I take it you're having a colonoscopy then. I'm not, but for 10 million, I can be. Take note, streaming giants!

Mahoney did force a move. He was offered a contract, he refused it. We didn't want him to go, and he did.

Not trying to say I'm a better fan pal, just a different focus. You're probably a 'better' fan as you'll be going and I won't.

I don't really care how nice of a day out it is. Only the overall progression and success of the football club.

One thing is for sure...it's gonna be a looooong January.

Have to say, although I probably won't be buying one, that's a terrific design. Props to this Jen lady. Hopefully he appreciates it and it helps us nab him permanently!

Why's that? I think it's a terrible draw personally. Highly likely we will lose. 'Best' case scenario is a replay congesting our January schedule, which is right after a very busy December. Think we are more likely to put the backups in and get spanked, have it over and done with. I like having an easy home fixture in the third round, and fourth round, so we can go on a bit of a run and afford to test out the fringe players without it being certain suicide. We have quite a few players that don't get enough game time but could go on a fair cup run if the games aren't too taxing. TM might hate the Barcodes though, given his upbringing, and go all out.

And an assist.

I don't feel it was a completely failed experiment. At first, it went great. Didn't he score in every kind of 'debut' he had? EFL Trophy as a sub, scored. League as a sub, scored. FA Cup as a sub, scored. I agree with Stuart, from what I recall he just got dropped prematurely when he was on fire (his all-round game wasn't quite up to scratch but he was a kid getting used to it, and still notching). He then got used sparingly and lost his momentum. I do think one of Tony's flaws is not playing in-form players at times. For me, when someone is playing hot, you've got to put them in and let the shirt be theirs to lose to someone playing hotter. And I don't care how they look in training or (to an extent) what the opposition lineup is. I think he also stopped being in the U-23 teams didn't he? Which would only have helped him lose his form and match sharpness.

I would generally expect one of them. Or being a beast in the air. Mostly I'd expect them to have been able to put the ball in the net at a reasonable rate. A mix of these traits to a good level, but not necessarily 'exceptional' at any of them, is acceptable though. Of course, I'll also make some allowances when they're 19. Not that spending £7 million on potential in our position is what I would have done. If I did, I'd expect whoever I bought to have started a league game by now...

Didn't we technically already do that? Davenport reportedly turned down a new deal with City this summer and signed for us. Granted, if they wanted to keep him badly enough we couldn't have stopped it, and they valued Dav at about 500k not 8 million so it's a bit different, but Pep was meant to rate him. Shame he has been constantly crocked.

Steady on with the 'you lot', only one bloke said that. Even the OP admitted it was unrealistic.

Don't be so negative. I see absolutely no reason why we can't sign one of the best centre halves in the world next summer...

Has TM been talking about him recently? I've not seen anything. Or do you just mean the comments from the summer? Things could have changed since then, especially with the continued injuries. I wanted us all over Chapman in the summer but I'm growing unsure. If there are recent comments, where can I find them?

Souey is looking great for his age.

Hmm? So he needs to work for 18 months, not 1 month, to earn what you get in 12 months? You earn about 27k a week then? Tidy.

Fair point. Although that was under the clown Coyle.

Wait, are you suggesting that it's easier to be a winger in the Premiership (and Champions League) than the Championship??

Well I know they're the same age. Surely we need a bit more than that to make a meaningful comparison? If we pretend Davenport cost 7 million, I'd still be thinking we will see what he has when he recovers. I wouldn't (and don't) hold the manager responsible for the injury problems. But in Breteton we have a player who is always available but can only get a cameo in the wrong position despite showing promise. Even when all the others in his position are out. Even when we are on a very poor run. That concerns me more as it suggests the manager doesn't rate him in his natural position.

Davenport hasn't been available. He has just been injured. A 7 million pound player not being deemed good enough to start or get much game time in his favoured position even when no other specialists there are fit, for a few months is, to me, more worrying than a 7 million pound player (though Dav only cost 500k) being injured for a few months who may (or may not) be completely over that going forward. It seems a strange comparison to make in the first place, since the fees and circumstances are entirely different. Personally, I'm worried that Brereton has been available 100% of the time, shown glimmers, and for some reason is reduced to 5 minute cameos at home in a second half where we were mostly ahead by 2 goals.

Was paraphrasing Blueboy. We may end up wishing we bought a statue instead if he doesn't start getting some proper game time. How did he do today in the precious 5 minutes or so he was given? I was at work.

I mean we appear to have been very careful to avoid signing players who might well be great on the pitch, but who would be paid so much it would either distort everyone else's pay by getting them to insist on more, or piss them all off and create disunity. It sounds like even Dack's new contract didn't put him onto all that much in the grand scheme of things at this level (possibly a factor in why it didn't get us any more time onto his contract). It was said we weren't willing to offer McGinn the wages he wanted even though his fee was perfectly achievable. Just seems like a very conscious effort to control the structure. Especially compared to our previous runaway wage bills. Point is, we ain't about to break the bank wages wise for Cashley if it took that.

Sure am. For example - he was unveiled on the pitch at half time on a Saturday in early December?

He started against Bournemouth in the cup. But otherwise, completely agree.

We're one of the ones that definitely don't pay mega wages, though. With good reason after prior debacles. We have a very carefully maintained wage structure.