Tom

Still, at least we're all maintaining a sense of perspective.

3 hours to go... I hope it's not being run by the people who do the queue for Boro tickets

It's football, and it's a bit of fun, and not worth getting upset over?

No. I mentioned yesterday, but we have 8 players for 3 positions in the attacking roles behind the striker, even after Rogers goes. It's not uncommon for us to stockpile in positions, but I can't see us bringing another one in there now.

I hope not. It would have meant we'd have had to have taken less upfront, and at 28 years old, he probably wouldn't increase in value. Sell-ons are only really any good for players who have yet to hit their prime years.

Dane Scarlett went back to Tottenham. He also played for them in the FA Cup, so he can't play for another team this season.

It was well reported that we'd bid for Vasquez, who would have been a few million, and that obviously predated any interest in Rogers. We certainly need a striker, but the fact that there's very little value in the January market most years, and this year being especially slow, will have some bearing on whether we bring someone in. As it happens, I do think we'll get someone on loan. As for the point about playoffs being long gone, I have to disagree. Despite several injury crises, having players out of position and a rotten start to the season, we're three points off the playo

Yeah, that's true. Danny Ings possibly, but he's not going anywhere you wouldn't imagine, certainly not down a division. The other issue, @Rob, is that Nugent wasn't next to nothing, he cost us £4m! Obviously it was a gamble that paid off, because he scored some important goals to get us up, but we certainly can't be attempting to be financially sustainable while also spending £4m on players in their 30s.

Regarding McNair, wondering if someone can explain something to me. I seem to remember someone saying that a club couldn't offer a player a contract extension on a lower wage. So, for example, when Jonny Howson's contract expired in Summer 2022, he let it run down in the summer, effectively becoming a free agent, before we re-signed him on lower terms. But when Howson signed on again in 2023, we offered him an extension during his current contract, because his wage remained the same. Is it possible that the club and McNair both want him to stay, but we need to allow his cu

We haven't been pushed around really at all in recent years. And getting anywhere close to £15m for Rogers certainly doesn't represent that either.

I don't think we'll sign a centre back. Bringing in Ayling signalled the end of that hunt. Him playing on the right enables Van Den Berg to be another central option. With Clarke being fairly reliably fit since his return, and McNair back, we have 4 CBs to pick from.

Regardless, I don't think we should steer clear of anyone because a player who we signed from the same club nearly 20 years ago was a bit rubbish.

Why? That's a decent enough record even in a less than elite league

?

Put it this way, Dewsbury Hall has played 60 Premier League games, and has looked a level above in the Championship as a cog in a team that are cantering towards promotion. Morgan Rogers spent a decent chunk of the season being kept out of our team by Matt Crooks.

It just feels like we are selling Rogers for peanuts then if it is correct that he is valued £10-12m. If we signed him for £1m as has been reported, that's a 1200% increase on what we paid for him a few months ago. In no world is that 'peanuts'. If he was worth anywhere near the £30m that KDH is being valued at, I daresay Aston Villa's first offer wouldn't have been £4m or whatever it was.

It's professional football, not changing groups in a primary school activity. I don't think his best mate being a couple of hours drive further away is going to make much difference.

It makes complete sense from every perspective. Villa get a player that they think they can develop for a price they can afford. Rogers makes a step up and gets to move back home. Boro make a decent profit on a player who has shown promise but no more, and doesn't really need to be replaced because we're already relatively well stocked in that area of the pitch.

Do you think? I'm more in mind to think the opposite, that we've signed him because there's a chance that Rogers goes. We're looking to be in a position where we aren't having to replace players after they've been sold, because the replacements are already here. That's the theory anyway.

I can't imagine he'd have much of a choice if Man United only accept Boro's offer.

I think the Ramsey talk came from someone on here who has a pretty long history of getting stuff wrong, so I wouldn't put too much faith in that.

Nah, they never do! Nor do they learn their lesson, and they just swallow up the next bit of bullcrap that gets farted out from some random account on X

Where did the talk of Ayling having an injury come from? Was it just someone on here? Because the fact that he played at the weekend and that we're looking to sign him at all surely suggests that its more than likely that he isn't.

That article was from yesterday.

Rambo is Aaron Ramsey, FYI. He's having a good season, so him being out is a bit of a boost. Although they have won all 3 he's missed...