Last season Pears became one of our most important players. Not because he was any good, but his replacement in Wahlstedt was doubly abysmal. We'd have been relegated if he was our number 1 all season. This season Pears has come on leaps and bounds. He still makes me nervous, but he is a Championship level goalkeeper these days. It'd be a huge risk selling him, unless people at the club were supremely confident Toth was ready to step up, and I've no trust in those making the decisions. The only opinion I'd trust is Eustice, and he's picked Pears every time this season, which says all you need to know.

Imagine if we still had Szmodics. There should have been no reason to sell unless an exceptional bid came in, after the Wharton sale in January. We did not sell him for exceptional money. Once again, it was just to keep the lights on because Venkys don't want a penny of their money going into the club if it can be avoided. Sure he'd have been a bit disgruntled, but another £5m ontop of what we got wasn't unreasonable. The price we sold him for was only appropriate for a 'selling club'.

I'd go for Damien Duff

Agreed his actual words say nothing at all. But we all know Waggott. The only reason he's released this statement is prepping us that we'll spend naff all. The clues: 1. John wants to keep the squad intact. - Waggott is spinning a success narrative (even though nobody wants any of our players). 2. Other positions/options that can cover our players whilst they return from injury. - Excuse for bringing in loans with no long term financial commitment. 3. January is difficult. - Just making the excuse in advance of the backlash. Waggottout / Suhailout / and most of all VENKYSOUT

Worth keeping in mind that wages demanded by Kargbo will likely be low and offset any fee paid. Everything is pointing to no money. I suspect the cost of Sanderson's and Forshaw's wages are roughly equivalent to that saved on Baker. We're also seeing zero contract renewals. Other recruitment will be deadline day loans, negotiating the lowest possible financial outlay by pointing out any Prem youngsters coming in are likely to see plenty of game time. Not a pot to piss in.

I'd say 500k is on the high end. I'd be expecting more like 200k with certain clauses taking it towards the 500k figure, which as you say, he likely won't.

Exactly. Almost strikes me as a political signing. "See John, we did back you. The recruitment team worked hard to find a diamond in the rough for you." For the likes of Waggott, the tiny outlay someone like Kargbo would cost, would be worth it, just as an attempt to pacify people for a short period.

Unlikely, but it would be very typical Venkys to release some funds on the last day of the window, catching everybody out and the first time in years, the inexperienced Gestede spaffs it up the wall on total dross.

Watched a video of Kargbo. I usually don't put much stock in them, but it did appear he was often playing centrally, rather than out wide. Looking at his stats, if he really does play as a support striker or centre forward, the fact he's not scored since October is very worrying. As is the fact he's not an automatic starter for a middling Serie B side. The fact he undoubtedly cost absolutely peanuts will go in his favour. Always willing to give a player a chance, but if he is one of our main targets it looks like pure desperation. Telalovic style gamble, based on some underlying stats, conveniently ignoring that he's playing in a shite league.

The remainder of the recruitment team will be compiling lists of players with pretty looking stats. Maybe attach a YouTube compilation for good measure. On the off chance we get the okay from Waggott nobody will have a clue how to make it happen, until Rudy pops up with the genius idea off popping said target a DM on Instagram to see if he fancies it.

It's always an early symptom of the current state of play at Rovers. No contract renewals equals no money. Joining those dots is a far more reliable source than any 'journalists' like Nixon.

We're hitting a point whereby deadline day loans will be a complete waste of money. We'll likely be out of touch by then. Would rather see the money invested in transfers or contract renewals. Sham of a window thus far. Zero faith in those negotiating deals, that they've the expertise to get anything substantial over the line.

I actually think Aasgaard and Cantwell being similar types of players could easily benefit the both of them. Class players want others on their wave length. At the same time, it's easy for the opposition to nullify Cantwell. It's not as though they need to worry about Ryan Hedges doing a pirouette past a couple of players. Cantwell needs help badly.

Still remember the stories which were pushed in the media when Mowbray was in charge and we were second in January. Back then it was that Venkys had committed to £10million worth of bonuses to the players if we went up. Yet they coughed up sod all to actually help us get there. Their promises are always for tomorrow, but tomorrow never comes.

To be honest, I'd take 0-0 draws in any of our upcoming matches. Feels as though we just need to hobble on until a few players return from injury.

We're decimated by injuries. I've put decimated in italics since most squads would be able to cope with the absences we've got, but with £40m sales and close to zero reinvestment over the last 2 years, our Venky overlords created a streamline (wafer thin, inadequate) squad. Bristol should be confident. We've got this far through organisation and graft. Eustice has performed miracles. Now we're in a position whereby the players who aren't injured look utterly knackered after being flogged death. Get a goal and you'll win. We're still hard to break down. Would snap your hand off for a 0-0 draw right now.

There's no need to be so condescending. I quite clearly wasn't stating their purchase of the club has been a profitable acquisition. I was simply pointing out that they are not currently pumping in £20 odd million a year in our current situation and haven't done for some time. This is what your original post alluded. Your final paragraph is exactly why I and the majority of others are making the counter argument. Modest reinvestment of funds spent wisely creates assets, meaning the levels of investment required, even just to tread water are lower. It's not rocket science mate!

Not for what is going on two years they've not. We're running at a profit. The argument people have is that sensible investment both keeps the team strong but also creates assets we can develop, sell in the future and reinvest. I'm not sure why you would include this line in here. Sure, that's been the case in the past, but in our current situation it is absolutely untrue.

Big, big game today. The win against Pompey stopped the slump, but this can help to rebuild some momentum, especially given the winnable fixtures we have in January. I do feel every win we get this month adds internal pressure to bring in some proper reinforcements. The odds are it won't matter one bit, but we've seen over the years how fickle our owners are. A bit of momentum could help to sway opinions that the playoffs are a genuine possibility this year. Whether that be at board level or ownership. (Put the sentence in bold to pre-empt the multiple responses saying there's not a snowball in halls chance that this'll happen.)

For me, the issue with Buckley is in his head. He needs to play at a quicker pace, mix it up and get stuck in. Do that and he would be a good player at this level. Do the basics! It appears to me that he sees himself as a Pirlo type, wanting to get his head up and constantly thinking he has more time on the ball than he does. Add in that his version of mixing it up is being petulant and showing zero discipline, and he's been a bit crap. Ability wise I do think he's one of the better technical players in our squad. Given he's now in his mid 20's I'm not sure we'll ever see him doing the basics and putting in consistent performances. The only other thing I'd say is, he was very good in Mowbrays final season. He didn't initially get minutes under JDT, but what he did get was a cushy 5 year contract. Is he on easy street or is it just a coincidence?

Yep. Don't dispute Eustice would probably be interested. More pointing out they are probably having trouble selling the club to their first, second, third choice etc, whilst also being limited by not wanting to pay a lot of compensation. My biggest fear RE Eustice is Waggott scared them off when rubbing his grubby hands together at a big fat compo fee, and now he knows they won't pay that amount, would accept something lower.

Apparently West Brom are utterly skint with more players needing to be sold to balance the books. I'm not sure it's the appealing job it seems at face value, with a big difference between expectations and reality. The hope is that paying any kind of compensation fee is not an option.

Waggott and Co's lies are what makes this all the more infuriating. How he can continue to say the court proceedings have no impact on the running of the club?!?! Even more infuriating is sections of the fanbase eating it up, and saying we can't compete because of FFP.

It's been going on so long I can't actually remember when it started. Surely going on 2 years now, right?

Well that's unsurprising. Another promotion opportunity will drift away. The summer is when this is really going to begin to bite though. We're becoming asset poor. A generational talent is the only reason we've stumbled on this long. There is no way we can continue long term with zero funding.