Dreams of 1995

Eh? This is how the academy should work, right? We develop players in the hope of finding a Wharton. When we don't, we sell them to lesser teams for pure profit. In the meantime the players that are good enough come into the first team and challenge or provide depth. It seems a mad stance to take to being annoyed at selling academy players for profit. What that profit is used for is an entirely different argument.

Back on the wind up Earlier in the window you were waxing lyrical about Swansea's moves. They have signed some lad from Sweden who has a handful of goals; some 20 year old from Kilmarnock and a defender who spent his time mincing it in the lower leagues. Everybody else has interesting and ambitious signings - us, they are cheap, underwhelming and punts. I suppose if you always start with such low expectations nobody can call you out for being wrong like you often do with others eh.

Sad to see Buckley leave. Feels like the final remnants of the Mowbray era drifting away. Say what you want but I do miss the feel that squad had. It had a more homely sense about it; we are heading in a direction where 90% of the squad have no connection to this country, let alone the club. Not that nationality matters but nevertheless it feels as distant as it ever has for me. Losing an academy player is never good. Buckley had the potential but never quite reached up to it. Wish him all the best. He obviously knew there was a section of supporters who had nothing nice to say about him hence the comment. For me, a young man who gave 20 years to the Rovers and say what you want about how he comes across, that will be a miss in the dressing room

I don’t think many expected a move to a club like Espanyol if I am being honest. He is one of the most frustrating players during his time at Rovers, for me anyway. His first touch and his end product lacked far too often. Maybe some high end coaching in Spain will improve on that; here, whilst modest improvements from his start, it was incremental gains. This whole situation about right vs wrong is why this sport is as followed as it is. We all have different opinions and the game is played in a different way all over the world. Theres an appetite to be seen as right. In the spirit of pub chat, which this is, over the course of your days following football you will probably be right as many times as you are wrong. And so gloating when you do hit something correctly is probably ill advised. I will nail my colours to the mast - I don’t think Dolan will cut the mustard. The Espanyol move shocked me. It will render me utterly incapable of describing my surprise if he turns out to cut the mustard at the top level. Feel free to call me a perpetual naysayer. I wouldn’t say I am. But on this occasion, I just don’t find Dolan to be a very good player

He doesn’t get that much disrespect on here to be fair. It’s only really roversfan99. Most others see Gueye for what he is - a troublesome presence who is at his level in the football pyramid. He nailed his colours to the mast last year. Think he’s fishing again with a recent flurry of “Gueye is crap” comments. It’s a bit weird considering he’s spent the last 3 years having a pop at Rev for not liking Gallagher……….

Would be a shame if Gueye goes. He won us some important points last season by using his presence to worry defenders. His replacement would need to add a different dimension also

He left the Club in a much better state than he found it in. If that makes him an absolute twat then you are a hard man to please. Then again, this is a recurring theme with you - shouting expletives and general crap posting. Eustace was a cunt before he became the Messiah; I'm sure Val's time will come soon.

That sort of question sits outside of the guidance to be honest. My suggestion would be that it would be in all Parties interest for it to be short term, given the opportunity to make it permanent (via the non-ESC route) if so many minutes are played in 12 months. Either way, it’s cyclical. There will be an opportunity to make Toth into a non-ESC player. It all depends on when his last visa was issued

It says within 12 months from the date the player is granted a GBE. Depending on which ISP they sign up to it’s either renewed every 12 months or 3 years. I’d wager we obtain GBE on the short term ISP. Which means the period referred to in 7.5 is reset on a cyclical basis Found that on page 9, item 7

I would say it was one of the biggest, yeah

We shipped a lot of goals that season…

I remember looking at our team under Mowbray and being proud of the British feel and littered with academy products. Felt we at least bucked the trend with that. The academy player streak is a source of pride also. So I’d be very sad to see that go Unfortunately the English premium is killing us. And we can’t keep hold of our best academy players. We need new owners, or we are going to keep finding ourselves in new and unwanted situations

Last season was Brittains best season he had for us. With that memory still fresh, it seems a bad loss However, he is a replaceable player. This isn’t a Sammie Szmodics moment Brittain was very good going forward and proved a reliable outlet. He allowed us to play out from the back as if we managed to spread it to him in space he’d cover ground very quickly. By all accounts, they’re the same attributes Millar has Where Brittain let himself down is his defending. He got beat quite a bit and allowed too many crosses in for me. Millar is supposedly better at that aspect of the game. If we do manage to get that deal over the line then the blow of losing him is softened

Bravo, Mercer

You need to remember your attitude in situations like this when it comes to those calling you out, to be fair You cry wolf when it comes to bringing up your shocking claims around Szmodics or JRC. Alas, here you are, ready for a pound of Mani’s flesh

As good a move as Dolan could make. Espanyol are no great shakes, but at least it is a top league. He wouldn't have cut the mustard in the Premier League so La Liga is a good alternative

Some really big points saved with those goals. That's what I remember The Sheffield Wednesday goal was a highlight for me. That was a game Rovers lose. We were made of sterner stuff last year

You almost had me. I thought you were serious. Then you mentioned you’d be excited by a signing…. Nearly

Blimey mate Is there a bit of patriotism going on? I assume Emerald Isle is a homage to Ireland. It can be the only reason you’re saying Williams was better than Beck! Owen Beck wouldn’t have left the side if he stayed fit. He is the best left back we’ve had since this rotten lot came. Before that the fan base was accepting Pickering as “solid” enough. How our expectations fell. When Beck came, he showed us what a proper full back can do.

Replacing Dolan will be one of the easier tasks we have faced He still sits as that free agent. Is he demanding that much in wages? JE is signing anyone who is available who wore a Rovers shirt last year. Dolan though, despite his deep and meaningful connection….still nothing The signs are there that Dolan isn’t fancied much. I don’t blame them. He’s had his purple patch….and it was more mauve than it was purple

This list is a bit wild Khadra was better than Dolan but unfortunately he’s gone the Dack route. Two ACLs Kargbo we have barely seen. Giles is a full back and Denis is a centre forward You did well to try and pad it out but the only person who belongs on the list is Sigurdson. For all intents and purposes he looked better than Dolan - could certainly finish better - but for whatever reason didn’t cut the mustard in other ways. Maybe fitness. But what a low bar set. It will be interesting to see how Dolan does. I am in the camp of this will be his peak. If he moves above us and sustains it I would be surprised. He may get a decent move here on a free but his overall game is too poor for the top leagues, and he isn’t good enough for a top table championship club either. Derby seems the obvious choice.

Are you somehow suggesting we sit outside of the curve here? I'd take some convincing Your anecdotes won't do. You'll have to back this up with something

This isn't a kick about up the park to be fair Rev. Even in the paltry 'kids football' as it is coined around here, the miles and high intensity sprints that footballers are expected to do these days are incredible. A lot of league 2/1 players survive because of their physicality; you'll find some magnificent technical players in the National League and below but they won't have that natural fitness to survive professional football. It has moved on from being able to play every day at whatever age you play at now.

Have you got tickets for it Gav? I was looking on Stubhub for tickets. Cheapest going is around £140. Can’t justify it Saw two excellent days at Edgbaston - Brook and Smiths centuries and then it was the India show but an excellent watch nonetheless. It has been a great watch throughout