He's just another dud striker for me there just isn't the potential goals in him. If he put himself about a bit more there's a target man role. That type is desperately needed in squads in this div. Sadly although the has the tools for that I don't think he has the desire for the graft involved. Sentiment again getting in the way I feel.

They might provide the same budget as last season which would be fair of them given the circumstances. However a large chunk would probably be instantly swallowed up by the losses/borrowings and wages deferred to cover this period. Then we are into making the best of what we have territory and that's where i worry with this manager and his over loyalty. Personally i think he'd like nothing more than keeping hold of the likes of Smallwood, Samuel etc as you were rather than the hassle of replacing them. We could do without but again that would mean more youth instead and i'm not sure he'd like that risk either.

TM's obviously put Mani of furlough. A winning streak and sure enough he'l be back. On another note Smallwood - Plays well for a season two years ago and is now entitled to pick up wages here as long as he wants. No money for refunds though but the opportunity to cut deadwood might be passed over again in favour of 12 month deals once the green light is given. If a long overdue salary cap comes in we'll make a f up of it guaranteed.

Most things they do or have done fly right in the face of FFP. Yes cutting the wage bill would affect the team but on ther side of the coin money still gets wasted and bills run up left right and center. Then there is the signing off of 5/6/7 million pound tranfers on players who are real gambles not final jigsaw promotion push types. THe old FFP line only gets trotted out when the buzzards are circling over something or other, or as last time when a big round of sales is beginning to loom on the horizon.

Would be handy if Brereton reveled in the crowdless fixtures and started banging them in. He might be worth flogging then before he melts again once the fans are back. Oh i forgot, he'll be on the bench or right wing for ten mins. This lay off does strange things to the mind and the tinkerman has had nothing to tinker for months. God knows what's coming !

Obviously avoided all the political threads then ? I expect the players will be really up for this beforehand after having nothing competitive for months. Whether that lasts or indeed transmits itself beyond the first 15 mins on Sat who knows. Rovers 3 City 2

Good story mate ? Yep there's definitely an important place in society for those local back street gyms i'd even make these sports an option at school. For the older kids obviously although this present attitude in society would never allow it. The story of the Ingle gym in Sheffield highlights all that perfectly along the lines of your Mad Franks. The rules he implemented there were amazing. The Brendan version obviously not the latter day PEDS tainted Dominic one.

It's great leveler though you can have one person who'd win in a street fight 9 times out of ten. Put gloves on and abide by some rules and the balance might go the other way. No better way to sort out differences. You're right about fitness though the top guys take it to another level.

Eddie Shoestring ! I don't know why i know that as it's all i know of it. Even he couldn't solve some of Rovers team selections and tactics.

Fury for PM ?

Old saying in boxing that always rings true -- Nothing signed, nothing agreed This is just verbal publicity just wait till they get around to trying to thrash out the finer details. The Fury mob and Warren won't sell their soul to Hearn no chance. Meanwhile Hearn won't fancy a load of gangsters setting it up no doubt this fella has links to the same underworld as Fury's family. Don't hold your breath for this one all they've done so far is agree it's a 50/50 purse split. That could soon change again.

They'll probably have another more even friendly before it gets going again. Even if you are competitive and ship a few less against a side like Liverpool you're still never going to be able to play your own brand of football. All about getting some mins in the lets again i think.

Don't worry if we start shipping goals when it starts again the non contact social distance training will be to blame. The boys have forgotten how to get close to people or are even a bit afraid too. Chasing the best current team in the land around though is a good workout to be fair, better than strolling past a non league side at walking pace.

Well we can rely on 12000 10000 8000 so we'll set the prices accordingly.....

They do seem to find the money to carry favourites and spew on big money investments easily enough.

Tony will put players first it's why he's so popular with them in fact some seem to please themselves what they do. Smallwood falls into that category he's been allowed to just sit on his contract and collect his wages. Disgusting really, i expect TM will instruct Waggot to hand out short term deals to anyone who wants one so they don't go short whilst getting 'fixed up'.

I understand the clubs situation there's a monumental hole in the cash flow now. Next seasons budget probably doesn't kick in until July after their summer traipse to India to get it signed off. However it's still bonkers when you consider how much V's pour in to VLL every year, puzzling in fact.

The Not Proper Prem Champions With an * Forever 6 The 1995 Proper Prem Champions 0 About right given the difference these days..... ?

It is but he'll never get his money back.

Not a bad screw when you think crowds have fallen further, the stadium is dirty on the outside, he's over estimated ST sales leaving a 300k hole in his budget. Oh and they've blown 12 million on his watch.

As i say every time and will till i'm blue in the face, i'd love to see who is actually on the BRFC/VLL payroll in fine detail.

With the amount they take in money in the Prem no established club should carry much real debt. Until they fix the complete cash drain that is players wages / agents and other parasites fees and astronomical transfer fees it'll never change. All people in suits do is figure out ways to get money out of clubs, those at the top should be figuring out ways to keep money in the game and keep it solvent.

That fine line between letting go those that need replacing or keeping them because you're in no position to do anything else. In a normal world i'd be brave and let all 3 go and use the funds elsewhere but in present circumstances and knowing TM i can see all 3 getting new deals of some sort. All depends what's in next seasons budget and as we know that doesn't usually get set till late summer.

It may well all but burn itself out in the next few months nobody really knows not even the experts, internet or otherwise. Prepare for worst case scenario though but we might see some real daylight in the next 2/3 months although the frail and elderly or those with other issues will always have to be extra careful or stay out of harms way a good while longer.

Lower down the scale, namely our level and beyond football without fans has been on the cards for ages even before this crisis. Of course it's important to the clubs - when they want it to be, i.e when the tv companies aren't calling the shots - but to the suits and paymasters they aren't that bothered. The often stupid ticket prices, daft kick off times and rearranged fixtures all contribute that's before the police get involved yet it's been allowed to go that way because of the income and all the snouts in the trough. I remember years ago on a Sat dinner whist waiting to go to Ewood and on the box was Coventry at home to Millwall, championship fixture. We were in the Prem so it was that long ago, anyway the ground was virtually empty and most of who were there must have been at the back of the stands or in the one underneath the cameras. I recall thinking that's awful it was hard to watch with so many empty seats and an eerie atmosphere aside from about 150 Millwall fans in a huddle. Obviously the home side wasn't doing well but there were no protests i knew of it was just mainly down to the stupid kick off time. It's about time the game had a complete rethink but armchair experts and advertising pay rules the roost now. Alarm bells were there as far back as then but no one gave a toss and i'm convinced we'll eventually see games kicking off on a Sunday or Saturday morning or a Weds tea time. Anything to fill tv slots will end up fair game fans outside of the traditional TV media favs will be an afterthought.