Chris Dunlavy

THE battle to sign Patrick Bauer from Charlton this summer wasn’t exactly a scramble. A scuffle would be more apt.
In the red corner, Tony Mowbray and Blackburn.
In the blue, Alex Neil and Preston. It was a contest more worthy of Bethnal Green than Madison Square Garden, eventually won by Neil to little fanfare.
Yet if the giant German maintains the standards of an impeccable opening two months at Deepdale, future suitors will be rather more box office.
Bauer is no Rio Ferdinand. He isn’t the man to despatch a tricky rollout from the keeper with a forward nippin...