buster.

Hypothetically, Mr Mash would be torn between trying to do a number on us (remove our manager as we approach a new season with recruitment nearly done) and writing us a cheque for millions in compensation. If SG was to get a call from an EPL club, it would certainly give him a decision to make. I reckon from his POV, an optimistic management pathway is Rangers, EPL club (middle to bottom), Liverpool. I'd hope that he'd see such a pathway as an apprenticeship that is in his best interests to complete, or in other words, he needs to successfully finish the job he has started with Rangers...but this is professional football and it seldom works that way. Another factor is if SG himself believes that he is getting sufficient backing to bridge the gap and win the title. One big plus is that Rodgers has gone and a lesser manager is in charge. The summer transfer window is next-up.

It'd be like putting a relatively large amount of cash onto a 33/1 outsider. We all know what would happen.

Perhaps, but IMO getting the lad ready for our first team is priority and the 3 year contract is already ticking.

How much would Pickford, Maguire and Walker cost today ?

Good to see we got McPake to sign an extension. He now needs first team football, even if this season, it means going on loan.

The alternative BBC................Biscuits, Boobs & Compo

Looks like priority is to get players in so as to hit the proverbial ground running then look to offload/loan/pay-off players as other teams look to sort out their squads. European group stage money is a long way a way but would come in very handy.

As things stand, a centre-half and a centre forward are still required. Given our plethora of wide players, I'd forget Kent and channel the finance into the above.

I think back to the Flanagan tackle against Hearts at the end of last season, from which Kamara immediately fed the ball through for Defoe to score. Perhaps this (ball winning/move ball quickly) is the way Aribo will best create.

Too many players I don't know about yet to give a starting XI. Plenty to think about with a big squad which will have to be reduced. A plethora of wide players and we still seem to be after Kent Will be interesting to see what formation SG goes with and how adaptable he is, dependent on the game/situation. We certainly have the personnel to go from one shape to another.

Occupational hazard

Is it SG launching a bid or The Sun re-launching the now customary and established sure-fire clickbait story on Skrtel to Rangers ? An experienced centre-back to put beside Goldson does makes sense. However, I don't think it wise to go into the season looking to regularly rotate the central defence. It didn't work out very well for us last season. Pick the best combination and stick with it.

Most of the Toon Army hate Ashley and have done for years. Ashley doesn't care aslong as most of them keep spending their cash at the club.

It was or at least it seems a long time ago when social media had any real relevance regards the politics of the retail deal and surrounding issues. It's now bumping along at it's own pace in courts and we are in a position of frustration, almost resignation. Back in the day, the friction that was very apparent within the fanbase was a negative force until eventually most saw the light. This is nothing other than pathetic comedy

Weird Memory lapse ? It's one of the stock ironic lines you use since I pointed towards corporations for being X, Y and Z No problem Captain, keep em coming !

Not upset, I was laughing that a self proclaimed Captain of Industry feels the need to do so #Corporations

Bowyer is starting to remind me of Lennon. E'nuff said !!!

Forlan is probably the only guy on here who might be able to get into meaningful detail.

Of course, Scott ....but Bill needs his angle of attack, even if he has to manufacture it I hope the board and our lawyers pay more attention to detail.

2017 agreement/contract was announced as the beginning of the end but it has proved to be just another bundle of words that the lawyers are making money out of. Thus far, SDI seem to be well on top. Current impasse that shows no sign of solution favours SDI/Ashley MO and will cost us money. Trying to bridge a financial divide is difficult enough when all revenue streams are well below that of your main rival.

That's because ALL the pundits on it were Celtic fans Pat Bonnar Jim Duffy James McFadden Presented by David Currie (?) ------------------- What is and has been happening for a while now is that Celtic get the lions share of attention and the rest are allocated time according to wee provincial club status,...unless of course there is something negative to focus upon and then the spotlight gets shone towards Ibrox. The disparity is partly down to a lack of direct communication between the club and PQ (eg. post match interview with manager) but it I'd estimate that explains only around 20-25% of the difference.

My thread title for this was 'War & (No) Peace'. You could translate 'W&P' into Mandarin in the traditional method and by the time you publish, this will still be rolling along and costing us cash.

The Guardian went to Town on Ashley/SD for a sustained period, many SD shareholders wanted him out, a cabinet committee wanted to sort him out ........but unsurprisingly he's came through it. He's in it for the long haul and metaphorically, he want's blood.

Unless someone is going out, I can't see the need for Lowe on a seasons loan.

If you could pick the winners of all five of what are considered the biggest and best Leagues in Europe, what kind of odds do you think you'd get ? The list below currently comes in at a miserly 5.23/1 Man City (4/6) PSG (1/7) Bayern Munich (1/4) Juventus (4/7) Barcelona (4/6) That is five ODDS-ON favourites before a ball is kicked. A sign of the times in society, where the distribution of wealth is ever more skewed towards the top.