IT was perhaps fitting that when Jordan Rhodes finally left he did it slowly. His lack of pace always the 'go-to' whine among those who seek to focus on people's negative assets.

I've seen a few strikers in blue and white halves with blistering pace. The majority usually needed it to chase after their first touch.

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The highest compliment I can pay the man is that since he arrived my weekly bet was 'Rhodes first goal/2-0' even on the days Rudy Gestede was still pronounced with a hard 'G'.

I wasn't as quids-in as in the days when lumping on 'Shearer first goal' weekly could provide a comfortable living wage, but over the season I always turned a profit.

Before the 2013 cup game at Arsenal there was a nice photo of Jordan and my daughter, Ione, in a daily newspaper. Sadly I had mixed feelings as it was a newspaper I pledged never to buy. And I have similar mixed feelings now.

It's all well and good having an expensive Ferrari chassis but if the engine and brake-pads are cut-price spare parts then it's futile.

With the massive fee Rovers can now begin to reassemble a vehicle that even the grouches will appreciate as it runs up the Championship hill a bit quicker.

And now four or five players that Paul Lambert actively wanted are in the side - along with some he obviously rates - I expect an upswing in fortunes.

The performance at Oxford may have seen Rovers slowly moving through the attacking gears before leaving the hosts sucking up fumes, but an excellent defensive unit made sure it remained goalless.

Of course, Oxford are no Middlesbrough. They don't have an £11m striker for one thing. Yet, we see cup banana-skins cause slippage for other sides and to press the football cliche button; you can only beat what is put in front of you.

And Rovers did that convincingly.

So I won't be putting my money on Rhodes 2-0 THIS Saturday. Who could predict a Rovers result these days anyway?

Me. 1-1 and a continuation of a stealthily unbeaten run.