Straw man. All he had to say was 'we'll keep going and see where it takes us' NOT 'it's all gone to shit and we haven't achieved what we wanted' which is what he actually said. which is what he did on Brereton. I agree it was stupid. No we don't. We have a mid-table team. We can't compete with some clubs in the transfer market but as has been said a million times we went down with a mid-table Championship team that had been appallingly managed by Coyle and came back up with a mid-table Championship team. Where we are now is about right in this league for the players we have. If Mowbray had sorted out a defence that has conceded 25 goals in 10 away games then we could well have been in with a shout of the play-offs. We still might if he can. What he could have done in January is bring in a goalkeeper and CB to improve the squad, either on loan or a perm. But he didn't want to because he wants to be loyal to the 'group'.

So much more exciting under the up and coming Dean Smith than the 'dinosaur' Steve Bruce though

Conway is absolutely finished and shouldn’t be anywhere near the squad. He shouldn’t have had a contract extension in the first place, but that’s another debate.

For a few weeks now my mobile chrome browser will not open the LT website, no idea why it used to be just the Daily Mail that was a problem. The bonus is that I do not have to read this sort of crap from Mowbray. We have allowed Preston to catch up with us due to our failings and now he's conceeding whilst Preston are up for a further push. What sort of message is he trying to send to the players nevermind the fans. I am a patient man but he is starting to get to me.

Of course we need to stick with TM, as despite his flailings, you have to say we have progressed season on season with him in charge. Relegated on a record points haul by GD with his points per game average putting us midtable, so that relegation was not down to him. We then bounced straight back up and are now consolodating with a probably midtable finish. Progress each season. That said, I can see why some might not see him as being able to take us to the next level which is to challenge in the top half and potentially break into the top six. He deserves the chance though and unless we really start going backwards he should be in charge.

Always downplaying us and lowering expectation is one thing that grinds me a little bit tbh. Making out that we should be happy to be on a par with Preston when just a few weeks ago we were streets ahead of them is poor form. Of all the teams in the league to choose as well. Every team we play is bigged up like Barcelona - sometimes I think he persuades himself and that is why we always set up so negatively or in a manner to counteract the oppositions strengths rather than emphasizing ours and letting the opposition worry about us. The was he talks I feel like we are a Burton or something or a team that has spent the last decade in League 1. We spent 10 million in the summer - which is a lot more than at least half the division. Heck Millwall only recently broke their all time transfer record by spending 1 million on a player. I am not having it that we should be happy where we are. Yes, we would have taken our position at the start of the season and its progress but we should always be looking up and showing ambition. We are Blackburn Rovers Tony, we have won the Premier League, we have a cat academy and our facilities outshine practically everyones in this division - being on a par with PNE is not an accomplishment, they should be happy to be on a par with us.

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/02/15/upshot/british-irish-dialect-quiz.html Despite leaving Darwen in 1974 and living in Hull, Leeds then in and around London and now subject to Menglish, the quiz pinned me to an area between Darwen in the south and Lancaster in the north.

My worry from the interviews is that he actively doesn’t want to spend money so it can’t be used against him and he prefers to keep expectations low. Think most managers would have used the funds on offer in January.

In 8 days, he played a full game v Villa, an hour at Derby and all but the last 5 minutes at Stoke. In 8 days, he played a full game v Forest, an hour v Sheffield United and a full game v Bolton. In 11 days, he played full the 90 minutes against Norwich, Leeds and West Brom. So there you go, myth debunked, he can play the majority of games even inclusive of a game midweek. And what use is a journalist having loads of information that he cant or wont release to the public thats his bloody job!

Wilder has been there 9 months longer than Mogga has at Rovers. He took over in L1. We'll see where we are in 9 months but I doubt it will be anywhere near the top 2.

What absolutely bizarre comments from TM. Hypothetically, if we were to win the next five or six games then we would still have a sniff of the play offs but those comments sound like the green light for the players to take the rest of the season off. "We haven't done as well as we've liked but it doesn't matter, it's "where we're at" so we might as well give up for the rest of the season." Hardly going to have people flocking to the ground for the rest of the season or queueing round the block to renew their ST is it?

I’ve talked to more than a few Boro fans online and in person that would swap him with Pulis in a heartbeat. I know what you are saying but I really feel we need a bit more patience and to give him a couple of years. We had one season where we nearly almost never really troubled the playoffs since the Venkys came in. That’s when we had quality players all over the park. We aren’t that parachute payment club anymore. It will take time and it would take time no matter who is in charge. I just really don’t think we can afford to gamble again right now. We are only just getting some normality, structure and trust back within the club and it’s not like we have a squad of mismanaged Barcelona players. Nor have we been too attractive a proposition for top players to join us since TM has been here. No one is untouchable of course and if and when it starts to go backwards and tits up big time then you’ll see me on your side. But for now I’m right behind Mogga, he’s a safe pair of hands and I can’t ever really see myself being vitriolic in my protests for him to be replaced. Unless he gets an invisible dog of course.

His holier than thou bullshit is getting old. He should be creating a winning football team, not a team of choir boys.

Bolton are absolutely shite and Norwich are in the top two. What did they really expect?

Youve maintained this "he cant play 3 games in a week" throughout the season chaddy.

Reading living up to their billing as the worst team I've seen in this league by going 2 down inside 17 minutes. It beggars belief that we've given up 4 points to them.

Exactly this. In every interview he talks about the set up like he's just taken on the job.

Sam hart on show v Pompey just now, left just say he isn’t the answer to the Williams/ bell problem

The crazy thing is, he is by far our best central midfielder. His performance in the centre of midfield at West Brom was the most complete performance that I have seen from a Rovers players since we were relegated from the Premiership.

Is he talking about wanting a big screen that actually serves a purpose besides advertising? And the rebirth of Radio Rovers? Maybe he has been brainwashed by having to listen to BBC Radio Lancs (Preston) before and after every game. You'd think they would beat Man City, listening to that garbage. I'm dreading that Preston game now. 5-5-0 formation and no striker on the pitch. Fundamentally for me, It's his team selections that are f***ing me off. Play our best (or young) players and lose for all I care... it's not like we're winning with Conway, Smallwood, Bennett and Williams, is it? 2nd half: "Oh we've conceded a goal, Smallwood you're off." Says all you need to say about him as a player for me. He's not even in our top 5 CMs for my money. Think between being Jason Lowes replacement and his chant has saved his Blackburn career but even that has died as its embarrassingly ironic. Middlesbrough is another chance for TM to show us he's up for it, as the last 3 games (from him #1) have been garbage.

Does sound like he is under a bit of pressure to get us to the prem as quickly as possible - why wouldn't they want that though to be fair? I can sympathise a little if he feels they are not beiing patient enough but at the same time if they're making funds available, he should be using them as long as they represent good value to the club.

People might laugh but I honestly think there's probably enough people on here to develop a scouting network who could do a good job at scouting for the club and save them some money. I know there's one other poster who has good knowledge of Scandinavia and has recommended players that have turned into players we couldn't afford now, another who has good knowledge of Australia who recommended Aaron Mooy before he became a big name. My knowledge of Bundesliga, Bundesliga 2 and Eredivisie is pretty good also. I'm sure there are others out there who have knowledge of other leagues too. The amount of talent that comes out of France who don't make it at bigger clubs who then drop down and turn into good players... Is insane.

Total Commitment to their fans. Are you committed Waggott?

One of the main problems in Feb has been the drop in form of Reed. He does so much covering across the back four but has not been as effective in the last three games. A dominant keeper who can organise the back four also needed, Raya nowhere near the finished article and has no real competition.

Another frustrating interview from Mowbray in my opinion. He talks like he has just come to the club and identified a weakness. He has been here for two years which should have been ample time to put the wheels in motion to scour Europe.

No. If we needed to win the last six games to stay up, he wouldn't be saying "Ah well it looks like we're going to go down, that's just the way it is" he'd be saying that the team would be fighting tooth and nail to the very last to try and pull off an unlikely escape. The manager may think privately (as we all do) our play off hopes have gone. But he shouldn't be hoisting the white flag in Public with 14 games to go as that is sending a clear message to the players that it doesn't matter if we stink the place out between now and the end of the season as we wouldn't be going up anyway. The message coming out from the manager is "Relegation isn't acceptable, any thing else is." and it's a very uninspiring one. He also doesn't give the impression that he has any desire whatsoever to improve the side from the level it is at now. He gives the impression he merely seems to just want to manage and look after players he already knows and likes and gets on with.

Doesn't sound like total committment to me

Couldn’t agree more with this. But I feel the “grass might be greener” crowd are falling into the same trap right now with Mowbray. I’ll take midtable “consolidation” this year and hopefully knocking on the door next. But I won’t sweat it if we take our time - it’s a massively competitive league and we have no god given right to get out of it. I might not agree with every decision and I feel frustrations too - but I enjoy having someone in the dugout that I trust. If that’s naive or not I suppose I’ll only really find out in time.

Im not sure if this is off topic but it’s has much a question has an opinion. During the late 80s and early 90s when we where involved in our annual fight against promotion there was always a suspicion that our players didn’t want it. Whether this is true or not it was not surprising when the old guard where exchanged for hungrier players it was achieved. To achieve promotion you need hunger and a belief across the team including management that your too good for where you are. I have no evidence for this but how many of our current old guard would still be here if we where promoted and do they believe they are to good for this league. Im not sure organic growth in a rapidly changing environment is feasible without a significant element of luck due to the infinite number of variables involved. This is only an opinion but without a degree of luck Mowbray philosophy will fail due to a number of factors. Firstly the old guard he relies have no real incentive to change the status quo if it’s not broken for them why change it. Secondly younger hungrier better players who believe they are to good for this league will move. Finally you reap what you sew if you are seen as stagnant the players you attract are either here for rather ride or on the way up and out. This is not meant to be negative but a general observation to coin the old phrase your either going forward or back.

That's great but it would also be great if he liked a few 'good' players especially when there is a quid or two to spend. Sadly the good ones aren't always the nicest ones and some of the best ones might be a bit nasty. The art is not having too many at once and having big enough balls to manage them.

If I was playing in our back 4 and it was backs to the wall, I'd much sooner have Williams next to me than Bell. As said above by someone, coward of a defender.

Chaddy, you’d make this a lot easier for yourself if you just admitted you were wrong. Or just admitted to what you’d said previously. Saving face really isn’t that important!

Aye cos Bell is a sensational defender

They are missing their first choice centre halves. We are dangerous when our backs are to the wall. Dack and Graham are rested and will be firing on all cylinders. 3-1 Rovers. Dack x 2 Graham x 1

Exiting conclusion in South Africa. Perera 153 not out in 2nd innings to win by a wicket is very impressive. Particularly in a very low scoring game. Stunning really.

More confirmation that he reads these boards - those two players are exactly the ones I mentioned that show that there are some gems out there in Europe that cost close to nothing. “Or how do we find the players? I have talked before, we haven’t actually got a scout who covers Europe. So how are we going to find a Maupay at Brentford, or a Benrahma? How are we going to find them if we’re not even in the market and watching those games?

Defensively, Bell has been worse.

Alberto Y Los Trios Paranois - Kill

Don’t you dare! ? Agree with the first part regarding going for it, but it would be purely for entertainment... Two strikers, two second strikers/number 10s, zero sitting defensive mids/two forward thinking centre mids. We would lose 10-9 and people would criticise Mowbray for not being able to sort the defence. It would be ace. Still think Smallwood is underrated on here btw. Yeah he’s not Pirlo but there’s not much between him and Evans for me.

I know, he’s a bit of a broken record on the subject. We’ve had our fair share of mercenaries and “couldn’t cares” for the last decade though... So last season; winning more, being the big boys, promotion and big away followings etc etc didn’t matter as much to me as seeing performances like Benno and Smallwood vs. Shrewsbury. Proper heart, pride, and pulling their bags out for the badge. It’s not a bad thing to base your club and philosophy around imo

Mowbray seems to see every club as superior to us in some way to be honest. He takes the underdog schtick to absurd levels, like when he was waxing lyrical about bottom of the table Bury last year before we faced them. Sometimes it's OK to be favourites and to have a little ambition.

What did people think of Mowbrays comments suggesting that we are doing well to be on level points with Preston? I thought they were a little strange, we shouldnt be using a team of Prestons stature as one who it is a big achievement to be on par with. Prestons horrendous start to the season has meant they are having a poor season so its nothing to be boasting about in press conferences. Interesting to see the PNE manager and players in the media bigging up a play off push and saying it is achievable, and ours is saying this: “There’s still a long way to go but it looks like we’re going to fall short of what we would like to achieve." https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/rovers/news/17434228.tony-mowbray-on-rovers-aspirations-for-the-final-14-games/

Ok thanks for explaining. So you don't pick players on form like you said.

QPR, like us not going up or down so sensibly have their season tickets on sale already - prices starting at £225. 18-23 year olds can get one for £135... https://www.qpr.co.uk/tickets/season-tickets/

Strange bunch Boro one min they are playing the big catchment area sleeping giant card the next they are trotting out the small town impoverished area line. The 6k's here were definitely unique a bit like the massive one we once took up there on that legendary Boxing day. Rest of the time followings have been medium to small for bog standard games. They'd have had a couple of thousand here if it was Sat afternoon in all likelihood, good old live TV strikes again.

It really does look a lot better in the flesh lol

Understand perfectly thank you, also understand we’ve just come from lower league, and people will have to be patient.

King Kenny lost six in a row - that's football.

When I read his comments that you outline after Brentford I was also very worried. However, he completely countered that by 180 degrees in a recent interview with Radio Lancashire where he mentioned failing to get promoted with Armstrong, Murphy and Maddison etc at Coventry. He was talking about how poor their defence was and how it cost them promotion, implying he does know that improvements are needed for us to have any upward looking aspirations. Whether he can sort it out or not will probably determine the direction of this club for the next few years...

A great picture of both Fred and the old Riverside. A 'real' centre forward who averaged 1 in 2 for Rovers. One of my first Rovers' heroes. Friends who are Blackpool fans loved him - achieved legendary status there by scoring a hat trick against Preston which took them up to the old First Division and relegated arch rivals Preston. Came back to Rovers a year or two later but sadly Fred wasn't the same force. Fred and Shearer the best centre forwards I've seen for Rovers. In his prime, Fred would have been worth £100million at today's prices. R.I.P. Fred.