Very disappointing if so. Mowbray and the staff will have a lot of work to do to coach the team to defend better.

I notice Michael Morrison has joined Reading on a free transfer after leaving Birmingham. Was their captain last season. Cant help but think that should have been one for us. No nonsense, no frills, free transfer, experienced CB who was a captain elsewhere in this league. Trouble is it wouldn't be viewed as a sexy signing as he wouldn't be coming on loan from Man City or Liverpool and he wouldn't be a project for Mowbray to develop. He would be a ready made player who would expect to go into the team. No good for us.

I think the rumours of Hart and Forster etc. are fantasy stuff because of the wages they would command. I can't see us paying them. Carson perhaps do-able as he'll be in a bracket below the others. When people say surprise it would be nice for that surprise to be a positive one but I won't get my hopes up on that front.

The first time I've heard of this series being made. Really looking forward to it coming out next year. Fantastic that there will be focus on this region and its central role in the development of the game.

I've been wondering why the shift towards more appearances of the monochrome badge. On the away shirt this season, last season, on the training gear this season and last season too. Also featured a few years ago. I presume it is cheaper to produce our badge in the 'monochrome' format or as a plastic sticker as it has been on the training gear than it is to produce the full badge which is relatively detailed, involves lots of different colours in small amounts and is probably quite difficult compared to most clubs to produce. Football clubs have moved towards more simple badges using less colours as they are easier to replicate on their merchandising. Our badge must have blue, white, red, green, yellow, black - all different colours, suspect it is more expensive to make than others.....

People said similar about Stoke last summer. I was one of them. Spent heavily and had a really strong team on paper. Not so easy, Fulham have a very strong side on paper but a rookie manager. Owt could happen.

Not cheapskates just completely puddled and still don't get it.

I actually don't mind the pattern, it's the colour that does it. Revolting and silly when we won't be able to wear it in numerous away games. I reckon the same shirt but black with red pattern or yellow with blue pattern could have been a classic.

That appears highly likely. Coupled with the focus on loans now it seems we've effectively broken even on spending and that's the end of the matter. I wonder where the left over dosh from January has gone....

None of those were available on heavily subsidised loans though.

No, we knew Raya wanted out long before he actually went. The awarding of an extra season to Leutwiler shows that. In any event we had time to line someone else up before sanctioning his departure. To not do so was very dangerous. Hard luck excuses like 'other clubs might not want to let players out' won't be enough when we're struggling. We've had ample time to deal with this and work through our list of targets.

Clock is ticking. Soon enough time will be up. Positions like GK and CB are not ones that can be neglected or 'put off' to a later date as we've tried doing before. Especially not with our record of goals against. A dangerous game to sell Raya without someone already here to replace him. 2 weeks on and no arrival is alarming to say the least. 2 weeks to go. Leutwiler or Fisher v Charlton will be completely unacceptable.

Completely agree. But after Mowbray's defensive u turn and Waggott's lies about season tickets and pitch investments I've just about given up listening to either of them.

Careful, some think it's all made up in your head. The evidence is there for all to see. The same thing happens time after time regardless of manager. No other explanation for Mowbray's u-turn on defenders. Venky policy doesn't allow for it. Therefore no experienced proven CBs to come straight in are allowed. But he can sign a loan or two on heavily subsidised wages who can cover a couple of gaps in the squad. People live in la la land accusing others of being negative or conspiracy theorists but it's there in black and white when looking through past dealings. Obviously bringing in a couple of decent free agents on good wages for a season or two whilst shipping out a keeper that nobody gets upset about to offset what we spend gets people more amenable to not properly addressing the defence. Others just prefer not to face up to uncomfortable truths and heads go into the sand.

Not really interested in how much City are paying him. Kasey Palmer will have been on good money and that one was a waste of everyone's time. Yes the fact he played regularly in a half decent side last season is a positive and leads to hope he'll be up to more than the Byrne's, Harper's and Hendrie's we've ended up with. Still expect him or whoever comes in to be 3rd choice filling in when injuries arise rather than a new CB who will be built around.

Surprise surprise

This is the problem. Those with pedigree cost big cash. Nowt wrong with a lot of those players loaned if you're paying the money for them. Those Villa got like Abraham and Mings, without doubt fantastic loans. We aren't shopping down that aisle so we get the cheaper unproven ones whose parent clubs are happy to send out to develop and get game time. None of the loans we've had have worked out, apart from Cairney but he was a proven Championship player on his way back from injury, not a kid looking for games.

And there is Rovers transfer policy in one sentence.

Do you think anyone at Rovers actually gives a stuff? I reckon Umbro could turn up with claret and blue zigzags and Rovers would sit back and allow it. Far easier to just sit back and let events unfold than kick off about it. Was it Preston who recently ditched their new away shirt because it was unpopular (much nicer than this). Wonder what odds on Rovers doing anything like that?

Agree, but even if you don't want to be tied to such a limited range there are many other colours that would be sensible and could look decent. Anything wrong with black, orange, gold, dark green, hell even pink would at least ensure no need for a 3rd kit and this rubbish.

We shouldn't need a 3rd kit. I can't think of a single club in England that has home colours that would clash with blue/white and our traditional away colours of red/yellow/orange. Absolutely dreadful effort and they expect people to pay 50 quid for it! I look forward to the day we have a kit supplier and commercial department with some sense. Look on the bright side! At least they won't have to go through the process of applying new sponsorship stickers to the yellow shirts. It was hard work when they had to stick on Crown Paint badges to the red and black halves because some idiot thought dark blue was a good away shirt. This time round just need to stick the yellows in the wash and good to go!

I doubt even that comes into it. My impression is they're on autopilot mode and just leave it until Umbro turn up and tell them what to do.

Unforgivable if we need a 3rd kit. Could almost understand it if we actually had a 3rd kit that was for sale and promoted in an effort to make money but the last few years we've just turned out in the kit from the season before. Sort of thing a non League outfit would do.

Diabolical. And to think it will almost certainly look worse with a big black sponsor stuck on the front. I'd say embarrassing but just another slap in the face to supporters really.

They're all mates. Not sure if it's a good thing or it's going too far. Bennett and Johnson are best mates from their Norwich days, Mowbray will know all the Middlesbrough lot, even the young lad White who joined last week is best mates with Adam Armstrong. Not suggesting its dodgy in any way, a lot of football operates on those sort of lines, but it would be refreshing to sign someone from somewhere that has actually been scouted and sought out rather than just people who are known to us.