increased my season ticket by £10 than charge me £350 and then try to force me to go out of my way to pay an extra £10 just to ensure I can get away tickets early doors.

What benefits do season ticket holders get? Fair enough for those who buy game by game who dodge the surcharge on tickets and who will get their money back through that over a season, but if you don't buy tickets for home games what is the advantage? Club cash is a joke when it can't be used for anything other than merchandise and kits and training gear are extremely expensive. The only practical benefit as I see it is that you get priority on away tickets. Not only is that not likely to be relevant this season with demand less and supply of tickets much greater but more importantly I think it is completely wrong that people can effectively buy a place at the front of the queue for tickets whilst years and years of loyalty and ticket purchase history is considered to be less valuable or significant than 10 quid for membership. I always considered a season ticket to be membership and sufficient committment.

I'm sure it could and should have been sorted out by now. They've known for a long time that Dafabet was coming to an end and even if waiting for promotion it is now 2 months and some since that was secured. I suppose having a commercial director would help but for some reason we don't need one. As you say we're now eating into the lucrative summer holidays season when people buy stuff to take on holiday and we've no idea on the new kit. So much for wanting to boost income.

And if we start next season with the same obsession with trying the 5 at the back we will likely be punished again against much stronger opposition. Ive no doubts Mowbray will try it again and unless we have a different squad i doubt it will work. If we get relegated next season after losing our first 2 can we erase them from the results?

We need our own players who are going to be contracted to the club, be assets for the club and be here for 2-3 years try and get us promoted. Once we have enough of those of sufficient quality (which we don't currently have) then we can add in a couple of decent loans if they come up at the back end of the window. Signings first, loans a bonus at the back end. The Telegraph keep on referring to us currently 'already having' 25 contracted players as though that number in itself means we either don't need much more or shouldn't get more until we get rid of some. I've tried to calculate where this 25 contracted players comes from and the only way it works is if we include the kids. If we factor into the equation that it includes Wharton, Travis, Nuttall and Tomlinson (who between them have made very few 1st team appearances and struggled to feature in League One) who Mowbray has indicated may be allowed out on loan and also factor in that we've got Gladwin, Caddis, Whittingham and Hart in there we can quickly get down to 17 contracted 1st team players who contributed significantly last season. In short we need more regardless of who goes out the door the other way, the loan market is not the answer to filling the void, but i think the owners like it because they can bring in players without the need to spend or commit to contracts.

The sort of player and the sort of price we should be in the market for.

The amount of extra cash the club will make through 1875 membership, Blues Bar admission and even 18% price increases on season tickets will be minimal, especially when there is no real incentive to have 1875 membership this year. If increasing revenue is the aim then there are far more profitable ways of doing it through sponsorship and corporate but both require greater levels of effort to achieve results. I'm not impressed in the slightest by Waggott's across the board price increases but I bet his employers will be. Having to pay a £10 membership on top of my £350 to get priority for away tickets despite having a 100% purchasing history over the last few years leaves a sour taste in the mouth. If you're doing a priority scheme it needs to be a points based system. Club cash is also a waste of time when the cheapest shirt or training wear item is about £50 and the money can't be used for tickets.

I noticed Rich Sharpe replied to someone on Twitter saying 'Premier league loans proving difficult at this stage'. I sincerely hope that we aren't putting our faith in the loan market at this stage. Decent loans are extremely thin on the ground at this stage and most don't come available until parent clubs are ready to let them. We need our own signings in for the start of the season, a couple of loans to fill out the squad as and when they come available.