Many years collective experience ! Anyway he just needs to read on here in advance to get to know the true picture of how to go about things....... like Tony does ?

They'd have been getting giddy at the thought that Hull might bring 2k plus that's all.

If Samuel had been fit he'd have been starting wide right then moving across or coming on for Graham if he hadn't started as we've seen in the past. Ironically we might not have sign Brereton had Samuel been fit and active ! Disagree slightly on Brereton being Grahams back up as he's rarely gone like for like when subbing I just think his sole aim was to give BB mins on the pitch and hope he showed some glimpses of being a wide striker that TM wants him to be. They've cocked up with that one in the way they've handled him if not the whole signing itself any regular fan could've told them Nuttall was a more ready than Brereton and of course given his size a more natural shout to fill in for DG. Imo there's been a definite reluctance to use him and now he's made the break through it looks like he'll be shunted straight out so for me there's a few reasons behind it. Having said that games will do him good no denying that but they'd also do more good for Brereton. Gally I like and yes he gives us some more much needed height but again I see DG/Dack combo starting and Gallagher being wide striker again when used.. arrgggg....

I don't think TM is that struck on Nuttall for some reason and his signings are Brereton and Samuel so he'll want them above in his pecking order so I think they'll be loaning him with a view to him doing ok and someone buying him in summer. Not the way I would go at all but I think that'll be the path.

Maybe chapmans head was turned from his time here and he's always wanted to come back and that may have been magnified by Pulis arrival up there who i'd imagine isn't the easiest guy to work for if you don't fit his philosophy.

I remember them ranting similar about Danny Graham when he left to come here, oh and Micky Gray. Take Wes Brown out of it and they've not been a bad feeder club for us and we never pay them any fees ?

It was after they signed Rhodes but I think I've blotted out the fact that they pretty much only sold players after that so yes you're probably right !

How much did he have in the downturn by the same logic ? I'd credit most of the upturn to Mowbray to be honest as the others have been here all along but he hasn't and things have only got better since he pitched up it can't be coincidence. Possibly the Venkys guy has managed to find it easier to form a working relationship with TM than with the others ? That would certainly have helped.

If he realises that's the required standard week in week out in this league there'd be no need to debate.

If that's the case he might as well pack in as he'll not be getting many mins ? Reported by a few closer to the action as 7 mil guaranteed to Forest however it's spread out, that would've made a very nice contribution towards Reed or similar but yes you never know with this lot.

If Reed was gettable but we couldn't stretch that far I dread to think of the new round of questions about why the Brereton signing..... If they can pay ten million for him and he doesn't bust the wage structure they should get him signings like that are the ones that can get you up then the fee becomes immaterial !

Travis has been a revelation just having a proper midfielder in there alongside a tidy defensive one gives the team an extra dimension that's been missing as long as I can remember. That's no dig at Smallwood who's done a good job for us and will again but the pairings from now on must be one of each not two of the same I hope Tony holds his nerve with that this season and beyond.

I jut don't get the point of paying a fee for him then loaning him straight out to 'see' if he's ok ? All that smacks of is giving him the security blanket of a contract in case he breaks down again whilst we get nothing in return it's an odd manoeuvre if it happens. At least lets use him here first instead of Brereton for the last ten to fifteen mins of games after a thorough warm up, no doubt this is going to be 'one for the future' line trotted out when it goes tits up. Really like the player and pray it works out but I don't know whether to be excited or ........

TM needs to keep his foot on the peddle and carry on the good work and keep a drive to push the club forwards on and off the pitch that's the key for most people I think. The min you stand still fold your arms and think job done at a club like Rovers that very min it begins to stagnate again after all the crap over the last ten years and I think that's the fear brought about by genuine reasons not a wish just to slag the manager off. Small positive baby steps needed EVERY window for that so maybe Chapman at least coming in will help but if not he needs something similar. The blooding of Travis and the signs Nuttall is shaping up have to be taken as positives though as if not those two would've been loaned and some squad bluffer outers brought in instead who may not have contributed much. So they are like a couple of fresh faces really and that needs considering.

That's a cracking post ?

It's no surprise as they usually bring similar here to what we take over there according to form/league etc. If it was April you'd expect a bigger turnout but now around 1.5k sounds about right for them here. They've had something of a regression in recent years back to being similar to what they were formerly before the KC sprang up and football became fashionable over there again and a bit of a novelty. Similar to us of course brought on by bonkers ownership but being a big place they retain crowd potential we don't if things turn around slightly but in real terms not a bigger club than Rovers.

The more British players we as local football clubs produce and blood the better even if the bullet has to be bitten in terms of the quality being a bit lower to start with and more soldiers than artists. It's the only way to boost the national team in the future as the number of foreign players blocking paths and watering it all down had got ridiculous but the more clubs that do it at championship level then the more are in the same boat so the playing field is more even. Nice to add a touch of foreign flair where and wen you can if it's affordable but punting on your Formicas and Rochinas and that other youtube sourced guy needs leaving alone as well as those brought in under Bowyer and Singh before him. Loan for 6 months first fair enough or if possible source young foreign under 23 talent and get them in the development squad to see if they can hack it first. No harm in keeping an eye on the Scandinavian markets and Ireland also i'm amazed more second tier English clubs don't scour lower down the German and Dutch leagues etc.

I think Mowbray is playing it right with Rodwell at the min i'm sure he's said to him get yourself fit and prove and you can do it and there'll be something on the table for you soon enough. If he starts wanting silly numbers he's out of our market anyway but if he carries on like he is i'd like to think they'll bring their offer forward and try and nail him down to something. Just a pity he isn't on a contract that kicks in an extra year after so many starts.........

Well no it doesn't really does it unless the club garners no income at all itself it's the shortfall that comes from Pune although no doubt all the banking is done over there but the ok probably does emit from the farmhouse. My thinking is they've ok'd a certain budget based on an increased income from promotion and when all the pay rises that have been dished out have been factored in they've had a bit left so that's gone on the down payment for BB. It was in the allocated budget so if it wasn't spent on someone it would've gone on something else hence the need to get it invested in something that might turn out to be an asset versus maybe again paying some deadwood off or something. Problem there is the next instalments swallow up the same surplus in any budget over the next few years so unless it's increased or there are sales we could be looking at not much in the way of buying players again. Didn't we end up in a similar situation with Rhodes being paid for in instalments ? I'd like to think someone says i'll bung in a few million extra to cover this to buy him but it just doesn't seem to work like that with them and probably wouldn't with FFP anyway. Besides do you really think someone said that to him ? Anyway some would probably tell you he'd have been better off with the smarties.....

He'll not be alone.

Really don't know where I stand on this one as I liked him and he had obvious talent but the type of injuries he's had make it a very long shot. I'd be interested to see the type of contract they'd put in front of him and hope it's not an old boys network job feeling sorry for a lad who could well be facing the football scrapyard at such a young age.

Over all I reckon the in's and outs money wise more or less tally under this lot but that list tells a story about how we've often bumbled along with what we've had in defence and never actually set out to build a good one. No wonder we've mostly struggled and it's odd given the types of managers we've often had aside from Kean and Coyle who had no tactics whatsoever. Appleton, Bowyer, Lambert, Mowbray all can be described as conservative in their approach to games yet non seem to genuinely want to build from the back. We go on about under achieving under GB and a perceived lack of drive to go and grab games by the scruff but then just as now it was the defence and leaking poor goals that cost us time and time again.

Not sure I buy into the separate pot as that kind of money could've been spread around several young players i'm more along the lines of it was some of the extra in income from going up being allowed to be spent. Maybe the surplus of this years budget for the first instalment after all the pay rises etc ? I agree there was probably certain criteria but was it laid down or recommended ? Seems there was a rush to tie that money up in something before it was swallowed up on something else and this signing was a bit of a knee jerk when they became aware he was available.

Well he's taken responsibility for it so at least we have a gaffer prepared to stick his neck out in public these days however I also feel its got arse bite written all over it so he and those on here who take offence every time he's questioned cannot moan if there is a bit of stick further down the line. Can fully understand him doing right by Downing and fully understand the player wanting to play but a few knocks or suspensions and he'll be missed and it'll be a square peg in a round hole standing in probably.

Very much sounds like there is now a clear pathway developing for youngsters to the first team squad if they are good enough which is great and what we want to see. However that might see us sitting midtable going nowhere for a few years particularly if they are going to replace outgoings when or if a fire sale begins again. We are certainly in better shape than before and it is on the road to a more self sustaining model which Waggot has mentioned a time or three but then factor in spewing money like that on Brereton and that goes out the window. I'm not sure there really is much drive around the place to go for a real tilt at promotion anytime soon and i'm not basing that on this window just going off gut feeling and previous under these lot. You've got to give good players something to aim for and potential good players a reason to join, treading water isn't it although stability was the target this season and we can't be unhappy about that. No harm in aiming as high as possible though and asking for a helping hand from those who control the purse strings.