Personally, I don't think they even bothered trying to negotiate an extension. This just kicks the can down the road for another year, and is much easier. Hedges definitely leaves for nothing next summer like the rest of them will.

I saw yesterday that Jake Barrett has signed a new two year deal with a one year extension option, and my immediate thought was: why? 22 year old keeper (we have a lot of youth keepers) who seemingly hasn't pulled up any trees. Has he even sat our bench? Because younger keepers have. I don't get it. Whatever his wage is, just add it onto an offer for a senior player instead.

Time to rejoice everyone, Hedges contract option has been triggered, meaning that similarly to Hyam, they were unable to actually negotiate an extension with him. the same story also seems to indicate Kargbo will play left wing, & Hedges right wing next season, which in turn indicates Dolan will leave without being replaced Blackburn Rovers have triggered their clause to extend Ryan Hedges' contract by a further 12 months, The Lancashire Telegraph can reveal. The Welshman's terms were set to expire this summer, though Valerien Ismael made it clear he saw Hedges as part of his plans for 2025/26. Therefore, it was always likely that Rovers would take up their option at the least. Talks about fresh terms until 2027 were first mooted in December, as reported by The LT. However, little progress has been made on that front since then. With Blackburn Rovers needing to inform their players of their intentions by May 17, Rovers have decided to extend his deal by 12 months. That gives the two parties more time to iron out a new deal, should they still wish to. The club's official retained list does not need to be made public until June, though it's expected to be published this week, as is customary. There are unlikely to be any shocks, with it well-known that Rovers want to keep Danny Batth, Andi Weimann, Adam Forshaw and Tyrhys Dolan. Ismael is confident he can help Hedges improve his output next season. Last season was hampered by long-term injuries, whilst 2024/25 saw his numbers drop after switching to the left-wing. There have been internal discussions about a return to the right side next season, the role he played his best football in under Jon Dahl Tomasson previously. "Yes, definitely. Ryan, I expected him to be here next season," Ismael told The Lancashire Telegraph last month. "I spoke with him already. So now I think it's about the club (to sort it out). I think he's a player who's got that energy, that intensity. "With my way to play, it will be good for him. It's about to get a good pre-season for all of them. If we're able to go through that pre-season. "Six, seven weeks of hard work together to get that intensity. Then I think we can get much more out of Ryan." Hedges is currently sidelined with an ankle injury sustained against Sheffield United. He is expected to be fit for the start of pre-season, though.

Same here but I fear it's because I still can't let go! 😭

Obviously not ‘a fact’, is it, just Eddie’s opinion. It’s a thread on a message board with a few dozen regular posters. It’s akin to a few folk in a pub having a chat.. and guess what in the pubs around Wilpshire the smalltime folk will have a chat about Adam Wharton.

It's still a pretty long list of players from the last 15 years that have represented the club in the Premier League, played Premier League football elsewhere, played international football (in the case of Jones and Dunn), and played for significantly bigger clubs (in the case of Jones). It's not like we are Stocksbridge and we now have a soft spot for Leicester because of Jamie Vardy. As I said in my previous post, the level thing is too early to judge. He looks set to have a fantastic career that will see him move beyond Crystal Palace and represent England for years to come. But it could also not happen. I'll put it this way. If I were a Birmingham City supporter, I wouldn't give two f*cks about Real Madrid (or Dortmund before them). Nice to see Bellingham doing well and it's a credit to their academy and a nice story that maybe helps the club recruit local players, but he chose to leave and best of luck to him.

I don't have no connection to the area. Don't let my accent fool you just because my family moved to the US when I was 1 or the fact that my career has me based in Paris. But, either way, that isn't particularly relevant. We're all from somewhere and there's nothing unique to Blackburn that means a non-local couldn't imagine a similar relationship with an athlete/musician/actor/politican/etc from their local area. We will have to wait and see just how good of a career he goes on to have, but Phil Jones left here with a bigger reputation and higher expectations. He didn't any of the same tracking or fascination that Wharton gets. Why? Because we were a Premier League side and had better things to focus on. He was also probably hurt by the fact that he joined United, but this messageboard was certainly not filled with members talking about local-boy-done-good. There's no two ways about it. This is a reflection of the downfall of this club. That isn't me - or any other poster on here - telling people to not follow his career or to not have a soft spot for him. But it doesn't change the fact that it makes us look small-time.

I used to idolising Alan Shearer and Alessandro Del Piero as young boy growing us. Shearer is the best striker I've ever seen live and seeing him as my idol and what I wanted to become a pro footballer, but never going to make it, not good enough a striker. I used to always watch Football Italia on channel 4 every week and I used to follow Juventus and Del Piero is my idol and one of my all time favourite footballers. I used to loved watching Barcelona as I was growing up and players like Xavi and Iniesta. Over the pass 10/12 years my passion for watching La Liga has gone, and following Italia Football isn't the same as it was growing up.

People telling young kids how they should think about football shirts and club loyalty is very funny. I had a white West Ham away kit when I was 10 cos my mum got it cheap in the sale from a sports shop. I loved that shirt. I also had the Southampton away shirt around the same time. This was the early 80s. Football kits are fascinating to football obsessed young lads. &nbsp Lighten up 😉

Anyone given this a go and if so, was it worth it?

It's almost as exciting as waiting for the fixture list to be announced!

He obviously hasn’t resigned… but guess what a three day old tweet of a quote from weeks ago means bugger all.

I can easily accept him idolising Wharton too. But he has a Rovers shirt with him on, and an England shirt with him on. I don't get what he wants a Palace one for. I can sort of see why people might collect signed memorabilia in glass displays too, maybe I was slightly harsh on that count. But I can't imagine why you'd go to another club's website and give them money to plonk a player's name on it, and then, presumably, wear it. It's always been bizarre to me to see Rovers fans in another team's shirt. And yes idolising players is part of football, but not idolising the teams they play for too, which is what the vast majority of a shirt is about. The main thing about being a football fan, if you're not a neutral, is loyalty to your club. The main reason for buying what are now obscenely overpriced shirts is that loyalty.

Rovers official website 3 days

As soon as they come up with Mannequins that can move these lads will be out of a job!

I often thought when watching those behind the scenes training clips that get released as to who these lads are in the sticks because they look useless. Half the time just stick a hand or foot out or nothing at all and i'm like why the #### aren't you trying to save these shots you are supposed to be training to improve right ? Seems maybe not, just pay some to put the gloves on everyday eh, nice work and i think i'd do better than some of them, genuinely.

Phil's annual summer grenade has been chucked 😉

Those would be brilliant from now on it's THE TONY PARKES STAND

That's a great token mate

I watch every Palace game I can just because of Wharton and the fact they give English players a chance. I think Palace had the most players from one club at the last euros

Going on holiday to Spain and coming home with a Barca shirt is standard 12 year old behaviour (often a knock off one from a market stall 😄). But a Crystal Palace shirt? Hmm…

sportapp Looks like Facebook has taken it down

He's a training keeper, at our level you have to contract lads to do this. Up and down the land clubs from Step 2 through 5 will have keepers who are paid expenses (or contracted) to purely be a body in training, both to support the keepers and lighten the load on keepers for finishing work to give the Pro's a rest. This lad will be no different, Eastham and Hilton have been fulfilling the role for us for years.

might be useful for you to post the link so that we can determine one way or the other 😉

Dusty Springfield - Bad Case Of The Blues