I also think it's a bit harsh on Fleming, he is what he is and sums up the squad perfectly. The reason he was picked was because there's no other senior forwards and the cheap policy of picking up loans was scuppered. Our position in the league is flattering because we only played 20 games and had multiple weekends off to regroup a threadbare squad. Our best performances often included loanees.

We're 10 1st team players short of a realistic promotion push and the policy of 'finding gems' in League 1 is galling when we are the best supported team.

I'm not sure what point you're trying to make re Toulouse. Obviously they will recruit if they get promoted. The squad they have now is not the squad they would start a SL season with if they go up, because it doesn't need to be a SL squad yet.
However, I think they do already have some players who would not look out of place in SL. They've done very well to keep hold of Kheirallah and Ford for as long as they have. Both are better than some of their counterparts currently playing in SL imo.
I want them to go up and I want them to be the first promoted team not to come straight back down (or implode).

Exactly, we sell more tickets and we're significantly worse than the top two who have spent more.
Whereas we are marginally worse than 2 clubs who we also sell more tickets than and probably have similar budgets.
Either way in terms of 'professional sport selling tickets', 5th and being slaughtered in 3 out of games with the top 2 looks an underachievement on and off the field.

If the key achievement this year is the use of last years donated season ticket money to pay off debts run up by Chalmers in preparation for more of the same next season then it needs to be called what it is.

The point I'm making is our budget is self evidently tiny. The board either in terms of sponsorship or investment are bringing precious little.

Says it all when our most attacking threat in the second half came from a player we have just signed from a second string RU team who had only trained a couple of times and played for only 20 minutes previously. Give him a start on Sat in place of Oakes who offers nothing from centre on attack and plays more like a 2nd row.

Also give Jack Sanderson a spot instead of Brown. He's in the 21 most weeks but never gets a start. Also let's hope Scurr is back this week.

Not too sure he has the legs yet but he is a really really promising player!