Chapman not even on bench for under 23s tonight, either injured or maybe on our bench tomorrow?!

We'll win this as nobody is expecting it, then lose our next 5.

If we're drawing or a goal down when the board goes up at the end of 90 minutes you might aswell go home, coming upto 26 months since we last scored a injury time winner/equaliser in the league.

We'll win this 2-1, then lose our next 5.

That'll never, ever happen.

Anyone in the last 40 years? Yeah thats what i meant. Shearer, Duff, Bentley, Santa Cruz, Samba, Jones, Rhodes all sold for mega money, the year after in every case we really struggled. It's pure fantasy to suggest we'll sell Dack and buy 5 players to become a better team, not a chance it will work that way.

This is exactly what would happen, when has selling our best player to invest the funds into the team ever made us stronger?

This will be the most routine 2-0 win that Stoke will ever have.

Make of this what you will. I've just been told that the club had planned an "early bird" deal that would have seen season tickets on sale by easter weekend, but because Zebra Finance have just gone bust they have had to abandon them plans and delay it.

I'm not even worrying about that scenario because I know it will happen.

Only if you can't fit them in. For the sake of an extra 1000 applications I'm sure we could have fit them in somewhere!

I'd personally be amazed if we ended up with 4 proven championship players in the summer that could walk straight into our team. It just won't happen no matter what TM says between now and August 9th. I predict we might get one on loan who has played a lot in the championship from somewhere, a couple of league one players (thinking Bauer etc), a couple of young players that we'll put on the bench for the season and give 5 minutes here and there too, and another premier league loan who has had spells in this league but hasn't really done it anywhere yet.

Realistic I'd say from what we have seen with our eyes over the past 6/7 weeks, instead of being deluded.

Biggest home banker this weekend anywhere in England this one. As it's my birthday on Sunday the misses has bought match & train tickets for me and my lad to go, cheers I think. 4-1 Villa, our goal coming in the 86th minute.

Championship and prem clubs have to complete all perm and loan signings by August 9th for next season. We're screwed.

10 years ago or something like that i read earlier.

I honestly think anyone expecting wholesale changes is going to be disappointed. Williams, Mulgrew, Smallwood, Bennett, Evans, Samuel will all still be around the squad IMO, could possibly see loan moves for Smallwood/Samuel but nobody is paying a fee for any of that lot. I think Dack will be sold, then hopefully Mowbray will bring in players ready to go into the first 11 next season, I'm not to hopeful though I have to admit.

I think Leutwiler, Gladwin, Hart, Rodwell & Downing will all move on permanent deals I could see Smallwood & Williams going out on loan to league one sides, nobody is paying a fee for those two. Evans, Bennett, Conway, Mulgrew & Samuel will all still be in the squad I think.

Yeah shame that. Leek is pretty much on my doorstep so I was thinking of going along later. It's a lovely little town too.

Reed should be the first name on the team sheet in central midfield, along with Travis. Both always look to get the ball moving forward as early as possible. If we persist with Smalllwood, Evans & Bennett in the same side next season then we're only going one way.

Evans was ok until he got his new contract, now he has reverted back to type. Been having a good laugh at the club for years that lad.

Because he'll be "fit by then" is my guess, plus no way is Tony going to risk upsetting him again.

Not sure, but I thought he played really well there at Bolton back in October with Reed alongside him, if that partnership could have got 10/12 games together then I think our defensive record would be a lot better, but for some reason Mowbray has to play one of either Smallwood/Evans, of if we're lucky both. They would be two of the first out of the door for me in the summer.

And Rodwell too, who most people on here were saying should get a 4 year deal after the Hull game. I accept that the injury's were a possibility of course they were, but all I'm saying is I can at least see why Mowbray did let Downing go out, after 3 clean sheets and 4 wins in a row, in hindsight it was a bit naïve.

Who was expecting the Bauer deal to be done? I don't recall any links with him in Jan, too many were fantasising over some weird pipe dream of signing Britt Assombolonga to worry about the defence. I complete agree that 3 of the 4 are not real centre halves, but they clearly are in TM's mind and you can tell that he thought that the four he had at his disposal would get him through to the end of the season, obviously now with Lenihans injury and Mulgrew possibly being out and our horrific run of form it looks a bad call, but I can at least see why he did let Downing go.