Fuck me is he only 56?

I've liked the look of Elliot when I've seen him play for liverpool and was genuinely excited when we signed him. Just what we need in attack so I can only assume Tony's brought him in as cover for del.

I'm at a point where I dont aggressively hate the venkys. I accept that we need them to stay afloat and appreciate that they've kept relatively quiet in recent seasons. Itll take a lot before I'm thanking them. Even if we become a mid table PL team again the progress under them would be zero and we've had 10 years of hell to go with it.

Gallagher...

As someone said yesterday, fixtures are going to come thick and fast this season so it could we be the team with the biggest squad that goes up.

Cracking window that. Kept our best players and added quality. Another CB as cover would have been perfect but all in all better than anyone could have hoped for. Inlaws are liverpool fans, rate elliot a lot and from what I've seen of him he looks a decent prospect. Feels like they're targeting promotion.

Dont know much about Trybull or Douglas but three promotions between them is good experience that we've been lacking. Add in one promotion for Ayala plus Kaminski looks solid. We're looking alright I think that's a very successful window if these two come off. Could have done with another CB for cover but think we can make a decent fist of it this season so long as Tony doesnt try to channel his inner pep.

Its frustrating how many decent right backs we have whilst centre back is so lacking.

English managers don't get the same praise as foreign managers who are more exotic. Didnt big sam say if he was called Sam Allardici he'd be have managed a big club. He might have a point considering Toon fans hated him but loved Rafa.

I like coady as a cb but I do miss the days of Ferdinand and terry.

I was still a twinkle in the milkmans eye in the early 90s.

Exactly, I remember players like Bentley and warnock being at the top of their game and not getting give a fair shout for england. You used to have to be producing some magical stuff to displace the "golden generation" which was a bit annoying at times but I do think it's now gone too far the other way. I remember about feb time, there was a talksport segment where they were outraged that foden hadnt been given a cap (despite being a sub/ league cup play for city) 10 years ago, that wouldnt have been a thing.

England seem to perpetually be a young team with a great future ahead of them. I remember thinking before the 2014 world cup, we've got a good young squad, give it a couple of years and we'll be a real force' I've had the same thought before every tournament since. Think we're edging closer though but we always seem to be a team full of potential.

Covered the cost of thiago...

My favourite one not on that list is when he said "you've got to put them under pressure and force them into making them unforced errors"

Confused by mowbrays comments, was ayala meant to create a domino effect of signings or was he going to get a dominos if ayala signed? Seems like the latter to me.

I might have been one of the 7k. The inlaws at the time had a spare ticket for the away end and I'm not one to turn down a freebie. Danny Graham scored the winner if I remember correctly. Oddly i was the only one in the stand who celebrated.

Agreed, I used to go to a lot of boro games with the ex inlaws and thought Ayala was a great CB. Not kept up with them over the past two seasons so dont know if he's changed but the ayala of a acouple of years ago is an exciting signing and at 29 he's still got a good few years in him.

When was the second time he got promoted? I remember once with boro but dont recall another.

Ayala would be the first time I've got excited about a signing for a while. Hope that one comes off but I shan't hold my breath. The new keeper, Ayala and Cunningham - could we possibly be allowed to get excited about the season?

I seem to have bought it bang inbetween two sales so paid full price. I started off decent but it went down hill after that. Now I've got back in the groove I might start again afresh. One thing that bugged me, I just couldn't get a decent performance out of Dack. Got the odd goal and assist but rarely hitting 7 or above in a match.

Sat with the pup cuddled in watching the champions league final. Happy days.

2 and a half weeks till our season starts and not a sniff of a new GK or CB.

He's predominately right back but has covered for robertson at left back but that's more an insight into their lack of options. He looked considerably poorer on the left than on the right so probably wouldnt be tempted to take him at lb and there's no value in disrupting nyambe.

That came in after I paid full whack ?