Its another transfer window but the same old story for Bristol Rovers, with the Gas struggling to meet the financial demands of the inflated football transfer market.
Manager Graham Coughlan has made seven signings so far this summer, bringing in six free agents in Tom Davies (Coventry City), Mark Little (Bolton Wanderers), Luke Leahy (Walsall), Josh Hare (Eastleigh), Anssi Jaakkola (Reading) and Jordi van Stappershoef (FC Volendam), while Tyler Smith has signed on loan from Sheffield United.
In summary, a fair bit of business for not much spend.
And that is hardly surprising considering Rovers' latest accounts show they made losses of £65,000 a week for the year ending June 2018, making an operating loss of £3,409,005 for the year overall.
And wages were a big part of that with the Gas spending £97 for every £100 of income on that expense.
Speaking to Bristol Live earlier Coughlan revealed budgets are tight and plenty of targets high on his wanted list this summer have come and gone due to extortionate wage demands.
Speaking about his recruitment work this summer, he said: "I am always on the lookout for better.
"As I say I have been striving for one or two players, them golden nuggets, but I just couldn’t get them, they were out of my price bracket.
"I have spoken to a huge number of players, numerous clubs over the summer. Luckily enough I have got in a couple we wanted, yes there is a little more work to be done on and off the park."
But Coughlan insisted he will not stretch the club beyond its means during contract negotiations will perspective players with the no nonsense Irishman willing to play hardball.
He said: "Yes we will try and get one or two more in, but I ain’t going to flood the football club. I certainly ain’t going to financially go down the Bury and Bolton scenario, not on my watch."
"The ones I want to get in, I will make them an offer and it is up to them to accept it. I ain't going to go bargaining, the offer is the offer, and is what I have valued them at. If one or two come in before the end of the window then that is great. If they don’t then I am quite content with what we have got."
Bristol Rovers are back in pre-season action on Saturday when the standard of their opposition steps up a notch with Championship side Birmingham City heading to the Memorial Stadium before second tier side Swansea City visit on Tuesday night.
Saturday's game in particular should be quite the occasion with the Blues having sold out their away allocation of 1,153 tickets for the match which kicks-off early at 1pm.
