Llambias and his purple haze!

You trippin? Purple haze used to be a slang term referring to the drug LSD, which seems quite appropriate really given what Derek Llambias has been saying.

Essentially dastardly Dekka has given a bit of an insight into how the club works when it comes to strengthening and has sounded a note of caution to those who might expect some form of strengthening in January.

He has revealed that the club can only afford to have eleven players of starting quality, or 'purples' as those inside the club call them. I don't know why they are called 'purples' and not just 'players who will be starting' but hey ho. Personally I think it's a bit weird, sort of like a secret club, but each to their own...

However the devil is in the detail and whilst poking fun at something like that has an upside, there is most definitely a downside that has come along with it. Here goes...

"We've made it quite clear to everyone. We have 11 positions that are grade A players or Purples, as we call them," he explained in the Northern Echo.

"Then, under them, we have the players who come in under them to take the positions so the squad gets bigger."

"Eventually we'll have 33 players who will be pushing everyone. Where we are we have, in effect, 11 Purples if you count (Vurnon) Anita. He can play midfield, right-back, left-back. They are there. Centre-backs you have Colo and Steven Taylor, who are fantastic centre-backs."

"To bring in another centre-back then you have James Perch, who is doing a fantastic job, (Mike) Williamson, who is doing a fantastic job. You can't have two purples per position because the club can't afford it. You have to be realistic."

Ok so we have to be realistic then? So what is being realistic? Is it now realistic to assume that we won't be buying any players for the starting eleven until one is sold? Is it realistic to assume those that are here will only be pressured for positions from within? Is it realistic to assume that we are going to continue with a squad that is thin on experienced cover?

Another thing, Derek. Most fans are realistic enough to know that we aren't going to be able to acquire two full teams of stars and leave eleven of them on the bench each week. We haven't got Champions League football and aren't a big enough draw for a 'purple' player to be willing to come and sit on our bench.

However, to say we can only afford one first-team player per position is just, well, bollocks. You constantly tell us how well you and your mate Mike have done with the finances but now it's all under control we suddenly can't afford anything. Why try to improve at all then?

This regime have done some good things, but things like this really annoy me. In fairness we are without BOTH 'purple' central defenders and I dare say that most teams would struggle a bit more if that was the case, but with a player with an injury record like Steven Taylor's you have to wonder why there isn't an inkling of wanting to strengthen that area of the pitch.

What do you think?