With all this talk of new strikers, heir apparants, over-the-hill players in their 30s and becoming less reliant on this fella, here's a little shout-out for Danny Graham. Has played more games every year he has been with us and scored more goals year-on-year too. Top man. Top player to have around. What a get this was for us - and looks well up for it in pre-season training.

Bristol City sold Loyd Kelly to Bournemouth for 13 million which explains where their money is coming from. The information from interviews and Rich Sharpe suggests: - We have a similar transfer budget as last year (Which means at leat 6-7 million) - Our wage structure is mid-table. (Steve Waggott was recently quoted on this) Which means while we are probably one of the few clubs that can spend without selling, we are going to have a hard time convincing players on good contracts (PL, upper Championship) to take a wage cut to come here. Leaving us with lower league, smaller Championship clubs and foreign players. It's fairly obvious that we need to get the scouting network up and running. Brentford and Norwich has really utilized the foreign market to good effect. I think The Championship is the 6th biggest league in Europe now and much easier to attract talent. Here in Scandinavia you can probably take your pick between 500k - 2mill for any player. Wages not an issue.

34 posts by you yesterday - every one of them adding nothing to the thread. According to the Dermatology Society, exanthems are treatable by refraining from posting unless you have something worthwhile to say. Please see your own doctor if the condition worsens. .

Bennett, Nyambe, Del and Bell as a back 4 just gives me nightmares

Reed a big loss. Great for us once TM realised he could play. As for "moaners" the manager made clear statements even before last season about how poor we were at defending and how new faces were needed. Defenders were the priority. Nothing so far to even indicate that he will fulfil the assurances he made. Therefore people are disappointed and saying so. I realise the Window isn't closed but he didn't fix this problem a year ago and we look like having to score 3 again to win a game on too many occasions.And we'll concede late ones as well, the whole League knows to step up the pressure late on whatever the score.

I wish people wouldn't harp back on about Cowans and Moran etc great as they were it says it all when we have to delve back that far to find examples of over age signings that have worked well. Plus they and several others and the club were on different levels to what we are now and it was different times. Rarely works these days guys in the past needed to keep earning because they hadn't earned the million or more even average joes earn today so they had to keep grafting. These days in most cases they just find it hard to walk away from another 10 thousand per week contract despite what they may have in the bank the money is just too good to walk away from. Adam has rarely been fit wherever he's been so he isn't going to turn into Gordan Cowans now is he. I'm amazed people can't see what might be happening here again, leave the duds alone Rovers !

Bit concerning to hear some of the change of emphasis on defenders, but to be fair it's not numbers we need in my view, it's the right partner for Lenihan which is the real emergency. One centre half of the right quality could make all the difference. Also, reading between the lines, TM saying that he liked the balance of the side at the end of last year can probably be read as Rothwell & Travis are starters. Probably should go without saying, but nice to see some evidence that Mowbray is thinking the same.

I'm not sure how anyone is acting as if what's happening right now isn't a complete total farce. Everyone associated with the club understood perfectly that we need 5-6 new players, a brand new defense, and all TM can do is stand there with his hands in his pockets mumbling "Well there I suppose it's a hard job bringing people in." Well it's your job. If you can't, move on and let someone else try. If Venkys are stopping you, be a man like Benitez and tell it how it is. We are less than 4 weeks away from kickoff and we have improved nothing.

Its the best signing Mowbray will do all summer.Great to see Johnson getting recognition for the work with the under 23s and moving up the ranks at the club.

I suppose, the irony of all of this is that it could be interpreted that you're moaning about moaning...... Anyway, have a good day!

Golden Earring - Radar Love

Nah, he was at his best in the summer of 69.

Future manager?

Very harsh. His dad left years ago and he's made a little career for himself. Captain for the U23 and seems to have a good attitude to improve. Grayson is good enough to carve out a career at League 2 (maybe 1). A poor man's Mulgrew with a great left foot. Not mobile or aggresive enough for Championship but very sure he'll have career in the lower leagues. I think Buckley has the greatest potential of the U23 group. Butterworth is also very exciting, probably the most exciting attacking talent in a few years, though the competition isn't great. They might both benefit from a loan to get used to men's football with regular football. Magloire needs a loan as well. He's having it to easy in the U23 against lightweight attackers. Experience some more robust attackers in mens football will do him a world of good. Probably one of if not the quickest footballer there has been at Rovers

Close the thread my lord, close the thread ?

Do you think you might be part of the problem? You're all over this mb like a rash - a bad one.

We obviously can ‘compete with Bristol City’ who have spent £8 million on the back of a £12 million windfall. We spent £7million on ‘potential’ on the back of selling nobody. Wrong priorities does not equate to no money.

You think a player who struggled in league one and has been injured for over a year will come back into our side and hit 10-12 goals... from the bench. He’s only scored 20 in his whole six year career . That’s boardering on ridiculous . I wish I could be as optimistic as you matey

The problem that doesn't seem to have been factored into all the talk about improving recruitment and in particular this European scouting stuff is that everyone else does it. The way some people talk you'd think we're breaking new ground here by investing in recruitment and sending scouts to the continent. Every other club in the top two divisions and probably plenty below send people on scouting trips all over the world and invest heavily in it and have been doing for years. So whilst better value for money can arguably be found in Europe, the reality is everyone is on the lookout and competing for the gems. You have to be armed with big money/helpful agents (Wolves, Forest) or be really good at it (Huddersfield, Norwich). We're neither. The fact it's taken 2 years of Mowbray's management to get to a stage where we're getting excited because someone, maybe Mowbray, went to watch a game in Holland a couple of months ago shows how far behind we are. The club has been neglected for years in an attempt to save a few quid but the short-termism of that approach means we're now having to re-invest over a sustained period to even contemplate catching up to other Championship sides who all have this sort of thing in place and have done for years. It was never needed/used from Bowyer onwards. Firstly because Bowyer's focus, rightly or wrongly, was on those players he had come across previously or were recommended by his dad/friends, and ever since then there has been no serious intention to utilise the European market for the benefit of the club. What needs to happen, of course, is that we should have had a competent and empowered Director of Football who would oversee such a scouting operation and be tasked with ensuring we were delivering on that over a sustained period of time regardless of the man in the dugout on matchday. It seems Mowbray has taken that responsibility on himself but of course he should be focusing on coaching and matchday not overall recruitment. Recruitment is a never ending process that should exist partly in tandem with the manager but also be independent and continue when the manager leaves or gets sacked, which like it or not could happen at a moment's notice. All in all we're about 5-10 years behind the times when it comes to the operation of things. We can get away with it so long as Mowbray continues to deliver good enough results to keep us going. After that i dread to imagine.

We will set up our own forum, na na na na na.

Genuinely think this is a very good move we've all moaned about one thing or another quite rightly in a lot of instances but they do appear to be taking seriously the development of our own players and building a pathway to the first team. Hopefully it is being done for the right reasons and hopefully he gets some real input into it all.

See big dog praise and positivity WELL DONE TONY. finally something that makes unquestionable sense

Forget Bidwell, Rovers should pick up Haitam Aleesami on a free. His contract just expired with Palermo. Has a good pedigree with Palermo in Serie A/B and regular for the Norwegian national team. Modern left back that can defend and attack. 27 years and wages within our structure. Doubt the scouting team are aware. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haitam_Aleesami

Ritchie Smallwood's hair is probably the most noteworthy thing to happen since last season finished.

You are right. Let’s start with a big bruising central defender and a left back. The rest will be ok when they realise we can defend.

Ethan Pinnock, a very good centre back is going to Barnsley. Another potentially good signing going elsewhere. And all these "negative/moaning" accusations are what stops conversation, not anything else.

New signings aren’t just a numbers game. We need to sign players who can improve the first team.

I agree that Davenport will be like a new signing, I haven't actually had chance to see him play yet, as I missed the last game of the season. But then, to be fair mate, you're replying to everyone you don't agree with trying to tell them why you think they're wrong (which is your right, obviously). It's all just different opinions, I wouldn't get as stressed about it, it's only pixels on a screen.....

https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/rovers/news/17738118.rovers-boss-tony-mowbray-wants-to-strengthen-across-board/ Yep, and the government wants to leave the EU on October 31 with a deal. Neither is going to happen.

I think all the players are one year older. Let me just check Wikipedia before confirming that........ Yep they all are.

Blackburn Rovers proudly present "Wrong Direction"

How would this team of over 30's when they signed for us get on? Promotion guaranteed? ............... Friedel Salgado Moran Gale Berg ….............. Cowans............. ............Ardiles Tugay.......... ................ Hughes........... ...........Speedie Archibald

Basically - a 2million pound deal might sound cheap on the basis the lad you’re signing is decent, but if he’s on 2m a year or 40k per week, and the club selling don’t want to honour his 3/4 years costing 6/8m + NI/tax etc - you’ll likely take a reduced fee to save long term running costs!

You are not alone

Yes or no. I can guarantee it’s one of those two

The Stranglers - Golden Brown

The right shade of blue!!! YES!!! https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D-ZeSLLWwAE4Q-6.jpg

Deserved promotion to the first team - good news. https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2019/july/johnson-joins-first-team-staff/

So Leicester rejected a £70 million bid from United for Maguire. Football getting crazier by the day. Also, do any of you follow Mulgrew on Instagram? he posted a video yesterday of him coming 2nd in the parents race at his kids sports day. 2nd to......Paul Gallagher ?

Top right, 'Ignored Users', enter selection with fluid. One administration will sooth the source of irritation. Please see your own Doctor if the urge to be a miserable **** persists.

Judging by the white on the sleeve, the halves are the correct way round this season.

Hmm, look like the halves are the 'wrong way round' again. I always prefer the front blue on the wearer's left with the club badge rather than on the right with the manufacturer.

There's a good rash?

I still struggle to accept that the gap between mathematically confirming safety and Mowbray flying to India with no idea as to his budget isnt a hindrance in terms of being proactive earlier in the market.

A week of ‘teasers’, ain’t social media great.

Do you ever get sick of moaning? Genuine question

Argent - God Gave Rock And Roll To You

People talk about Samuel like he's some kind of youngster - he's 25! He's scored 20 goals in his entire career and next season he's going to bag 10-12? Come on now. There's optimism and then there's madness. If Samuel plays a significant part next season then we will have failed in our recruitment.

I think people watched a lot of Samuel's instagram posts during pre-season last year and think he's going to light it up. If he wasn't deemed good enough to play in his actual position in league 1 then there's no way he should now. A move to a League 1 club would suit both parties, he must be desperate for some game time.