Tyrone Shoelaces

I'm sure you're right. He ticks all their boxes.

Just like the Dingles. I bet somebody on here they'd finish higher up in the league than Rovers but I can't recall who it was.

I know the feeling. I was playing that afternoon and after the game we all used to pile into town on the bus. The bus used to stop outside a TV rental shop and we'd all jump off the open platform and watch the scores coming in on the old teleprinter on a TV set up in the window. When that score came through I said to my mate - " They've got that score the wrong way around ". Now and then that did happen. Unfortunately not that day.

Yes, you're right. Most of the really big teams had gone out early on in the draw. We were playing brilliantly and scoring goals for fun. That was the season I genuinely thought we were going to make it up for the 1960 Cup Final and Wolves. Then we had this really easy draw at newly admitted Fourth Division Oxford ! We were never really the same again after that. Pickering was allowed to leave shortly after that game and then it was a slow downward spiral.

I didn't know that. The one I read was more about his time as a player with Millwall. It's very good on the mentality of players. Especially regarding the guys who aren't playing at the top level. It must be at least 20 years since I read it so it may be a little dated by now. Well worth a read though.

I read Eamonn Dunphy's book years ago. Very good insight into the life of a pro player.

I'll take an away point anyway.

A good book I read was the one about the German goalkeeper who took his own life. On a similar theme if you like cricket, Marcus Trescothick's autobiography is pretty good.

I think I'd go with that team. Reed and Rothwell need to be given their chance in midfield. Obviously other people will prefer Evans to Smallwood. Armstrong and Palmer haven't done enough to hold on to the shirt.

Yeah it's tough moving teams especially when you're only young. Is he living in the area or is he travelling from the Midlands ? I've worked away from home and living in hotels soon loses it glamour. The evenings are long and the hotel bar beckons. I've done the two hours plus drive to the Midlands and back on a daily basis and that's no better either. I'll cut him some slack for a few games but we really need him to be ready to lead the line as soon as he is able. What I will say is there aren't many 19 yr old Danny Graham's, or even 21 year old Graham's for that matter. Regarding other guys we could have signed - I couldn't say. Who knows who could have been shaken out of the trees for £6million ?

I started reading Johan Cruyff's autobiography out in Spain. I got about half way through and I put it down. Truly great player but a pretty poor writer.

I was commenting on another post regarding how we were recruiting young players for the academy. If this lad had cost us £500k nobody would be bothered how long it took him to find his way through to the first team, if he ever did. It would be worth the gamble. When we've spent £6 million on a player after all the seasons we've had recently were £750k was a large fee expectations are bound to be really high. That goes with the territory I'm afraid. People say " Hang on, he's only played half an hour ". I say why is that , when he's our biggest signing since Rhodes ? People also sat " Yeah but he won't be on big bucks ". Wether he is or not isn't really the issue. We needed a striker to work in conjunction with Danny Graham and I can't see that's what we've got at the moment. Somebody else said " But he's a Young England International striker ". So is Armstrong and he cost a quarter of Bereton's fee.

Thanks again matey, not pleasant reading.

That's a lot of dosh for an " academy " recruit.

The good teams can give you a good 60 minutes though. Last night we broke even in playing terms for a half. First half we weren't at the races.

I'm still concerned that we still only seem to be able to perform for 45 minutes in a game.

Another aspect of Mulgrew taking corners is if the ball is cleared quickly downfield he's out of the game. You'd think one of the smaller attacking players would be capable of landing the ball in the danger area.

I think he'd be ok playing alongside somebody like Graham but can we afford to play with two up front ?

Well if you'd have told me at the end of last season that we were going to sign a £6 million striker and then put him on the bench I 'd have thought you were winding me up !

One of them needs to be on the bench so we can give either Reed or Rothwell a chance. If you don't play them you'll never find out what they've got to offer. If you only have one playmaker ( Dack ) in a team you soon become very easy to play against.

It does make you wonder doesn't it.

Yeah, regarding Brereton we both need to be wrong. If we are it'll mean a lot to our chances this season. We desperately need him to come good in the next month or two. Anything happens to Graham and we're stuck. Nuttall is nowhere near at this level, Armstrong I think can only play up front alongside another player. Samuel is out probably for the rest of the season. We may have to put Dack up there but it's not really his position. It's a shame we haven't got a very average reserve team left back that we can turn into an top class international striker like we did with Fred Pickering and Fulham did with Malcolm MacDonald ! Things like that never seem to happen anymore do they.

I'm expecting him to start up front on Saturday if that is the case. Danny needs to be on the bench so he can come on as sub after putting in a fair shift in two games this week. Armstrong has had his chance to prove those of us who thought he couldn't play up front on his own wrong. He didn't take it.

I agree with you about Smallwood. I didn't see the game but it's worrying that some people think he was our best and some think he was our worst, I don't get that one. What I do think is we can't have both Evans and Smallwood in central midfield at this level. We need more creativity, especially if Bennett comes back on the right hand side. Either Reed or Rothwell need to be given a chance in there or even both of them in the team with Palmer dropping out. With Stoke away up next we'll need four in midfield that actually contribute something if we don't want a repeat of tonight's performance.

Why is Bereton not available on Saturday. If that is the case he should have played to tonight.