What a dreadful deal that would be from our point of view. If he went ought to be minimum £20m plus very substantial add ons. As for a player coming in temporarily on loan for a few games, who cares? Doesn't help us next season. Edit: Looks like the player in question has never scored a goal above League 1 level either. Much like Hirst before he came here.

Wouldn't be for long even if he doesn't get sacked.

I thought it was coincidental that the bid was made on the same day as the supposed Court hearing. Palace trying to ratchet up the pressure on us? "Conspiracy theory hat on" Not so much as a dicky bird about the outcome of the Court Hearing either way. Odd or not? Presumably Venky's would have had representatives there who would have informed the Club of the outcome?

So you don't think Travis, Buckley, Pears, Pickering, Hyam, Scott Wharton, Carter, Brittain, Garrett, Tronstadt, Sigurdsson, Hedges, Gallagher Vale Markandy or Leonard would raise any funds if they left? I'd be disappointed if Scott Wharton left and I think Garrett has a lot of potential, Leonard to a lesser degree. The others I wouldn't lose a wink of sleep over. The only two we really need to keep are Szmodics and Adam Wharton who ironically will probably be the first ones to go.

Pay Waggott's and Broughton's wages for 2 months. Was he any good?

Are you forgetting about the part whereby the Indian Court have apparently said no net funding is to be allowed for transfers? Therefore if we're to spend any money on transfers whilst restrictions are still in place Broughton will HAVE to wheel and deal, that part isnt his fault, it's the owners fault, but unfortunately it's the situation we find ourselves in. Holy Cow Batman, it's like trying to beat your head against a brick wall.

Surely we won't even consider an amount as low as that.

Yep, forced out by the Walker Trust. Will the same thing happen with Adam.

I've heard that from everyone who knows the family, Scott too. You'd think though that just at the moment any player would be looking for an excuse to get out of Dodge and realistically a move to Newcastle is as good as he's going to get without any Premier League experience. Be a bit galling if he ends up at Palace. That's not a very ambitious move at all.

What has any of the above got to do with the situation now? For all we know Mowbray may not have wanted an Armstrong replacement as he had this weird obssession with wide forwards and we already had £12m worth of strikers in BBD and Gallagher at the Club anyway You know the situation with Brereton and Rothwell, calculated gambles to make the playoffs which didn't quite come off. At that point the owners probably didnt know the current restrictions were imminent and had Waggott and Mowbray tied them Lenihan and Nyambe down to long term deals the situation would never have arisen in the first place. The current restrictions had already hit by this summer so seemingly some funding from the outgoings was needed for running costs. Despite that GB was allowed to spend the net proceeds on Wahlstedt Telalovic Hill and Moran and imo spent that money exceptionally poorly and that was after already spaffing money away on Ennis who isn't even fit enough to play. It's not GB's fault the "budget" is what it is but he's going to have to up his game considerably if we're not to drop like a stone.

Would we not be able to recall and sell them if a substantial offer came in for either? Bit stupid if not.

Looks grim if we've entered into negotiations.

You know very well I didn't. I said specifically the opposite. See above. However, most Clubs outside the PL and parachute Clubs have to generate their own funding for transfers. We're now in the same boat at least until the alleged dispute with the Indian authorities is resolved.

That sounds very far fetched. Why would he not want to go to Newcastle? I could see him being a bit wary about Palace but that would be as good a move as he could wish to make at this stage.

Well it would, otherwise lower League Clubs would never ever have periods where they thrive and enjoy any success or unearth any hidden gems.

I know. That's why I said we're not in an ideal world. For me I'd be looking to keep Adam Wharton and Szmodics and everyone else would be fair game.

You have heard of "wheeling and dealing" I.e. selling some players in order to bring other ones in? In an ideal world you'd offload your fringe players to raise funds not your best ones but that world is certainly not the one we currently inhabit. I'm not saying it's Broughton's fault we have a negative transfer budget, it's obviously that of the owners, but unfortunately it's where we are at and we are going to have to rely on the skill and wherewithall of him and the recruitment team. Based on his record to date, I ain't holding my breath.

He (Friedman) was supposed to be on the radar of Man Ure after the Ratcliffe takeover/investment. Apparently very well regarded within the game.

Well, "unfortunately" it would then be down to him unless you don't believe anything about the alleged intervention of the Indian authorities and subsequent restrictions. All the more reason we should have appointed a proper DOF in the first place. That is something else you can blame the owners for.

That was most definitely my understanding in the past as well. Suppose we'll have to see if recent developments have tested their resolve. Even as a toy to be passed down through the generations it can't be that much fun owning a Club with little or no money that isn't allowed to spend on transfers.

No but we might be able to pay the bills initially and then Greg the Egg can start to work his magic wheeling and dealing to provide us with a transfer budget of sorts to work with. Oh.......on second thoughts..........

If there has been genuine interest then it would really be up to the interested parties to make their interest known and ramp up pressure on the V's. I'd heard previously also they'd never sell they seemed to see the Club as something that would be passed down through the generations. If they were ever going to be minded to sell though you'd assume it would be now given the hassle they're getting off the authorities.

It would appear Palace have been tracking Wharton for some time so doubt this is new interest. However £15m would be virtually giving him away but then again we managed to lose Phillips for peanuts so who knows what this lot will do? We also don't know what sort of release clauses there are, if any, in his contract. Has the white smoke emerged from the Indian Courthouse building yet? Can't imagine the case is a massive priority for the Authorities over there, can you imagine the bind we'd be in if the case got postponed until after the transfer window?

People go on about Wahlstedt as if he's a young 18 year old who needs to go out and get experience. He's not, he's 24 and is as good ( or in this case bad) as he's ever going to be. If he can't even catch a ball or do any of the other basics right by now that suddenly isn't going to change. There's nothing to work with, he has no natural ability.

"Hardest working players?" Do give over. Gallagher is all for show. He'll make a run after a lost cause now and then to create the illusion he's doing something but that's about it. Does he impose himself physically on the opposition? - that'll be a no. Does he get into danger areas? - that'll be a no. Obviously in answer to some comments yesterday he can't cross the ball and get on the end of it as well but he shows no appetite to get on the end of anything when the ball's coming in from the other side of the pitch either. Does he win anything in the air? - That'll be a no - wins the occasional header in the middle of the park and directs it out of play or to no- one in particular but in the opposition box jumps about 5 foot 8. Can he hold the ball up? - That'll be a no - couldn't trap a bag of cement and second touch is a tackle. Did we win upon his much heralded return to the side? - That'll be a no. Did he score upon his much heralded return to the side - That'll be a no as well. (Unsurprising given his career stats) I wouldn't worry though as you're obviously a fan I'm sure the Club will get it completely wrong and pass up the chance to get a fee for him this window. Maybe even extend his contract and keep us all suffering until the last possible moment. Possibly not the worst striker ever to wear the blue and white halves bearing in mind infamous incumbents like Paul Mckinnon and Chris Brown and the fact that Broughton seems to have unearthed another two of them at the same time but probably one of the worst and certainly pound for pound one of our most over-rated ever players to rank alongside other luminaries such as Jason Lowe and Corry Evans. Roll on the contract extension.