Mashed Potatoes

It's sad but it's Chapman's failure not Tony Mowbray's

FA Cup match played when strikes meant there were energy shortages and so football matches were played in the afternoons so there was no need to use floodlights

But he's turned himself round though. This latest incident looks like something that goes on in training all the time - despite what some supporters might say footballers generally do care about what happens on the pitch and from time to time it goes just a bit too far. Regarding Sterling generally there is evidence that he has been on the receiving end of some unpleasant reporting in the press which looks to have a racial element - buys a property so his mother can have somewhere nice to live and gets slammed for having a big time attitude - meanwhile a white player does the same thing and gets praised.

I can't see what Sterling has done to be thought "a complete knob". In my view he has rightly been praised for the mature and decent way in which he has conducted himself when being on the receiving end of racist abuse.

That was donkey's years ago. I am not saying that it is slam dunk true but it's not impossible is it ?

Correct - just shows how daft such an approach would be.

Apart from us not ever spending money on defenders, agreed

Some have suggested the owners will only sanction significant transfer fees for youngish players with potentially significant sell-on value and that that does not extend to defenders ?

Think he's hoping to be Prime Minister instead

Yes that is what we do - as I said above I know it is a minority position. Regarding the money it is owed to the owners and the debt is now so huge there is no realistic way of it being repaid from within the club's operations so it is their problem. Aren't we all doing nothing really ? Posting on a message board is an amusing distraction once in a while but is not going to change anything.

Not sure that all those clubs you mention are doing as well as you suggest (Derby ?) but that is not quite the point. I think the difference between myself plus a few others on one hand and yourself and others on the other hand is that I try to focus on what I think "would" happen whereas you focus on what you think "should" happen(where you and I probably do not differ greatly). My belief is that "good managers" will always have a choice where they work and based on the get-out clause that Paul Lambert made sure he had before he joined us unfortunately with the present owners we will be a long way back in the queue. Additionally the owners track record with appointments suggests that there is a significant likelihood of someone worse than Tony Mowbray. I don't know how much Steve Waggott is paid - but whilst he might have the title of Chief Executive I doubt if he has the powers or authority usually invested in someone with that position.

Good question ! Actually I am not on a wind up but just gently trying to point out that it is simple to advocate sacking a manager - harder to come up with someone who would want to come to the club where there is a significant likelihood that they would do better - and harder still to imagine that the owners would identify them. For the record I don't think that there looks to be much of a chance that Tony Mowbray will get the club in to promotion contention - but then I don't think he will take us down either. I'd rather hang on with him and hope that he gets lucky and that one or two of the younger players break through to give us a shot. I appreciate that is a minority view - at least on this message board.

Brendan Rodgers got sacked

OK - We'll bear him in mind

Why not ? Who else do you have in mind ?

Tony Mowbray has already delivered Premier League football for West Brom

If I were you before saying things like that I would have a word with Bury supporters about the reality of what happens when you go bust.

It's possible to be "interested" in something but still hopelessly wrong in making decisions about it

I think you are right about Hughton - at least until the end of this season when he may have to lower his sights. Mackay and Pearson look a bit unlikely as they have some "form" on matters not directly related to football

Sadly all those examples of change of manager you correctly identify happened when we had owners of better judgement than the present incumbents. Therefore I don't think it is right to say that the possibility of someone worse should not be used as an excuse - although of course you are entitled to a different viewpoint.

Who do you think it is likely the owners would (as opposed to "should") replace him with ?

What did he have to say about being bottom of the table ?

Sir Alex was a centre forward

Thanks. The Australian does not appear to have followed through on his interest in English football anywhere else so I would guess that it may not have been that serious.

I thought the Qataris emerged after Venkys bought the club ? As for the Australian was that the character called Dan something where it was never clear whether there were actually funds in place ? I agree with you that the debt is now effectively irrelevant. It is now so large that there is no prospect of it being paid off by the club's operations so it only comes in to play on a sale