Even here in the Netherlands, tickets are only being made available to NEC season ticket holders and registered club members. They are only opening one stand for the game. The reason for the security is following what happened in 2012 when Rovers had a pre season tour here. The NEC game was planned as their family day with bouncy castles and various attractions. However, the NEC ”Ultras” had other ideas, and the day before the game attacked Rovers fans at the station and anyone with a Rovers shirt or scarf in the town, even people sitting at the al fresco cafes and pubs. It was so bad that NEC cancelled the game along with their family day. In the end they rescheduled a behind closed doors game which was held at on of the Dutch national team’s training complexes in a wooded location near Honderloo. This got out and we made our way there together with a few other Rovers supporters. We were met by armed police. The playing area was completely obscured behind high fences, we could just about here the eerie sounds of the players calling to each other, although one enterprising Rovers fan climbed a tree to see what was going on. In the end the police moved us all away as they had intelligence that the nutters from Nijmegen were on their way to cause trouble. So that’s the story of the second battle of Nijmegen, we could have done with the guard’s armoured and the 82nd airborne to help us out but it wasn’t to be. Here I am a lifelong Rovers fan who grew up watching Bryan Douglas and Ronnie Clayton, having lived in the Arnhem-Nijmegen region for the last 38 years and I can’t even watch my favourite team in a pre season friendly. don’t suppose anyone knows someone with a spare ticket ?

Ridiculous question. As if the club would provide that.

Remember WBA away last season almost a hattrick 🔥

Mumbai would jump at the chance going from League one to Rovers.

Agreed. That would require the capacity to plan.

Think this time round they have a better chance (unfortunately!). As well as Leeds and Sunderland I suspect Bournemouth and Brentford could struggle. Palace possibly as well if they lose Eze or Mateta - although with how Parrish plays hardball they would undoubtedly have decent funds to reinvest. Not sure West Ham are in a great place either. Bugger! I seem to have talked myself into giving the Dingles a fair chance of staying up 🙁

Will the club provide the jumpers they’ll need for goalposts or does he have to bring his own?

With a cheap signing like him, let's say he cost us 250k... You should expect absolutely nothing, anything more is a bonus.

Seems to be fairly quick, a willing runner. Got himself on the edge of the 6 yard box for the goal v Everton, not something Hedges does. He seems to prefer being on the edge of the area.

Im not so sure they do. The state that the system in this country is in, it is so difficult to stay up if you go up such is the gap between the divisions. The flip side of this is that Southampton disgraced themselves in the Premier League, yet are very strongly placed to come back up even assuming they lose their best players. Regarding the promoted teams, Burnley have lost Trafford, Egan Riley and Brownhill. Their signings seem to be a bit underwhelming from their perspective. Sunderland were weaker to begin with but have really gone for it in the market, Xhaka is the eye catching one. Leeds had the strongest squad of the 3 and have only strengthened it.

It's because despite all the claims, boasts and lies from the club about the importance of communication with fans in practice unless you know someone behind the scenes the only chance the general fanbase have to discover what is going on is by waiting for occasional forum meetings and then waiting for the minutes released weeks later. They've done their best to remove all other forms of communication including consultation and shareholder meetings and I'm sure they'd get rid of forum meetings too if they could. Because what they claim and what they actually do are the opposite. It sounds good to say you value communication. In practice they do the absolute minimum and have the media wrapped around their fingers too.

England doing their best to lose this Test. Another dropped catch and poor bowling

Was in the right place for the goal against Everton, came to some decent opportunities against Elche and look defensively solid. Partnership with Ribeiro not clicking all together unfortunately. Need time to adapt each other

Sorry, can't agree with this. Theoretically, he does but, in reality, he's fundamentally lacking. He doesn't have a 'footballing brain' and his finishing is often woeful. If he was given a banjo, the cow's arse would be safe...

Slightly jealous of Charlton's window. It's a very 'Stoke' style could go either way, but Knibbs and Apter are in the mould we need

Really hope De Neve shows something, not been impressed so far. Bad first touch, not sure what he offers, looks like another Hedges personally

In my opinion he has more of the attributes to make him a great right winger.

Keith Lemon from Temu?

I think that the Dingles will have a fighting chance this year. Parker seems to be a more pragmatically minded manager that Kompany was, certainly defensively, so they perhaps won't get rolled over quite the same this time around. Here's hoping though...

I dont think Mumba is anything special, often shunted around in various positions, usually either full back. We need a right winger who is going to play in that position and can give us a goal threat and some pace. Not someone who can be a jack of all trades.

Could mean that De Neve plays inverted on RW to make room for overlapping fullbacks and the new RW does the same.

These two would be amazing business. Won’t happen 🤣

If a new RW is playing on the LW, that means Hedges is starting at RW. A sobering thought.

Let’s have your predictions in the following categories: 1. Winners of the Championship Southampton 2. Automatic promotion (runners-up) in the Championship Ipswich 3. Four Play off semi-finalists in the Championship Wrexham ROVERS Birmingham Duuuuughby 4. Three relegated sides from the Championship Sheff Wed, Hull, Preston 5. Where will Rovers finish in the Championship? 6th 6. First Championship club to change manager (after the season starts) Rovers 7. Winners of the Premier League Leeds 8. A notable wild card prediction of something that will happen in the Rovers universe during the season (e.g. Donald Trump visits Ewood Park) A space ship lands in the centre of the pitch during the hame v Derby just as Weimann is about to unleash a winning boomer from 40 yards and the Venkys return to their home planet. The aliens grant us one wish and everyone wishes to wake up from the shitshow that was apparently the last 15 years and we are still in the Prem. Oh an I find £20 in my pocket.

One point is that young fans will have no hero's to bond with if we carry on like this.They no sooner love a player than he's off. They adore Gueye. Gotta keep these kids onside.