I think the match will distract from any further news for now. Probably won't hear much until after it.

Just go watch the video posted earlier. If you already did, then you missed the goals and assists and quite a few other things. Definitely less footage of him passing sideways on that clip than our current midfield engages in.

Reminded me of Harrison Reed on the clips. Looks a very different player to Wharton. More there for the steel than the silk. Both players can do both, but I think the ratios and thus their role in the squad, would be different. It's Morton that should be on the bench for Wharton.

That's sort of understandable. At 31 it's likely he doesn't have much time left to play in the Prem, and a loan won't change his financial bottom line. In fact maybe loans result in players potentially earning a bit less by not being eligible for appearance, goal bonuses etc whilst at another club? Not sure if it works that way or not.

10 million is cheap for promotion, certainly, if he can make the difference. But in and of itself, 10 million for a Premiership side who would need a Prem-capable midfielder, for a player who hasn't hit it off in his (albeit brief) time in the Prem, sounds less appealing. Of course, if we are lucky enough to get to that point, we won't give a shit about 10 million.

Was just about to post this. I thought Sky were not reporting it is done?

It's not been claimed we have landed O'Brien yet (other than by a couple of posters who misheard the Sky report)

Minor? If it's anything remotely serious I think we can rule out him leaving on loan.

What are they actually reporting? There's a big difference between the story Nicko posted, and the deal actually being completed. Nothing on Sky's website yet.

Will just be to rest him for the league game, sadly.

I was thinking this. From having watched the clips of him, seems like loaning Garrett out to League One would make the most sense if O'Brien comes in. You could argue for Travis to a Championship club if one were interested, but the captain is unlikely to go on loan. Plus he's not young enough that the experience would do much for him like it would for Garrett...could help him regain his mojo though I suppose, and be a bigger wage saving.

Looks energetic, tenacious, and direct... Now, that last one should be a plus, but only if he can ignore JDT's instructions to look for defensive passes first, without being dropped.

Where's this from?

Not sure it will do much good if they have to line up alongside Morton every game. Does anybody know, when O'Brien excelled at Huddersfield, was he playing in a central midfield 2, or a 3?

This must be the stupidest thing I've seen Sharpe post in a while: '6:16pm The talk all month of Rovers not having any money and potentially signing up for what would be a record fee in the summer. What a club. ' It's a record fee if we go up, at which point obviously we will have money. Duh. Unless it's a mandated summer buy even if we stay down, in which case I'd be absolutely and utterly astonished.

They're not through the door though, as far as we know. I thought the LT deadlined day feed summary at the top was interesting...says a striker is our top priority, but the only two players it mentions are a defender and a midfielder. Sounds about right. O'Brien would be an excellent signing though. Shame it's just a loan but a buy is unaffordable without promotion. I just don't think it's much use if we aren't going to sign a striker too. If we don't get promoted, no use paying high wages and possibly fees to borrow him and Thomas when we have a low budget and are meant to be building for the future.

Then we should have been looking in Belgium. I think there has been just one link for us from there? Whichever markets have reasonably cheap players and a high likelihood of passing WP regs, those are the ones we should be looking at. Otherwise, shut down this whole 'European scouting network' we supposedly built, because unaffordable players or those who won't get a permit are nothing but a waste of our time.

Transfer deadline day is 'always refreshing'...

Yeh shortly after the game I reckon JDT will say nothing is happening (or maybe just nothing else...I feel like we will squeeze a player in somewhere, but they might not be any good). So the time we hear it's all done may depend on whether we get extra time and penalties...

Never seen him, but his League One goals record is pretty similar to Szmodics, slightly worse in fact. But he is only 22 so could improve anyway.

I hope they don't manage to go upwards. Their fans are the worst in the country, true scum in every sense of the term.

In that case, I think they should make a move for me. I'll be very happy with 1k p/w. I'm 38 and injury prone but I scored 18 goals across my last two 5-a-side matches. Hang on nevermind, I've just had a call from Middlesbrough...

I've struggled to understand the variety of punishments handed out over FFP over the years. It's often seemed like they're, ya know, making it all up as they go along... (and perhaps also that having money helps you get out of these scrapes..)

Yep, they don't need to twist when sticking will suffice. Because they've invested properly in personnel. Yes, with parachute money from their time in the Prem, which also happened because they brought in the right personnel.

😲😂 Christ, that's dark, but I like dark humour.