That's fine. I'm not you and I'm not Venkies. You can't always plan beyond the end of the current season. I remember watching Tiny Taylor and Johanneson playing at centre half for us and thinking that once they developed we had that element of the team covered for the long term. That went well didn't it ? Reason being they never developed beyond a certain level.

Yes you are right. No signing is a certainty at our level. However if you get a guy in who has been a regular scorer in this division it's not unreasonable to expect goals from him.

Gazza was a one off. They don't come along often.

I don't know because I'm not a scout. Forest knew who to sign though because they signed a proven striker in Grabban and put this kid on the bench. I'd have Grabban tomorrow. If we were an established Championship side I'd say we could take a gamble, but we aren't. It's absolutely Imperative we stay up this season. We need players who will definitely help us stay up, not players who might. Watching the video this lad likes to start out wide and come inside all the time. He also favours his right hand side a lot. He's new to the league and opponents haven't figured him out yet. They'll be working on that. I didn't see any signs of heading ability for a tall lad. Jim won't be signing him anyway - he wears gloves !

If this was the old " Loadsamoney " Rovers you could say " Yeah sign the lad, he's a gamble but we can stand the loss if he turns out to be the new Ashley Ward, Nathan Blake, Kevin Davies etc etc ". As we all know things have changed. This could be the equivalent of betting the ranch on a young untried player. We could lump all our dosh on " red " and " black " turns up. Unless of course we have got more money to spend than we all think. Our current recruitment would suggest that's not the case. For that sort of money I'd like a more proven player at this level.

I remember somebody putting up a video of Antonnson on here. He was banging goals in left, right and centre. I thought he could be the next Matt Jansen. Until I saw him play once in the flesh. His limitations were there for all to see.

Wasn't it in the papers that Sunderland were linked with him going there on loan ? It'd be a bit of a strange move with Cattermole already being there. Maybe they could fill in for each other when they get suspended !

If we sign a player for £6 million in our circumstances he would have to be the first name on the team sheet every week and a player who was actually better than Dack, Mulgrew, Armstrong or Lenihan, not potentially better.

I agree, why have this message board at all if we're all expected to slavishly follow the party line ?

Real Madrid were linked with Henley at one time according to the papers .

Or the new Martin Britt. He was a Young England star striker when he came to Rovers. Came as a last throw of the dice to save us from relegation. Played a handful of games and didn't score once. Down we went.

I thought the one he cracked with Sir Alf Ramsey was funny. Ramsey said to him " Give it all you've got in the the first period Rodney and I'll pull you off at half time " . Marsh replied " Bloody hell Alf, we only get oranges at City ! " I don't think he played much for England after that. We're talking in an era when there were a lot of match winners like him. Stan Bowles, Charlie George, Alan Hudson, Frank Worthington, Tony Currie just name a few. All immensely skilled attacking players, we don't breed them like that any more. Even our own Duncan McKenzie was special in that respect. That's why I like Dack, he plays with a smile on his face and looks like he wants to actually be out there.

I wouldn't want us to bet the ranch on an unproven player. One failure and the chicken chokers would take the piggy bank back home.

You need to look up old film of Rodney Marsh in his heyday. Very like Dack only a bit taller. I remember seeing him having Ronnie Clayton and Keith Newton chasing shadows. That didn't happen often.

Gazza before his injury was a force of nature. He could do anything he wanted with the ball. Possibly the best attacking midfield player we've produced since the 1960's.

Yep, the greatest Rover in my time. He made top class opponents look like pub players.

Quite right Vicar.

Not now. We have Armstrong. A few years ago he'd have been a good Rhodes replacement. . He's had a decent career though.

We can only dream Stuart.

More like Raya Nyambe, Lenihan, Mulgrew, Bell Conway, Travis, Rothwell, Palmer Dack Armstrong

I said that when Fred Pickering left us for Everton.

" Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it ".

We're waiting for something to happen regarding the thread title.

Could be the next Whittingham, I'd give him a miss.

Grayson - failed. One of the worst right backs I've ever seen. Nearly as bad as Caddis. I remember watching him once when he had to clear the ball long down the line several times. A standard playing requirement for most full backs. He put about six out of six out of play. I used to live just over a wall and a fence from a good standard works team's football pitch. I'd be there lots of times on my own in the evening practising that particular skill with three or four balls. Over and over again.