We can't claim Branthwaite, he was shite for us.

So we offered him the entire club and a key to the city and he said no.

I bet Rothwell beats him easily in a footrace.

Even if he was just rapid he'd be a far more useful player.

I should hope so considering we got one for free and spent £500k on the other - but on the evidence we've seen that simply isn't true at the moment.

Who's 'we'? Who's actually in charge of that side of things these days?

Broughton was cleaning a lot of things up, but obviously that didn't suit Waggot and his shadowy puppet master - hence the admin 'error's during the two January transfer windows and then his eventual dismissal. The whole thing stinks.

His biggest assets are that he brings energy and the ball seems to stick to him. His flaws are obvious, and no the money wouldn't be reinvested.

Unless Coventry have absolutely pulled the plug he'd be mad to even consider that.

East Lancashire is a beautiful place. If you don't like the countryside, the best city in the country, Manchester, is on your doorstep.

Waggot what he wants - he's close to retirement. Eustace can't afford to fail at Rovers so I doubt he's green lighting transfers for players he knows are past it.

Have Reading recruited well?

Nah, the football clubs know who the standout Academy players are already.

They put that money back into the squad.

Top half of which Premiership? Tronstad is a far more complete player.

70 minute man. If he knew he was going to be asked to play the full 90 minutes he used to hide for 20 minutes.

You can't count on Szmodics having a season anything like that again - it was a complete aberration (and why a normally run club would be trying to sell him whilst his value is at it's peak). We're woefully short upfront to challenge for the playoffs, even with a good first choice keeper - not unless de Gea misses the North West.

Carter and S. Wharton benefitted massively from going out on loan. They wouldn't have got that experience here. Leonard, Garrett and Gilsenan could all have really benefitted from following suit last season. I hope we recruit well enough in the summer that they get to go on loan this season.

He never got to play in his preferred role (cos Szmodics was there scoring 30+ goals). He also totally bottled it after Christmas. The ability is there.

Moran will go on to have a very good career I think. Every Championship club relies on PL loans - it's how you get your hands on talent that you'd never be able to afford in this day and age. Look at Sunderland, they were lost without Diallo last year - they're often the difference that pushes a team over the top.

The Academy more than washes it's own face. The frustration comes from Premier League clubs cherry picking the exceptional ones at will. Phillips (signed a v favourable deal and Spurs took advantage), Finneran and Tyjon have suitors, Man City stole Chigwada etc etc. The ones that keep the club ticking over in the Championship stay (and we've always produced lots of those). The ones that could help the club kick on leave - and our recruitment isn't good enough to make up the difference.

The Brentford model is incredibly hard to follow now post-Brexit.

Yes then I'd sit him on the bench for 6 months until Spurs recall him in a huff in January.

If you've been at a club since you were 8 and aren't a fan you're a cold blooded individual.

I'd probably give Adam Wharton a call and ask if he regrets sticking around with his home town club for a few years. He might not pick up though, I think he's currently busy training with England.