If the club and/or the players even consider giving our 6 fingered friends a guard of honour then I think I might be done. It would be totally unacceptable.

Did this need it's own thread? Already got the Dingles one - can we not keep this sorta shite for that? Then, if people want to engage (for some unknown reason to me) they can do?

A trophy is a trophy. Don’t think you should ever criticise the way it’s celebrated, regardless of their modern history.

If there could be a power failure and neither side is awarded the trophy that would be my preferred outcome. That said, enjoying seeing Newcastle fans looking devastated…

Can I just say, 50 career goals at the age of 27 is insane and I'm not sure why it's being celebrated by the club in respect of someone who is supposed to be a centre forward? This is a man who has half a season of Premier League appearances from nearly 10 years ago... Maybe if he was a midfielder I could get on board.

Ventured on to a Sunderland forum for a look at the feeling. It’s absolutely fucking superb. Threads on the “death spiral” that they’ve heard about from both us and Coventry. Then arguments over whether it’s his fault or lack of transfer activity.

Fans holding players to different standards based on their own agenda. If someone like Morton, Pears, Gallagher had been out injured and off watching Arsenal/City rather than at the Rovers game they'd be getting absolute pelters. As it is, Adam Wharton gets a free pass because he ("allegedly" - based on the other night) supports Rovers

Random aside but why is Adam Wharton sat in the away end at the Emirates (according to Instagram) rather than watching his team mates?! Has the relationship with JDT soured so badly?

Read through it at the weekend. Fantastic issue! Was a really great period to be a Rovers fan (especially as I was 6 years old in 1995), this to me was by far the best time I've had watching Rovers. One thing (unless I missed it - which is entirely possible) but there was a section on the Andy Todd elbow smash FA Cup semi final but not the "OMG how did you miss that MGP" FA cup semi final? A high point of the decade for me in glorious failure.

If that's truly the case then it's complete nonsense because we wouldn't be obligated to buy him. It's such a stupid point that I can't believe it's the reason it was held up?

When transferring a players registration one of the key submissions to the EFL is the contract/key parts of contract, so yes they do.

The point is that with an obligation to buy you have to submit the details of the agreed personal terms. It's not the EFL demanding it's in there is it? More them checking a fundamental point of Premier League contracts has been considered and agreed? You'd be mad to sign a player on £65k a week as a newly promoted team without a relegation wage reduction being agreed.

I might have misunderstood, but wasn't the EFLs point, "what happens to the player and his outrageous Premier League wages if you go up, sign him and then subsequently get relegated from the Premier League?" Now a wage reduction on relegation is fairly normal but they'd have to then agree the terms with the player before going back to the EFL no?

It's far too cordial in this thread. Illustrates the fall in standards at this club that the current balance of power doesn't piss people off more. Instead we have Dingles (however well intentioned they claim to be) hanging around making subtle digs.

I'd be surprised if O'Brien still wants to come if he was watching last night. U23s football would probably look preferable...

I got in late and only had it on from 5 mins in, switched off at half time when I thought the nil nil was inevitable. Devoid of quality and even more depressingly any sense that there's actually a plan/structure/vision being implemented by JDT.

It’s nice to see Ben Brereton back, getting a run of games over Diaz…. Jokes aside, even under contract I’m not sure he’d be worth much at present.

Got home from work late and I’ve been watching since about 5 mins in. I’ve only just noticed Buckley is playing. Anonymous.

Honestly I can’t stand the amount of people who continually defend the club no matter what depths of ineptitude we sink to…The comments on Instagram and Facebook are insane. It’s like some weird collective Stockholm Syndrome. Maybe it’s fans who are too young and have never seen us competently run and that’s why they don’t understand the anger ?

Don't think I've felt as much anger (both personally and across the fan base more generally) for a good few years. I think some people are getting sucked in by the PR exercise interview. Yes it's good to finally see some communication but ultimately accepting responsibility is meaningless. We're in a holding period at the moment, as soon as the appeal is (inevitably) rejected, the truth of exactly what happened needs to come out and heads need to roll. If I was JDT i'd be strongly considering my position. We're a very poorly run football club, with no ambition to actually get out of this league. The more I reflect, the more I think it's remarkable we're anywhere near the play off places with the current resources he has.

Not a secret is it? Our owners have a fuck ton of money they just won't/can't spend it on us because they don't care/FFP (choose whichever option you believe, I know where my money is)

This is so far beyond the realm of acceptable for any football club. I should be shocked but that's what 12 years of piss poor management does to you. Standards ground down to the point we can't even submit forms on time for a player who could make a real difference. No one cares at the club. There is zero accountability, zero drive to succeed, just an atmosphere of total apathy. Not giving them a penny more in tickets purchases until we've gone through a competent transfer window and given the Head Coach a team that's vaguely competitive.

Joke of a football club. Can you imagine John Williams letting it happen on his watch? So many people throughout the club are just stealing a living (several players fit that category as well). Whole structure needs burning down and starting again.

I've basically avoided this thread all January because I find it pointless getting worked up until everything plays out. However, if we've really let O'Brien fall through and not signed a striker, we've truly hit new heights of ineptitude. There is just zero accountability at every level of this football club. It's like a ghost ship, bobbing along, waiting to crash into the rocks. No one cares, they're going through the motions, pretending to manage a football club, all the while doing the bare minimum whilst pocketing sackfuls of cash. It's genuinely embarrassing.

Shambolic defending yet again. We’re just so lightweight and naive. Have a good one anyone who keeps watching, you’ve more patience than me.