It's just totally ridiculous stuff now. Parody level. I appreciate that a bloke like Gestede has to come out with stuff like this to justify his employment and 'project' but it really is as though the last 4-5 years just haven't happened and we are all supposed to forget about it. They employed Broughton and JDT under this precise remit. It worked. JDT brought through a huge number of academy players and integrated them into the first XI. Broughton got them all under proper contracts. Adam Wharton being the big one but also Carter, Garrett, Vale, Leonard, and others, all elevated from the academy to the first XI whilst many managers wouldn't have even considered doing so. He managed this whilst also sustaining good results and should have got us in the play-offs. If there had been a little less obsession with the academy players and more focus on immediate results we might have recruited differently in January 2023 and perhaps got the extra point needed to secure a play-off position. But despite that they - the owners and board - quickly took a wrecking ball to that project, forcing out the manager and Director of Football due to appalling conduct and then handed the job to Eustace who clearly has a strong preference for experience - and allowed him to top the squad up with senior players - McFadzean, Batth, Weimann, Cantwell. Fair enough, it worked, its a means to an end - it should and probably would have got us a play-off position had the same owners and board then not took a wrecking ball to that process and forced that manager out to Derby County. And now we have Gestede sat there telling us we need to use the academy more. Total and utter clown show, but ultimately they know this stuff is music to the ears of the owners and certain fans, it justifies a total lack of investment and recruitment in ready made quality players and it provides for 'jam tomorrow' as we can float around going nowhere for another couple of years whilst the 'project' progresses, players develop whilst we sacrifice results in return and then to add the icing to the cake we let them run their contracts down so rival clubs can snap them up, once ready, for next to nothing (Dolan). Micky mouse outfit operated by complete chancers.

Do you not think they're doing the right thing at the moment?

I'm happy to show support for them in doing the right thing. I get behind them by making constructive proposals.

It's absolutely fine to want to progress academy players, otherwise, what's the point in having one? However, the whole raison d'etre of Blackburn Rovers Football Club & Athletic PLC is the first team. It's pointless to promote players from the academy to the first team, if they aren't ready, all this will do, is hold the first team back.

Masher has made the effort to read the Parliamentary notes explaining the new legislation and understands that when it is enacted the club will have statutory obligations regarding fan engagement which they will have to fulfil whether they want to or not.

Literally nothing in my post said you were critical, either. What I did say, as it clearly bears repeating: 'you seem determined not to get behind the coalition' and 'it's a shame you can't support these people'. Show them some support and that you're willing to get behind them, then I'll absolutely hold my hands up and acknowledge that.

I for one will admit I am stupid, as shown by continuing to suffer through these morons.

Who would you rather have in your team ?

Mashed brains fundamentally not understanding something? Well I'm shocked to say the least.

So voluntarily relegating the team is not the issue, just the fact they weren’t communicated with earlier that they no longer had a team or job?

........yes....?

Masher seems to fundamentally not understand that ‘the club’ is not acting in good faith.

The club don't respond to them.

Does he think we are all fcking stupid?

More of a recap than a story, but confirmation that its all about increasing value (selling players) rather than any sort of building exercise Rudy Gestede, wants to offer even more minutes to those Under-23 in the Academy. "What we have seen in the last year, the minutes played by our Academy players has dropped drastically," he told The Lancashire Telegraph in April. "We used to be over 2,000 minutes for Under-23 Academy players. Last 12 months, 142 minutes. "That affects the value of the asset and we want to go back to that model. That was part of the discussions with Valerien. They have to be part of your squad planning and we will also go in the market for young players."

Fair enough

Complete nonsense. Literally nothing in my post is critical of the Coalition. Here are 2 constructive proposals for them. The Bill provides for there to be regular meetings with a representative group of supporters : 1. The Coalition should approach the club for detail of how they envisage that representative group be constituted. 2. The Coalition should ask the club to state how many meetings a year they would regard as meeting the requirement that they are "regular". That is what I mean by working within the system.

You seem determined not to get behind the coalition, which is made up of people trying to make things better for the club. It's a shame you can't support these people, really.

No mate I'm on holiday it wouldn't wash with the Mrs 🤣

The Football Governance Bill is passing through Parliament and should be law by the end of next month. It is designed to provide the protection that you are looking for, as well as a system for fan engagement. I think the Coalition are going to have to work within this new system.

Chris and you hit the nail on the head here it's not the fact the clubs been relegated it's how they've communicated it to the players it's just plain wrong imo when these clowns rocked up they promised to invest in every area of the club and that includes the women's team if the circumstances have changed & they no longer can do the decent thing & put the club up for sale Spot on Mike that's the biggest issue with this lot it's how they've run this club & ruined it

Thanks Ian I understand pal I hope you're enjoying the break pal & was good to see you at Sheffield on the last day last season look forward to seeing you next season & look forward to seeing the sketches when you can Thanks Savio

All 6”8 of him…N’Zonzi eat your heart out Jade Jones would be decent, can he play Right Wing?

For those planning going to the games, the link below will help with a flight to Murcia Airport. The flights are not as plentiful to Murcia as they are to Alicante, but possibly cheaper to Murcia in late July. Manchester is possibly best for those close to Blackburn. So far as the distance to the Pinatar stadium is concerned, it’s around a 30 minute drive from Murcia airport and 50 minutes from Alicante. https://www.skyscanner.net/flights-to/rmu/cheap-flights-to-region-de-murcia-international-airport.html