Difference is, Gav is purely guessing because he hates the owners and it suits his agenda. My belief that there was a substantial budget available in January (in addition to the widely publicised bonuses) comes from specific information received. I wouldn't just have made it up without being told something either way. People can scoff at that if they like, that's their prerogative, but it seems various other people received similar information regarding the situation in January. Similarly, I believe there is a very decent budget for a non parachute team that has been made available this window as well. So far Waggott and Broughton haven't really delivered despite the fact £4m has already been spent and whilst it is still possible that we'll get the four or five quality players in we need over the next twelve days, I'm starting to doubt it will happen as our need for players is so urgent that if we were determined enough to make the deals happen you'd have thought the respective players would be here by now.

For the opposition.

Hear what you're saying Mike, but it COULD easily have been 6 or 7 and it wasn't Ferguson's Man Ure or a top.of the table Fulham. Every cloud though, we're still top and last night's drubbing might concentrate a few minds on the transfer front.

Over to Waggott and Broughton now - the manager needs help - and lots of it.

I think a balanced view needs to be taken after last night's shit show. JDT was dealt the worst of hands by the negligence of Waggott and Mowbray as regards the make up and composition of the squad. He has done unbelievably well to eke out nine points of nine under the circumstances but reality caught up with us tonight. Against that we simply didn't compete physically on the night and if you don't do that you have no chance. We looked liked we'd been spiked before kick off and that lack of combative spirit has to be placed at the feet of the manager. Equally as worryingly, Reading to their credit seemed to have clocked on to the rather risky way we attempt to play the ball out from the back and pressed accordingly. We had no answer and you'd imagine other teams will soon cotton on. Individually only Ayala and Travis looked Championship standard on the night: Of the rest Kaminsky - looked very hesitant and nervous for the second game in a row Brittain - hasn't got as much talent as a lot of people are making out - gave the ball away for fun tonight Pickering - looks to have completely gone since his return from injury - needs replacing. Phillips - by no means the worst performer on the night but looked very shaky. Unlucky with our only serious effort on goal. Buckley - Completely anonymous for the second game running. He is one who has the ability and is capable of far better Szmodics - oh dear - Championship looks a step too high for him at the moment Dolan and Vale - Although Dolan has previously impressed at this level , See above BBD - far more Breton than Diaz on the night Maybe temporarily distracted. Gallagher - Dear oh dear came on at HT as our big hope and all he contributed was to give away goal number 3 with an appalling attempt at defending. Dack - not the worst but not much to suggest he demands a place in the starting X1. Hedges - A lot more industry than most on the night but zero end product. Edun - a limited player but showed more fight in his brief cameo appearance than the rest of them put together. Over to Waggott and Broughton now. Mowbray and Waggott fucked up the January window despite money being available. The manager needs help - and a lot of it We can't afford for the same thing to happen again this August.

Worse. I have serious doubts about him, doesn't look anywhere near Championship standard to me.

Wayne Hemmingway on row behind as well apparently. Getting a bit silly now.

Gareth Ainsworth sat in the Rovers end with his son just in front of my mate and his son. Good lad Gareth!

Thank god - no Gallagher at last. Not really a fan of Hedges either Like that side. Hope the manager's faith is repaid.

I'm led to believe the opposite, that Phillips himself would be happy to sign a deal here on around £10k p.w. Why Rovers don't just get on with it and get it done I've no idea. From the Club's point of view it's the easiest decision they will ever have to make.

Spurs can't just sign him without either the two Clubs agreeing a fee or the fee being set by a tribunal! There's nothing whatsoever of substance in that apology for an article.

Everton have been sniffing round BBD for ages in the background I believe. Think we can completely discount them -don't think they can't afford him due to their financial woes. See there's also another Club (Nice) trying it on by offering the derisory sum of £10m. Looking increasingly likely he won't be going anywhere until Clubs start getting realistic with their offers imo.

Is he likely to get a significantly better gig than Rovers anywhere else? Genuine question as I'm not sure he would. Bit of a gamble but I think it could be a bit of an inspired signing on the right money, adds a bit of experience and could cover various positions. I would actually have preferred him in January to add a touch of experience to get us over the line.

Exactly. He isn't so we aren't.

Yeah. We surely have to be targeting a win here.

Why wouldn't he be worth that in years to come? All these top Premier League Clubs aren't sniffing round him for no reason.

With the greatest of respect it is true - what was going on in Mowbray's head was anyone's guess . However he freely admitted it was his own decision not to bring another striker in as "we don't play that way".

Best in the Country at his age though possibly? How much would he be worth in future if under contract? It would be a ludicrous false economy to miss out on a potential fee of £40m or £50m two or three years down the line because we weren't prepared to invest a couple of million now in giving him a decent contract.

Think that's rubbish personally. None of the rest of the squad (with the possible exception of BBD if he signs a new deal) have a potential future resale value of £40 - £50m. When they have, well then, then they might have a right to complain Do you think the rest of the squad were unhappy about Shearer earning more than everyone else 92 - 96? Or do you think they'd just be happy to have him in their side rather than someone else's?

What's the point in selling if no-one is offering a realistic amount? In any event, given the start we've made, are we not better hanging on and seeing how the season unfolds?

On the flip side though, if the owners decided they wanted to sell Players A, B, C and D to either secure the Club's financial future or even simply because they wished to trouser the cash then the manager would have no say in that whatsoever, he'd have to grin and bear it. So why should it be solely Mowbray or JDT's decision whether or not a key asset is sold? If Venky's decide they particularly want to keep a key player then they should be entitled to make that choice or at least have a say in the matter. The manager works for them not the other way round.

Absolutely bizarre, wasn't it. Most managers would be doing cartwheels their owners were refusing to cash in on your best players, not publicly breaking ranks and having a massive strop about it.

Good for us if they aren't.

Obviously unbelievable to start off with nine points out of nine (for the first time since 1988 apparently) but don't know if I'm going against the grain by opining we didn't play very well. For me too many players well off the pace and we were really slow and laborious in possession of the ball in the first half. A lot of that can probably be put down to the freak conditions, I'm not all that sure if it's worth playing in such extreme temperatures if both teams are going to take impromptu drinks breaks every seven or eight minutes, the game just can't get going or have any flow to it and no wonder there were three minutes extra at half time and eleven minutes at the end. It seems totally counterproductive to me to have the teams out there for an extra 15 minutes in those temperatures. Anyhow as everyone has pointed out Ayala and BBD were excellent and we simply can't afford to lose the latter imo. Buckley, Szmodics and Hedges weren't at it today imo and even Kaminsky looked hesitant and nervous but the will to win we showed when under the cosh was tremendous. There's a sense I think that something really good might be happening and each win almost feels like celebrating winning a Cup Final at the moment. The downside of course is that it's only taken us 3 games to run into a mini injury crisis. Time for Messrs Waggott and Broughton to do their jobs, and get some players in to what was already an extremely thin squad to start with. The new manager has vastly exceeded expectations so far. Give him the support and the tools he needs to do the job!

Yep, pretty much my view on it. I'd amend it slightly to keep Brereton, bring in another striker and a CB, back JDT and we're in with a shot of promotion.