It would have been in motion with Dack a year or so ago if all had gone to plan i reckon. Think this season was always going to be project Armstrong so it'll be interesting to see if any realistic bids actually come in. If they do and he goes then just watch next season they'll be concentrating and setting up to get the best out of A N other. Team and results are irrelevant he's already let that out the bag. He's lining his tag lines up for selling Arma, he goes for 10 million plus and his words ring true. There you go iv'e worked on Armstrong for a season and raked back in the BB and Gallagher investment. Next season we'll work on Ben or Travis being the focal point of the team. Doesn't really matter where we finish in the eyes of the bean counters as long as it isn't in the bottom 3. Pretty sure that's the type of plan, top 6 talk is just that in order to gather interest from fans and sponsors etc. Best job in this league he has, no chance he's walking away unless he's pushed or hounded.

Proof that the possession game only works well enough to count for anything when you have a team of proper quality players. That applies whatever level you are at and in the championship if you are good at it it'll deliver midtable, lower if you aren't. Banged on about it half a dozen times before but for those who remember Gradis Crewe that's what we'll become. Forget Brentford these lot are nowhere capable of delivering even that. What they have in mind is a nice neat football side with enough about it to sit around tenth place. Whilst growing players to sell, blooding youth and running freebies and loans through the books. Very handy all that if you have close agent friends and all that's been missing so far is that one big sale to kick it all off. That's probably down to the owners more than anything, still under the impression keeping it all together will yield top 6 under the Teeside babbler. Meanwhile him and Waggo can't wait to get the ball rolling and show their plan is coming to fruition. Several thousand fans fall into line with this having been brainwashed into thinking that's all modern day BRFC with it's billionaire owners and potentil backing are capable of. Not clued up enough to ask the question why clubs like Preston etc keep out performing us. Can't possibly be the management ? Must be the owners ! Can't possibly be the owners they keep pouring money in ! Must be the fans, or lack of them ??? Once the owners fully buy into this ( signs they are ) then we are fooked. Always said we'd end up being the Rovers of the early/mid 80's again - without the promotion daliances. Just an old boys club bobbling along on ave 8k gates. Only difference will be instead of being truly skint but not in debt we'll be pouring millions down the drain in backing every season. Yet debt will still be mounting.

Holtby highlights the problem with signing planers from Euro leagues and taking punts on injury prone guys no matter how much talent they might have. They are just too damn fragile for this English Championship and the demands of it. Plus you'd assume the high levels of training that goes with it. If we had a big budget/parachute money and an already good midfield, one where someone like him could just give us another option for a dozen games a season and a few subs then fair enough. Not the case here though we need every drop we can squeeze from players and budget and we need horses for courses. Best option imo as seen with the likes of Elliot & Reed before him is too loan in bits of real quality. Then of course the real key to it all, one where we fall down too often, is use them frigging properly !

Groundhog summer.

There'll be no vacancy until about October then it'll be someone from within stepping up. Followed a browse of the usual HSH scrapheap to see if there's another Mowbray on there. Meanwhile he'll have his feet up in Teeside looking for his next pension contributor.

This manager and CEO have done their best to drum any ambition out of the ownership since we returned to this division. They've had money to invest in a few players, had wages backing the club itself can';t really afford. Been allowed to surround themselves with mates, drones, analytical staff etc they claimed they needed to make us a top side. They've had an academy turning out good youth to fill out the squad and had backing for Prem club loanees. All whilst penny pinching on the stadium and pitch and overseeing diminishing crowds before covid. Basically THEY haven't really delivered so have set out trying to convince everyone it's the clubs/finances/pitches/lack of 100 millions fault. So we'll just have to operate to their level and damn well be grateful for that. We are in for a summer of cutbacks, sales, bad start to next season. Then damage done they'll walk or be sacked (in that order) and we'll endure another Coyle scenario. They say be careful what you wish for to those wanting change. I say back to them the same in their wish to let this lot carry on.

A resounding 4-1 win to finish off a wretched season and paper over the cracks that will be apparent again by Sept. Facebook crew break through the security and carry Mowbray on their shoulders all the way to RVC planning offices. Give our messiah the tools he needs to make us into Brentford they cry.

This. What use is one without the other ! Being able to skin a man with pace going forwards or bang in good crosses and set pieces are just a bonus. Defending is the primary job and i'd be interested to see the stats on that between both. Doubt that's something Mowbray would crow about like he does the possession stuff.

If they let him go on a free that's where he'll end up again no doubts, like a few others we've carried too long.

Perfect opportunity to get rid now with Pickering coming in. Loan in another more established one and have the new lad fighting it out with him.

You didn't watch Line of Duty then ?

It's fair enough having one good top potential talent belonging to someone else in the team as long as they are there on merit. Elliot was that for sure, Tosin the season before. Ending the season with at times 3 of them in there isn't good at all though you can't be having them as the core of the team. We could have ended up with something like 5 regulars belonging to someone else. That's not a good look and doesn't reflect well on Mr Development of his building of his side. The owners probably loved the fact though half the teams wages are paid by other clubs. In their deluded minds this will be representing good business. Because Mowbray and the other goon say it is.

So 'I'm setting off for Ewood Park' seems nothing more than a clickbait exercise. I hope Waggot doesn't see him outside he'll be asking him in for an estimate !

Sounds like there's nothing in it....other than coincidence of course.

They had a wage ceiling of 10k allegedly although uncle Trev might have allowed a bit more in the odd cases. I heard they gave him a big signing on fee and 4 year deal in order to sign him. Either way it'll not add up to 40k pwk. More like 15 i'd wager.

Who is the editor though ? Does he or anyone else for thet matter have any genuine affinity to Rovers or the town even ? Or are they all just paid employees of a much larger corporation, just going through the motions ticking certain boxes, filling inches. In a get the job done with as little fuss as possible operation.

Exactly. He's just running it how he wants to run it by the looks of it with this 'integrity' line being in the case of the players. He really must be known as great uncle Tony because all he seems bothered about is looking after them. I said 12 months ago he'd make a better player welfare officer than a top 6 chasing manager. The guy is playing his own game at this club whilst wasting someone else's money. It's a really cosy little set up and ambition is nowhere near the driving force.

I think that's why there hasn't been any real planning because they are just assuming most will sign an extension. Evans will be here until they carry him out he'll never get a gig like this anywhere. Johnson will probably join Holtby in the exit room or maybe we'll resign him late in the window, if he can't sort anything out and is desperate enough for a pay cut. Trybull will be replaced with another loanee and Bennett i 100% expect him to be offered something. Probably a seat at Mowbrays desk like Smallwood ! He may though be happy to leave if he's guaranteed to play elsewhere.

Evans and Bennett will be next on the dotted line.

Another example of why we'll never move forwards under this management. Only ever interested in keeping HIS signing Bell yet loaning in whoever they can get to rotate him with. He hasn't improved in all the time he's been here but he's another who gets jerked about, according to opposition whether he plays well or not. No wonder he looks half arsed most of the time. Now likely to be rotated with Pickering next season when instead he should be let go. Pickering should be the new back up to a more experienced left back, loan or not. That's how you try to move forwards instead of jobs for the boys you like or are STILL trying to justify signing.

Panic signings late summer it is then, apart from any ex Boro or TM's mates who we suddenly seem to get over the line without fuss.

Yeah it seems we've been paying him whilst he's been taking them allegedly. Good old generous Tone again.

Mowbray is the Ted Hastings of Ewood, too generous to those he feel's sorry for with money that isn't his.

Mowbrays building of football clubs is really just building an old boys network. Getting as many pals through the door as he can.