JDT doesn't really seem to rate Markanday does he? I wonder what the player thinks of his move up here now. One minute he's going to be the big hope of giving us that bit extra to fire us into the Premier League, the next a new manager comes in and he can't even get into a (currently) struggling Championship side.

OK. Hope he makes a speedy recovery. I'd still always rather see Dack in there though.

The manager can't pick players we haven't got. If the side looks weak at all, that's down to Waggott and Broughton. Delighted to see Adam Wharton given a chance. That wouldn't have happened under Mowbray. Pickering is a very lucky boy that we don't have any viable replacement for him however. Also good to see Dack back in the side in place of Szmodics. Looks like "the Dack situation" was a storm in a teacup". Did at least think Ayala would make it through to some point in September. What a waste of a wage he is. Don't think Dolan deserves the stick he gets on here. However he might struggle up top and if this is JDT's preferred formation maybe it's an indication Hirst will be a regular starter when available and not merely back up.

Hopefully.

To balance that up, most of us wrote Gallagher off before he arrived and he is still fuckin useless So you are entitled to have an opinion on a player and sometimes it is wrong and sometimes it is right

Ok, no goals in 4 starts, and brought on on 26 other occasions to try and influence the game and failed. Why are people trying to defend the indefensible? Everyone seemed to be dead against the signing a few days ago, now because an option to purchase at a completely unrealistic price appears to be a possibility, most people's views seem to have changed. Is it sheer desperation due to no other further incomings so close to the end of the window?

Of course. But he hasn't. More to the point, he hasn't even scored a goal at Championship level so on the face of it, the chances of that happening are exceedingly slim. Wouldn't it be far easier to just spend £5m on someone with a track record at this level?

Like that's likely to happen.

And Reg Varney.

Yes - but we won't be getting a bargain.

The bottom line is, I suppose is, is it likely to be a good signing or not? I don't think it is therefore any talk of eventually paying £2m, £5m £10m, whatever the figure is, is likely to be completely superfluous. Could be totally wrong of course. Personally I'd rather take a cheap punt on someone now in the hope of getting a bargain rather than wait and see,then pay full whack or even more on the off chance they turn out to be all right. 95% probability it turns out to be a waste of time imo. Please feel free to quote me on that if I'm wrong.

Is it done? (Genuine question)

Good.

Not quite the same. Wasn't very good first time he was here on loan yet we signed him after a far worse season at Birmingham anyway. The Hirst deal isn't win win anyway. Either he flops and we don't want him or he does well and we pay top dollar. More Lose/pay over the odds.

Ermmm........I assume you're being facetious and the joke has whooshed over my head but Doctor Who's time machine?

Key thing arising out of the weekend was, Wharton deserves a chance and players should be picked on merit not reputation. If he gets a start tonight that would signal a massive difference between JDT and Mowbray. If not, not so much so.

If we sell him half an hour before the deadline, do we have a Tardis to get someone else in in time?

This law of attraction and positive thinking lark isn't working too well at the moment. Let's hope we can pull a couple of unexpected and last minute rabbits out of hats and BBD stays.

Would prefer a sensible answer to a sensible question rather than your usual sarcasm but hey ho?

OK then. Since no-one has been willing to quantify it, what does he actually have to do to justify us paying a fee of £5m in 12 months time? Negligible chance of that happening imo therefore there must be far better deals we can pursue elsewhere.

I think he was being sarcastic.

Not sure that anyone criticised the acquisitions of either Brittain, Morton or Hyam. Just some slightly more discerning people judge each individual situation on it's merits and don't slavishly applaud every single thing the Club does.

Zeefuik, although he turned out with the benefit of hindsight to be absolute shite, at least came with a better CV and reputation than Hirst. Essentially you're endorsing a deal for £5m for someone who has failed already at Championship level. The point I'm trying to make is, it's not a smart deal. Either he bombs and goes back or we pay top dollar for him.

Ergo, if he does sign a new deal, they are then going to (and apparently already have) demanded top dollar for him. It's such an obvious point I don't know what's so difficult to understand. He hasnt shone up to press. From our point of view it should have been cheap gamble now or walk away.

I know that's the rumoured price. I'd be walking away like a shot. Ludicrous for someone who has already failed at this level, and the whole exercise is highly likely to be a colossal waste ot time if not money.