2025-26 Relegation thread

[Commondore]

2 hours ago, Mercer said:

My view is they wont sell in fear of what due diligence might uncover / reveal.  Do you think the operation of Rovers has been / is squeaky clean?  Let's not forget the investigation by the Indian authorities into the alleged breach of foreign exchange management rules by VHPL - there is some history there.

So what is their option?  A managed decline is a strategic reduction which normally leads to the closure of a business.  Is this what we are seeing with Rovers?  If Rovers are finished in 5 to 10 years time, I think Venky's acquisition of Rovers 20 to 25 years ago will be seen as a mere footnote in the history books with hardly a ripple on the pond and who will care?

A number of times we have been knocking on the play-off door and our owners haven't seized the initiative.  IMO, the operational management of Rovers doesn't convey a burning desire or ambition to get back to the PL.  We might well be in a relegation scrap this season and a scrap I don't think we will win.

You tell me where you think the club is heading.

Considering the absolute villains who buy and sell football clubs now without ever turning up with serious skeletons in their closets during due diligence, it would surprise me if Venkys are uniquely bad in that regard. And as for a managed decline, they’d have to want to avoid something truly terrible to prefer facing the alternative cost of keep bleeding money (not enough for a championship team with any ambition, but surely enough to harm them financially?) into the club for 10 more years. To me, this doesn’t clear occam’s razor. But who the hell knows what goes on with them, truly?

[Scotty1991]

Now would be a great time for one of the coalition members to get stuck into the hierarchy, those decisions that where made in the summer WILL be our demise come May. 
 

pressure needs piling on Gestede, Pasha & any other stooge involved in our club. 
 

if we go we will never come back. 

[DutchRover]

Another pitiful performance after a strong first-half by the sound of it. Nailed on relegation as I said a couple of weeks ago.

Nothing will change until Venkys, Suhail, Gestede and Ismael are gone. 

[47er]

8 hours ago, Mercer said:

My view is they wont sell in fear of what due diligence might uncover / reveal

Well that was my point!

[DE.]

7 minutes ago, DutchRover said:

Another pitiful performance after a strong first-half by the sound of it. Nailed on relegation as I said a couple of weeks ago.

Nothing will change until Venkys, Suhail, Gestede and Ismael are gone. 

Strong first half is pushing it a bit imo. We just about matched one of the worst teams in the division, and relied on a fantastic save from Toth to not be a goal down. Our goal came from a mis-hit shot from De Neve which fortunately bounced directly into Ohashi's path after the Sheffield United defence briefly disappeared into another dimension.

[DutchRover]

1 minute ago, DE. said:

Strong first half is pushing it a bit imo. We just about matched one of the worst teams in the division, and relied on a fantastic save from Toth to not be a goal down. Our goal came from a mis-hit shot from De Neve which fortunately bounced directly into Ohashi's path after the Sheffield United defence briefly disappeared into another dimension.

"Strong" in the sense that we were ahead and creating chances, it's all relative when standards are so low

[DE.]

9 minutes ago, DutchRover said:

"Strong" in the sense that we were ahead and creating chances, it's all relative when standards are so low

Well, yes, you could argue it in that way. Just makes things even more depressing though. 

Genuinely think we could finish below Sheffield Wednesday. They may be having to play U18s, but some of those are probably more useful than our dollopers. A points deduction may keep them below us, maybe. 

[Proudtobeblue&white]

I genuinely don’t know what to propose other than an empty stadium (and they are doing that well enough on their own). We aren’t BRFC/Rovers any more, we are a toy, a play thing in the corner that they have forgotten and don’t want to play with. They have systematically overseen unmitigated carnage, yet don’t give a shit. I despise them, all they stand for, and the fact the Rovers Trust thought they were suitable for 10 pieces of silver. Rotten to the core. I love my club, I hate Venkys. I wonder why folk still turn up to support this criminal regime?

[StHelensRover]

Shade over 3/1 now, we'll probably be evens if we lose Saturday.

Some of those teams I expected to be down here with us like Hull, Charlton, Pompey etc all have a large points lead over us already. Wrexham and Oxford play each other tomorrow. A result for either of them extends their lead over us to either 5 or 6 points after just 11 matches. We have that game in hand, but we know what will happen there....

Edited 17 hours ago by StHelensRover

[Roverthechimp]

Is it too early to start next seasons relegation thread? (From L1)

Asking for a friend 🫣

[metalrover]

10 games into season, we are in deep deep trouble. Rock bottom very soon, with record low points tally. Can't see how this lot can turn this around. It's League One football next season.

[sharpysharps86]

This season has the makings of going down with a whimper, like Southampton in the prem last season. Very sad times.

[roverblue]

Without a change that's the position I expect us to be in for the rest of the season.

That will only be due to Sheff Wed likely getting a massive points deduction at some point for all their breaches of financial commitments. Otherwise could see us rock bottom for a period til that happens.

[StHelensRover]

7 minutes ago, roverblue said:

Without a change that's the position I expect us to be in for the rest of the season.

That will only be due to Sheff Wed likely getting a massive points deduction at some point for all their breaches of financial commitments. Otherwise could see us rock bottom for a period til that happens.

According to the table, only Norwich City in worse form than us across the entire division.. and they beat us!

Sheffield Wednesday have picked up more points in last six than us, and they're fielding 50 year old Barry Bannan and a load of schoolboys. 

But according to some sources, we're playing great and just unlucky. 

[Ferrit]

31 minutes ago, StHelensRover said:

According to the table, only Norwich City in worse form than us across the entire division.. and they beat us!

Sheffield Wednesday have picked up more points in last six than us, and they're fielding 50 year old Barry Bannan and a load of schoolboys. 

But according to some sources, we're playing great and just unlucky. 

That'll be Rovers TV

[JHRover]

Ridiculous that Oxford and Derby are shorter odds than us for relegation.

And considering where those two clubs have come from - League One 18 months ago - it is a disgrace that we are mixing it with them

It is rare - and hard - for a side to be adrift in this dismal division. As we saw in the last two seasons - usually the bottom 3 sides are regularly changing and are in touch with the rest of the pack up to the last couple of games of the season. 

Don't think that's going to happen with us - reckon we will be adrift and marooned pretty soon unless something significant changes.

[Groundhog]

The team that went down in 2017 on the final day against Brentford. You'd give your right arm wouldn't you?

• David Raya
• Elliott Ward (sub Lucas Joao)
• Charlie Mulgrew
• Darragh Lenihan
• Danny Guthrie (sub Craig Conway)
• Jason Lowe
• Derrick Williams
• Ryan Nyambe
• Danny Graham (sub Marvin Emnes)
• Elliott Bennett
• Sam Gallagher

Out of the current squad I'd say only Gardner-Hickman and Wharton are the kind of players you'd want in a relegation dogfight. Tronstad's head is elsewhere, Miller has heart but seems naive, Henrikksen seems passionate but looks to be better at kicking opponents than the actual ball. I sometimes worry that Wharton's passion as a local lad and fan might almost count against him in the dressing room - is he even that vocal? Is he the type to knock heads together? 

Cantwell is an unknown with his track record, but has impressed me so far. What will he be like as a captain when the chips are down? Who knows - could go either way.

After last night against Sheff Utd I just imagine the feeling in the dressing room was one of apathy, as it was in the stands. A lot of meekness and shrugging of shoulders I imagine.

Edited 5 hours ago by Groundhog
poor grammer as can't see the screen through my tears of rage

[davulsukur]

5 minutes ago, Groundhog said:

The team that went down in 2017 on the final day against Brentford. You'd give your right arm wouldn't you?

• David Raya
• Elliott Ward (sub Lucas Joao)
• Charlie Mulgrew
• Darragh Lenihan
• Danny Guthrie (sub Craig Conway)
• Jason Lowe
• Derrick Williams
• Ryan Nyambe
• Danny Graham (sub Marvin Emnes)
• Elliott Bennett
• Sam Gallagher

Out of the current squad I'd say only Gardner-Hickman and Wharton are the kind of players you'd want in a relegation dogfight. Tronstad's head is elsewhere, Miller has heart but seems naive, Henrikksen seems passionate but looks to be better at kicking opponents than the actual ball. I sometimes worry that Wharton's passion as a local lad and fan might almost count against him in the dressing room - is he even that vocal? Is he the type to knock heads together? 

Cantwell is an unknown with his track record, but has impressed me so far. What will he be like as a captain when the chips are down? Who knows - could go either way.

After last night against Sheff Utd I just imagine the feeling in the dressing room was one of apathy, as it was in the stands. A lot of meekness and shrugging of shoulders I imagine.

I mean, Danny Graham was so far ahead of our current crop of strikers it's unreal. 

[Groundhog]

27 minutes ago, davulsukur said:

I mean, Danny Graham was so far ahead of our current crop of strikers it's unreal. 

Yeah there was a few going on about it last night around me, to think at the time he wasn't the best we could have had, what I'd give for him now. He seems like prime Big Al compared to this lot.

Just imagine having someone to hold the f***** ball up, trap it and lay it off, imagine that!

Edit:

If I had a time machine, I'd go back to myself in the stands moaning about players like Derek Williams etc: you think this is bad, wait until 2025...

Edited 4 hours ago by Groundhog