‘Technical and procedural” issues just like tying up £15 million in a bond which they may not get back every time they decide to send £15 million towards Ewood. I don’t believe they want to do that. If they did they could have done that instead of selling Wharton and jeopardising our Championship status. Therefore they will wait till the court case hoping that problem goes away.

I don’t get why there are two Championship games at 8pm on the opening Friday. That’s Sky just taking the piss.

Reducing their allocation last year was the only thing Waggot has ever got right.

That was just bad. Either Foden or Bellingham has to be dropped, but that would take big cahones. Southgate doesn’t have them.

Wharton and Gordon on and move Foden inside. Gallagher and Bellingham off.

Yeah but he’s been worse than Trent was on the ball.

Then don’t pick him. But don’t drop him into a deep holding role (which is what the other person implied) There is a good team here, but it needs some tough decisions.

Surely Bellinghams best position is where the European Champions play him.

I mean, he openly admits we had to sell our best player to get a quick £6 million in to keep funding the club for the rest of the season. This is because for the first time in 13 years there is no money coming in from the owners. But that’s not ‘a mess’

I did read it and think the same 😄

You see I’d rather have Trippier at RB in that system then Gomez or Trent so that’s where we’re going to disagree here.

I mean, Trippier clearly should be in the squad. He's a good right back cover for Walker and can defensively do a job at LB. He hardly put a foot wrong in that regard. If he was there all tournament I would bemoan not having a 'proper' left back, but to cover for a game or two until Shaw gets up to speed I see no problem with. If you're playing him there though then as you say, you can’t have Foden keep drifting in all the time. You'd be better with Eze or Gordon, two left footers, out there.

Wierd thing last night is, despite the fact we were piss poor in the second half, only Trent and Foden actually played badly. Kane wasnt great but did spend a lot of the half trying to get on the ball to get us out and drawing free kicks, and was unlucky with the header. The rest of the side all did their job. The keeper didnt do anything wrong. The defenders all individually played well (Trippier obvsioiuly struggles getting forward but defensively he was solid). Rice was very good. Bellingham was gvery ood. Saka was good first half, Bowen did well replacing him. And yet we really struggled in the end against a Serbia team who on individual quality (based on league performances and the clubs they play for) should be inferior. That's got to be the way we set up tactically.

I’ll give you the others, but is that Italy we beat twice in qualifying and who were lucky to pip Ukraine into second. Then ended up hanging on a bit against Albania yesterday.

If I was the owner and we were having to sell our best players at short notice just to pay the bills for the rest of the season because I couldn’t (or wouldn’t) send money to cover the running of the club, yes I would. As the most senior person at Ewood with connections to the owners I think he should be speaking. To be honest I think one of the owners should have done an interview on Rovers Tv to explain the current problems financing the club.

I think the point is both Jackson and WATR are running with this line because Waggot has told them. ( or Jackson just got it from the WATR minutes) Which doesn’t mean it is true because Waggot can “bend the truth.” Also the “matched personal guarantee” was the line several sites were reporting in January. Despite this we had to sell Wharton to keep the club running. Therefore there is nothing to suggest Venkys are happy to tie a load of money up with authorities that are investigating them just to keep funding Rovers. Obviously if another £15million lands in Rovers accounts this summer it clears it up once and for all.

I’ve got a feeling Italy may struggle a bit with Albania. Don’t know why. Probably be a slaughtering now I’ve said that.

Better second half. Hungary may still get something yet.

What if Venkys don’t want to tie up £15million each time time in equivalent bonds with the same Authorities that are taking them to court over other issues with regards to other issues with UK money? Was the ‘bond’ story not doing the rounds in January, and yet we still panic-sold Wharton to cover the costs for the remainder of the season.

And Matija Sarkic, Millwallls keeper. Sad morning for footy.

Exactly. If it’s only £50 cheaper you’d think sod it, I’ll just buy a full one. If it was half the price you would have (in my opinion but unproven) a bigger migration with people downgrading than those actually taking up the offer. That’s based on my circumstances (and I do actually get to most midweek games with some difficulty ) and also what I see around me at Ewood on a Tuesday night. Is there a tipping point where it works? £210 against £300? I’m not sure. @M_B disagrees but it’s very difficult to prove or trial. I see the logic in how it would appeal to some people cost-wise. I just don’t think it commercially would make sense to Rovers, and the gain in weekend support and atmosphere would be negated by the loss in mid-week support.

I think the point is you are underestimating the number of people who would downgrade. No one disagrees people would take up the offer, but many people would downgrade also. I’ve no idea if you go to midweek games but some of the attendances over then last few seasons have been pitiful. It’s clear at least 20% of season ticket holders aren’t actually going midweek, and that’s at games which I’ve been to on sufference as I’ve paid. If I didn’t feel I had to as I’d already paid I wouldn’t have bothered. Now if you got 5000 extra season ticket holders as you have said then there’s a logic to it. But that figure is not going to happen. And if it was to happen then would you not get a similar number if you just reduced the overall ticket price cheap enough anyway so some games were ‘dispensable’?

Me and my two mates have a season ticket and we absolutely would switch to a flexi / weekend ticket as between us we miss a few midweekers and some of the others I make are a pain to get to. I only go cos I’ve paid. You only need to look around at a midweek game to see how many season ticket holders are missing. A flexi ticket, whilst being ideal for many fans, would ultimately reduce turnover and murder midweek attendances.

I know. If you listened to people on here you would think we had no money, nearly got relegated, sold our best players cheaply, ballsed up major incomings due to internal stupidity, our new manager was yet to win a game at Ewood, our MD wants to knock down half of Brockhall and our future was in the hands of the Indian courts. Jeez.

Exactly. You could see it coming a mile off. I didn't even think Gregg was any good, but it sums up the whole internal BS.