Mike E

Not the fella spotted at Brockhall is it?

Tbf, if that was a case of one CM to tackle and give the ball to the other CM 'possession recycler' that's fine. As long as (like Tugay) they can recycle it straight up either wing or into the path of a running strike. In our case, recycling straight to Dack, Rothwell, Chapman, or Graham (I'd even include Armstrong and Brereton if they were already running at the box) would be superb. Just need to be sure this recycling player has a bloody good pass on them 80% of the time.

Doesn't strike me as a happy world.

Peter Whittingham had no England career nor much (if any) PL experience though.

Was Dack not a brave move? I'm not saying TM is brave by nature or anything, but that was a brave gamble to build the team around a guy who loves his nights out and had community sentences to carry out.

Cautiously optimistic. Welcome Stewart

That's what happens when you turn SD into Raw Recaps. They need to commit to the brand split and have both shows run at 2 hours.

For those saying Hanley is a 'hoof' player, I don't remember that at all! I remember a defender who (within his ability) would maraud forward from defence quite regularly, but knew when to get rid or play wide to Conway. He's not a 'baller' by any means but better than hit n hope imo. By far the best option for a brute CB that's realistic imo.

I'll give this a mention at the Trust AGM tomorrow, see if they can do any prodding for next season.

Nowt wrong wi thi! Get thisel up an mop yer brow.

My preferred theory is we were keeping him sweet all this time just in case, but now the budget is agreed, we're after bigger, more proven, more expensive fish. Maybe we went cold on him over the season due to performances for Charlton (many on here less than impressed on viewing). Maybe we were pursuing him for the squad because he was free, to replace Downing rather than go into the X1. Could've been a breaking point in January if Bauer/agent had asked for more money before committing to a loan, because they saw we'd let go of a CB so 'more desperate', but we were holding out for the original wages agreed? Maybe we offered 10k as a squad player, while PNE offered 12k as a regular starter? Even reversing the amounts, any player worth their salt will pick games. As far as transfers in general are concerned, we've been good at keeping them quiet until a day or two before signing. For that reason I still feel reasonably confident of a good window. Frustrating that there's not much news, for sure, but I have faith we'll be after better than Bauer.

I think I remember the article re: paper hit rates that AAK was referring to, and the Mail hit rate for Rovers (while astonishingly good compared to average) was still around 35-40%, so less than half. Unless someone manages to find it and makes me look a complete arse.

My take on it too. Bauer was only an option if he was willing to come and sit on the bench or work hard to compete. The free players have to be significantly better than our young players to be worth spending on, or want low wages. Was Bauer any better than what we have currently? Based on the games I watched, no. I was more impressed by our own Magloire. Personally think we'd moved on after January unless he seriously dropped his demands.

If that’s not the away kit (assuming I won’t like whatever it ends up being), I’d just buy that. And the home version, frankly.

If we used Mulgrew in midfield (money saver), and brought in Hanley and Bidwell, I’d genuinely be thrilled. Mulgrew and Travis in a midfield should have enough about it to support an attacking 3 of Armstrong, Dack, and Rothwell behind a striker. Whoever the striker is (DG, Ben, or new guy) would have to be confident holding their position though.

I’ve only seen my Dad cry at football twice. 1. The 27,000 crowd vs Oxford in L1. He never thought we’d get so full again in his lifetime. 2. Matt Jansen applauding the Blackburn End while in a Bolton kit. ‘That boy saved us from a long time in the second division’.

The thing that upsets me is, I don’t think we did (and just think how brilliant he was). Come ages 26/27/28 he’d have been possibly keeping Rooney from being an England regular for a bit.

It comes to something when the genuinely awful idea of the 24/7 title is one of the only things I actually enjoy (R Truth is doing well with it imo, in the spirit of Crash Holly), the other thing being Firefly Funhouse. The stupid wildcard idea has killed both shows. The same 10 people dominating 5 hours per week is booooriiiiiing.

Doesn’t get more European than... err... Blackpool...

You’ve been watching George Carlin haven’t you? ’Place the turkey in a pre-heated oven... that’s stupid, there are only two states an oven can exist in. Heated or unheated!’ ’This programme was pre-recorded... well of course it was! When else are you gunna record it? Afterwards?!’

The question you need to ask is whether any of the players we had under Hughes would’ve started every game in a top 6 side? I’d say Friedel, Bellamy. Nelsen at a push. Therefore, that team was far more than the sum of its parts and worked bloody hard.

Obviously I’m a touch younger than you guys. My WWE love is from 2000 onwards, and I always used to put stock in what made me laugh: 1. Rock 2. Jericho 3. Stone Cold Knowing what I know now in terms of the history of wrestling, and watching old episodes of Raw in full, and appreciating just how much goes into a wrestler: 1. Foley 2. Jericho 3. Bryan I think the ability to reinvent your character is so underrated in wrestling. It’s like ‘getting over’ several times!

Same way many failed MMA fighters do well in wrestling, by being great characters. In fairness, most wrestling fans I know would absolutely pop for Punk and not particularly care about his UFC record. Most don’t seem to care about Brock’s record, or Swagger’s, or Barrett’s, or Del Rio’s either.

Technically the ratio of blue to white would be 1:1, or half and half But yes, quarters.

I just hope to God that the 4 red stars (with six points) for AEW All Out really are a reference to CM Punk. AEW currently boasts the world’s best wrestler (Omega), the world’s best tag team (Young Bucks), the world’s best-known innovative character wrestler (Jericho), the hottest thing in wrestling (Moxley), and could well be welcoming one of this centuries most natural promos (Punk). WWE’s seeming lack of reaction is a bit disturbing. The stupid wildcard rule has just pushed so many wonderful talents off the card entirely this week: Bryan, Rusev, Nakamura, Murphy. Yet I still watch...