Academy & U21s

[bluebruce]

3 hours ago, arbitro said:

Curzon Ashton gave us a pennant at the toss up. 

We have them nowt.

Is this a thing? Exchanging pennants at kickoff in friendlies?

[arbitro]

9 minutes ago, bluebruce said:

Is this a thing? Exchanging pennants at kickoff in friendlies?

Although not cast in stone it is usually done when the visiting team are from a senior league. And that is usually reciprocated by the visitors. There are some pennants I believe on display at Ewood from friendlies past.

[bluebruce]

4 minutes ago, arbitro said:

Although not cast in stone it is usually done when the visiting team are from a senior league. And that is usually reciprocated by the visitors. There are some pennants I believe on display at Ewood from friendlies past.

Fair enough, I was oblivious to this. Although I'm not sure the u21s could be expected to provide one. It's a bit hard to say it's a senior league when it's not even senior football.

[riverholmes]

On 31/07/2025 at 14:29, Hasta said:

Bizarre competition.

You'll be telling me next we don't get than much-desired trip to Wembley if we got to the final.

 

The National League teams play second strings, if the cup was not odd enough. With no relegation from PL2 and other dubious cup competitions (there's the European one Rovers entered where the U21s seem to play U18s from Spain etc) the whole system looks a mess.

[Upside Down]

17 hours ago, KentExile said:

We really are tinpot these days aren't we?

This doesn't need to be framed as a question.

[Exiled_Rover]

18 hours ago, bluebruce said:

Fair enough, I was oblivious to this. Although I'm not sure the u21s could be expected to provide one. It's a bit hard to say it's a senior league when it's not even senior football.

I don't think we had one for Qatar SC either.

Obviously someone had scrambled to dust one off from storage for Elche.

[KentExile]

U21s are playing Ashton Utd at 1pm this afternoon.  Jordan Eastham could play against us after signing permanently for them in the summer

 

Edited August 2 by KentExile

[KentExile]

Three of our released U21s have now found new teams in the National League North (6th tier)

Lewis Bell moved to Marine after a loan spell there last season

Rhys Doherty is now at Kings Lynn Town

Paul Murphy-Worrell has moved to Southport, which seems an odd one as they already have Dan Pike at right back

 

Adam Caddick is now at Warrington Rylands in the 7th tier

 

Edited August 2 by KentExile

[KentExile]

U21s lost 2-0 to Ashton

 

 

Edited August 2 by KentExile

[bluebruce]

3 hours ago, KentExile said:

Three of our released U21s have now found new teams in the National League North (6th tier)

Lewis Bell moved to Marine after a loan spell there last season

Rhys Doherty is now at Kings Lynn Town

Paul Murphy-Worrell has moved to Southport, which seems an odd one as they already have Dan Pike at right back

 

Adam Caddick is now at Warrington Rylands in the 7th tier

 

I wish them the best of luck in their careers.

[arbitro]

6 hours ago, KentExile said:

U21s lost 2-0 to Ashton

 

 

I believe Isaac Dunn was sent off early in the match.

[KentExile]

6 minutes ago, arbitro said:

I believe Isaac Dunn was sent off early in the match.

If that's the case then the result makes better reading

Hopefully he learns from it

[arbitro]

7 minutes ago, KentExile said:

If that's the case then the result makes better reading

Hopefully he learns from it

I wasn't there (I was at Accrington) but a friend who was there said it was harsh. He said it was a foul by Dunn but he was sent off for DOGSO when the Ashton player was a long way from goal and Batty would have got round as cover.

The Ashton manager even remonstrated with the referee as they wanted an 11v 11 game.

[arbitro]

A week ago this https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2025/july/28/u18s-fixtures-confirmed-/ appeared on Rovers website but the article only gives information about the first two fixtures and listing the teams in the league.

The fixtures still haven't been uploaded onto the website https://www.rovers.co.uk/Matches/u18

It probably doesn't mean a lot to the majority but quite a few who want to watch the under 18's deserve better.

[arbitro]

1 hour ago, arbitro said:

A week ago this https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2025/july/28/u18s-fixtures-confirmed-/ appeared on Rovers website but the article only gives information about the first two fixtures and listing the teams in the league.

The fixtures still haven't been uploaded onto the website https://www.rovers.co.uk/Matches/u18

It probably doesn't mean a lot to the majority but quite a few who want to watch the under 18's deserve better.

The recent first team fixture changes haven't been updated neither.

Communication eh?

 

[Mattyblue]

They’ve been filming the first team pissing about, what more do you want?

[bazza]

43 minutes ago, arbitro said:

The recent first team fixture changes haven't been updated neither.

Communication eh?

 

Useless people employed by Rovers. They haven't put photos of players on to many of squad names. Some of these are not newbys this window. Hopeless!

[arbitro]

Brackley have replaced Morecambe in the National League Cup as announced on July 30th. Rovers are playing them next Tuesday.

No mention of this on any Rovers social media.

 

[KentExile]

But of course this page is still blank

[KentExile]

Jackson Shorrocks (released in the summer) has signed a pro deal at Huddersfield (I think he went on trial there in the second half of last season)

 

Edited Friday at 07:21 by KentExile

[KentExile]

 

The U21s are also due to play Derby are some point today too

Edit - U21s lost 3-0

 

Edited Sunday at 11:03 by KentExile

[KentExile]

National League Cup Fixtures confirmed

• Brackley Town v Rovers
  Tuesday August 12th
  Kick-off 7pm
  St James Park
   
• Rochdale v Rovers
  Tuesday September 16th
  Kick-off 7pm
  Crown Oil Arena
   
• Solihull Moors v Rovers
  Tuesday October 21st
  Kick-off 7pm
  Damson Park
   
• Tamworth v Rovers
  Tuesday November 25th
  Kick-off 7.45pm
  The Lamb Ground

 

Edited 3 hours ago by KentExile

[arbitro]

39 minutes ago, KentExile said:

National League Cup Fixtures confirmed

 

• Brackley Town v Rovers
  Tuesday August 12th
  Kick-off 7pm
  St James Park
   
• Rochdale v Rovers
  Tuesday September 16th
  Kick-off 7pm
  Crown Oil Arena
   
• Solihull Moors v Rovers
  Tuesday October 21st
  Kick-off 7pm
  Damson Park
   
• Tamworth v Rovers
  Tuesday November 25th
  Kick-off 7.45pm
  The Lamb Ground

 

Two of those clash with first team matches. As well as tonight we play Sheffield United on October 21st.

[KentExile]

3 minutes ago, arbitro said:

Two of those clash with first team matches. As well as tonight we play Sheffield United on October 21st.

They were streamed free last year too (with replays to watch after the event in case of fixture clashes with the first team), cannot see that they are streamed at all this season though

Looks like National League TV has been sold/merged with DAZN who haven't bothered with this competition

[MarkBRFC]

9 minutes ago, arbitro said:

Two of those clash with first team matches. As well as tonight we play Sheffield United on October 21st.

Was the same last season where a couple clashed with first team games iirc.