In your opinion.

You don't recall those clambering over the dividing fence between BE and Enclosure and those over the wall from BE and into the Enclosure (cutting across the pitch) in order to confront the Directors in front of their Box? I know it might be 55ish years ago but it's still in my memory bank!

That is the logical conclusion but unfortunately Venkys do not do logic ! What , I would really like to know is who exactly is on the payroll ? Adminstration or selling the Club would mean access to the accounts .

History dispels your opinion.

This seems like a reasonable argument.

If they haven't got a football brain, they shouldn't be pro footballers.

It's an interesting debate. A buddy played in Southampton's Academy with Oxlade-Chamberlain. He told me AOC didn't really stand out in everyday drills, but there was a running test where everyone else was clocking ~12s while AOC clocked ~10s, and it was clear that he was 'the annointed one'. Perhaps an outlier anecdote (AOC's had a mixed career, but hardly a failure. And paid off nicely for the Academy), but you'd generally expect measureable physical talent is the first thing that will catch coaches' eye. Does that mean less physically gifted prospects are neglected, and perhaps where a 'lesser' Cat 1 Academy like us can look to poach castoffs? JRC from Man Utd a (mixed) example that comes to mind... --- Noticed O'Grady-Macken only coming off the bench last night. Has been absent from the last two preseason camps. Maybe injury-related? Am I misremembering that he was one that allegedly caught JDT's eye? Perhaps one whose fallen out of favour under Ismael after an FA Cup sub appearance + 7 bench appearances under Eustace. Had me wondering about which youth players were brought along to recent camps as an indicator of 'catching the manager's eye'. Ignoring obvious ones like Leonard, Markanday, Vale, etc. Some of which will reflect incomplete squads at the time... 2023 Austria under JDT (https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2023/july/09/austria-bound/) Barnes - Well-documented injury issues, which is a shame. Signed with Altrincham in NL this year, but left on their bench so far. Davies - Not sure why he was brought along as a fresh 16-year-old at the time (joined from Man U at 13). Signed a pro deal in 2024, but has barely played at PL2 since. Turns 19 in Oct. Eastham - Finally released this summer. Signed with Ashton in NPL. Edmondson - I've been curious about him after scoring as a sub during that Cup stomping of Harrogate back in 23-24. Made a couple benches last year and apparently did well on a NPL loan with Macclesfield, but wasn't part of the last two camps. Started for the u21s last night. Turns 21 in Nov. Gamble - Released this summer after a mixed loan with AFC Fylde. I recall he was on our bench a bunch in 22-23 or 23-24, likely more reflecting a lack of squad depth. Currently unttached. Gilsenan - Released. Now with Grimsby. Hasn't made their squad yet. O'Grady-Macken - see above. Weston - Released last year, after a brief NL Kidderminster loan. Had spells with Barrow and Rochdale last year. Now at NLN Curzon Ashton. 2024 Austria under Eustace (https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2024/july/14/austria-bound/) Barrett - An odd one... His age prevented him from even being 3rd string when we hit the roster cap last year. Had a NPL loan with Workington. Wasn't included in this year's preseason camp (in favour of Goddard?) despite signing a new deal until 2027 (+ option). Duru - Showed some promise with a couple appearances + apparently doing ok during his L2 loan with Barrow before injury. Strange he was omitted from this year's camp, but may be injury-related. Let's see about the rumoured MLS loan. Gamble - See above. Gent - Sold to Barnsley, where he had 30 apps last year. Let's see how he develops, but probably fine that we (mildly) cashed-in after impressing during his SPL loan. Saadi - Ha, surprised he was included last summer. Released after last year's Cypriot 1st Division loan. Unattached at the moment. Tyjon - Showing some promise, but we'll see... Wood - Didn't seem to do much across Scottish League One (Annan), NLN (Radcliffe), and NPL (Warrington) loans last year, after scoring a decent amount in PL2/UPL. Was a sub last night. Just turned 21. Somewhat surprised we took up his option this year. Maybe simply looking to find him a landing spot (there is an empathetic case for not just casting off youth players). 2025 Spain under Ismael (https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2025/july/20/spain-squad-confirmed/) Atcheson, Batty (I presume injuries prevented him from joining previous outings), Goddard, Litherland, Michalski, Montgomery, Mullarkey-Matthews, Pratt, Tyjon. Atcheson and Litherland getting some mild hype. Getting Gamble vibes from Pratt as an ageing out CB (he turns 23 in Sep), but no actual insight. Gestede and/or Ismael seem to like Montgomery and Mullarkey-Matthews. No idea about Goddard, who doesn't get the same hype as Michalski, but he did sign a new deal until 2027 (+option). His litany of non-league loans - NPL loans with Lancaster (2 apps), Bamber Bridge (37 apps), and Marine (26 apps), LOI with Dundalk (6 apps), and NL with Ebbsfleet (2 apps) - look odd, but perhaps a sign of actively trying to develop him. I know the non-league loans get scoffed at, but I've wondered if they're of some use for the longer-term development of GKs. Turns 22 in March.

i bet he did it free. We once had an agent work all summer for free and had the place rocking, when he left.

Although his managerial stints suggest he doesn't have overall football intelligence! He certainly had it on the pitch though pretty much from the off. I remember they did a documentary episode about it on tv, and when they analysed what he could do and how fast his brain could process it, he was operating at a genius level in this regard. Then he'd open his mouth and it was like listening to a barely sentient scouse potato. One player who impresses me more and more in this regard as I keep seeing clips is Messi. Must be one of the most intelligent, fast-thinking footballers of all time easily. Always seems to know what a defender is going to do so he can jink away from them, usually without any fancy tricks just perfectly timed change of speed and direction (his insane agility etc helps of course). But his reading of the overall game...yesterday I saw a clip of him playing for Miami, and I don't care what level the league is - a pass was played into him with his back to goal, and without looking he flicked it on, needle-like pass through two defenders, perfectly onto the run of Suarez, whose direction of travel had changed, to slot in past the keeper. I've no idea how he processed where Suarez was going to be with the information he had, it was pure genius.

Wharton has potential to surpass that class of Modeic/Scholes/Tugay if he can stay injury free. I so hope he goes to Madrid.

I think agents are generally a scourge on football and it's a widely held sentiment. I would love to know how much Dolan's agent made out of his move to Espanyol !!! 😉

Let's fall out, get involved in a legal dispute and then keep going back for more. venkys fall out with Kentaro - Google Search

Yes pretty much easy for them to track how/where the information has came from most nda agreements likely involve financial penalties injunctions and legal action. They are normally only accepted I’d say in our case JDT and JE so the club let them out of the contract. Yeah could be similar but you don’t have to sign one if that’s the case they will probably say we aren’t selling you and he loses a year of football but then can spill all next year - tricky one

I was actually referring to Steve Kean (worked with all three) but played along with the potential for the fellow you may be referring to

Saxton was early to mid 1980's - things had calmed down a lot by then!

'Saxton Out' chants by a hundred or so on Nuttall St was as volatile as I can remember.

Extracts from 'Ewood Park The Cradle of English Football' - those around at the time will recognise some of this, particularly the late 60's and early 70's: Edit @jim mk2has beaten me to it and provided the link in above post.

There was talk of Leonard going on loan was there not? So I didn't include him in the 19, but if he is our 3rd choice striker then yeah he'll take a spot. Likewise if Garrett is kept around, I could see Gestede registering him just so he has an excuse not to sign a replacement..

Thanks pal😀

On NDAs If your break one, what is the come back? Financial? If you break one say because you know you are dying (sorry to be morbid) can any penalisation be passed to your family? What is to stop someone with an NDA using mouthpieces to get the story out -too traceable?

Sir Alex said the agent connected with the club, couldn't pick his nose. Sir Alex Ferguson reveals agents' outrageous demands to United | Alex Ferguson | The Guardian

Rovers fans were attacking opposition players on the pitch in 1926 https://ewoodpark.jimdofree.com/blackburn-has-no-lads-from-the-terraces-crowd-trouble-blackburn-youth-elders/ Mercer and I were there 😀

Lol.....give over Mercer.

So there does appear to be a great deal of circumstantial (maybe more?) evidence (and this has been around for a long time now) that the teller of fairy stories who has problems with nose picking according to some still has fingers in the pie. All allegedly of course. Could it be that this person and associates have far too much dirt on both the Raos and the EFL that they would not like to come to light, that an ‘understanding’ is in place – we won’t shed any embarrassing light on matters if the revolving door of players is maintained? If this is the case, it begs the question, how long will it continue –how long will this plodding along last? Until one or more of the actors is no longer with us? Until, it is so long the EFL wouldn’t be embarrassed? All allegedly and imho of course.

Not always the case! Not sure how old you are and how far you go back. Rovers' fans had a notorious reputation in the 1960's and to a lesser degree early 1970's.