31 minutes ago, Miller11 said:

Up until last night I’d have voted “not until Venky’s go” but the consultation meeting has changed things.

I feel that, for the first time in a long time, there are people within the club willing to listen to and consider supporters interests and ideas. Steve Waggott has given me some hope that things are moving in the right direction, and that he is capable of managing things effectively. I think he will continue to do what he can to bridge the disconnect and re-engage supporters.

I still despise Venky’s, but they have created a situation where we are dependent on their subsidising us to remain competitive, let alone to have a hope of promotion, and it seems this will be the case for the foreseeable. 

I still ticked undecided because I want to see some of the talk become reality - I’ll be really disappointed if their isn’t a decent level of investment in the defence (I expect Mowbray would be to), and I think failure to do this would confirm some long held suspicions I have that were categorically denied last night.

I have felt for some time that I’ve been cutting off my nose to spite my face by continuing my boycott. I’ve been to games on a free ticket and realised how much I’ve missed it. While we are stuck with Venky’s I’d prefer them to remain in the background, I don’t want to see them at Ewood (I realise that some people do, but don’t understand why), I don’t even like their logo plastered all over advertising hoardings, but I can cope with it due to the fact that I feel as though there is someone decent and competent running things day to day, who appears to be allowed to do so. So all being well, I’ll be getting a season ticket.

Fair play.

I do find Waggott frustrating as I don't think he quite grasps Blackburn Rovers, we're a different animal to those he's been involved with previously. But that's something that he will learn and understand from experience with us. There's no doubt he's a committed bloke that wants to do a good job for the club.

Ultimately our financial and positional plight was caused by Venky's. However (without digging up old debate) we all know they were very naive in the beginning, and caused a spiral of significantly large problems due to trusting the wrong people and so on.

Due to that, and it did take them a while, they do seem to have learned from mistakes in many areas. I think they've shown they're now committed to Rovers without the unwise stupidity. They've put a lot of their money in to the club, and recently have gone beyond financing us just for the maintenance - sure nobody would disagree that for a side straight out of league one, we had a very good budget and didn't have to sell any players. On top of that, they've made some sensible moves and appointments and although we are a long way off other clubs, we are getting closer to being a functional football club, and less of a circus. I'm not saying I suddenly trust and the owners, nor am I forgetting what they caused. They hold the ultimate responsibility for the decline of my football club, but things look much better at the moment due to the way they are going about their business.

As you say, there's genuine commitment at the club. The staff/players at all levels seem to be pulling in the same direction without any ill-motives, so anybody still in doubt about whether to get a Season Ticket due to the current people within the club should at least give it a second thought, in my opinion.

42 minutes ago, MarkBRFC said:

As has been said, I don't think there was really any intention to get the ST info out "mid/late April", I imagine it was just a generic answer out of thin air to the FF on that particular night.

I did think that was probably the likely option.

In which case they've told a hopeful lie, they've failed to run off and cobble something together to back it up, so again they've just ignored the situation hoping it'll go away.

Either way, a bizarre approach from somebody coming in to the club 1) stating a focus on improving the communication channels and community interaction at the club and 2) expecting to shift more tickets than previous.

Neil Young - Hey Hey My My

(Oasis cover on their live Familiar to Millions album is well worth a listen)

18 minutes ago, Swanson said:

Kristoffer Peterson 24 year old winger. 12 goals and 5 assists in 31 games.

Can't say I've had an in depth view, but I've seen Eredivisie highlights a fair few times this season & he's stood out.

Tricky winger who can turn a full back inside out and create something, but he's also fairly physical and seems to score headers/poachers goals, with Mowbray's favour of wide strikers I'm also hoping we've got an eye on him.

Waggot said Season Ticket info would be launched 'mid to late April' so he's got about 6 business hours from now.

Will we add to his pile of recent 'failed to deliver so we'll just stay silent and hope it goes away' things at multiple levels, from increased concourse shelving through to the mystery restructure of the senior management team?

It's acceptable to make mistakes but when you make a statement, fail to deliver on it and don't communicate anything it's amateur.

A throbbing symptom of Venky's regime has been broken promises followed by no communication.

Even on the more minor elements the club should be righting wrongs, but looks like they are struggling to learn from many previous lessons.

Stick to your word and be open and honest on matters that directly concern the fans, it'll go a long way.

Sum 41 - The Hell Song

Just now, Mercer said:

At this point in time, I would bite off any hand offering £5m.

£5m might get you his luscious locks. Nothing more.

In all seriousness Dack’s got 17 goals 9 assists (I think) this season, most of those in the league. With his age and contract time remaining, you surely can’t honestly say he’s worth £5m or less to Rovers in this market?

Picking up 2 or 3 performers from the Dutch league could be a shrewd move.

It’s a league that’s started to improve again over the last couple of seasons, containing some real young talent. Most importantly for us, a lot of the better players outside of Ajax/PSV are on wages that are tiny compared to the average championship wage.

Besides, I’d much rather take a calculated gamble on player from over there with a decent season/stats behind him, rather than paying the same/more of a wage on your Whittingham’s, Gladwin’s, Deulfouneso’s, Spearing’s and so on..

Really hope we don’t go for Frank Fielding again. Another smallish, average at best championship keeper. Raya is probably better.

We need to bring a keeper in but not Bristol City’s third choice. So many better options out there.

Glad we didn’t fade and didn’t sit back despite a really bad first 20 mins. Stayed in the game til the end against the inevitable champions, not a bad showing.

Thought Rothwell and Williams had very good games. Nice to see star man getting a cameo causing them a few problems too.

Dives like a tree being felled 

Just now, Stuart said:

Really feel sorry for Bolton fans over this. Such a mess. Happy to see the frying pan after roasting in the fire.

Sad how most of them didn’t want Bassini, stating they’d rather just get on with the inevitable this summer as Bassini would only serve to delay it - turns out that’s probably happening just with an added ‘hope that kills you’ element!

The FA and EFL have been unfit for donkeys years now. 

Rules are poor. Many rules that should exist don’t. And even then many of the rules that should be enforced aren’t enforced.

If something is too much effort, the English bodies won’t bother. If something needs doing outside of the larger Prem clubs, the English bodies won’t bother.

As problems continue to grow and as clubs continue to suffer on a larger scale, football needs a saviour at governance level. Sad thing is with UEFA as the corrupt larger body, the FA and EFL with their selfish grip on England’s game, and the dominant influences of your Sky’s and BT’s, there’s no realistic improvement on the horizon.

Miles Kane - Taking Over

2 hours ago, perthblue02 said:

 

 

Lovely kit. Worn by our old pal Mauro Formica, second from the left!

5 minutes ago, joey_big_nose said:

That's what I am alluding to really, he seems much closer to a Rothwell, Dack or Armstrong style of player than a Graham. But that doesn't really help as he is manifestly much poorer than any of those three in an attacking midfield role. Indeed Butterworth and Chapman are better bets.

He's a striker whose actually not a striker but a poor attacking midfielder. Mentle. I just don't get it.

Only way I can see him having a career with us is if he raidically changes his style and unearths a whole new dimension to his game. Doesn't happen often, but there you go.

Sincerely looking forward to being proved wrong and will eat humble pie with glee.

For me he's an out and out striker. Just because his attributes are quite different to the one we're used to (Graham) doesn't mean he's more of a winger/cam - plenty of strikers in this league with similar attributes who do well, even as a lone striker (Maupay and Roofe off the top of my head).

It's more a case of we need to play the football that allows him to play to the best of his ability, in order to let him and the team prosper, just like Brentford and Leeds have done with the two players mentioned.

That's not to say he doesn't need to work on basic striker 101 - positioning, finishing, strength, hold up play should all be being worked on in training to improve his game. 

I would've signed a different type of striker in the first place, but with the type of football Mowbray has said he wants to play, and the way we lined up with Brereton on Saturday, the signing does make sense with a long term view in mind.

Just now, Paul Mani said:

Nyambe. I think there’s a real player in there. Additionally he has all of the physical characteristics.

Bell is a League 1 defender imo.

Agree. My view -

Nyambe could be a cracking right back. Great attributes and has got better season on season. His defensive positioning and composure, his original weaknesses in my view, have drastically improved. Back up would be nice - somebody capable of coming in to do a steady job as an actual right back.

Bell might make a decent wing back but he'll never be good enough to defend as a left back in a 4 at the back formation. Really think we need to sign a first choice left back as a priority this summer.

As has been said you need your strikers to match the style of play of the team. Brereton is the type to run on to balls at pace rather than planting himself with his arse to goal. We can't expect him to drop in to the side and play the Graham role.

I think he'd do well at a team like Brentford who keep the ball on the ground, working it forward with a bit of trickery allowing the striker to latch on to through balls, as well as allowing quick balls inside from the wing, where the striker can take a touch inside before shooting.

Maupay has done that role at Brentford this year and has scored 24 - watching highlights most of his goals do seem to come from both latching on to through balls & cutting inside after running with it/taking a few touches.

We've got the players to play that way in the attacking third - yesterdays line up of Rothwell Dack and Armstrong behind Brereton for example. Mowbray's alluded to us developing that way long term so he might well turn out to be the type we need.

That said, he'd add a lot more to his game if he did go and bulk up. Whilst he probably isn't as good a finisher (not now anyway), the one advantage Brereton has over most other strikers of his type is height.

If he can add strength to the pace and height that he already has he'll be much more of a handful.

Happy days doing the double over them lot.

Not a vintage performance but job done nonetheless.

We could’ve attacked them with more intent. Felt like a training exercise at times but with both teams being where we are at this stage of the season it’s not something to get wound up over.

Well done to Brereton for getting off the mark & well done to the young lads off the bench who I thought gave a good account of themselves.

Again, Rodwell showed why he is a no brainer for me. Great option to have in the middle next season.

Brilliant opportunity over the next few days (QPR & Bolton) to throw some of the youngsters on to get a gauge on how they'll do next season.

Mix it up between starts and sub appearances for all of:

Magloire, Davenport, Chapman, Buckley, Butterworth, Brereton.

We're safe. No point in limiting the game times of the above just to ensure the likes of Smallwood/Conway can play. We know what they can do and they shouldn't be an integral part of the future, so lets give an opportunity to those hungry lads who deserve a crack and might be part of it.

7 minutes ago, Stuart said:

And yet Tom Cairney has only been called up twice. Jamie Murphy, same, despite 76 games for Brighton. Kevin McDonald, nearly 100 games for Fulham, 5 caps. Marmite Rhodes, 14 games (3 goals) in 8 years. Ross McCormack, 13 games (2 goals) in 11 years. Liam Cooper, Over 140 games for Leeds, no full caps.

There are bigger issue in Scotland and you have to wonder what the selection criteria is.

It was a Strachan trait, but does seem to fit all around that they don't pick English born Scots if remotely avoidable. They do have 3 or 4 (Ritchie, Phillips, McTominay) but it should really be more considering players available against some of the dross they've got in the current squad.

I don't think they've ever had an English manager either. Nothing wrong with that but if they're fishing in the pool for Strachan's, Mackay's, Big Eck's and so on surely they'd get a better catch if they looked a few miles South.

The Scotland job is a poisoned chalice indeed.

Problem is, Scottish clubs buy dirt cheap players from abroad, not bothering to make an effort with developing their own youngsters both through academies and at mens level.

It's killed the national side. The pool of talent to choose from is staggeringly shallow, with only 2 or 3 players being worthy Internationals.

So whatever the approach it's tough to see any major short-medium term improvements. That said agree Steve Clarke would be a shout, done a cracking job with Kilmarnock and would be less of a stale approach than previous regimes. 

9 minutes ago, OJRovers said:

Any news on season tickets? 

The usual excuse of not knowing what division we’ll be in can’t be rolled out this year.

 

They've moved the release date to late September, as releasing them whilst the weather is good might bring slightly larger than usual queues. Might just be on sale 7 or 8 games in to next season.

Police advice.

Just now, SIMON GARNERS 194 said:

Reading their forums I doubt it very much!

 

I live in and amongst them unfortunately!

They've unsurprisingly been disenchanted this season to the point where i'll ask them who they've got tomorrow in the pub on a Friday, and they'll look back at me and say no idea. 

They don't care much for the football but the ones who like a good day out have seemed to check the fixtures after seeing the takeover, realising that the game is on Easter Monday, realising it's a good opportunity for a piss up!

 They did the same with Wigan not so long ago and shifted a good 1000 or so on the day. Or so I was told, probably added an extra 0 on to it knowing them lot.

Just now, Swanson said:

Brandon O'Neill from Sydney FC linked to us.

Interesting if true.

Looks a very similar type of player & profile to that of Wil Trapp, who we almost signed from the MLS in August.