Chaddy, it is impossible to defend the kick-off time for the Burnley game. It's another kick in the teeth for supporters. I can attend but friends who work can't attend. If I had been working I wouldn't have been able to attend - despite going to games at this level home and away on a regular basis. As someone who spent all their working life in education I would be amazed and shocked if any school thought of taking children out of school during a working day to watch a football match. You really are losing touch with reality if you think any headteacher would court that sort of publicity! I'm afraid at the moment the club really doesn't help itself. I'm quite sure if they could get away with it - but they can't because of the rules - they would play behind closed doors with no supporters. Then they wonder why attendances are dropping. You really couldn't make it up!

I am sure we all wish Dominic a full recovery from an operation to remove a brain tumour

The PNE home fixture, the one last night and the Burnley game are yet again glaring examples of how some of those people down there just want as easy a life as possible. They get paid the same regardless, football is supposed to be about the fans and the team but some at Rovers seem to think it's all about them and their colleagues. I'd suggest that attitude runs from top to bottom in many cases including the management. But when you've absent owners and nobody with any affinity running the place this is what you'll get time and again. Any Rovers v Burnley fixture is a marketing opportunity, it should be on Ewood or at the very least a more sensible kick off time wherever.

Mowbray will be dining out on that Dack signing til he retires. We spent just shy of £13m on Dack, Gallagher and Brereton so it has kind of netted that one success. Chapman is his own worst enemy, yes, and Parson is tight here too. But once we signed Armstrong we should not have gone back in for Chapman anyway. He was a flair player before we signed him. Even at the time it seemed like a signing that was more about sentimental reasons than footballing ones.

Two posts in a row from Parson Blue criticising the club just shows you where we are at the minute.

Ben Brereton has to be one of the wierdest signings in all my time following Rovers. At least with Grabbi or Davies they had good records, or you could see with Formica or Rochina they were talented, or Chris Brown was cheap. Brereton has no record, no discernable quality and inordinately expensive. Totally and utterly mad. Will go down as maybe our worst transfer ever, and we've had a fair few turkeys.

Would love a Dominic Matteo at the club right now. Get well soon big guy.

I wouldn’t be too glad. Whichever way you look at it it’s a failure not a success.

I know the CB issues have been highlighted, but in the modern game your full backs are so crucial in the game especially if you want to play attacking open football, which is supposedly TM style. Just wanted to highlight 5 transfer windows in who do we have as first choice full backs? Bennett/nyambe and bell/Williams? Not going to count Cunningham as he isn't a permanent signing. How can that be progress? These players are just about good enough to keep us up, which is exactly where we were when TM first arrived!!

Defenders are coming, they're tracking Bauer for 12 months. Downing becomes available, Tony likes him so attention and budget goes that way instead. Back to looking around, friendly agent says Gallagher is finally available at a price Rovers might afford. Tony oh i like him he's been here before, Raya money goes that way. Meanwhile they've forgotten about Bauer and Tony decides he'll stick with what he has after Del tells him i'm your man. Right thinks Tony that's saved a few quid in wages so i'll get a couple more mids you can't have too many of them. I can pick 2 out of 6 or 7 every match, lovely jubbly. On it goes, scattergun.

So why sign him when we needed defensive reinforcements.

Yes mate they certainly have done their part, destroying the soul of the club, the fanbase , the playing squad, the management, the board, the match day atmosphere........the feckin lot. Well done venkys. Great post mate

How old are you, 12?

So, just so we are clear, do you not rate Harry Chapman?

Not sure we ever actually had yellow taxis in the town lol

Easiest WC route ever. Went out to the first decent team.

Would echo Stuarts reply to this, why would you gain any satisfaction from one of our players who undoubtedly has talent, who plays in an area we have struggled with consistently throughout the last few years, whose time at the club (on a permanent deal) has been a total failure?

Southgate is rightly praised for reaching the semi-finals of the World Cup having taken over an England team that had been consistently failing in tournaments for some years

I don't think Nobbers fans will feel disenfranchised like thousands of Rovers fans through a combination of persistently being let down by the club hierarchy through stand closures, ticket surcharges and a host of other things. Throw in the likes of Kean and Coyle And the shady characters who effectively stole from us. And the common denominator in this is the awful owners we have suffered for nearly a decade.

Chapman, as a professional, must take responsibility for his own performance. Surely professional pride, if nothing else, should dictate he makes more effort than at present. If he's not going to make it here he must surely be looking to attract the attention of watching scouts. Anyone watching him in recent months isn't going to be too impressed. That's not a defence of the manager, but a young lad trying to make his way in the game must surely show more energy and enthusiasm than this lad does at present.

And Dack's ? The point is that some people have been suggesting that Chapman would improve the first team and the fact he hasn't is in some strange way down to Mowbray whereas those who actually watch Chapman play confirm that he doesn't look good enough

I agree regarding Chapman. He's got more latent ability and pace than McNeil at the Dingle Dome but McNeil has a football brain. That's the big difference, he knows when to stick and when to twist. If Chapman doesn't get his act together he'll just join the ranks of the might have beens.

I give you.............Ben Brereton. ????

Ideal for you perhaps, but quite clearly picked at an incredibly stupid time in terms of getting people through the door. Why market kid prices when they will be at school. Doesnt affect me as I wouldnt have gone regardless but just commenting on the decisions made by Waggott and co and it is yet another failed one.

That bit's no surprise. No doubt the club will be landed with a nice bill for calling out the fuzz. The most inept docile set of stadium officials in the country !

There would be League One takers for Chapman and I reckon Brereton would have enough of a reputation from Forest for someone to say “it’s not worked out at Blackburn” but it would likely need to be as part of an exit strategy. I suspect that would be a difficult sell from Mowbray to the owners so we’ll likely persevere like now to keep him on the fringes while his contract runs down. Great way to earn living if you can get it!

If they were staying locally I'm certain that the local hotels and bars welcomed them with open arms. Rovers do their upmost to make them unwelcome. I'm looking forward to January when hopefully the security at Ewood is consistent and makes the Nobbers sit down. And their 'searches' actually find something illicit rather than searching my eight year old granddaughters backpack making her feel like she is doing something wrong.

Yeah, we could do what we did then and play him out of position at left back. Get well soon matey, you always gave it your best shot.

It’s not about encouraging people to buy STs though, it’s consistently been about (implicitly) threatening people with the consequences of not doing. “If you don’t buy a bundle or a season ticket, you can pay on the day but it’ll cost you up to £43”. Trouble is, any offer now made to make pricing more attractive will be decried by those who have already saved up and bought season tickets in July: “that’s not fair”. Some fans genuinely think that everyone should buy their way and 10,000 empty seats is just an unfortunate consequence. A football club should be looking to maximise its seating and adjusting margins according to try to achieve that.

Well last night was just one of those nights, to many not at the levels they know they can produce The 1st half Rovers were well on top without really producing many good opportunities, they played a little more direct than usual and picked up a lot of 2nd balls which kept them on the front foot The 2nd half was totally different for some reason they started to try to play out from the back and added to the Germans high press and work rate out of possession this had a real detrimental affect on Rovers display, the Germans started to win a lot of 2nd balls and the 3 in the middle of the park (Mols Davenport and Butterworth even though he played as a 10 he still has responsibilities defensively and he didn't do them) couldn't grab the game back Barr tried JRC in there at one point to try and get a foot hold but he would have been better served switching Butterworth and JRC rather than Mols as it affected the shape and narrowed Rovers even more Rovers never got the ball to the better creators 2nd half at all as they lost control of the middle of the park Then the desire and work rate out of possession paid off for the Germans as Mols got caught on the ball not for the 1st time in a dangerous area and it was game over There were a few who looked very frustrated figures towards the end with both Butterworth and JRC arguing with the linesman and referee and then getting involved off the ball with the Germans as it boiled over at the end, this summed up Rovers in a nutshell 2nd half, Frustrated, very frustrated This Hertha side play in the German League 3rd division, they play mens football week in week out and that showed in the 2nd half they basically out manned Rovers and showed a little more nounce in certain areas One thing I will add is this and I'm not basing this on last night this is over the last 7-8 games I've seen, Chapman needs sitting down and someone needs to explain to him that football is a team game and not about individuals, his desicion making is shocking, he takes the wrong option 99% of the time which for all the flicks and tricks makes him a very poor player in my eyes, and his game understanding is zero, for him to have any chance of making the 1st team he needs to make a lot of changes understand what's required from him defensively and sometimes do the simple thing, but I won't hold my breath and I can understand fully why Mowbray has said recently the things he has about Chapman

Schools aren’t going to take kids out of lessons in the middle of term for a youth football match, never mind it being a ‘high risk’ fixture. Come on chaddy, bloody hell.

https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/politics/quicktest/18037967.rovers-must-have-plan-not-simply-chase-golden-egg/ Howard still loves us. Strategy right, execution wrong is probably the best summation of where we are today.

mindblowing isnt it. Hoping JRC will get his chance soon. Really looking forward to seeing him on the flanks.

Downing, Bennett, Gallagher and Brereton are far from quick either but get to play the wide positions.

http://www.blackburnpast.com/2010/12/john-forbes-cup-winner-businessman.html sorry for derailing a match report thread but I found this link. Includes a picture of a 'Johnny Forbes biscuit tin'! almost as rare as Joy Division oven gloves. I also remember a shoe shop called Holts where the kids department was below street level and you had the choice of using the stairs or a slide. Remember buying some Clarks Commandos in there.

Dwight Gayle on loan? Daniel Ayala nearly out of contract? Pantillimon not wanted at Forest? Marcus Olsson Free? 4 players that would dramatically improve our squad and not break the bank. However non of the above are midfielders so I doubt we'll see any of them lining up for us in January.

Crap offer. Crap football. Crap manager. No thanks.

I did back in 2001 - it was the day after “that night” at Deepdale so there was a lot of joy around the place. Souey turned up,at one point to be interviewed by TV so I managed to get a photo with him as well. My rationale was it was my childhood ambition, I’m the same age as Mark Hughes & I thought if he can run around out there, then so can I..*? I absolutely loved it and you will always have those memories. So do it...?? * I couldn’t ?

Fans of other clubs were blown away jealous when we managed to snap up Holtby. Watch how he gets mis-used and mismanaged just like the rest of our talented players. Anywhere else he would be straight in the team in his best position, ala Reed at Fulham. He was brilliant against Huddersfield and I saw enough that day to convince me that he should be starting every match.

I reckon Mowbray would've loved it when Trent moved into centre midfield. England's Elliott Bennett!!

I've told this story before on another thread. When I was about 15 I decided I had to get a really good pair of boots. The ones I wanted were " Puma ", just like the ones that Keith Newton and a few other Rovers players were wearing at the time. My local sports shop didn't stock " Puma " so I had to go to Manchester. There was a shop on John Dalton Street run by an ex City player that I knew stocked " Puma ". I saw the ones I wanted but they were £5-0-0 and I'd only saved up £4-10-0, I was ten shillings short. The guy could see how disappointed I was so he said " I'll tell you what son, take the boots and bring me the ten bob next week. Which I did. Can you see that happening today ?

http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/politics/quicktest/18034869.how-long-can-mowbray-can-juggle-expectations-loyalty-/?action=bulletin_click&sent_id=957467447&secret=526471&ref=ebls Well some people have got what they wanted. I, for one think it's a real shame. Good luck @smudge1971 in whatever the future holds for you.

There hasn’t been a single report of personal abuse in this thread. I’ve just seen Simons tweet saying he’s leaving the LET, which brought me to this thread - I’m now trailing through it to find any abuse, then get the context, then start issuing any bans. Please can we start reporting things that break forum rules? It’s so much quicker and easier.

The personal abuse in some of these posts is bang out of order. Simon has come on here and put his side across - fair play to him. The attacks are unfair and don’t do the image of this forum any good, and at a point in time where there is a fair amount of criticism directed the way of it anyway. I used to enjoy Simon’s column, I accept his opinion currently differs from mine, but some of the stuff on here is too far. I really enjoy everything he writes in 4,000 holes, where by the sounds of things his hands are far less tied.

There's a face that would make an excellent dartboard.