Or he will end up being out injured on big wages.

Yeah, I was on about when they re-branded. Not sure about the eagle mind.

I genuinely thought he was drunk on SSN!

Swear filter mode activated

That is far too similar even for a concept badge. If we were to change, it would need to be in the same way that Man City did.

Not everyone can get to games. Clubs need to start marketing the experience of love football and making it more fan friendly - and cheaper. Personally I’d pay for an away TV season ticket but would go to home games.

Armstrong is hot and cold in my view. He can be amazing or anonymous. Let’s hope that all of our prospects mature together this season. With a decent gk and credible cb behind them it could even be a very good side on their day. They all need to have ‘their day’ on 38-40 days of the season though or it will be another season of unfulfilled potential and we’ll be at Bowyer Mk2 stage.

How has Reading managed to sign Charlie Adam without a trial and a pre-season game? That looks like a huge gamble.

Because he is already here. I’m delighted he’s signed. I’m a huge fan but it’s your last sentence that I’m more interested in and underwhelmed with the links. Championship standard players change hand all the time for reasonable sums. Meanwhile, we spend £12m on two sub strikers and then scrat around for probably the most important player in the squad, as though we have no plan.

Context. The poster I responded to said it had been a good window. The inference being time now. That just isn’t true. Everything hinges on the players we have yet to sign as the ones we have so far are simply a shuffle of the deck chairs. But when people think that Travis is our best signing of the Summer then you know we are being lined up for. As soon as the club tweeted about the new deal I knew that’s what people would be saying.

Crossed my mind too. What if it turns out that he is just some fantasist? He has been really bad news for Bolton just by being on the scene.

It’s sad that people can’t grasp context. But whatever gets your bed sheets moist big guy.

How hard can this all be? Bassini has 7 or 8 players lined up and he doesn’t even own Bolton yet!

That’s embarrassing. “Look I’ve got a letter that says I’m good for the money”. Was it cold in Bolton today? That’s a big old coat. Did he have the cash in the lining?

None of them are upgraded though. We also haven’t replaced P Downing (since January) or Raya and both replacements will have had barely any pre-season with us. It all seems so difficult and expensive to get in a goalkeeper and a centre back... so what did we do? Spent £5m on another attacker. If the window closed today then it’s been an awful one. A lot rests on those two positions but it’s looking like Walton and Adarabioyo. At best we have replaced like for like together with yet more potential.

The bit I don’t get is spending all of our budget on Gallagher (who we don’t need) and having nothing left to spend on a goalkeeper and experienced centre half (that we do). However, Occam’s razor suggests that we have all but done our business: - Walton as number one, Leutwiler as number two - Mulgrew and Lenihan remain first choice and the young City loanee will be understudy - Gallagher to replace Nuttall (further up the batting order) and be the insurance policy against Graham getting injured - Smallwood likely to go out on loan now that we have Johnson - Travis is the ‘replacement’ for Reed - Downing replaced Conway Mowbray will continue with ‘operation evolution, not revolution’. There is no pressure on him, he does not live and die by his results, form, signings, even relegation, like every other manager does. He can build slowly. Which is great - if it works and provided Venkys can just keep adding to our debt ever year (and never leave).

If we do ever change the badge, I just hope that it isn’t on Waggott’s watch. At least a crap away kit will only be around for a season.

Don’t disagree with that. Personally I’m hoping they pull through but fascinated by the potential fallout...

The problem is that we can’t bring on seven lots of fresh legs once the season starts. Today’s second half was rather artificial and if the second half was a 1-0 victory (and very nearly a 1-1 draw) then that should play into Mowbray’s thoughts for the 3rd August. Buckley and Butterworth won’t get a look in but Rothwell and Travis cannot be left out after today (and their form at the end of last season). Even the Rangers commentators were gushing about young Joe. If he doesn’t force his way into the starting line up this season he will simply have to leave - maybe even in January. Three year deal or not.

Leutwiler looked competent today but still conceded two (with his blushes spared for the second). However, a number two should be pushing the number one every day in training. He certainly didn’t put any pressure on Raya. The gk situation is a real worry and we need someone new between the sticks for the Bury game - assuming it goes ahead. Even now our first few games this season are going to be an experimental defence and that on its own may be enough to persuade Mowbray to stick with Jayson. A lot depends on this next couple of days.

That’s really interesting @Herbie6590. Are they originals? The badge certainly wasn’t used on shirts until 1989 but I can’t find any reference to that badge being in use until then.

What exactly has Alan Myers got to do with all this? Is he a journo now? Why would anyone leak information to him so that he can publish it on Twitter? Then there’s his message. Yet another striker? Why? All very odd. Especially when the actual journos like Sharpe don’t do any real investigation and seem to simply print whatever statements the club or Mowbray put out. Just over two weeks until the window closes. Just under two weeks until the season starts. Still time to get bodies in but they won’t be ready to start for some time. I can see today’s defence being the one that starts against Charlton.

That’s a poor defence by your standards, Vinny.

There is no “used to be” about it. I can’t believe how parochial you are being!

As harsh as it sounds, for a county like ours it is probably necessary for the remaining ones to survive into the next half of this century. Gone would be Bolton, Bury, Morecambe, Wigan, Accrington, Oldham, Fleetwood, Fylde. Leaving Rovers, Burnley, Preston and Blackpool. (Blackpool I was in two minds about but if they can get over the Oystons they deserve to be the Westerly rivals in the double-derby Lancashire equator). In reality, Accrington will continue along with Wigan and by the flies in the respective ointments.