Where is the evidence that we have £5m burning a hole in our pocket? And even if we do, this presumably includes wages? Two players at £10k per week on the now customary 4 year deal is £4m. That leaves £500k per player in the transfer fee. If the £5m is just transfers then it suggests we have £9m in the pot. That’s mind boggling inconsistent with Venkys approach up to this point (post-parachute payments).

The only way one can make sense of the permanent transfer dealings is: we have no money. I still think Chapman will come in on loan and we will be looking so sign him on the cheap. When is he out of contract? What is frustrating is the talk of massive money to spend. That then only makes sense if we have a poor or non-existent scouting team who didn’t spot potential signings until other teams were interested or even gone. If we weren’t in for Edwards then why the hell not? Bigger ambitions? Well that smacks of champagne tastes on beer money.

Welcome to our world. Your yardstick is the last two windows. Presumably because you believe that Mowbray represents a brave new world. The truth is that while Venkys are here we are still subject to their spoiled brat ways and changes of mood. It may even be that Mowbray ‘has worked with this kind of owner before’ and thinks he can manage them, put on a brave face and still get the job done. One thing about Mowbray is that he is a consummate professional. He won’t start whinging. He will have his limits and move one. Like many a manager (and player) before him, who had gone through a bad spell, has seen his stock rise massively here. He will not struggle to get a new job. Meanwhile, we are stuck with these chumps. Who could get lucky and bring in a good manager like Mowbray or more likely another chump like Coyle. My yardstick was reached long ago. It’ll take a little more than ‘talk’ of big budgets for me to think we have turned any kind of corner on the owner front. We lucked out last season with the squad we had and the manager who got it to gel. If we are relegated again (like Wigan were so not just defeatist talk) we may not be so lucky. Let’s see what the loan window brings. If we get Maddison, Chapman and Bauer with a view to permanent moves then Mowbray will have pulled a blinder. I have my doubts and want to be proven wrong. Really! (I’m sick of being right about these bastards). Let’s see.

We are just seeing every single cliché rolled out at this point. It doesn’t matter what we do or don’t do in the window. It’s all good and it is always the fault of the other clubs or players.

Of course he is!

Is that supposed to be reassuring?

We already have plenty of League One standard players. We could have done to add to Our Championship standard ranks.

Let’s see what we do in the loan market. If we have any aspirations (to hold on to the likes of Lenihan) then we need to have a good season. If the window had shut completely today then it would have offered no impetus for the season. It could already have a major effect on our August games and shape our season as a midtable-play-off-hopeful or another relegation battle.

Think I’m most disappointed by the fact that we haven’t added to our first team. We appear to have replaced benchwarmers with similar, possibly marginal improvements (time will tell). If we had no cash, and admitted as much, then it’s kind of understandable - if frustrating - but being told that there is money to spend makes it a big failure in terms of the window. I think I’m just sick of being told one thing only for something else (worse) to materialise. Not saying that we are being lied to but we clearly cannot deliver on promises.

Same. Verbatim.

Don’t think he’s asking about firmness but rather consistency.

Damn. I forgot about ‘happy cos of FFP’. (Rovers being the only club who seem in any way perturbed by it).

The bit I’m struggling with is that, with a massive war chest, the likes not seen since Kean splashed the cash in the likes of Murphy and Slew, that we have waited for the loan market to complete our business. Presumably we are going do do deals in the loan window to ‘try before we buy’. Can’t help but feel that some fans have been misled about how much money we had to spend.

For £5m I’d prefer it if we had heard of him. Or that he was more than a 19yo ‘prospect’. The English Premium? This doesn’t feel like ‘good business’. Not if Dack was £750k. Seems an awful lot of money.

Good to see you back @tonyoz

Who? Sounds like the great-grandson of that bloke on the Monopoly board with the top hat.

That part in bold is exactly what I’m talking about. You really think that Rovers spending big will “piss on my chips”? Really?? Now what I do want is for us to spend the money (that people think we suddenly have to spend - which wasn’t given to Lambert after an £8m player sale btw) to be spent in the right areas. Bowyer was awful at spending for the good of the team. Yes, he made us money as a club but that quickly vanished. How about you “some people” have a bit of humility if we DON’T spend big this window. Don’t say things like “we are keeping our powder dry”, “the right players weren’t available” or “the player was too greedy”. It’s like the last 8 years never happened for some people. Although depending on the age range of posters (something that would be useful to know) it may be that it would only have been 9 or 10 when Venkys rocked up. Any “spending big” is a drop in the ocean compared to the spending big we might have been doing had the Walkers sold to fit and proper owners rather than these buffoons. Bring on the signings!

The sub-narrative being that “a few” view cautionary fans as “happy If we lose” and “unhappy if we do well”. Nothing could be further from the truth. That said, if we are going to spend £7-8m this window and have left business so late then it is to be expected that we at least recruit for positions where we are short. Striker and centre back and two wingers - unless Mowbray is going with wing backs then we are a wing back short, possibly two.

Not to be pedantic but of course it weakens us. We are playing at a significantly higher level with the same first team. Wigan strolled L1, even though we should have caught them, and they’ve already brought in three first team improvements - as well as several to improve the bench. We’ve just improved our bench. Not expecting big things tomorrow, although the Chapman link looks very real now. Hope the loan window bring actual improvements rather than additions which maintain the status quo.

An out of work manager with a point to prove? Or a non-league manager who wants to make a name for himself. Having to pay football bills out of ones own pocket might put a few people off though!

We also still have at least one SEM client in our first team.

Strange phrase to call it “negativity around the club”. Very much dilutes things and puts the emphasis (blame?) on the fans. That’s his prerogative as someone who works for the Venky coin but it’s a minus-1 for me. No need to talk about it. He can’t call it like it is for fear of upsetting the Addams Family so don’t mention it. As for fans, as Matty put it recently Rovers have 8,000 fans - possibly 9,000 at the minute. Let’s not be fooled by ‘recent’ (and all to distant) memories of 25,000 watching top flight football for bottom flight dollar. Leave it, Tony.

“As a mod”! Ha, as though it precludes being a poster and having an opinion. These guys are volunteers who don’t even get the kudos or feeling of altruism that normally comes with volunteering! Maybe the site should be on a paid subscription basis so that those who do their best to keep the place at least polite get paid. Unbelievable.

No, don’t think so. He’s signing a contract.

Very pleased with this one. Adds a different dimension. Will be interesting to see how Armstrong and Palmer fit into a side that also features Dack. Once they are both match fit they could be devastating. Especially with Graham holding the ball up and being that clinical finisher. How do you get all four of those into the side? Palmer may be limited to impact sub status. CB cover and a deep lying play maker now. Being very greedy an understudy for Graham too.