Yes. Significantly so over the last year or two. Missed that. Must have been at end of article. Thanks for correction.

Jim when quoting our "illustrious" PM's latest gaffes please try using a more neutral source than the BBC. Contrast with sky's article that highlights he allegedly laughed when making the comment and also covers the widespread condemnation of the remarks, the BBC tries to minimise any negative impact. Think it shows a better reflection on things.

Oh it's pretty stupid if it happens before the season start too. No long term planning, no assets, no experience and stunts our own players' growth. Whilst not adverse to loans in principle in our situation loading up on young loanees is a terrible way to go.

Agree the guy humiliates us. Mind you he is in good company with the owners and CEO on that score. There were a host of other issues with the comment I didn't go into (I felt 1 covered it) but a whopping 4th could be what about a style that suits the other 15-20 in the squad?

Pretty gutted by the comments our new signings dictate our style of play. It makes me wonder two things: 1) Could we get any more unprofessional. A terrible way to do it, and somehow even more foolhardy given said players will be loans and change year on year. 2) How does anyone hearing this stuff not roll on the floor laughing and question this bull? It's utter madness yet no one challenges it. Joke owners, joke CEO, joke manager. An utter insult to the club and I can only hope and pray the whole lot do one asap.

I think so. Younger and has pace but far less proven, especially at a higher level.

Before we bank on these premier League loans they could be Elliott and Tosin standard OR they could be the next Palmer and Walton. To be in this situation after 4 years of journeying is a joke. Will be interesting to see if/how much better off we are than when we got promoted or even under Coyle.

Indeed but given our track record of signings can you blame anyone for being wary? Another case of other clubs surprisingly also wanting players.

We'll never know. Given how much Wycombe rallied (showing it's possible) and if the pressure had been increased a bit more on ourselves and Derby (who only just missed out on relegation) through even just one more positive result for Rotherham would have caused I think they could have stayed up. Still it is academic and as you say it was grim enough for us regardless of relegation worries with 2 wins in 17. Not that it seems to matter much round Ewood these days.

Ah yes, who can forget that infamous excuse? However Wednesday and Rotherham both had legitimate gripes. The former losing their manager for a fair number of games the latter having to play a ton of games in short order. Personally I think without this we would most likely have gone down.

Not to mention their manager was absent with Covid for a number of games as well. They had a tough deal. Covid really did decide a lot of the relegation places last year.

There are countless examples of good players who get relegated. Graham with us and Pickford with Sunderland are the two that immediately spring to mind. Wouldn't write off a player just because they got relegated.

Yes. Although reckon he will have made a few of those add one. Not any promotion ones but games or goals related.

That's a fair point but again as you say it's a big if. And if I were another club and saw how many key players were running down their deals with only a year or two years left at Rovers, I would be confident that we wouldn't get our act together and get him a new contract. If it were me I would be looking to get a good part exchange in. 40% of a part exchange doesn't go to the barcodes. I'm not talking unproven youngsters but given how much Premier League teams hoard players and how threadbare the squad is, there surely must be an exchange or two to be done that is beneficial to us.

There's an interesting article on BBC as well backing up some of these points. In the vain hope of finding clubs worse than us this season Swansea and Derby seem to be trying to knock the relegation certs off of us. They seem in a bad, bad way. Difference being they have smartly recruited and been the right end of the table despite their struggles.