D**k Watson interview..

[Red wizard]

Just read it on the os. Suprised no one has mentioned it on here. He says they are going to up the budget to help Deano. States they have been very impressed with the signings Deans made and how well he has used his budget. Bravo D**k,Terry,John.

[DonnyOsmond]

Love that Dick is censored.

[Red wizard]

Was just thinking the same. Can one of the Mods fix it please?

[roversam]

its only his name though, its not as though someone is calling him a dick head 

[AbsolutDRFC]

Just read it on the os. Suprised no one has mentioned it on here. He says they are going to up the budget to help Deano. States they have been very impressed with the signings Deans made and how well he has used his budget. Bravo D**k,Terry,John.

Everything is improving both on and off the pitch. It's great that the club have been able to go and get more quality in terms of Griffin and Clingan.
We are maybe 1 injury (either for the CB's or strikers) away; where we will need to strengthen the squad, but hopefully Dean & back room team have got players lined up when necessary.
And thanks to the board for making this happen.

[Rovin Reporter]

I retract the comments made previously and wrongly attribute them to Dick Watson to someone namel Len South someone who clearly has the ear of the Board, but I believe both  sentiments to be the same and he was clearly stating clubs over view and desires for the rest of the season and beyond.

[silent majority]

"If we don't quite make it this season I think we've got the nucleus of a team which would do quite well. I think Dean would not only be looking at a team to try and win promotion but a team which could hold its own in the Championship the following season without having to make wholesale changes "


A sure sign that the Board do not want to go up this season. So lookout for us to go on a loosing streak fairly soon . Imo supporters will not want to see lack of ambition amongst the players . Deano is a realist he knows the Board pays his wages but this season is there for the taking so we should worry about next season when it arrives up or down d**k.

There's always one isn't there! I can't find your quote in the article RR but I did find this, a sure sign that promotion is in our sights;

“It’s widely documented that after relegation we had to cut our cloth a bit and reduce our wage budget but even in doing so we still armed Dean with one of the biggest budgets in this division.  Our aim was to ensure that our first season back in League 1 wasn’t a struggle and if possible we would attempt to get back up to the Championship”


A question though, why would the board not want to go up???

[The Red Baron]

A question though, why would the board not want to go up???

Indeed, and I think RR is reading things into Dick Watson's comments that just are not there.

That is a whole different issue as to whether it would be in our best interests to go up this season, of course. There does seem to be a big gulf between League One and the Championship, one that has grown much wider during our spell at the higher level. The question is whether, if we went up this season, we could benefit from the much-increased revenue without finding it all being eaten up by a larger wage bill AND still remain competitive in the Championship?

We've just got used to the idea of winning football matches again. I'm not sure I fancy another season like last season, so when we do go up again, I hope we'll be ready for it.

[nice one rovers]

A question though, why would the board not want to go up???

Because it costs money!
Surely I'm not the only one who thinks that the board are quite happy with us being in league one for a couple of years. Being in the championship is expensive for a club like ours, and I just get the feeling the club needs to catch it's breath a bit before going back up.
I must say , I prefer being at the upper half of league one, than being bottom of the championship, getting beat every week.

[RedJ]

A question though, why would the board not want to go up???

Because it costs money!
Surely I'm not the only one who thinks that the board are quite happy with us being in league one for a couple of years. Being in the championship is expensive for a club like ours, and I just get the feeling the club needs to catch it's breath a bit before going back up.
I must say , I prefer being at the upper half of league one, than being bottom of the championship, getting beat every week.

funnily enough you also get more money for being there than you do here.. it costs money no matter where you play?..

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

Players like Cotterill, Hume, Quinn, Paynter didn't come here to stay in league 1, they've all played at higher levels and want to be there.

What we must not do if we go back up, or when we go back up as we will at some point, is spend as much as last time.    No more wages to players that the likes of Coppinger got.  If they want the money then sell them.  It might make us less competitive but it's a safer bet, keep 1M or so of the money to one side and plough into the youth.  Might cost us a player or two, but in the long run is well worth it.

[The Red Baron]

BFYP- I think that is a very fair point. JR said that if we go up to the Championship our income will increase by around £6M (due to TV money). A challenge will then be to ensure that the lion's share of that doesn't go out in increased wages.

I still think we need this season to stabilise the club- although as results have exceeded expectations then I can understand why promotion may be on the agenda.

[Dutch Uncle]

Could this season be the first time ever that the supreme optimist JR' s expectations are exceeded?

Then again maybe not since I am sure he always expects us to win every single game   

Long live JR