Yep. That was when we all realised that we were, ultimately and forever, a small town club. Nothing wrong with that, but it was still a let down after the previous six years. What a dividing line, though. This was when not just BRFCS died, but when Blackburn died. Since then, we've had Panorama episodes on Shad and on us being the most racially divided town in the country. It's an arbitrary date. but it works. Blackburn's been dying a slow death ever since.

He's already been through months of bad results. It's now 17 points from 19 games.

To be fair, that's a better starting lineup than last week. I'd have preferred Lenihan over Williams and Nyambe in for Bennett, but with their injuries then it's about what we'd expect. I can only presume there's an issue with Cunningham as well which is why he didn't even travel. I'll be unhappy if Ben B doesn't get any game time at all this week. Now Tony, please keep Rothwell in the side from now on, do NOT bench him again.

No Nyambe and no Lenihan? No points. Dear me, what defenders do we have left? Great idea to send Magloire and Wharton out on loan when we are so short of defenders.

Huge blow. Lenihan is now perhaps our most important player. We have cover in other areas of the team, but not in defence. We will have to go with a three man backline?!? Bell-Tosin-Nyambe? Not sure we have a choice. This is presuming Williams isn't fit enough to start.

At the END of the transfer window?!? You really couldn't make it up.

Getting in the right manager, such as Dyche, is the first step. The second step is to put the systems in place so that, when Dyche leaves, it isn't 100% dependent on the next managerial appointment. Southampton are the perfect proponents of this (Swansea as well, before they went sack happy). Nigel Adkins brought them up two leagues and they sacked him. They went from strength to strength while chopping and changing managers. Admittedly, they've had some dodgy times in the last few seasons but...this was League One Southampton in 2011. So, start with the right manager is the way to go. Bt then, you need to carry it on when they leave. Our most relevant example would be Souness onwards under John Williams. Incredibly successful until the Venky's swanned in and sacked Big Sam. We've never recovered, and yet we had the system down perfectly until then when the Walker family sold us down the river to these charlatans .

No idea what you are talking about here. It's getting a few scouts in to look for some players, not building the Great Wall of China.

Probably a midfielder...

For now, that much is true. However, it's been 17 points from 18 games. If it goes on much longer, I'm not sure how much worse a replacement can be. It's already relegation form over almost half a season. By the end of September, we'll either be in a relegation scrap or very happily surprised.

I know it's not a popular opinion, but I do see good qualities in Bell. While it's true that by 25 we should be seeing coming into his own as a defender, his development has been retarded at Rovers by being in a mess of a defence and he looks to have no confidence whatsoever. He has pace and a good touch. He makes the wrong decisions time and again, but then that's where we need someone to be speaking to him, getting his chin back up and offering support. Therefore, I'd still like to see him having a run in a back four without Mulgrew and Bennett but instead with some guiding influence. It might be a small chance, but it's more of a chance than Bennett and Mulgrew have of ever improving as defenders. Neither of them are really defenders, Bennett's a midfielder and I don't care where Mulgrew has played in the past, whatever he is he is not a CB any longer. I doubt we're getting any more defenders in. Why leave it so late to bring Tosin in, never mind anyone else, if it was really a priority this summer?

How many of the signings we've been making are actually Mowbray's choices? His words don't match his actions. Under the Venky's, signings have rarely made sense. Are managers told to play certain players regardless? Our lineups under Venky's have often made little sense. As much as we're questioning Mowbray, this has been a decade of madness. That's why the thought of "Mowbray Out" is so terrifying. Before him, they appointed Kean, Berg, Appleton, Bowyer and Coyle as their five permanent managers before Mowbray. What a bloody list, eh? Heaven knows which crappy manager they would replace him with.

We have Rothwell, Dack, Downing, Armstrong, Chapman, Gallagher (for the last 25 mins on Saturday!), Bennett, Armstrong, Buckley, Travis, Johnson, Smallwood and Evans for our midfielders. Nyambe and Bell could play there. Perhaps Mulgrew should be in midfield now as well, as he's no longer a defender. I've probably forgot some, too. As we can field a whole starting XI of midfielders (or almost midfielders) as well as having a couple on the bench, then I'd suggest that anything other than a defender is a complete waste of time and resources. Nothing against Lansbury, but I really hope those whispers aren't true.

Albert Einstein said: “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” If Tony Mowbray says on Saturday, "Elliot, you're right back today and Charlie, make sure you keep it tight it at the back. Joe, get ready to come for the last 20 minutes" then we know that we're in trouble this season and that he needs to brush up on his Einstein quotes!

Well, it's worth a try.