Are we weaker than the squad which finishes with promotion? I don't actually think we are. Palmer is a direct and hopefully better replacement to Payne and for all the love for Chapman, he wasn't part of the run in. That's not to say I wouldn't have been happy for a return at a million or less. Davenport and Rothwell are unknown quantities at the moment and yes of course any promoted team needs to strengthen, but the jump from L1 to Championship is nowhere near the difference of Championship to Prem, where it seems you need to shell £30+ million to have a chance. Squad depth could become a concern, depending on injuries etc, but our first xi should be adequate for a decent (mid/lower-mid table) finish. Dack aside, our best transfers last year started as or were loans. I'd be a little concerned if we don't sign anymore by the end of the month, but it wouldn't be the level of anticipating relegation.

No one can deny Venkys turned the club from a solid Prem outfit into a league 1 team. However, those with comments along the lines of Venkys light is red or funding had been stopped may have to re-analyse the view if we spend some of the funds mentioned. Even last year, some argued they didn't finance the team much as Steel offset Dack. The sales didn't materialise and this summer I don't think there was a single semi-serious link of a key player leaving. TM has brought the club a decent way back; if he doesn't want a winger enough to pay the rates asked, have to trust the squad he assembles.

In respect of various points raised over recent days: Armstrong/Chapman not being main targets - this may have been true, or IMO, it was TM being astute. Had we been promoted and he come out and said he wanted them signed up, this would immediately have given their respective teams cause to hold out for a higher fee. The same applies to Bauer with the comments we are moving on. I wouldn't be surprised if we ended up landing him, but it's hardly a position of strength to negotiate if you come out and say the player is your main target. Sharpe/LET coverage - some say they know nothing, others that they're tied by the club. I get the impression they only publish when something is close to being confirmed, the club think it may help push a deal, or a genuine scoop is broken elsewhere. A high percentage of traffic to the LET will be about Rovers, if they published everything they know straight away, I'm sure the club could make things much more difficult for the paper in terms of access. In turn, they'd have less to publish, less traffic and less revenue. It's a fine line for them to tread.