Best Of

I can't help but notice that none of the new signings are ginger either. More blatant discrimination...

And a gentle reminder that our all time most valuable player that we've gone to superb lengths to keep isn't white.

I meant that James has a point. I think we're on the same page here, because I also agree that it's absolutely irrelevant to data-led player recruitment in football

He has a point though. There are valid concerns about use of algorithms with a "white bias" in various fields (i.e. trained on data where white is normative). However, the algorithms Dan et al use will be based and developed on footballing metrics. The EFL and EPL are clearly disproportionately black relative to the general population. If anything, the bias would be the other way around

I think this is why we've had such a spending bonanza this January. If we go up to the Champ (and there are absolutely no excuses for us not to do so now), then we've bought all of these players under much more generous financial rules than we would have done in the Summer and beyond. I think we now have the vast majority of the squad that Rice and co envisage us having next season in the Championship (if all goes to plan and we can hold off Wrexham)

‘only on here could someone find racism in a bloody aglorythm’

I fully agree Alan, and I think it was a crazy suggestion from Aloysius to start with. Consider also that all but one of the players we've let go this transfer window have been white too

If we're doing it right, we sell Kone for £10m (for argument's sake) then buy a replacement for a similar amount who we identify as having potential to sell for considerably more down the line. I've oversimplified it, but that's the Brentford way.

FWIW I still expect us to sell Kone in the summer for the same kind of fee we've been discussing recently, if not more. That will offset any spending so far, and then some.