Warren

The club needs to be brave in bringing through the young players. Space needs to created for them. Hence it's right Tom Conlon is not resigned. But obviously all strategies have risks to be managed. If they flop then the club could be in relegation trouble.

Bradford and Swindon stand on the same points in L2. Both are just about in range of Wimbledon who currently hold the last play off spot. 26 played, 34 points. Wimbledon 25 played, 39 points. It makes absolute sense for Bradford to stuff Swindon - 27 played, 34 points with a recall. Of course we need to organise a party at PV to celebrate Swindon being stuffed.

Bradford City are an enigma. Clearly are a bigger and better supported club than Port Vale. But massively under achieving in L2. Surely, they want to assemble a promotion team. If they are going to sell a goal scorer they should only do so for a large fee. Bradford's average attendance is 17,855 this season.

When it comes to young players brought in on loan, promoted to the first team squad or sold on from the academy for profit, PV has done very well in the last 6-9 months. So I do trust them to make the right calls in Jan 2024 including the return of this dude if it is possible. I think sorting central defence this window is important. We have almost an army of players who can play central defence. For me only Jesse Debrah is clearly an L1 player. The rest are L1/L2, L2 or NL/L2. This matters absolutely - stop letting goals in. If the defence is more solid / confident, including passing, I think it does assist giving younger players a chance at WB, midfield and forward. I'm suspecting we are in a tight budget situation. Therefore we need to give young players a chance for this reason - aside from development. To do that well we must improve the defence this window. That includes players in, players out and getting players 100% fit.

The lowest supported team in the Championship is Rotherham on circa 10k. Then step up to Blackburn on 15.5k. Stoke are 11th on 22.4k. We go to the top which is Sunderland on 40.8k. Plymouth are on 16.3k and competing in the lower half. I know away fans attending is consistently higher, but we would need VP full every week. The other factor here is that the teams in the Championship already have Championship players. We don't, so we would need to buy them and develop them. I agree Ojo was a Championship level player, but he's at VP to see out his career. The trade is his experience. However, there can be Championship players at PV hiding in plain sight. If Championship players were brought in there are younger players at PV who would develop to their standard quickly.

We seem to be able to score goals now. Our issue is letting fewer in. We may be challenged in midfield / forward line if Blaster / Devine are recalled in Jan. Clearly our problems were scoring goals. It had two parts in players were not scoring and the manager didn't seem to know how to set up the attacking half of the team. But I think for a club like us it's very risky to spend more to bring in a lower league striker. None of them are much good across career. If they were they would be playing for a bigger club / higher level.

Only Ripley, Blaster and Devine are good enough to play at Championship level by say next season. Two on loan to us. So only Ripley. We can't get there from here. Radical improvement in attendances and off field income needed to get to and remain in the Championship.

Wilder in talks to replace Heckingbottom.

Staff haven't been paid at Reading. Looks like the club is in deep trouble.

He wasn't getting games at Rochdale. He needs to play and progress. To me he looks lightweight. He needs to overcome that to play at the level Port Vale is at. Being a bit unfair there, I guess it's just normal development.

I'm going radical. Keep Massey. He's a lot more useful than appreciated.

This is where our great insight and strategic thinking on what's needed is set out for Crosby to learn from.

I visit my friend in Arbroath once a year since he moved back there from Wigan. The first year I decided I wanted to watch my first game of Scottish football. But Arbroath were away. So I chose the next town / station north which is Montrose. Once supported I can't unsupport them! I suppose if I wanted the big time I could have chosen Aberdeen.

Well it's a free world. I used to watch Tranmere alot in the 1990s, possibly because my friends support Tranmere. I would like to go again soon since its been several years now. I also haven't been able to watch my Scottish team Montrose for a few years. I had a trip booked and covid-19 cancelled the whole fixture.

I live about 4 miles from Prenton Park and they're my second team. Been here closing 37 years after moving from Trentham.

I have a keen interest in Tranmere. The most noticeable thing when I watch highlights is they are clearly not fit enough. That's pretty inexcusable management. Adkins is experienced. Would not surprise me if he becomes permanent. I need to go to a Tranmere game. But too many Tuesday night games at Port Vale is blocking my motivation to go presently. I also wonder whether the owners are luxuriating in the extra income of the Liverpool womens team playing at Prenton Park. Thus with ground rent et al for that, they are not investing sufficiently in their own team and seeking to get the gates up. I guess that's a bit too hypothetical but my Tranmere friends are pretty fed up.

I think criticism is an OK word. Abuse is not an OK word. With abuse, the threshold of what is abuse is lower with a woman. So, for example Duncan Fergusan does have a deterrent effect as a big man. Not many people would physically confront him outside a stadium. Yet, I think this lady manager could be vulnerable to that. Also online, the abuse given to a woman can become sexually explicit and threatening. I agree there is no protection against failure in professional sport. It's a very tough place to work and careers are often pretty short. That applies to men and women. If I think, well how can a female be protected from this stuff? One way is length of contract that means lack of success isn't immediately punitive. The other is that club security need to pay more attention to her in all dimensions. Some extra protection needs to be given. One hopes over time a cultural shift will occur. But there is still likely to be a bit of Roman Amphitheatre about watching football. It is an emotional supporter based professional sport. That can lead to some very bad behaviour. Historical evidence is widely available. I may be having a dream here! I may be being unfair to the owner? But employment law is based on searching for and appointing the best person for the job using accepted objective measures. The new caretaker manager in this case has been at the club several years and been successful with the junior teams. So she is a plausible internal promotion albeit I'm not reviewing what other internal candidates were available.

I won't watch women's football. I haven't got time and the standard of play is too low to transcend from sport to entertainment. But as a female manager I hope she does well. Unfortunately, a manager, +/- 5%, can only be as good as the players. Unless you're exceptional, say Brian Clough (OK, John Rudge). If she turns out to be exceptional she could become iconic. There are now two rival inequalities bidding for jobs. Increase the number of black managers, given that about 40% of players are black. Let more women into the male game as coaches and managers. I think women managers will need some protection from the abuse unsuccessful and even successful managers get. That can get nasty in many ways, and often goes over the top. I don't know how that's achieved because it possibly requires a whole cultural shift from the fanbase.

They're playing several divisions above their natural position. Where a town like Nailsworth could expect to reasonably be without extraordinary financial backing.

He may have got frustrated and gently and eloquently expressed his concerns for the coming season to the Board.

They are going to leave Conte's assistant in place. The argument goes thar top managers don't want to commit until they see where Spurs will be next season. Spurs have a mighty 10 game run in including Brighton, Newcastle, Liverpool and Man Utd.

A proper dude who knows what he's doing. Could turn round their fortunes.

Everton look like they are imploding when sacking Lampard.

Sorry for above. On my fifth pint. I do dislike womens football. I think it's rubbish. But there is no reason why a qualified woman couldn't manage a professional men's team.

No women please.