The problem is, the protests will never be widespread and even if they are, sadly they are too detached to even seemingly notice. So nothing will happen anyway. We are just stuck. Itd quite incredible how anyone defends them, deflects blame from them or thinks that they are good for the club, but even if they didnt im not sure it would make a difference.

I think the 2 cases may have been different, there was clearly some sort of collective cock up last year. But this one seems more cut and dry. Theres no logical reason to blame Broughton if the deal was agreed and then Venkys have vetoed the deal.

The owners have blocked any fees being spent despite a club record sale and you still deflect?!

@RevidgeBlue seems like this is on the owners.

Why would that cause the deal to collapse?

Not that it makes any difference to us but thats not a real account.

Where is that from?

If we did sign another CB, something I doubt we will pissing around with loans. I would get potentially playing a back 3 as a means to getting more height in, but I really hope it isnt with attackers as wing backs.

Ive wondered this. Our local journalist must not be keen on asking questions.

One of the most underwhelming signings I can ever remember almost certainly to be followed by a depressing sale whereby all but a couple of million will vanish. What a window. (Of course we are "keeping our powder dry" until the summer)

Loan bids for random players in the Swedish league with 20m burning a hole in our pocket.

You are right about needing a central midfielder, but you underestimate the loss of Travis. He wasnt better than Tronstad and Wharton but with the latter leaving its immaterial. He was the third of 3 Championship quality midfielders we had, then theres a huge drop off. Captain, proven regular member of sides that have finished 7th and 8th, attracted a move to a top 2 side. Him and Garrett on current ability are night and day. Now we have 1. As @Miller11 mentioned, Hill (and at a push Carter who is out for the season) could cover full back. Our squad was desperate for help because its too small and lacking in certain areas. Now its even weaker. We are stronger up front IF this new striker signs and with Gallagher back. But our strongest area in midfield is now our weakest, we are an injury away from a crisis at full back even if Chrisene is up to it too.

A further area of weakness is full back. Brittain and Pickering are out for at least a month each. We have JRC just back from injury and Chrisene who is a question mark. I guess there will plenty of the attackers playing wing back bollocks potentially.

The thing is, even if we run with this naive theory that we are saving for the summer. Why are we writing off the season completely? Why are we even bothering signing a third loan of the window if the season has been written off? Even if we loaned a midfielder, which would still not suffice considering the Wharton fee, there would at least be an admission that we are massively short in midfield having lost our best and third best midfielder, leaving only one good CM, a young lad who isnt ready to play week in week out, and injured underperformer and nothing else.

I will judge any player on his team in a Rovers shirt. But I will have opinions before, and if you don't want to, fine but I am unsure if this thread is the place for you.

Even if that is the plan, we would rather trade in the summer. You cant just leave your midfield so neglected in the meantime. Not as weak as we will be there.

The point is the reinvestment of sales. We didnt with Armstrong, Gestede, Cairney, Rhodes, we dont do that. Brereton and Rothwell, Venkys chose not even to get any money in for those. Szmodics was our only 2m signing in 5 years, Hyam was 1.5m. But none of these signings were funded by prior sales. This is why this model nonsense is exactly that.

Ignoring the incredible naivety about saving the pot of money for the summer, because it will be there and we will need time to plan replacements because this sale of Wharton at some stage was so unpredictable. We came into this window needing to strengthen the squad. We are going to replace Carter and Hill with a young lad from League 2 and a soon to be 37 year old. So weve lost not only quality but a bit of flexibility in terms of covering RB. Add in our regular LB injured replaced with a kid on loan. We are replacing our best talent and also our captain with a loanee number 10 and theyll probably try and add Buckley to that, who even putting aside his inability to get into a botton 3 side, is injured for another few weeks. In reality, it will be down to Garrett to suddenly play week in week out, hes not ready for that. Admittedly add a potential additional striker. But unless we get a couple of buys on top of McGuire and McFadzean, its bloody desperate and Im amazed anyone is deluded enough to claim otherwise.

I look forward to a spending spree totally inconsistent with any sale done in recent Venkys history. After half a season in which we have one competent central midfielder.

It wont be available now, thats the issue. Or ever.

Theres talk about us keeping our powder dry until the summer rather than panic buying. Do people genuinely think that money will be sat there waiting for the summer? It shouldnt be a case of not having done our homework on players. This sale was always in the post at some point. Its not a case of shit Wharton is going, we didnt expect that.

Yates started for Swansea last night. Theres no chance whatsoever of them loaning him to us. It also seems only a glimmer of a hope that we bring in a midfielder.

.

If we sign these 2 and then go on and sign at least 2 more for fees on top, then fine. Thats the key. If we dont invest in a Wharton replacement and stick with just Garrett every week then we are asking for trouble. Badly need some pace too and we dont have any cover for JRC at the moment with Brittain out.

You genuinely think that money or some of it will be waiting in the summer? We do need leadership and experience. But that doesnt mean anyone with those qualities would suffice otherwise we would just re sign Colin Hendry. Coventrys form has massively picked up since dropping him.