DC said that since he has been manager (3 and a half years), he has spent only £135k in transfers and due to that we have been over achieving in the last 3 seasons when compared to what other teams spend. He also said that we are in the bottom 6 on what we spend on players salaries. DC also added that he has certainly been looking ahead to the January transfer window. He has made 3 lists of players which he has given to the board to see what they can do. A Waitrose list, Aldi List and a Poundland list. DC said he would be looking to this window anyway even if we were on a great run as we always need to freshen things up as we only have 2 windows a year to do this. He said this time he personally feels we need to go down the proven route with established players (Waitrose) over the untried and untested players (Poundland) which we have been successful at in the past. He has given his list of targets that fit in the 3 lists and its down to the board on which market that they want to go in. We may end up dipping into each of the lists. January is never an easy market but money talks. We will get players we want if the right price with offered. It all boils down to finances but we want the players who wants to come here for the right reasons so need to be sensible at the same time with the money. He also discussed contracts. DC said we need to raise our salaries if we want to keep our best players but the realistic thing is that we are where we are as a club as we can only spend within our means. Regarding Bodins contract, he was offered a new contract 12 months ago. Hamer said last week that Bodin was offered a new contract 4 weeks ago but that was an improved offer according to DC so Bodin obviously turned down a new deal to stay with us. I got the feeling from how DC was talking that Bodin wont stay , but thats just my opinion. Watch DC's interview here (he discusses the upcoming Rotherham game and the previous game at Blackburn first) https://www.bristolrovers.co.uk/news/2017/november/darrellonrotherham/
I saw that interview and got the same impression CJS, what also went through my mind was, was he waiting to see if the club had ambition when it came to bringing in players in the transfer window, but I believe Steve Hamer said that DC would get any money raised if he left on the Q and A session on twitter re his interview with Twentyman on the radio. I get the impression that DC believes that we need Waitrose quality players to take us forward and it will be interesting to see the response in the new arrivals, it will also be interesting to see who apart from Burn leaves this window as he said he would be open to moving to another club including York if they move into the playoff places
DC wants Waitrose players and if he dont get it and ends up getting Poundland signings then I wouldnt be surprised if DC decides to leave in the summer if another club comes in for him. He has been good with what he has done, given the board the choice to show what ambition they have, as you said old timer. So he has publicly put the ball in the boards court and the signings will show where the board are with finances and ambition. So lets see what January brings.
