Souness wouldn't have put up with that, I remember Ken Beamish telling me years ago that he wouldn't let the players do hardly anything in terms of charitable activities etc because he viewed the players rest time as paramount.

Didn't this person say Waggott was being replaced by Gestede at the end of the season? Which isn't happening if Nixon is to be believed.

I'd imagine he thinks he can screw another half a mill out of the Club for maybe one more year then that will be about his lot.

Suspected as much. Cheers. I'd rather play Sunderland (If we get to that stage at all.)

Discounting Cantwell who is reportedly on £25 k p.w. and Dennis who is reportedly on £20k p.w. and who have both imo been massive disappointments, I think Dolan should be put roughly in line with the rest of our other top earners like Brittain, Travis, Tronstad and Hyam. He won't be of course, we'll be offering him thruppence ha'penny but at Championship level I doubt we'll get anyone any better or even as good. If the very unlikely event we did go up, he's not Premier League standard and that would be the only reason I'd be showing reticense in getting him tied down to a new deal but of course that won't be the real reason.

Back to the actual football I've seen it suggested we'll play Sheff Utd three times in quick succession if we make the play offs. In the even more unlikely event we finished 5th ahead of Bristol City, would that still be the case or would we play Sunderland?

I keep mentioning this, everyone is automatically assuming they'll always put in the bare minimum to keep us afloat if required - that MIGHT well be the case, but I'm assuming that's yet to be tested as we're probably still surviving on the proceeds of recent sales. The day of reckoning is likely to be pushed back a bit further as well if there's a fire sale of higher earners in the summer and/or a sell on bonus from Adam Wharton in the next 18 months or so. How much rosier the outlook would be if there was a minor miracle Saturday and in the play offs.

Id imagine we'll lose Dolan who has scored seven goals this season and renew the contract of Hedges who's scored seven in four seasons at the Club. The wrong decision in both instances. To the oft repeated tune of "We did all we could".

Come off it John, If the numbers sold at that point weren't discussed at the meeting then you're not breaching any confidences or etiquette by saying that. As posted above, KHod said some time ago the number sold at that point WAS revealed to the Forum. Which is it?

So that's directly contrary to what 02g is now saying. I tend to believe you rather than him on this, would you care to elaborate on what was said?

Why not say that then as opposed to deliberately keeping everyone hanging in suspense?

I have this nagging thought that we'll do our bit, Coventry wont win, but Preston and Burnley will somehow contrive to win and lose respectively and sink us. Shades of 1980 when "On that famous Saturday Preston fucked it up" as the song went. Like you say, all we can do is win our game and see what happens. It's never ideal when it's not in your own hands but it's a miracle we still have a slight chance after the run we went on.

Tonight's result whilst very satisfying is probably irrelevant as I can't see Bristol City not beating Preston. I think we have to hope we win, and you'd expect Burnley to beat Millwall in which case it then boils down to Coventry not beating Boro.

They should put a big screen up at Ewood.

Probably. That happened two years ago at Millwall. When it was too late it was almost like a case in the second half of "It's OK, we can win the game now!"

If we don't make it he's failed quite badly in my book. He had one job to do and by his own admission that was to maintain our status in the play off positions. If we do make it then I'd say he'd done the job you'd have hoped he would have done. If we did make it and somehow went up then I'd say he'd widely surpassed expectations. Whatever happens it's looking a bit more promising for next season than it did four or five games ago.

(Tin hat on) Conversely, if we miss out, it could be argued that we didn't really need to do all that much to guarantee the play offs. 14 points from 11 games so far. 17 from 12 would still be a fairly ordinary return. We've come a long way from me thinking we wouldn't win a game under him this season though. (Half time v Sheff Wed.)

Fair play, vital win. Still don't think for a minute it will come to anything but as Tom says, nice to still be involved on the last day.

Yeah, right.

Preston only ahead of Luton on goal difference now.

Lot to thank the much maligned Dolan for if we do somehow scrape in.

Typical.

Millwall 1 up

Playing with no urgency at all according to the Sky reporter? Edit: Now Batth one ruled out for offside.

That'll do.