Fast becoming a myth, another the manager doesn't really know what to make of but he's given him chances this season and player himself can't find any rythmn. More comfortable a level below probably.

Window dressing.

Read it back properly.

Hmm I wonder how much Graham was worth if he'd had to buy him after the initial loan ? A fair chunk of that I reckon.

Good stuff from @JoeH very interesting and backs up what I've been saying for weeks. Mowbray started the comparisons with that lot last time he was rooting for a set of excuses. However when you do and you get down to the nitty gritty it does him no favours at all. Of course there's a possibility they'll fall away next season. There's also just as much chance we'll finish similar to each other again midway. Yet give them 5 mill in summer & a few luxury loans I'd back them to be way above us. Give us similar again and I don't expect much difference. Says it all, they push we dawdle.

I'm agreeing with you on the expense just to finish midtable How many similar clubs would love the backing to pull in Downing, Tosin and the like ? Reed last season. All to underpin midtable stability. Shows how weak we are in other areas.

And 20k pwk Downing and the 12 million boys. Some can rant all the want about mid range budget. Fact it it costs this club and its owners a hell of a lot of money just to achieve mediocrity comparitve to some others. Yet it's almost celebrated annually because they've now been brainwashed with the little old Blackburn Rovers line. We know who and what we but that has never stopped ambition. Why settle for punching your weight when you've proved beyond doubt you are capable of punching above it. What we have is a management and running setup designed for the former because it's comfortable for them. We also have ownership with more than enough clout for the latter. Just too brainless or brainwashed to have a real stab at it. Just carry on filling mediocre pockets

Keeper isn't a spot you piss around with trying to get cheapies in and grow a players to sell. Yet that's been the mantra since Robinson was costing too much. It needs solid investment then it can be left alone for a few years. We still bare the hallmarks of being a vehicle for agents. I fear we could end up getting really desperate for a keeper given the current climate.

Another Boro rookie now Nice lad, fit straight in, friendly agents etc etc wow what an ambitious forward thinking set of guys we have in charge. Warnock hunts for a proper keeper meanwhile.....

Marquee signings making a statement. Clown tactics on the pitch.

He had the edge of Raya in that dept which is what was needed unfortunately lacked the cat like reflexes and had similar number of clangers and concentration lapses. That was evident early on but it looked like he'd settled in well at one point so it was odd how he went right off the boil post lockdown.

15 million on 3 forwards in 2 summers, million pound loan fees last season, Downing about a million for one season - all to finish midtable ! Need a keeper, a poxy million quid, nah we'll stick a plaster on that one again. I don't know why some fans choose to ignore this when they are hailing the midtable messiah.

He's the decent name chucked about whilst they wait to be offered something cheap from the c list. Like the 'defenders are coming' scenario Mowbrays rep hangs on this. A good one in or lucky loan or it's a very black mark Tony not the sign of building a team or a gaffer who knows what he's doing. Just more finger in the dyke hope for the best stuff.

That sounds like Kevin Keegan.

It'll come down to which agents push the hardest as usual.

What happened the last time we heard that about a Charlton player we were after ? Either sign Philips and stump up the cash if they really want him otherwise move on. It's the dithering that ends up costing more in the long run.

Ill fated signings him and Agnew although i remember the fanfare, then the flop. Dawson was another yet i don't recall seeing him play yet do recall the tales of regular sightings of him and Andy Kennedy on the piss everywhere.

But they've already stretched the rules if they did it the way the reports say so how does he give some of his billions to Charlie buoy without breaking them ? It's still bunging money in to fund signings so they might as well just let him get paid normally.

So if Mulgrew is on 12 grand per week here ( it's probably more ) then they can only pay 1.5pwk. The rest is allowed to be covered in a loan fee. A) Already clubs finding loopholes B ) How do Pompey come up with over half a million quid in one go for a 34 year old ? And surely if that's in installments it's just like paying him directly anyway ? Chip paper !

As usual it gets 'broke' after it's broke ? Means nothing unless it's actually concrete in as far as bids and talks but fills the pages i suppose.

Is that the invasion game ? About 4-2 to them ?

Do Indian lads like doughnuts and table tennis ?

It seems the TM way is to make early enquries to decent players but just half hearted ones. Then sit back and see if that player doesn't get any better offers and we are able we'll jump in late on and do something. 9 times out of ten they do or we just outright can't afford it anyway so that leaves us scrabbling around from list c or d. The same kind of non urgent laid back plodding approach we see and hear week in week out. If we can do it we'll do it, if we can't then fine no big deal. This might be way off the mark but i think we've been through enough windows now to gauge how they work. Horses for courses first and foremost is definitely not in the script.

To go backwards like that so quickly no i wouldn't tough him with a barge pole now. It was another experiment, its failed. Next.

Dalglish carved himself out a lower league career i think. Miles kickaball isn't even non league standard.