The Kraken

Wahay! Two "negative Norman" accusations and an "engage your brain" in one post! Top work, you win today's Positive Pete award.

OK. So, to try to judge our potential in the PL, its completely irrelevant how we fared against the top 6 clubs, is it (2 of whom we'll actually be facing next season)? Its completely irrelevant that we only won 2 out of 10 games. But much more important that we were consistently able to beat the likes of Doncaster, Coventry, Barnsley etc etc. If that's your idea of sense then count me out, I'll stick to my views thanks. Our achievements last year over the course of the season were excellent. Our achievements over the top 6 clubs give something of an insight into how strong our team is compared to other similiarly strong (or arguably weaker) teams to us. But you carry on ignoring all that if you wish.

Good point, apparently not. I saw that Kyle Lafferty had already played for FC Sion so assumed it had happened, but it appears on further inspection that he played without having clearance. Reading back the BBC report it says temporary clearance will be given, not has been already. So Lafferty/FC Sion could be in a bit of trouble.

I doubt it matters how long. The players have been granted temporary clearance from FIFA while their investigation takes place into Rangers' appeal for compensation. Once that gets revealed for being the sham it is by all the lawyers then they'll get full clearance. The Scottish PFA said they were fully expecting this from Rangers. Being as they employ lawyers and have advised the players that they are free agents, its fair to assume they are pretty confident of the status of the actual situation.

Christ, you know you've done something wrong when Dalek agrees with you.

How many games do we need to look at against the better sides before it makes an impact? 2 games against Reading: we won 0. 2 games against West Ham: we won 1. 2 games against Blackpool: we won 0. 2 games against Birmingham: we won 1. 2 games against Cardiff: we won 0. So against 3 sides that were previously in PL; against 2 sides we were promoted with to the PL this season; and against 1 side who made the Championship playoffs: we played 10 games and won 2 of them. It's no guarantee of anything of course. However it should prove to be a bit of a notification that we consistently struggled against better sides in the division, and we'll need to considerably step up our game in a better division with much better teams than that around us. I think the size of the task ahead of us may come as a bit of a shock to some.

Not sure I agree he's miles better now, only in that I think he was bloody good anyway. He's maybe just developed his all round game a bit better to fit into a system that Adkins wants to play. He was often completely unplayable in his first season and his confidence was sky high. I agree he maybe does a bit more for the team now, but he was also sensational as a bit of a maverick, playing under Pardew's system. Leyton Orient away a case in point, 2 nil down with 10 minutes or so to go and he thundered in two great goals. I'd say Pardew improved him, got him fitter and playing at the top of his game, NA has maybe just refined him a bit more.

Big shout when he scored what, 30 league goals and 6 cup goals in season 2009-10 before Adkins arrived.

Saints baulk at Rangers refusal for Davis clearance.

Fairly sure that for at least one year, maybe more, when we made a profit Lowe invested that by overpaying on the standard annual stadium mortgage repayment. So the total owed came down faster than the initial repayment structure.

I think you might be missing the point of an internet message board? They're entirely designed for pointless, subjective conjecture.

Probably, yep. i hadn't really looked at it but kind of always assumed he had a full Premier League season behind him. Give it a year and he will have....

I previously had it in my mind that Cork was at Burnley for a lot longer than 11 league games.

From where are you getting those stats? The site I'm using is incomplete.

JWP is also under 21 and therefore does not count in the 25-man squad limit rule.

This. All players will surely have sought extensive legal advice before leaving, as would their signing clubs. Interesting to note that Fleck isn't listed as one of those players, Coventry being the one club who actually agreed a deal with Rangers for the player (no signing fee but an agreement for a share of future transfer revenues).

If we can get most of the City team stoned or leathered right up to our game we might actually have a chance. City's home record last season of 18 wins and 1 draw suggests we might need 12 or 13 players on the pitch to give them a game.

Behave!

How many slam finals did he lose before he won one?

I still find it quite surprising the club aren't running a membership system. Its free money and a decent way to prioritise match tickets. There is a new points system, so we'll see if that gets used for matchday ticket holders on the database instead. There certainly needs to be some form of prioritisation of tickets, but I'm not entirely sure how there can be before the start of the season.

Hilarious.

Cortese could be doing so much better FFS.

Hammond has been a great servant and could well become a victim of our quick rise through the leagues. There is the risk of by keeping him that we restrict the chances for the youngsters coming through the ranks. That said I still think he could play a role of backup CM, he's a wise old head and does alright when just playing as a sitting midfielder, which we're going to need against the better sides in the division.