Anyway, back to Rovers. Need to be targeting 12 wins from the last 18 games imo. Allows for 6 slip ups, and we'll probably have a draw or two along the way anyway. Should be comfortably good enough for second, bish bash bosh, get the bubbly out, happy days.

It's not much better in the Premier League imo and the officials operating the VAR are even worse. What about that penalty Liverpool were awarded Sunday?

Vaguely remember Groves. Didn't he have a big afro perm? How could I have forgotten 'Arry played for them as well?

Gallagher's still crap though despite a 7.5/10 performance the other night. Are we really going to deify centre forwards when they score a goal now?

Can't see any sense whatsoever in this potential signing. Screams "Lower League journeyman". 27 in July and only 19 career goals at professional level. The sort of signing you'd look to make if you were bedding in for another 4 or 5 years rattling around at 15th or lower in the Championship. Surely we can do much MUCH better. Plus we need signings NOW not in summer and why the hell would we want him if we got promoted?

Exactly. He doesn't know who the unspecified Championship Club are who are in for Maja. He doesn't know who the unnamed foreign target we are closing on is is. Even after Mowbray told him there was one. Is regurgitating what everyone else is currently saying that IF Hedges happens it'll be a pre contract agreement. As has been pointed out, previously thought Markanday would be a loan. Doesn't know much about anything does he?

Yep. Ted McDougal, Phil Boyer. Ironically when I first started supporting us in the early 70's the game against Bournemouth in the old 3rd division was one of the biggest of the season. Wasn't John Bond subsequently of City and Dingles fame their manager?

Nevertheless on this season's form, which is all that really matters, he'd be a huge loss to us if he left in Jan, even if he didn't go to a direct competitor.

Apologies it's three years at the moment seemingly (£90m) but discussions have been held with a view to modifying them or scrapping them on the basis it encourages other Clubs to spend money they haven't got in an attempt to keep up. Either way Bournemouth would have a job paying Rothwell an exorbitant wage if they hadn't been promoted by the end of next season. All completely academic as we won't be selling him to them.

Mr and Mrs R. can go where they want in summer. Just not now. Hopefully we'll be a relatively attractive proposition by then having been promoted. We might not even want Rothwell if that happens, might go for better, although I'd certainly like to see how he could do for us in the Prem. Imo get outside the top four or five Clubs and there's some god awful players at the rest stealing a living.

Parachute payments only last two years don't they and this is their second season in the Championship?

Absolute rubbish John. All of our first choice midfielders have different qualities and on the evidence of this season they compliment each other really well. Who else in the Rovers midfield can travel with the ball and score from distance like Rothwell did at Cardiff?

Why?

Yes I was looking at how much was needed for 6th place the other day. The last 2 seasons 71 points would have secured 6th place, 3 seasons ago it would have been 74. So I'm fairly sure 75 points will secure the play offs which is "only" 23 points from 18 games. Surely doable. That should be the bare minimum target though and really we should be targeting something like 88 points which ought to secure 2nd especially if Bournemouth continue to falter. Two points a game.

Not a conundrum at all. Not even worthy of consideration. Bournemouth playing silly buggers and I think we're on top of what they're up to. We're they to multiply the alleged offer by 5 or 6 it might be worth having the conversation but that's not going to happen due to his contract situation. There's not even a hint of a suggestion that the performances of the out of contract three have dipped one iota either. You'd think if that was going to happen it would have been this month in order to try and force a move but it simply hasn't occurred.

Laughable isn't it.

In fact the same could be said of all three of "the contract rebels".

Is the source of the rumour Alex Crook the guy who works on Talksport? They're in the business of stirring up gossip and transfer tittle tattle. Don't think either he or Sharpe have the faintest idea what's actually going on at the Club or the financial position this window.

We won't. We should put a bid in for one of their players just to piss them off.

There's absolutely zero chance we'll sell Rothwell to Bournemouth. They're just playing silly buggers trying to unsettle the player and us.

There's one playing next to them. Wharton.

That's rubbish. If Mowbray rated him highly enough he'd tell the owners that he thought Nyambe was worth what he was asking for and he'd have signed a new deal by now. Would have cost a lot less if he'd done it 24-30 months ago though.

I wouldn't move Nyambe. We saw how good he is again tonight as there was zero threat down his side of the pitch. (For God's sake Mowbray/Waggott, give him what he wants). Whether Zeefiuck could play there I've no idea but I'm never too comfortable with a right footer on the left or vice versa.

Right, we have the platform thanks to last night's incredibly gutsy performance. We just need bodies in now to give ourselves the chance. Come on Mr. Park pull your finger out of your backside and give us 3 signings that will blow our socks off.

Gallagher was ok tonight but he's still a dreadful signing for £5m. The fact he has shown he can put a passable shift in just goes to highlight how unacceptable the majority of his performances have been since his return. Jim is quite right, he played much more centrally tonight and looked better for it. Edun was up against a good player in Jones but still had a shocker.