Fixed. (I wasn't directly blaming them for the O'Brien fiasco, even though this isn't the first time staff they employ mess up and get away with it. I just don't see how a very conditional deal that fell through signifies what you have implied)

Seems strange to use a signing that literally we ran out of time to complete to try to display a more proactive approach from the owners!

Yeah, it was in the minutes from a fans forum. They had decided not to fund a planned total pitch revamp that hadnt been done in 30 years.

The 2 are linked. Before considering FFP, that £12m+ would only be seen as an act of ambition if it wasn't considered that at least some of that money is to be reinvested in the playing squad, which some of it should. And FFP is constantly trotted up as a reason/excuse for no more reinvestment, therefore even if sales arent considered out of ambition and as an aside to available funds, it isnt as simple as that anyway when we need to at least be self sustainable enough to come under FFP guidelines. The manager at any time (or director of football, whatever) should have the autonomy to make decisions regarding player sales.

Especially assuming we are in this division, it would be crazy not to have him here next season.

Not sure it is an "exceptionally hard league." It is relentless in terms of scheduling but the quality is poor.

Stoke are in a strange situation where they have 7 loanees and you can only put 5 in a squad. They have Sarkic in net, both Sterling and Hoever as full backs, Pearson and Smallbone who are both important midfielders and Tuanzebe and Celina, both January recruits.

That comes down to our negligent owners for doing what they did regarding Rothwell and wouldnt sell. Makes most of what happens around that seem like small fry in relative terms.

I was more referring to a month ago when he was our only goal threat.

I just think that as opposed to being near the bottom, draws at the top aren't as helpful with the likelihood of a couple of rivals getting a 2 point advantage over the weekend. Wouldn't be a disaster of course, but we are in such form that hopefully we can strike whilst the iron is hot.

We are in the thick of a top 6 push, having won 5 on the bounce. Stoke away especially in reasonable form won't be easy but I wouldn't "take a draw" now, even though that may well turn into a decent one should it materialise.

Its important not to have short memories on Dack, he was our best player for the month prior to his injury. Also, there are games to play between now and again. If Szmodics carries on as he has played lately then of course, no brainer, he stays in the team. Dack will probably have to come in from the bench initially anyway due to having not played for a bit. I very much doubt we pay anyone 25k but I think we have to keep him, especially assuming that we don't go up. He is a leader in a squad not full of leadership and it would be an area of the team with him and Szmodics that would be sorted before making a signing.

It just seems very cryptic and absent in detail. To call someone a "maggot" and to say that Donald Duck could do better is even beyond a professional judgement, I have always seen him as incompetent but I would probably stop short at going that far. It would take a hell of a lot to have such a changearound in opinion, yet as Mattyblue asks, what has changed commercially?

Following your return to the board so you still stand by the above comments?

They might be playing well, getting good results and creating a connection. But the value for price v the standard of football baring in mind the cost of living crisis is not there.

"Not bothered" if we get to a FA cup semi final at Wembley. Mind boggling. The fans do back the team, the atmosphere was excellent today. If the tickets notably season ticket prices were more resonaably priced then we would have bigger turnouts.

Fantastic win and a brilliant couple of weeks, this football is not only effective but suddenly engrossing, front foot, high pressing and engaging. Its a shame our end product is often poor because there is opportunity for more goals there. The back 4 protected Pears very well again, we now have 3 very competent full backs and Hyam is a rolls royce. Buckley had his best game in that deep positiond next to Travis who was one of a few man of the match contenders. Szmodics has suddenly started playing out of his skin, Dolan is a different player when not playing up front and Thomas is a very useful addition. Gallagher had one of his better games too.

Just dont rate him from what I have seen. Not good on the ball and very rash.

If someone came in with a big offer in a more attractive league, he would almost certainly go like anyone, regardless of the O'Brien disaster. But I am not sure yet if that is likely.

I mentioned the devastating drop off, it was absolutely shocking. It was an absolutely incredible first half of the season to go into the new year in 2nd, 6th would have been impressive considering we had sold our best player and hadnt reinvested, and a terrible second half. Averaging out as 8th which if we had picked those points out in a more consistent manner would have been seen as a good season. The season was far from a disaster, just the way it happened is.

I have never said that the squad Tomasson inherited was "top 6/8 material." 8th place last season was devastating in the way it happened but just as a league result having had our best player sold and no reinvestment, it was an impressive finish at the same time.

Im certainly not convinced by Garrett at this level yet. Wharton I really rate but I dont think that Tomasson is his biggest fan. The other 2 have definitely improved although all 4 I guess were here last summer. Rankin Costello's recent form has been remarkable, for example with Brereton who went from awful to being key, there was that year inbetween of significant improvement. With Rankin Costello it has been so sudden.

My point has been that the aim and intention should be for Tomasson to finish higher, otherwise we may aswell have stuck with a safe pair of hands. Not that he necessarily should finish in a particular place. Last season wasnt lucky, you finish where you deserve after a full season. Mowbray could argue that we was unlucky to see Brereton get injured when Dack was already injured. That form shown was as part of a tactic few would have recommended but that worked very well.

Is that stronger? Losing our main asset (down to Venkys) and also our most experienced defender, adding Hyam, Brittain and Szmodics. Definitely not from a value perspective, maybe from losing 2 and gaining 3 although the most difficult to replace of the 5 (as much as I rate Hyam and appreciate that Brereton has been out of form) is Brereton.

Would you agree with my initial point that he inherited a far stronger squad compared to Mowbray though?