I applaud the club's decision to give Gladwin some security over the next six months to get his life and career back on track. He's had an horrendous two years and that must take it's toll mentally and physically. I don't think for one second this is about giving him a chance to get into our team, it's about doing right by the player. He's unlikely to play again until 2020 so that would be many months without any income for a player who I doubt has earnt that much during his career so far. Give him a chance to get fit and play some U23 games on a very low wage and hopefully he can get himself noticed by another club. If we don't do that then his football career is potentially over. I think it would be different if it was a player like Rodwell who has millions in the bank, but this is a player who has predominantly played in the lower leagues all his career.

I'd understand if Gladwin was a world-beater and we gave him a new deal in the vain hope that he would rekindle the magic, but he's done nothing and according to Mowbray the contract extension is based on feeling sorry for him. One of the recurring criticisms of Mowbray is that he's too loyal and not ruthless enough with the L1 squad. Loyalty is a valued characteristic but it can be a character flaw if it breeds favouritism, stagnation and short-sightedness.

Hmmm. Two ways of looking at it really. On the one side Gladwin has had a hell of a lot of money out of Rovers whilst also benefiting from excellent facilities to try and get through his rehab. A 2 year deal even at 4k a week is worth way more than most people could ever dream of being paid, never mind for little in return other than trying to get fit. On the other side I can see the human element. Of course it isn't nice to chuck an injured player onto the 'scrapheap'. But this is a business. People on a lot less money than Gladwin have been made redundant from Rovers and other football clubs. People who aren't loaded. Waggott and Cheston wail about low incomes and the need to generate revenue yet we're on about using up a salary to give him more time to get fit? The question though it whether he is good enough when fit. I don't believe he is if we are serious about moving upwards and progressing. On that basis the injury issue almost becomes irrelevant. If he isn't deemed good enough for what we need then he shouldn't be retained.

I wouldn’t get too angry over the Gladwin situation, it seems that he’s going to be allowed to continue his rehab here on what I can imagine is minimal money and once he’s got himself back fit he’ll be able to find himself another club. He’s not going too be given a 3 year deal I wouldn’t worry about that ?

Gladwin or Butterworth ? Leutwiler or Fisher ? Conway or chapman Not only is he wasting a wage, he's wasting our academy and stifling development of a rare crop of good young players who cost less and have something to prove. We need new first team players. The likes of Evans, Bennett mulgrew etc pushed down the pecking order to be the equivalent of Conway last season and the young lads chomping at the bit. Conway, Hart, Samuel, gladwin, leutwiler, Smallwood and nuttall are not needed at this club if we are aiming for more than survival. Ffs Tony it's a football club not a charity. I'm fed up of the shite that comes out his mouth and then sitting watching us blow opportunities to improve. I don't expect top six ever in this league with the teams and unpredictable nature of the league but just once I'd like to believe we did everything right and had a good go ( no bowyer jokes) . Even if we failed. Fuming and the window isn't open yet

Fair enough you wouldn't expect them to, but it would be nice if they did, no? I would imagine it would leave the company with one loyal employee. I have worked in HR for over 10 years, both in both Irish and multi-national companies. The multi-nationals are ruthless and would have someone out the door, Irish companies would be more likely to support the persons return. Either way, you need to make sure your ducks are in line so as not to be opened up the legal proceedings, if the person is depressed for example. I don't see why a football club shouldn't try and do the right thing by a person, particularly a family club and the fact it will cost peanuts. The leaps some are making in linking this decent gesture to what our budget will be is just mad stuff really.

Didn't Arsenal just release Welbeck after spending the season injured? He's had the best medical care whilst under contract, but now it's time to move on, he can't have any complaints.

Probably, although their players dancing the 'loser dance' while holding pretend 'spy-gate' binoculars, at Leeds' ground was top class....

Conway and Gladwin's contracts were honoured, they had expired. There was no need to renew them.

Building to get out of this league is fine but doesn't involve keeping people who have shown they aren't up to it or are so injury stricken that they haven't played a single minute in 18 months. Building to get promotion means you methodically replace and phase out the above with superior players whenever the opportunity arises. Early days yet and I'm still hopeful Mowbray is playing games without seriously intending on keeping these players. But his comments especially on Gladwin are very strange for a club supposedly restricted on finances.

I am proud supporting a club which looks after its players so well and so considerately. I am not in football but I know in business when a relatively small considerate and generous gesture gets known about and helps in perception as a place good people want to go to work at or do business with.

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I suspect Gladwin wasn't 'given' a new contract, there are usually injury stipulations written into footballers contract with respect to medical care and salary payments when injured. The club are obliged under football league rules to pay the player a full salary for 18 months when injured on club duty and 50% salary for any remaining rehab time after that. How individual contracts play into this I'm not sure. As horrible as it is to suggest, there may also be an insurance payout to consider if the injury is career ending. I suspect the club can't release Gladwin, will still have some sort of liability if they do or could no longer collect an insurance payout if he is out of contract. Like others I see little or no chance of him breaking through, so this short term deal (6 months) is about other factors in my opinion. TM is probably just spinning it.

If we think something is a ‘comical over reaction’ or ‘hysterical’, can we explain why please? Instead of simply saying so without any meat on the bones? Surely, it can’t be that hard...

Lot of assumptions on contract length and wages there.

They shouldnt have been offered new deals was my point. Its not conjecture, hes been offered a new deal. Im not even considering rumours about his personality, pissed up rants etc. Hes not started a league game in 2 years of paid employment, when he did play in the cups his attitude was terrible, so ultimately we owe him nothing. But as a decent club, by all means let him use our facilities to get back to fitness. A paid contract out of pity makes a mockery out of our constant and understandable desire to bring costs down and work to a budget. Downing, like Leutweiler, Gladwin and Conway is not good enough, the reason people havent criticised the decision to not offer him a new deal is because he shouldnt be offered one either.

Makes me laugh this, if he’d not have been retained yesterday, I doubt I would have read any posts bemoaning TM’s lack of morals for cutting him loose!

Taking up squad space and wage budget?

Not good enough to start every week for a team that goes up. Can still contribute as a squaddie and good influence on a young squad imo.

An organisation or company ‘s greatest asset is its workforce, never forget that. philipl is spot on here, Rovers looking after an injured player sends a message out to the other players that is priceless. At the back of every players mind is the thought that it could be them in that position.

He’s explained it at least five times that I’ve read or listened to: contracts will be honoured, ergo no-one on a contract will be forced out. There never was going to be a mass clear-out.

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The retained list of a manager who has predictably failed on his promise to be ruthless to allow us to push forwards already. A manager who was talking about having to find value in the market last week, yet is throwing money down the drain with many of these extensions, when we need both the room in the squad and room to manoeuvre on the wage budget. Firstly, agree with the Downing decision. We need better. Leutweiler is never, ever good enough. If hes one of our main 2 keepers, we have major problems. If he isnt, why on earth do we need a third choice senior goalkeeper who will seldom even make the bench? One who isnt good enough to deputise should we get 2 injuries anyway. Gladwin is an absolute joke, the absolute opposite of ruthlessness. This is a player who was out of his depth in League 1, prior to a series of serious injuries, in which time he has been paid by the club. To let him use the facilities would be a noble, human decision. To give him a wage is absolutely ridiculous. Conway is someone who was out of his depth at this level 2 or 3 years ago. Not good enough anymore, nor does he fit into this apparent new system Mowbray seems to want to move toward, high energy, progressive football. Rodwell I am the least annoyed about, but still I am unconvinced that he should have been given a new deal. Has quality as a midfielder, but Mowbray will see him as an option at centre back.

Because we're a charity now.

So if it isn’t costing the club a penny, the club doesn’t need to be ruthless and by the same token isn’t acting altruistically either. So, what are you ranting about?

...... Gladwin shouldn't be given a contract he should be nailed to a stake and stuck up Darwen Moor so the crows can peck his eyeballs out and locals can pelt him with out of date Leavers pies... Said no one ever but they might as well do such is the reaction to non existent hysterics which in reality are just the usual opinions on another odd decision and very underwhelming player.

Did he rap the Q&A?

We release or reject countless players over the course of a season right through the academy to the first team. Each time we turn down a 16 year old prospect or free agent it could potentially end his career or stop it before it even begins.

We haven't got to the end of May and this is already the second comical overreaction (I'm counting the outrage caused by Derby signing Shinnie)

Time, money and resources used? Come on ? I doubt it would be the most hard fought negotiation under the circumstances. I reckon Gladwin would snap their hands off for whatever is offered. I doubt he has any other offers. What do you mean by the first highlighted bit? I am intrigued How will this move impact on us attracting quality players? This is a comical overreaction to be honest

We are certainly "Not for profit" ! ?

I'd rather we focused our efforts on getting promoted asap and with it sorting out our crippling finances which could jeopardise the future of the club than spent our time worrying about being nice and 'doing the right thing'. Good old Rovers eh. Do the right thing, don't break any pots or upset anyone, just carry on being nice and sign/keep players to help them out rather than the club.

Compassion - yes but to guys who've been earning thousands per week and know exactly how the game works. Sorry but this isn't a non league player and we aren't a charity even though we've resembled one for most of the past ten years. If it's a 6 month deal on a grand per week whilst he gets himself sorted then that's commendable and fair enough but keeping him on the same terms then mulling over a new deal if he gets fit is bonkers because at the end of the day he's a poor player probably better suited to lower down the scale. Anyway it remains to be seen but usually when TM drops hints on this kind of thing they then usually come true he's a stickler for better the devil you know, lads probably already been promised a fresh deal if he gets fit. Maybe if he has to pack in the insurance will cover it i'm sure there'd have to be some angle on it to get it past the owns or their middleman at least. Some good signings it'll be forgotten about but an underwhelming window and moans of little room in the budget then he'll rightfully get pelters for not freeing up some much needed space off that list.

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It's a generational thing probably but I always associate the boys are back in town by thin Lizzy with rovers as that is what the players used to come out to when I was a kid. Everytime I hear it is automatically think of rovers walking on to the pitch. I appreciate I'm in the minority

I think madon should have to do the next kit launch as punishment ?

Lovely to see Leeds bomb and even better to that we all have someone to support in the final. Spurs to beat Liverpool, arsenal to beat Chelsea and England's men and women to bring a trophy each home it's been a fabulous year football ?

Is it true, there are many who claim the owners poor running of the club means no budget has been agreed yet, but the same fans say the manager needs to be more ruthless? Id argue these deals show there is money but only for certain targets, so why cut Rodwell and Conway before you know if there’s replacements coming in? As for the other one, I’m not sure how Gladwin has or staying for 6 more months will stop the development of Butterworth, and I’m not sure how (as others point out) a short extension to his deal is going to cost the earth AND chances for lads in the academy. @Oldgregg86 - that’s aimed at you haha. It’s not a major call in anyway, imo - I’m not sure how anyone could be seemingly so frustrated and upset, just another forward like Samuel who could potentially add something to the squad and will cost us basically nothing to keep to fight for his place. If we’d already seen a poor team ethic/spirit because of these players - id be more concerned. As for the keeper situ - Raya is/was our ACADEMY keeper. So surely keeping the average backup makes more sense to keep Raya no1 - who will improve long term with games.. Thats if you’ve no intention of spending your limited budget in an area like GK - surely TM/Waggott knows most of our budget will probably be need to be spent on a centre back? Just my two cents. To be honest I don’t think anyone could say “he’s saying one thing and doing another” when the season (playoffs) haven’t even finished yet ffs. The retained list isn’t the final squad list for next season!

Earn himself ANOTHER deal? This new ruthless, promotion-targeting Mowbray sounds a lot like the old loyalty-bound, I’ve-told-Venkys-to-keep-their-money-in-the-bank one.

“He won’t be ready for pre-season,” Mowbray said. “It will be longer than pre-season. “We have to support him through his injury and let’s hope he can get fit before January and then earn himself another deal.” Astounding - it might not be until January that he is fit!!!!

At a time when much of the Country is divided on a major political issue, and notwithstanding our different footballing loyalties, it's lovely to be able to post on an issue that brings so many people together, at this difficult time ..... I think this gentleman sums up many of our feelings this evening ..... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4uivPpzCGo ????

So we're going to end up with a bloated squad contrary to what the manager has only just been saying recently about us not being to sign player after player. How on earth does Samuel and Gladwin fit into the picture for minutes? Especially when it's likely another forward will be coming in.

He did also say he's not booting anyone out either or forcing anyone to leave just giving them the opportunity to find their own way out if they want to. Not the ruthless type at all so he's unlikely to start now and if the owners and co don't lay any demands of the top 6 and don't issue a larger budget than last season and are happy with stability then he's got one of the best jobs in football at the min. Far from the basket case club some still perceive us to be.....for now.

I'm surprised we offered any of the out of contract players a new deal. Looked like a good chance to make some space in the squad to bring 3 or 4 in who could get into the first team. I think as a manager you have to back yourself to do that while by retaining squad players all you are doing is cutting your options for first team signings. Strange decision really. Look at the goalie situation, neither of them is a first choice keeper in my opinion and we have the chance to get rid of 1 and bring someone else in but turn it down in favour of extending a contract. What means a wage and a signing on fee are gone on someone who clearly isn't up to the job.

Steve Waggott wins the playoffs as Leeds and their horde are welcomed back to fortress Ewood

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This is a football club not a charity. Gladwin has been well paid for two years and has given next to nothing back in fact over those two years the club has done more for him than he has for us. By all means allow Gladwin to continue training with the club and using the facilities but to give him any kind of contract is ridiculous especially when the manager has already said that he won’t be fit for pre-season.

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