Why would it still not have been established by 2:30pm the next day whether the paperwork was received in time? It's a simple case of checking the time stamp on the paperwork (which will be electronic 'paperwork' of course, and even if not then I'm sure you can find out what time a fax came through easily enough...plus somebody could just make a note of it when it comes through). In regards to the additional paperwork...I would assume part of this would be a potential contract for O'Brien that would kick in if our clause is triggered. Otherwise the 'mandatory' deal could fall down if the player later failed to agree terms.

The only two clubs outside of the established big boys to have won the Premiership. The only two Prem title wins I'd say you could class as fairy tales. I think there's a touch of romance in there.

I know Venkys' loan to us is interest-free and 'without the expectation of repayment', but I'd feel a whole lot better if they did this too. That would be something worth applauding for a change - the debt is their fault, but writing off about 200 million isn't something many rich people would do. My personal belief with the debt is that as long as they're doing alright themselves, they'll never call it in, but if they struggle financially they'll asset strip us as much as possible to claw some of it back. Think they might also want some of it back if they sold, which wouldn't be feasible as a buyer wouldn't pay much for us in the Championship anyway. Whatever the case, it would be nice to not have it hanging over our heads.

You're thinking of the rest of us. Mowbray was pretty happy with him, evidently he thought 'Robben' or something.

Giles was more a wing-back than a winger, but very capable on the left wing, but obviously the biggest issue was we shunted him out to be a right-sided inside forward. Which he wasn't right for at all. This time at least, we hopefully won't do something as stupid as that. But the worry still remains that the recipients of any crosses won't be up to making the best of them.

It's about more recent caps, not lifetime caps. I forget what period it covers, but it's something like must have played X percent of international games in last X years or somesuch, to score any points for it. I think.

Sharpe confirms no striker unless a free agent.

I know the window hasn't gone well, but you shouldn't punch your sack.

Eh? I'm talking about a blanket statement, not a reaction to every rumour. The club knows fans stay up late hanging on for news, it's no effort at all to put out a simple statement. If there's nothing to announce, announce there's nothing happening. I'm not saying it's a massive deal, just a common courtesy to those who care. At the stage we are talking about, the club knew if something was in the offing or not. And it couldn't conceivably hamper any deal to mention it.

I'm sure a Rovers manager did say something along those lines in the not-so-distant past. Someone in the Venkys era. I'm not sure who it was, but I'm sure they didn't deliver.

Tbf a simple announcement could have been made. Just something like: 'We won't have any further news this evening, but initial paperwork was submitted before the deadline for (X amount) players. We will give an update in the morning and hope to have good news!'

You're right, it's no good only fixing the half time entertainment short term. Still, if it's Beyonce I'm happy, as long as I get to meet her.

Just to check, we do all know that we have more than one racist fan, right? Just that some people are talking like it's just one guy. This incident is, yes, but I think it's 100% accurate to say we have 'a mindless minority' who are racist - just like every single other club in world football will. I've even heard it myself at the ground on several occasions (not for a long time now I'll grant, but I get to a lot less games than I used to) and nearly kicked off with someone over it once. Whilst I understand concerns about optics, I think it's accurate language.

Surely in either scenario, one of them will go out on loan. There's also another scenario - that he isn't as good as them.

1am is just a deadline to get the paperwork finalised. We can announce it whenever we feel like. If there's anything to announce.

12:49am Rovers’ Director of Football Gregg Broughton said: “Dilan has made huge steps forward in his development since the World Cup break and has demonstrated this in his recent first team performances. “What we needed to do now was to provide Dilan with a short-term platform to continue that progress on a weekly basis in order to prepare him for our first team next season. “We are very grateful to Aberdeen for giving him that opportunity and look forward to monitoring his development on a weekly basis in the Scottish Premiership.”

Well yeh, there's a chance someone has signed, sealed and delivered their Season Ticket to the club, with 'Fuck you Venkys' scrawled over it.

If you're lucky, your phone battery won't hold up. That will save you smashing your phone completely if you find out it's all fallen through.

If it was in any position other than central midfield or central defence, I'd agree. You would have to think A. Wharton or Garrett are going out on loan in the summer now, there can't be many games in their immediate futures.

Nahhh. When he goes, we'll spend all the summer window chasing a striker (it will still only be one, even though we needed one already and will also need to replace Brereton). About 90 targets will fall away for reasons that we definitely, definitely couldn't do anything about, whilst other Championship clubs with and without parachute money manage fine. But it will be impossible that we could have done any better. Then on the last day we will be 'assessing' some mystery targets who'll never be named, assess that we really can't afford them, and sign a defender and a reserve keeper instead, or somesuch. Ideally whichever positions we are most heavily stocked in at the time. We'll loan out an attacker. This will all seem terrible, BUT, the day will be saved when some posters on here (who had told us we would sign a striker before the deadline) inform us that we didn't need a striker anyway, as Gallagher and Vale are up to the job. Any insistence to the contrary will be met with 'but people said that about Brereton'. And what did we expect from the window anyway? We're not Man City, and that's a very relevant point to make about a Championship side. The owners love us, and have agreed to subsidise the chicken in the canteen to help us make ends meet. I can't wait, and I can't understand your pessimism.

Graham was good in the air, I'm confused you would question that. 'Great' maybe not, RSC and Rudy are in that category, both some of the best I've seen in the air, but you initially said 'really good', and I'd have to insist Graham falls into that category, for this level. 'Ok' is average, and he was definitely better than that.

Danny Graham. Before that, Gestede. (Not counting defenders of course)

How are we going to develop him if other players are in his way? And if he does get in ahead of them, how are we going to develop Wharton and/or Garrett?

We don't know our young midfielders are better (unless you frequent Rochdale matches), but we do know we have more young talent in that position than young talent anywhere else.

Maybe he's going to be an absolute class act, I've no idea, but this seems a strange one on the face of it. Surely the only position (along with central defence) where we really don't need to sign any new young players in the 19-year old kind of bracket. Wharton and Garrett coming through, Buckley and Travis have shown (well, mostly) that they can handle this level, two loanees who will regularly take up the two spots there for the rest of the season, and even other senior players who can fill in there (Edun, JRC, Mola, Dack if needs must). Where's the pathway for him? The two mostly playing there for the rest of the season will be gone in the summer, but still...surely at that point we'd want a senior player bringing in for reliability.