Considering he’d never played a first team game that’s quite an assumption…

Especially at Bramall Lane which is one of the few Championship grounds with a big and loud crowd…

Me too. The club/the owners were obviously totally caught out with what happened between Sheff Utd at home and the window opening, and weren’t remotely prepared to quickly alter plans, to go and grasp the prize, a completely transformative prize at that. So very sad and alas I feel it will something we will look back on in utter frustration in years to come…

I’ve no problem with signings like that generally, it’s the model the club has chosen and that’s that. However, when you are handed an enormous chance like what had unfolded by January, but then there isn’t even a hint of some short term bolstering of a key position, it shows that there isn’t really any ambition from the owners down to actually go for it.

When you’ve got potentially a £100 million plus prize just four months away, was a 20 year old who’d never played a first team match the way to go with your budget for a forward?

Difference with ‘92 is that we had a some seriously quality players for this level who had just gone on a bad run. Always a chance we’d pick up form again, and we did, just in time. This team doesn’t match up in comparison. And of course the play offs mean nothing in themselves anyway.

Decent father/son scouting team, no tactician…

My mantra has always been. Dyche= PL football. I was a little less sure when they seemed to have stopped being so resolute at the back first half of the season, but they now seem to have sorted that out. Still every chance they go, but you can’t put it past Leeds or Newcastle or Everton not picking up the points, and Brentford are dropping like a stone. Ridiculous fools on their forums wanting him out, just like those cretins here back in December 2010…

Don’t be daft ‘99. What ‘agenda’ do I have then? I’ve never asked for TM’s head in five years, I would like nothing more than for him to pull it off, would be an immense achievement, I’d book the sculptor for his statue myself. But of course form and the pattern of results is relevant. I personally think 7th or 8th would still be overachieving with this squad and manager, as over 46 games you revert to mean, but you get bugger all for that 7th placed finish. We scramble to 6th place and win the play offs then obviously all those months of average results matter not one jot, but said average form over large swathes of the season points to the fact we will probably miss out, more than racking up the wins in that purple patch: Now we could’ve taken advantage of that storming run by bringing in a forward whilst in a position of strength, we didn’t and I believe we’ll pay the price…

We went in to the Sheff Utd game on the 6th November 12th in the league, so the absolute epitome of average at that stage. We then had a cracking two months. We’ve been poor since the new year. So yes, it was a good two months, alas you get no prizes for a mid season purple patch…

Bobbins to point out results have been average outside two months? Ok. Well that’s where we differ, I’ve never enjoyed us losing, and I certainly don’t enjoy us throwing away such a golden opportunity. But fair enough, with you being a non regular these days that’s it’s more about enjoying a game of football and the day out.

No my facts are the facts, your feelings are not facts. Average results apart from November and December, and yes, I enjoyed those wins. But it was two months, a season is nine.

That’s exactly it. All this about a ‘great season’ by posters who should know better, just isn’t backed up by the facts. As you say middling August to early November, then a cracking most of November and December, poor since - with a record home defeat and scoreless run in there to boot. If this is ‘great’, ‘fantastic’, thoroughly enjoyable’, then that probably says more about the last decade and how far standards have dropped at the club and in the stands than anything else…

No, of course he doesn’t go before the end of the season, not under any circumstances will that happen. Why do it to yourself?

We’ll see if that’s the case by May as there’s every chance we’ll finish in a Bowyer-esque position by the end.

Because Dack is a proven Championship goalscorer?

TM’s line has always been ‘two 90 minute matches for the U23s’. So I just can’t see him on the bench pre Fulham.

Re-arranged for Tuesday 8th March.

Of course clubs often pot managers if they start badly in the higher division, but it’s a bit daft trying to get a conversation going on alternative scenarios that never, ever happen…

And when has that ever actually happened, anywhere? This place is great for all these fantasy land scenarios..

He’s ‘underpaid’ according to one long standing poster…

Hmm not sure on that Hughes line, rog. From what I remember this place was far more fecked off with the Walker Trust for not giving him the backing to push us on to the next level. On your last paragraph, without doubt, apart from a slight wobble back end of last season, I’ve never known a manager get such steadfast support, apart from maybe Kenny. This place doesn’t like hearing it, but he is extremely popular out there and largely always has been…

But we did have the pulling power for another high profile manager to come in… we promoted Ray instead.

Fans Forum tonight, be interested to hear what corporate/marketing nonsense is spouted to justify these terrible deals.

You could well be right and for me sums these owners up to a tee. We were utter crap last season, but there was not a chance he’d be replaced as he was under contract. Now as he comes out of contract, even a damn good season could well see him depart. Not one iota of forward planning or rational thinking, just ‘well he’s in the building, he’s got a contract, crack on’.