Rample

The Derby connections with relegations (or at least Birmingham's season) is crazy, Eustace starts the season as Birmingham boss. They make the awful decision to sack him and appoint Rooney. Breaking from ex Derby they appoint Mowbray who lasts about a fortnight, and then they re-appoint Rowett. Hard to believe any side has had 4 (or 6 including caretakers) managers in a season - including 2 ex Derby bosses and 1 ex Derby player. Eustace's involvement of course doesn't stop there, he gets appointed at Blackburn who survive on the final day at Birmingham's expense. Morgan Whittaker's 19 goals are one of the main reasons Plymouth survive. Rotherham of course down, have been through 4 managers this season and that is somewhat related to us poaching Warne. Birmingham have of course been totally mismanaged. They're probably lucky they aren't in a worse situation.

Somewhat doubt Hourihane will be here next season either.

Not to mention Pride P'Arkham Asylum - full of lesser known villains such as the Poison Dwarf, the Snake, the Ostrich, the Slug and their many henchmen.

I don't think we're looking at quite a George Thorne scenario but I imagine we'll make series of bids, slowly rising, until one is finally accepted. I'd say absolute max £400-500k plus add ons. For a player they weren't using, who didn't cost them a fee, and is in the last 13 months of his contract; I don't imagine there will be too much resistance. Cardiff, currently 10 points off playoffs are far more likely to be looking at tailoring their squad to a (unlikely) top 6 finish than looking to recall a grafter. Ebou seems like a good guy who appreciates the simple things - what he has seen today, the key role he has played in recent months, and the affection the fans already have for him makes me think he will want the move. Win for both teams and the player. Also to just say the way he celebrates making tackles or winning fouls at times is one of the big moments of the season for me. I love the guys passion.

Maybe I'm soft but I just can't help liking the man. Whilst it might sound like nonsence and hyperbole in interviews he has been very honest. He talks building a group of players, he talks about making small gains, and he has done those things. The football hasn't always been great, but you can see why he's a league one promotion specialist. He's managed 92 points and automatic with a squad of freebies, gambles and inherited players. What he's never had at Rotherham is any financial backing, you can guarantee they would lose their best couple of players after each season which is the main cause of their yoyoing. That won't be the case here (or if it is it won't be a case of losing them because they can't afford to improve their contract or £500k is too much to turn down). I think afforded a bit of time, and next season will not be easy, he will continue building successfully to the extent I would expect us to be back around the play offs in maybe 3 years. A spine is being formed, let's imagine an equivalent midfield pairing to Nelson and Cash, an attacking midfielder in front of them with more knowledge of the position, movement and goals, and a striker in the mould of Collins but with more technical attributes and pace. Around that you have a number of gifted attacking players - NML free to be NML, hopefully a fit and firing CBT on the other side, varied attacking options and the football you play changes because of the increased options of passes and openings, and easy shifts from 352 to 442 to 433 because we have the required players. In the meantime set piece goals and ugly wins will do, but I do believe there will be evolution as we progress. Really looking forward to summer and some good deals to be had.

Summer window: Curtis Nelson 10 - near faultless and free, our best bit of business Callum Elder 6 - not managed many games but when he's come in he's shown something Joe Ward 7 - patchy early doors but grew into an important player toward the end of the season Sonny Bradley 6 - same as Ward really, I'd written him off by January but was what we needed this past month. Lower mark as the start of his time here was woeful Josh Vickers 6 - decent back up keeper Kane Wilson 8 - rough diamond to an extent but already a good acquisition and still time to grow Martyn Waghorn 6 - not really hit the heights but that hattrick was pretty spectacular and quite important Conor Washington 5 - Very limited moments, have to score him lower than Waggy as a higher fee and less goals Tyrese Fornah 5 - When we needed something else in midfield he wasn't capable of stepping up Elliot Embleton - NA Ryan Nyambe 9 - Lovely signing on a free, shame his season was curtailed, but consultant and ready to step up a league Tyreece John-Jules 5 - Gamble didn't really work. Never got going Winter: Ebou Adams 10 - in that bracket of loanees like Osman and West that single handedly change a season. Love the sight of him celebrating winning tackles or free kicks. Sign him up Dwight Gayle 7 - May have been somewhat brief but very important goals Corey Blackett-Taylor 5 - Expected a second NML, very disappointed apart from rare moments. Hopefully a full preseason will see us get nite Max Bird* 7 - stepped up a level after being sold, and showed whaf he could be

Not to worry anyone but I've had a bit of an if it can go wrong it will morning. Wouldn't have necessarily started Bird. We can do this. I'm calling a comfortable 4 or 5 -0.

Tell you what is a bit pants, 2 of our 3 young player candidates are a couple of months away from their contracts expiring.

I don't know, knock them down to 14 or 15 points and they're definitely deep in it. At the very least it's them v Luton for 17th, and Luton have a points and game advantage. We can hope at least. Be nice to play them next season.

We can't afford to right now. Any youngsters we get are going to have to be rough diamonds. We can't go and get those who are pretty much guaranteed to step up and straight into our team. Our wheel park for youngsters is more of the Irish or lower non-League, not league players. A striker in his later years is the only other cost available player and I presumably like Warne have a lot more faith in that than throwing in untested youths. That said Weston, Brown and our own lads are something we should be pushing as they're probably as good or better than other potential youngsters.

Has spent a lot of time recently playing further back, more of an attacking midfielder. Not sure if that's to cover for diminishing pace or just to fit a system.

Too many initials in this thread who the hell is XYZ?

Is Weston still here?

Just read this, too late to check accuracy but pretty damning fact. "The transfer window has officially slammed shut, meaning that Derby now won't have signed a striker under the age of 30 on a permanent deal for SIX YEARS."

Pfft!

Not heard of Gayle for years but I'll take him. Of course there is no time pressure on free agents.

West Ham match finished and no injuries. Mubama didn't get off the bench. Slim chance?

Let's hope Leeds demand £5m and 200% wages for it to happen.

Listening to a Bristol Rovers deadline day live podcast as they were talking about Fornah and they've just spent a good 5 minutes praising the wardrobe as unstoppable. Scores any chance he gets, has 11 in 14 starts, has best goals per minute in league one. A lot of speculation from rovers that they are after a Costa Rican midfielder from Forest so maybe not signing Fornah.

Cardiff teasing a keeper signing.

Twitter rumour. Goalkeeper John Ruddy currently having a medical with us. Wildsmith off?

Kazim-Richards at the training ground today of all days is a bit odd. Wonder if we're looking at him as a Bradley Johnson type over age player/coach. Hence a possible non-transfer related announcement. If it's a stop-gap month long contract with the first team until injuries clear up I imagine a lot of fans will be irate. 2 hours 15 minutes left.

Yes and no. The EFL have a 'streamline process" instead, where basically from 10:45 we can send over a partially completed transfer document, and get an extension until 11:15 to get all the paperwork in.

Looks like we've played hardball. They bid, we're not selling because we want him for the rest of the season. However offer something silly and we'll talk. They come back and meet in the middle, decent fee and we don't have to scramble for a replacement. I figure the tribunal would have favoured them in terms of fee, but this way they have no competition and can probably escape a lot of add ons. They must be buying with one eye on selling at a profit. As for us we aren't weakened as such, have guaranteed money in the pot and a chance to strengthen up front for the next 5 hours. -

Knight, Roberts, Weimann, Andy King, Matty James, Nahki Wells so many we've either had or been linked with before. Can't see Wells dropping down. Cornick may be a possible, played with Collins and Bradley at Luton, but he's not an orthodox striker.