Surely the files would be property of the club? Most contracts I've signed for far more basic jobs have had some clause about the work I produce belonging to the company.

A look at last season's competition also shows a certain Sam Gallagher notched a winning goal in it for Southampton in the first group stage game. Against eventual finalists Dinamo Zagreb.

Don't make things up. It wasn't buttons at the time. Hendry was 700k, Le Saux 700k, Berg 400k, Pearce 300k. Kenna was later but cost 1.5 million. These are the days when Shearer was the British record at 3.3 million. These were the going rates for good defenders. Moreover, every single one of those players is equal or higher to the total fees Venkys have spent on our defence during TM's reign. Over 20 years later!! We now sign strikers for double the Shearer fee. Hell I'd take a defender for buttons if he was good enough. Right now we haven't signed any this summer after having one of the worst defences in the Championship and letting two backup CBs leave. What are you missing here?

I'm astonished any fan could say that about our defensive players. How did it escape your notice the sheer amount of rookie mistakes our defenders made for the goals we shipped? They can't all be down to not getting enough commands from the keeper. Defenders are supposed to know how to defend on their own a lot better than that. They also need to communicate too, not just the goalie. Mulgrew in particular was a goddamned liability when he wasn't taking a set piece. You could put the best keeper in the world behind him, he's still going to have awful positional sense and barely ever stick a foot in.

A lot more chance. Still bugger all chance.

His debut was before the Chelsea game. I thought as much so I checked. Chelsea was his first league start though, you're right (not sure if he had sub appearances first). But I was more remembering his actual first game (through the mists of time though so very vaguely) which was Forest in the League Cup in September. The Chelsea game wasn't until March, after he'd already had his 16 million clause contract. Jones was unreal in that Chelsea game though. Astonishing to think he ended up how he did. Injuries and a premature career decision (that I said at the time was the wrong one) did for him. I mean he still played plenty of games for Manure and England so it's not like he completely failed, but I soon started thinking we were looking at an all-time England great.

This is the second time I've seen parental issues suggested (not sure if both were by you). He's 21...if his parents are still making his decisions for him, that doesn't suggest the no-prisoners defender we need. Skoric would charbroil his parents and feed them to him. If he was even feeling nice enough to charbroil them.

Stuart does sometimes go as infuriatingly extreme as BDS, the other way. But tbf, I've absolutely seen the process he described play out in previous windows. Some people will criticise the club or the manager no matter what. Some people will defend and praise the club or the manager no matter what.

Let me fill you in then. I don't know if they even use an editor. Spelling and grammar mistakes are genuinely that rife. Look out for their tendency to overuse and misuse the word 'admit', too.

No what I was getting at is that although being captain for his club implies this guy is a leader on the pitch, Mulgrew is our captain and is rather shit at leading on the pitch. So it doesn't necessarily mean that. The footage looks like that of a leader to me though. In deed at least.

First time reading the LT?

I'd call him a less mobile, better finishing Jason Roberts. Edit - to be clear though, I wouldn't really compare him to Roberts in any particular way. I just think he is less mobile not more, and a more proficient scorer.

I think he'd be a great signing for you. Grayson knows what he's doing. As I said in another thread, I'd back him to be in the top 5 scorers in League One if he plays regularly in the right setup. I don't know whether your current team are that setup, but I rate Grayson. Whether you'll be pleased with his all-round contribution may be another matter, but if you feed him he'll score. He has that poacher's instinct. Personally I think our fans give other aspects of his game too little credit (he's quite a big lad and fairly strong), but it's true he's not a great all-rounder. One of our posters though, Stuart, seems to think he is better than our 7 million quid signing from last summer, Brereton. One thing is for sure. He wouldn't have skied that chance your lad had against us. You look like you could use him! I live in Blackpool btw, the match was only about a ten minute walk for me. I'd love to hear some of my work colleagues praising the Nutt, so I hope you get him and it goes well!

Looks like Johnson and Travis is rightly the preferred CM pairing so you should be safe there. I do, sadly, think we will see Bennett at right back again, however. No, not right back in the stands.

One thing is for sure. He doesn't fuck around! Might be a little on the rash side potentially. Without seeing the times he gets it wrong, it's hard to tell whether he has terrific instincts for when to stick a foot in, or if he is a bit over-eager to do it and might come undone against a quick or silken-footed striker in this league. Definite no-prisoners type. Actually decent technique as well by the look of it. Being captain suggests he is a leader, precisely what our defence needs (then again, Mulgrew is our captain...). I'd take him based on what I've seen so far.

Agree. Charlton were the lowest-ranked promoted team. They've lost two of their best players in Bauer and Jamal Lowe. Their new signings are all from League One clubs or lower. On paper this should be the easiest game we have all season. But I'm not expecting any such thing. Promoted teams frequently spring a surprise at the start of the season. The play-off teams actually statistically do the best of the promoted teams when they go up, if I remember rightly. Probably due to the euphoria of a Wembley win carrying them onwards. We also botch our first games frequently. We haven't got any defenders in yet, which means even if we do before Charlton, they're highly unlikely to start. We looked vulnerable at times against Blackpool. I'm predicting a score draw from this one to be honest.

Ooh that's a big call. Nowhere near the Duff level from what I've seen. The first time I saw Duff play I was astonished he wasn't already our first team regular on the wing. He was magical from the off. What I've seen of Buckley - which admittedly is nowhere near as much as others - he just looks decent, comfortable, and ready to push on. Duffer was alarmingly good. Jones was the closest I've seen in early performances to that level, but still a way behind (though a less eye-catching position).

Sounds like a good place to make hay whilst the sun shines then! Something just occurred to me though that makes me wonder about the veracity of the rumour. It sounds like our scouting 'network' has only really scoured Germany and Holland so far. Unless they're just the ones we've been thorough with. On the other hand, it's a very left-field link to be total balls.

Wasn't doubting him on account of it, just saying it's a slight stretch to refer to him as a current Croatia international, even if it technically applies. I said earlier, the profile sounds about right to me. If we got someone like him and Tosin too, I'd feel a lot more comfortable going into the season. Would prefer an LB as well, but don't think that'll happen. TM seems comfortable with his options of Bell, Williams (eww), Hart and Downing for that slot. Most of the rest of us aren't, but we don't decide.

The QPR and Forest bids were for £3 million according to the Scottish Sun. In the past they've rejected £3.5 million from Celtic, and a 'larger' offer from Villa. Edit - christ, just read the full Scottish Sun article. A more recent Celtic bid of £5 million was also rejected last month (god knows why QPR and Forest thought they'd try 3 after that) and they're believed to value the player at £10 million!!! Dreamland for a young SPL defender surely.

Current Crotian international is probably stretching the definition a little bit. Looks like he played 77 minutes for them in a game back in 2017, and got on for a single minute in June two games back. Didn't make the squad for any of the games in between the debut and second cap. Stayed on the bench for the last game. Technically, yes, current international, but still. Breaking in now, I guess.

Ugly bastard. Perfect! Won't be afraid to shove his face in front of a foot or get punched for being a git. Might be hoping for it, to accidentally improve his face! 28, which I tend to regard as a CB's typical peak. Couple of Croatia caps, captain of his side, who finished 3rd in the Croatian league. Hardy lot those Eastern Europeans. Tall enough without being a giant, at 6 ft 1 and a half according to Wiki. Shorter than Mulgrew but unlikely to be worse in the air. Profile sounds alright to me.

Complications with the agent on a loan deal? Sounds a bit odd. Do loan deals have agent fees too? I suppose they would in this day and age.

Fair enough, don't know why I got Southport in my head. Have we played there when the other facilities were unavailable or something? Or maybe we just played Everton a lot, I dunno.

I'll be honest Paul, I'd prefer someone a little more seasoned, in this league if possible. I feel like Tosin would be a good addition if it was him and an experienced Championship (or other top flight...and no not just ten games) CB, as long as we don't have a clause where we have to play him. Alongside a 23 year old with only ten Bundesliga appearances though, I'd be wary. Could turn out to be a gem of course. I recall the last time we bought a fringe squad player CB from a German side. Worked out pretty well! Just think it's a little risky to tie up our defensive reinforcements purely in young lads, but I won't be slamming it if it's these two. It'd be a 'wait and see with reservations'.