If it works like it does in FM (I know...), once a player is within the final 6 months of his contract, he's free to discuss terms on a pre-agreement. The owning club doesn't have a say in this, at that stage. Once a deal is agreed, the transfer takes place upon expiry of the contract. The onus for the owning club is to tie a contract up before you get to the final 6 months.

Additionally, how many times have we fallen foul of the 'weaker' sides? Like Iceland, under Woy. In any case, we beat Germany in a knockout phase in the last couple of tournaments - and, without checking, I'm sure we've beaten some Croatia-level sides also. You don't get to choose who you play; the trick is beating them and progressing.

To be fair and to use the full sentence on that, he described it as moving from a 'massive club' to 'another massive' club, which he felt extremely lucky to have represented both. He worked hard in the games he did play for us, so no complaints from me.

Have a feeling, based on absolutely nothing factual, that Batth will stay and it's already been agreed - but the club are planting the seeds of doubt in the local media. So when the new contract is announced, they can spin it as a huge achievement.

A proper captain and a proper man. To think we picked him up on a free. Sparky's scouting setup knew their stuff.

Me too, I loved this kit as a kid.

It's a 4-2-3-1. But I find the inclusion of Jordan Henderson the most baffling aspect.

Our best GK in recent times (Kaminski) spoke really highly of Benson, during his time here. Not sure why so many people seem to have such a low opinion of him, to be honest.

He is, but not a very good/reliable one. As long as anyone who reads his red-top gossip guff understands that it is exactly that. By default, he'll get one right every so often, but even in those cases, he's usually covered all bases and caveated.

Absolutely my attitude. If he's adamant on leaving, then let's move on and wish him luck. For his sake, lets hope it's not another Nyambe situation.

Nah, surely that'd be on par with winning the Auto Windscreens Trophy, or whatever it's called now? A major domestic trophy would be the top division, FA Cup or League Cup, in my opinion.

I was surprised when I heard this. Probably take success for granted, seeing Rovers' rich history across the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries. But blew my mind a little than a fairly prominent club like Palace had never won a proper trophy in their history until today.

I don't believe for a second that the owners even know that we have a women's football team, never mind making a decision on whether to fund it. Look closer in the direction of those who may have a vested interest in reducing costs. Possibly benefitting by way of annual revenue targets / personal 'performance' bonuses. Think large sums straight into their pension pots, for a competely random example.

Yes, everyone with a different opinion to you must be an employee of the club... He's generally not done much at all when he's played for us, but every now and then (Newcastle at home in the cup, for example), he shows that there's a player in there. If you can't see it, fair enough.

I'm not sure, I think Markanday could do the vast majority of what Dolan offered.

West Ham at home, Jan 1995 (4-2, Shearer hattrick / Le Saux). I grew up just over the hill, so spent years watching from the hill and through the gates, but this was my first game proper. Sat in the Walkersteel with a couple of my mates, would have been 10 or 11.

He is literally on the club's payroll - he'll be towing the line.

Obviously gutted to have missed out on the final day, but (like most of us) I'd written off the play offs a few weeks ago. So the disappointment isn't what it might have been. 13/15 points in the final 5 games is a good effort, just a shame about the several games preceding these. At least we've seen the last of Calamity now, no way he gets the spot back from Toth - who looks a proper GK at this level. Some of those saves today, Pears gets nowhere near. Otherwise, it's going to be an interesting summer...

So far, so ok. How much better is Toth than Pears? It's ridiculous how long it took for the latter to be dropped. I'd shove Kargbo on for Hedges at HT and maybe Gueye on for O'Hashi around the 60 minute mark. Results currently going the way we need them to.

I wouldn't hold your breath. We'd be lucky to give him away. The United 'link' was clearly his agent trying to distract from the fact he'd had yet another shocker and cost us more goals literally the day before. I will play for Man United before Pears does. And I'm 42.

To be fair, I was 10 and I still don't remember this! But, records are there to be broken. We're certainly in form, as opposed to a couple of years ago (at Millwall). Going to be an interesting Saturday, that's for sure...

I can't shake this feeling myself, either. It's the Rovers way, isn't it? I think we might get a result, but others will go against us. That said, if we did squeeze in, we would literally be the form team heading into those final 2/3 games...

Rovers have to show it on a big screen, or in the Blues Bar, surely...?

The comment from the Sky commentator, when we were beating Sunderland away, still making me chuckle. Apparently it was helping us to pull away from danger at the wrong end of the table. We go into the final game 2 points from 5th.

He definitely deserves credit for the last 4 games. If it can be followed by a fifth consecutive win next weekend, then I think he has enough credit to get a clean slate for the summer and the start of next season (presuming we're still in this division).