Ferguson

[The Red Baron]

To reach the play offs we'd either have to spend an awful lot of money or get incredibly lucky with a couple of signings. More realistically, we just need the proverbial point a game from the last 20 to be safe from relegation. I can understand the board are reluctant to push the boat out this time, but I do think we need a left back and a replacement for Whiteman, though both will be loans.

Ideally I'd like a striker who could be an effective partner for Marquis, but unless Kiwomya really hits the ground running I fear we're stuck with what we've got.

[dickos1]

I've been told, ferguson and Wilcox had a meeting with the board a few weeks back and were told they couldn't approach any of their targets as the funds weren't available

You've been told wrong.

I'm not sure I have,
But let's leave it at that

[Alan Southstand]

There's one thing for sure, if we don't strengthen this window then we are playing with fire. That team today will not see us safe at the end of the season. We were already missing experience in our midfield and that was with Whiteman in it.

We are trying to manage with 2 makeshift full backs and that really showed today. The strikers are having to work extremely hard in the hope they can cause defenders to make mistakes and are not getting many opportunities from players going round people.

We are crying out for re-inforcements and all we get is that there's no budget for it. Well, it's that same budget that will be the sole reason for yet another relegation. It's time to see sense. Plymouth will actually overtake us next week and look at the start they had! It's time to wake up and smell the coffee before it's too late.

[Chris Black come back]

I would imagine that our manager is probably the highest paid or among the highest paid at the club. You would hope that our manager would be able to add something to the top 10 budget we have through motivation, nouse, tactics etc to get more out of a group of players. Got to look at value for money from players and management staff. No magic money tree folks!

[BillyStubbsTears]

Plymouth will overtake us next week?

I bet Xmas is a blast, Chez Alan!

[BillyStubbsTears]

There's one thing for sure, if we don't strengthen this window then we are playing with fire. That team today will not see us safe at the end of the season. We were already missing experience in our midfield and that was with Whiteman in it.

That’ll be the midfield that took us to a top half spot with 20 matches left?

[Chris Black come back]

It is a fair point to make that even with Whiteman we don't really have much depth in centre midfielder. Houghton yes, potentially Rodney maybe, also Whiteman. All young lads and now one third down. Rowe, Copps and Blair either width of diamond or 10. Does not give us many options to change midfield around with so little depth or variety in centre midfield.

[big fat yorkshire pudding]

Lots of parts to it.  A message to the board perhaps.  A message to our players, agents, other players, other clubs etc....

Basically don't believe a word they say.  If he comes out and says he's got loads he's gonna be shafted in negotiations.  Equally he may have some conflict with the board and is making a point.  What is for sure is it is for a reason.  Give him 1m he'll want 2 etc.

In recent years everything is done on the quiet.  That should not change.

If I was in charge I would only look at youngsters for next year. We will not go down and should not aim to go up..We should aim to consolidate, give some others a run e.g. Mandeville, Garrett and see if they are good enough or not.

[BillyStubbsTears]

BFYP

A voice of sanity at last.

Anyone on here fancy a game of poker?

[bpoolrover]

There are a lot of cheap season tickets due to people's ages which is great for the future but not sure the 7k figure will be as accurate

[vaya]

There's one thing for sure, if we don't strengthen this window then we are playing with fire. That team today will not see us safe at the end of the season. We were already missing experience in our midfield and that was with Whiteman in it.

We are trying to manage with 2 makeshift full backs and that really showed today. The strikers are having to work extremely hard in the hope they can cause defenders to make mistakes and are not getting many opportunities from players going round people.

We are crying out for re-inforcements and all we get is that there's no budget for it. Well, it's that same budget that will be the sole reason for yet another relegation. It's time to see sense. Plymouth will actually overtake us next week and look at the start they had! It's time to wake up and smell the coffee before it's too late.

Previous four games Alan?

[Alan Southstand]

That’ll be the midfield that took us to a top half spot with 20 matches left?

Read what I wrote, Billy, you know it's not the same midfield because we are a man down (through no fault of DF). Beestin, like May, will probably make a good player next season or the one after, but please don't tell me we are going to be relying on these lads to do the business. It's utterly wrong. As is this obsession with playing Mason all over the place, it's just not on.

So long as the budget's alright, though, everything will be fine.

[GazLaz]

The way he said no, when asked, he means no. It’s not a game of poker. Can he possibly persuade the powers that be to give him some funds, possibly, but as of now I’m sure he’s expecting no more business. He doesn’t need to play poker, we will only be nicking loans and frees anyway.

[Jonathan]

There are a few strange goings on. Either someone is bluffing, or there has been some miscommunication. To suggest now that there is no money available is very odd.

We agreed a deal with Chelsea for Houghton and that didn’t come off. Houghton has now indicated that he could still sign in this window. But the latest inference is that we wouldn’t have any funds to do it. Odd.

Not getting through today was understandably a blow to the available funds. But hitting the jackpot would surely not have been in ‘the budget’ anyway. And as others said, crowd numbers have been decent and the Arsenal game was an unexpected bonus. So surely Ferguson was bluffing to suggest that there is now nothing in the pot.

Managers will always want a bigger budget than what has been agreed and allocated, its the way of the world. What I would suggest is that if he can put forward a good business case for signing someone else he would be listened to. Budgets therefore are fluid to a point, do well, attract the crowds, make progress and you will be listened to.

He'll be at the next board meeting, he can make his case there.

Hopefully the next board meeting will take place on a date that still leaves time to act. I think there would be a clear business case for bringing in a young player with huge promise like Houghton on a permanent deal. Same goes for Whiteman, if Sheffield United decoded to sell. It would be hoped that other clubs don’t move for potential targets before our next board meeting.

[Alan Southstand]

What comes first the Board meeting or the needs of the team?

Don't answer, I already who is going to say what!

[bobjimwilly]

From what I know of Andy Watson he wants the Rovers to succeed just as much as his dad did; the transfer windows is not even a week old and the board have plenty of time to give Fergie the resources he needs to improve the squad, if they haven't already.

[since-1969]

After the fiasco with some of our signings last season , you would have thought quality would be on top of DFs list ,yet we keep signing wet behind the ears defenders (Mason) and give long contracts to over rated , over paid forwards (Marquis ) . Money is definitely not being splashed about but what we have is geing squandered it . What is the point to agreeing to loan players on short term only to loose them when they play well for us. There has to have been year long loans available. We are just being seen as a bargain basement club who’s board are just playing us all .

[BillyStubbsTears]

That’ll be the midfield that took us to a top half spot with 20 matches left?

Read what I wrote, Billy, you know it's not the same midfield because we are a man down (through no fault of DF). Beestin, like May, will probably make a good player next season or the one after, but please don't tell me we are going to be relying on these lads to do the business. It's utterly wrong. As is this obsession with playing Mason all over the place, it's just not on.

So long as the budget's alright, though, everything will be fine.

Alan

I’ve just listened to Ferguson’s post-match interview. He says he’s concentrating on striking a deal to get Whiteman back (loan or permanent, he said) and if not, the priority will be to replace him like for like.

So that should ease your worry. The manager expects us to have a midfield of a similar quality to the one that took us to the top half.

[RoversAlias]

That is good to hear BST. Window is only 6 days in after all, not surprised people worried after the Whiteman news but this speculation about there being no money could get out of hand.