v Sheffield United (a) - 3/5/2025

[RevidgeBlue]

6 hours ago, Tomphil2 said:

Perhaps that's the real reason the drawbridge has gone up.

They've spent what they deem they'd get back from 1 season in the Prem plus parachutes and haven't got a promotion so that's it they won't go any further.

It's hard not to feel they've cut the club adrift now aside from maybe a sponsorship deal with the Venky part of the company despite what waffle is spouted by the 3 goons. A few things dropped in there bu Suhail got my attention after telling everyone there are no restrictions he drops in bits about owners saying 'we'll see what we can do to help' and 'we'll help you if we can', very concerning if you think about it.

Certainly doesn't sound like 'we'll pay all the bills don't worry' type stuff we used to hear.

I keep mentioning this, everyone is automatically assuming they'll always put in the bare minimum to keep us afloat if required - that MIGHT well be the case, but I'm assuming that's yet to be tested as we're probably still surviving on the proceeds of recent sales.

The day of reckoning is likely to be pushed back a bit further as well if there's a fire sale of higher earners in the summer and/or a sell on bonus from Adam Wharton in the next 18 months or so.

How much rosier the outlook would be if there was a minor miracle Saturday and in the play offs.

 

Edited Tuesday at 23:13 by RevidgeBlue

[RevidgeBlue]

Back to the actual football I've seen it suggested we'll play Sheff Utd three times in quick succession if we make the play offs.

In the even more unlikely event we finished 5th ahead of Bristol City, would that still be the case or would we play Sunderland?

[LeftWinger]

4 minutes ago, RevidgeBlue said:

In the even more unlikely event we finished 5th ahead of Bristol City, would that still be the case or would we play Sunderland?

3rd v 6th

4th v 5th

So 5th place plays Sunderland. 6th place plays Sheffield United.

 

[RevidgeBlue]

36 minutes ago, LeftWinger said:

3rd v 6th

4th v 5th

So 5th place plays Sunderland. 6th place plays Sheffield United.

 

Suspected as much.

Cheers.

I'd rather play Sunderland (If we get to that stage at all.)

[...]

5 hours ago, LeftWinger said:

3rd v 6th

4th v 5th

So 5th place plays Sunderland. 6th place plays Sheffield United.

 

Always thought it to be a bit of a swizz 3rd playing 6th like a guaranteed ticket lol

[Ossydave]

5 hours ago, RevidgeBlue said:

Suspected as much.

Cheers.

I'd rather play Sunderland (If we get to that stage at all.)

Yeah Sunderland are in dreadful form and whilst they've technically not really had anything to play for now for a few games, it's a rut I'd rather not be in going into the play offs if I was a fan! In the last 6 games only Millwall are ahead of us form wise, we all know who they lost to though, rather emphatically.....

 

[Displaced Rover]

If we do finish 5th or 6th you can’t argue we won’t be the form team going into the playoffs

[...]

On the SU forum a question was posed who out of the playoff contenders would you rather play, a few said us but also a few were saying we've hit form and can be tricky to come against as you don't know what you're gonna get with us 🤣 

Heres hoping we set off and boss the game from the start. 

My suspicions are were gonna go all out. We have the desire to win now and can taste the playoffs so its now or never.

Get into em, and I'd like to see Kargbo starting and get running at them and scare the shit out of them!

Come onnnnn!!

(Is it Saturday yet?)

Edited yesterday at 06:53 by ...

[Tomphil2]

9 hours ago, RevidgeBlue said:

I keep mentioning this, everyone is automatically assuming they'll always put in the bare minimum to keep us afloat if required - that MIGHT well be the case, but I'm assuming that's yet to be tested as we're probably still surviving on the proceeds of recent sales.

The day of reckoning is likely to be pushed back a bit further as well if there's a fire sale of higher earners in the summer and/or a sell on bonus from Adam Wharton in the next 18 months or so.

How much rosier the outlook would be if there was a minor miracle Saturday and in the play offs.

 

A can see a scenario in the near future were they just keep renegotiating the Venky logo sponsorship for a few more million upfront then make repayable company loans available against future player sales.

Difference being these small loans will have actual repayment terms.

We aren't getting 20 million plus from two player sales this summer so yes either a fire sale or they'll quite simply have no choice but to make money available somehow. They might be fine with putting in ten million every two years rather than every year but it's hard to see anything but a difficult future ahead for us.

Then Nixon tells us Waggot wants to hang around for another year or so, hmm...

[davulsukur]

On 28/04/2025 at 22:05, ... said:

Best feels all year

I love these Roving cam videos that the Rovers media guy does. The pitch side view of the goals is great.

[Mattyblue]

I'd prefer them if they were standing at the Riverside side of the Blackburn End, so with views of a pretty full JW and Blackburn End lower instead of a sparse Riverside and Darwen End... kinds of loses its 'big moment' feel.

[RevidgeBlue]

33 minutes ago, Tomphil2 said:

.Then Nixon tells us Waggot wants to hang around for another year or so, hmm...

I'd imagine he thinks he can screw another half a mill out of the Club for maybe one more year then that will be about his lot.

[...]

1 hour ago, davulsukur said:

I love these Roving cam videos that the Rovers media guy does. The pitch side view of the goals is great.

Yea they're really good and capture the moment well 😃👌

I spoke to the guy once too when we all came out of JW stand he was on the corner as crowds poured out happy after a win, I said is that for YouTube he said yea Roving cam , caught me carrying my daughter on my shoulders amongst the crowd 😃

Edited yesterday at 09:18 by ...

[LeftWinger]

7 hours ago, ... said:

Always thought it to be a bit of a swizz 3rd playing 6th like a guaranteed ticket lol

In theory it's designed to reward the team finishing 3rd by pairing them up with the weakest team, but it can often end up pairing them with the form team. 

[Tomphil2]

4 hours ago, RevidgeBlue said:

I'd imagine he thinks he can screw another half a mill out of the Club for maybe one more year then that will be about his lot.

Because he knows the income will run out by then so he'll exit stage left before the real nightmare starts.

[yankfan]

Can’t help but feel this will be a heart breaking loss. Our record when the games really matter is not good. Any and every time we sniff playoffs we seem to crash to the ground. Hope it’s different this time, but trying to temper my expectations. 

[Tomphil2]

5 hours ago, Mattyblue said:

I'd prefer them if they were standing at the Riverside side of the Blackburn End, so with views of a pretty full JW and Blackburn End lower instead of a sparse Riverside and Darwen End... kinds of loses its 'big moment' feel.

Noisiest bit of the ground is in that corner though and where players tend to head when they score.

[Andy]

6 minutes ago, yankfan said:

Can’t help but feel this will be a heart breaking loss. Our record when the games really matter is not good. Any and every time we sniff playoffs we seem to crash to the ground. Hope it’s different this time, but trying to temper my expectations. 

I can't shake this feeling myself, either.

It's the Rovers way, isn't it?

I think we might get a result, but others will go against us.

That said, if we did squeeze in, we would literally be the form team heading into those final 2/3 games...

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

We can only ask the players to give it 100%. if we do win and the other results go against us we’ll have to take it on the chin. We’ll have given it our best shot and that’s good enough for me.

Edited yesterday at 13:47 by Tyrone Shoelaces

[...]

3 hours ago, LeftWinger said:

In theory it's designed to reward the team finishing 3rd by pairing them up with the weakest team, but it can often end up pairing them with the form team. 

No I know that's why I said always thought it was a swizz albeit tongue in cheek lol

[...]

1 hour ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

We can only ask the players to give it 100%. if we do win and the other results go against us we’ll have to take it on the chin. We’ll have given it our best shot and that’s good enough for me.

Well said. End on a win. If not, it wasn't to be. The sickner will be if we win and the other result doesn't go our way.

Trying not to think about that

[JHRover]

6 hours ago, RevidgeBlue said:

I'd imagine he thinks he can screw another half a mill out of the Club for maybe one more year then that will be about his lot.

He'll keep on going as long as the gravy train is still rolling and then he'll disembark just before it hits the buffers. He will be in a strong position to see the buffers approaching as well. That will be with either relegation to League One or financial Armageddon approaching. It seems for now we've managed to head off both of those possibilities thanks to good management in the dugout and a couple of big sales/sell on fees.

He'll fancy heading off the latest fan unrest, by the looks of things most of that job has been done for him thanks to a few wins in the last few weeks, and then he will set about shaving another £20-30k off the wage bill by offloading another few assets and a few million in and that's him secure until this time next year.

 

[Gav]

7 hours ago, RevidgeBlue said:

I'd imagine he thinks he can screw another half a mill out of the Club for maybe one more year then that will be about his lot.

To be fair, under these shite owners, even though the bar is low, he's been the best man they've employed in or a this/similar role. If they replaced him, we'd have another yes man going about his job with mixed messages from owners and trying to keep the lights on, thats the remit.

Until they leave its rinse and repeat in every area of the club sadly, but we digress.

 

[Tomphil2]

It's his complete inability and reluctance to manage upwards that has been the main issue.

What we've seen in the last few years has confirmed that but even more so before when him, TM and Venus formed their slow journey old boys club.  The scenario we are in now he's be actively encouraging that for years hes said so himself enough times, don't ask for money even though it might be available, make yourself look good even if you hold the club back, get payrise/bonus for not asking to increase the budget but still balancing the books.

Manage downwards, yes he is good at that no question but he didn't have available to him at Charlton or Coventry what he had here certainly in the earlier years of his reign, his experience is all based round managed decline.

Not all his fault obviously but hes hidden away and been accountable for nothing and lets not start on the lies, training ground shenanigans and multitude of players walking for nothing under his watch.

Just think where we'd be now with no Adam Wharton and Ash Phillips to sell ?

Those two will have brought in c20-25 million when fully paid up, completely saved his and the clubs arse.

 

 

[rigger]

1 hour ago, ... said:

Well said. End on a win. If not, it wasn't to be. The sickner will be if we win and the other result doesn't go our way.

Trying not to think about that

I just hope we do ourselves justice.