No offense, but jeez do people have short memories or something? Rovers fans think he's a cock because at the start of the 22-23 season with JDT, before the game (which was Martin's first home game as swansea manager), there was footage released of him on their socials saying how they were going to pass us to death and by the 2nd half we'd be knackered and they could pick us off at will. We went there and battered them 3-0. He's been a bellend ever since.

I'm not sure he's box-to-box per-se, how often is he busting a gut to the attacking box? He's a solid championship midfielder but with his limitations (he'd be a league above if he didn't have any). Most crucially, I could never really see him helping Rovers cross that 6th place, or 2nd place line - it wasn't uncommon for him to go missing in the latter stages of the season. Sam Morsy kept him out of the team at Ipswich, and I think that sort of backs-up Yeti's claim, he'd be more of a squad player for a team with ambition to get out of this league. (judging by Eustaces signings Derby are not that). I'd obviously much rather he be that squad player here at Rovers, alongside Trondstad, Tavares and Baradji, as firstly, two of these are unproven and secondly it's likely we'll have injury issues and drops in form at some stage.

@K-Hod I was in the airport yesterday, you get the picture, sat around for many hours waiting for the flight to be called….. Anyway, I see this young lad and his dad wondering around in a football shirt, but one I’d never seen before. I must have seen them 4/5 times, is it a Saudi team I was thinking, or a 3rd kit…… Nope…..It was a Fontaines DC shirt made to look like a footy top 😂 Then on further inspection it’s actually a Bohemians FC top. Thought of you, glad you enjoyed the gig and I’ve made it a mission to have a listen.

Crazy amounts of spending, both last season and this. Also it's possible both sides are better than they looked because we made the general play hard for them? It's also very early in the season, teams are rarely fully at the races for the first 2-3 games.

Waggott no longer on the premises?

Something has deffo happened. We brought in north of £40m and reinvested, at best, 10% of that. This time we've brought in far less but spent more? If we assume: Brittain - £3m Trav - £3m (money not even here yet) JRC - £1m Bucko - £1m That's £8m brought in and we've probably spent 80% of that money?

I expect these to improve as the season goes on (as Manning's Bristol City seemed to do last year) so this is probably a good time to play them. It seems like they're (another!) team that plays out from the back with defenders who aren't up to it, so hopefully we can take advantage of that.

One things for sure - he'll have the game of his life when he returns to Ewood. He'll have the home end pulling their hair out and his replacement sent off by 60 minutes.

Agree that they're well suited. I expect him to be a big hit there to be honest, but I'd also have expected him to be a big hit at Coventry. Or at Millwall if they managed to sign him last year. Or others if they had the money to spend. I think because he's a bit of a wind-up merchant and can be a pantomime villain, we can be in danger of overdoing what he brings/doesn't bring as an 'enforcer', and missing how good (at this level) his all-round game is. We saw it when he first came into the side and could immediately do what Evans and Smallwood could do as well as plenty more besides on the ball. We've had countless central midfielders in the last decade or so since we've been relegated, and Trav is one of at most two or three that don't have glaring weaknesses in his game.

If there's anything to this rumour, then well done to the folk who attended the fans forum. Ultimately, I think we need Venkys to leave to make the necessary strides forward as a team and club. However, any pressure that releases the purse strings can only be a positive. Regardless of my personal opinions on anyone involved in running the place.

Honestly lost complete respect for Valerian. Can't believe he'd throw him under the bus publicly. Be a bit more professional. Pathetic.

Agree 100%. No good having Ferrari feet, but a Skoda brain. Unfortunately, the way modern football is going, it appears that the requirement is for players to be 'athletes first, footballers second'.

Far to much positivity for this version of venkys rovers this week with a good win and talk of a couple of exciting signings through the door. Rovers 0 Norwich 2, back down to earth with a thud,

Feel really sorry for Travis. The Club are actively trying to offload him because he's one of the higher earners yet just to rub salt in the wound the manager has taken the very unusual step of coming out in Public and stating "he's let everyone down" for some unspecified reason. I think from Travis's point of view, maintaining a dignified silence is probably the best thing to do. Just get out of the place without resorting to stooping to the Club's levels.

Imagine Travis failing his medical at Derby.

As did Callum Brittain

I have to disagree on this if your a player who has played at a club pretty much their whole career and has captained them and you feel there is wrong doing from the club regarding events and possibly damaging your rep/image at the club then why not say something? If that’s me and I ‘haven’t’ refused to play and the club has ‘suspended’ me for pretty much nothing then I would be looking to set the story straight. Plenty of players in the past have called out their club/manager regarding their situations I don’t see why this should be any different I do agree there’s two sides to every story but if the other side is never told then it’s hard to come to any confident conclusion

I interviewed him for the 4000 Holes podcast ahead of the Watford fan takeover game (remember when we used to do stuff like that?). Anyhow, I found him to be extremely likeable. Grounded, intelligent, articulate & perhaps dare I say it...introverted for a modern day footballer. A lot has happened since then & if he's only been offered an extension on existing terms after playing every single minute last season I'd be fairly hacked off with my employers too...

He's had a few injuries but by no means injury prone. Knee surgery, hamstring injury last season (no wonder though...).

He's definitely answered honestly. We've also definitely not offered him a suitable contract extension. We're both in the wrong and both in the right.

Is anyone able to confirm? Has the recent pressure from the fans forum meant that Pasha and Co have changed strategies? What are you hearing @glen9mullan?

In devil's advocate mode: You can't (and don't want) authorities intervening because Clubs are being run badly per se. Clubs have be left to live and die (figuratively speaking) by their own mistakes or good management. It's only when their viability starts to come into question that the Authorities should intervene. Manchester United were atrocious last season and finished way below where they should for a Club of that size. Does that mean the Authorities should have intervened?

I get the impression he's an introvert - which is why he's not a good captain

Goddard was on the bench on Saturday, I wonder if he will be ahead of Michelski, seems to be a few years ahead of him in his development. Either way though, if Pears does go we absolutely need another keeper who has at least played some senior football.

I'm definitely at the point of double checking the spelling of names before posting - hopefully they become second nature before Christmas. With regards to the outgoing players - Travis is a loss, but Buckley and JRC (he never recovered that form he had during JDTs first season) aren't and quite frankly I'm glad we've been ruthless and moved both on.