Mashed Potatoes

Newspapers can't be blamed for reporting the facts - it's the primary purpose of their existence.

There is no comparison between 2000 and 2020. There was no FFP then and the financial muscle of the club was greater than the other clubs in the division - as you point out he also inherited some outstanding younger players.

You seem to be suggesting that transfers in and out should in part be determined by what someone thinks the impact on season ticket sales might be. I don't think any serious football manager would countenance that. I remember Aston Villa signing David Ginola because Doug Ellis thought there would be a pick up in ticket sales as a result - it didn't work out on the pitch at all.

Yes, that is a good analysis of the situation and points to why moving Mowbray on is fraught with risk.

Because the club is clearly making progress under Mowbray.

No wind up - perfectly valid to demonstrate that things can take time and those demanding success yesterday- the ones who quote the likes of Sheffield United etc - need to understand that.

I've read your post which clearly moves the otherwise moving situation regarding Tony Parkes on to the club's financial affairs - and the decisions taken by those responsible for them.

And yet people are demanding that the club spend money on signings. Where does that come from ?

Yes, Brentford are an interesting comparison. The were promoted to the Championship in 2014 with Warburton as manager and in their first season they got in to the playoffs but didn't get promoted. They then fired Warburton and replaced him with Dean Smith who was unable to get them in to the playoffs with them finishing around 9th or 10th until he left them last season for Aston Villa and was replaced by Franke who has them now in the playoffs position. Very much a slow build, and still not come to fruition with promotion to the Premier League. How many of the "Mowbray Out" brigade would be prepared to wait that long ?

Yes, the importance of character in developing a successful football club cannot be underestimated - and Tony Mowbray is making certain we are going about things in the right way at all levels of the club.

I think what was meant was that the club was not going to take the absurd "roll the dice" approach of spending transfer fees on a scale that would bust the FFP limits but gambling that promotion to the Premier League would solve the FFP issue. If promotion is not obtained then there has to be a fire sale of assets or a points deduction or both. Rather the club would stay within FFP limits but acknowledging that it would probably take more than a year or two to build to a level where the club could win promotion.

Good result. Clearly the ethos of strong team spirit and hard work engendered by Tony Mowbray has spread right through the club.

Hardly. We could lose all 3 and still get enough points from the 10 after that.

Who is Gent ?

If you think we can afford Walton's fee and wages for a back-up keeper in the Championship I think you are in for a disappointment.

It's not "failure" if the right players aren't there at the right prices. It's a question of exercising judgement - it would have been failure if we had brought the wrong players in.

Or maybe the right deal just wasn't there ?

Crikey - he's had more models than Rod Stewart.

Use of the loan system is a necessary part of the skill of player recruitment in the Championship and inevitably means that most clubs in this division will face needing to bring in a fair number of players each year. On Saturday West Brom used 3 loan players and Leeds used 4 with another on the bench. Transfers are a means to an end - improved results on the pitch - not an end in themselves.

The two are interlinked; you may have some funding to buy players but not enough for the players you want.

I think it is our push for the playoffs that is being hailed. I think Mowbray has made it clear that signings have to fit in with the ethos that he has installed at the club - be it attitude or playing style. Hence why he was right to refuse to make signings in the transfer window if the players available weren't right.

Why will we need an overhaul any greater than other Championship clubs ?

A very enjoyable day. Marked especially by the way that unheralded players like Samuel and Johnson stepped up to the plate, and Walton absolutely superb.

He has strengthened the defence which is why we are conceding fewer goals.

The club needs owners with a better understanding of how a successful club would be run - no doubt - but what "positive action" to persuade Venkys to move on have you identified ? I can't think of any.