I had the ACL reconstruction via patella tendon graft like the Gazza operation, served me well since but it was hell for years and although the knee can be stronger it's never quite the same. Took 4 ops to sort me out although a lot of that was down to the national health service overload etc, oh your only young just build the quads up and it'll be fine ..er no !!! Didn't kick a ball for four years but got back playing e eventually but I wasn't a pro footballer so not quite the same. I think things will be done differently now sports science and rehab moves at a hell of a rate so good luck to him. Probably have to alter his game a bit though and may e become the target man he probably should be.

His arse now needs kicking until it's too sore to sit down. New contract, probably a nice pay rise and a big price tag then in typical football brat style he starts playing up. Fooking idiots these lot no wonder Souness didn't fancy it anymore dealing with plebs like this. Lets hope Mowbray puts his foot through him and we don't have another Uncle Gaz type environment brewing.

Not a case of dropping one it's having another GOOD one on the books who'll step in and try and claim the shirt when the opportunity arises then keep it as long as he's doing enough. Downing is ok back up but you know he's just that, he might get a run if playing well but first opportunity he'll be out again. No nothing wrong with pecking order that's a good thing but you want quality in key positions so the rest of the team can grow around them but there's only Mulgrew with pedigree in that position there's no quality backing up or competing with either. As for the so called negative slant I'm a realist so i'd term it realistic ?

Going to take them time to get to grips with it I think as we've seen so far they'll be fine against half the teams in this division but will struggle and get exposed regularly against good teams/players. This is where we are at though i'm flabbergasted he's never added another good centre half to the books we've been crying out for years I understand they want to grow a team of younger players (probably to fire sale again). Adding a good solid defender to the books who might make one place his own is an important building block 'if' the aim is to build a team to challenge the top 6 spots but that would mean dropping one of the other two if someone earned that shirt, TM not keen on that he has an established pecking order.

This is what we have to get used to again though at this level, they want young players in to keep the wage bill down, gain valuable experience so they get better and probably the main factor increase in value. Replacing with ready made championship players costs money and bigger wages ....money that's gone elsewhere. It's going to be a very testing season for that back line indeed hence why he'll probably always prefer to start with two defensive mids as usual.

I've heard that said about TMs teams before but mostly in his time at Rovers i'd very much say he was quite pragmatic certainly in his approach to most games from the first whistle. He's often opened it up later in games but he's approached most cautiously from the off imo there were times last season particularly at home where we should have been trying to steamroll teams but let them grab an early foothold. Whenever he let them off the leash early they looked great and usually won. Obviously it'll need to be different this season but if he wanted to be solid and really pragmatic his signings would've been different, by the same token if he wanted a flair team they would've as well. What we have is something bang in the middle.

Going in at 1-1 away at a good side with a big crowd you'd be forgiven for thinking he'd say at half time let's tighten up, protect what we have and just see if we can nick another. God knows he's done that before enough but Sunday i'm not sure what he's said they seemed caught in two minds whether to go for it or sit off and his subs were pretty standard in terms of taking off the main flair player and DG but yet he lobbed attackers on. Maybe we'll turn out to be a team with a more open style who can paste someone one week then get hammered the next ? Championship usually throws a few teams up like that early on. Might be more exciting than trying to grind a point every week ?

TM will largely go with what he had last season from the off I think his comments and signings reflect that and it will probably take him a while to land upon the best selection, formation and tactics. He's a tinkerman at the best of times so he'll shuffle the pack constantly and keep tweaking tactics etc so we'd better get used to it as last seasons formula won't work this time around.

For the umpteenth time i'll say again we need a good centre defensive lump putting genuine pressure on Lenihen and Mulgrew and have done for ages. Downing is just back up and they know he'll only come in if one of them is out then be swapped back first chance. That's not how you build a better team spending huge money on potential but ignoring other areas in favour of cheap back up squad men. Yes he's playing the long game and fair enough but we'll only ever likely tread water in the meantime and gradually lose the better players again.

Big fan of TM but he doesn't half do some odd things and get tactically outwitted when maybe there is no need for it. Put today down to early season naivety and hope he's got the silly stuff out of his system early like last season. Today was a big wake up call of the fine margins we could get away with last but won't this.

Decent side although he's gone with his trusted midfield formula again, amazed Evans is starting given the Internationals are coming up. It really is a new chapter where he is concerned although he'll be off at some point regardless of the score i'd wager. Plenty decent cover now though. COYB

I tend to agree they should lay off completely it should be part of the rules or their contracts now but I was just saying it's never been any different some of the ones who won what you mentioned were piss heads. Souness and his boys used to be out and about on the sparkling stuff all the time back in their heyday but were probably professional enough to keep off it before games. These days it should be different given the money involved and expectation levels but sadly it's the good old British football culture and culture in general, everything revolves around the drink.

Benni Mc and Samba were almost part of the fixtures and fittings at some bars in Manchester midweek and and post game. It's all part and parcel of being a footballer never been any different and won't change. Some will be trustworthy and some won't but I reckon the management will know who's who. A few short years ago it appeared to be getting a bit out of hand and I think the then softly softly approach management turned a blind eye to it. This regime and set of players seems a lot more trust worthy on that score so I don't think it's a big deal now.

.....all the bequeathed rich kids in India and Blackburn put together ... ?

Not a new thing and never did Garner any harm ?

Seems they just wanted to stop any big drains on the Trust and maybe divi up sale proceeds. Strange seeing as the club wasn't actually draining anymore although at some point they'd have had to start underwriting losses again. Even a decent plan regarding the ever increasing TV money probably wouldn't have been enough if they were all squabbling for a share of the pot.

City of Leeds still has fair old population rammed in it though.

The big losers ? Fans. Thick players, long term. ...and thick owners past and present who don't have a plan and stick to it.

Not long ago Leeds were down to late teens, early 20k crowds but they too have a bit of belief back in the place now so they are back behind it in numbers as usually happens at big city clubs.

They can come and go anytime they want their name is over the door and they have done in the past during some of the most tense and poisonous times. I don't buy for one min they've stayed away because of fan reaction themselves it's all about publicity with them. They managed to sneak over to meet the Queen but didn't stay for a game at Ewood a few days later, no one would've known they were there if that's the way they wanted it so I think that says it all. As does the fact that noises are being made to see if they'll get something like a warm welcome now, all for publicity back home etc. They've a way to go before that happens if it ever does and that's not me being bitter it's just the way it is it's what they've created. First point still stands though they are free to attend whenever they please........

Success - Squad is stronger than it was and that is the main aim of a transfer window. Not the road I would've gone down with some of the incomings and money spent but that's the managers call it's on his head. That said the one's retained and let go outweigh any angst at any incomings or lack of them.

He's been here a while and offered nothing really he's been left out for a reason when he's been fit. There's a queue in front of him imo who need support first not knocking, i'm thinking Smallwood, the rejuvenated contract seeking Evans etc

Linking up with the U23's.

We took Gladwin from QPR who've been paying daft wages so it might cost too much to bin him off he seems the type to sit on a contract. TM's a bit fortunate here being able to correct his mistakes but that's a fair reward for sealing promotion.

Seeds been sown for Dack leaving this is how it starts and only usually pans out one way. If they are bidding that much they are really serious and will be back in January form and injuries pending. As long as the money goes back into the team to soften the blow we'll have to live with this kind of thing....unless it already has of course ?