JHRover

Anyone know what happened to that giant flag of Mowbray that we used to have at Ewood pre-match? Just wondering if we can have it couriered to Sunderland so they can use it now.

Or he has been instructed by the 'powers that be' that we aren't going to be using him and that he needs to be offloaded, and the easiest way to do that is to make his position here untenable.

Just the media trying to stir up division and distration. Must be worried we are looking like promotion contenders

Absolutely they could. That is one easy, obvious option to try and boost numbers coming in from areas in the wider region. It isn't rocket science, go to many other Championship grounds and you'll see coach after bus after coach parked up outside the ground waiting to take people back to their towns and villages after the game. Waggott is aware of this- I've seen it raised at several fans forum meetings over the years and we get the customary 'will look into it' response yet 5 years into his tenure nothing has happened. Why? Because it comes back to my original point - he isn't here to grow numbers, that is just a welcome outcome if it happens. He's here to cut costs and increase cash flow, so going to the hassle of arranging additional expense and transport costs to try to encourage more people to come just isn't on the agenda. Never has been, never will be. It would cost money and effort in the short term, wouldn't guarantee a return in the near future and therefore is of no use to him and his spreadsheets. It's a dangerous game when you look at the demographic and economic changes in a town like Blackburn and consider the vast numbers of support we have in more distant areas - those people need building and growing - but it seems the Club has all but given up on doing that, it seems they are happy for those areas to be surrendered to rival clubs and instead focuses it's efforts to 1 double decker bus to collect children from Blackburn and give them free tickets. Nice idea and gets plenty of positive publicity but unlikely to make any noticeable difference to things.

The simple answer to that is more season ticket holders. We should have upwards of 14,000 of those given that's what PNE and Bolton have, there's absolutely no reason we couldn't. Unfortunately it is too late now, as sales are done and the prices set. Anything from here on in will be minimal numbers and club is constrained on pricing because they can't make a habit of undercutting the season ticket rate. Want more fans? Don't charge top prices, get season tickets on sale sooner and promote them better. PNE were going round Garstang putting flyers through doors. We did nowt. Sadly it won't make any difference. The aim here isn't to increase numbers but to increase immediate cash flow. So Waggott will repeat it all over again next summer and then we can have this same discussion next autumn after a further price rise and drop off.

Did you read my post? I've explained the possible non-footballing reasons. Pretty much every estimate/rumour I've heard has him as top earner and on somewhere between 15 and 20 grand a week. What do you think he is on compared to the rest of the team?

Dack is top earner reportedly on the best part of £20000 a week, is 28 soon to be 29 and has barely played for the last 2 years. We often hear about the 'project' at Rovers - that 'project' obviously doesn't involve people on that sort of money, at that sort of age, with serious injury records. So I wouldn't be surprised if part of the 'project' was focused on phasing him out and finding someone to take him off our hands. They could pay 4-5 first teamers for one Dack. Not saying I agree with it but he isn't the first to be nudged out the exit door at Ewood for non-footballing reasons.

The 1875 stunt is typical Waggott in operation. It wasn't even up and running at the start of the summer when season tickets went on sale - not a single mention when advertising season tickets that this scheme would be introduced again and then all of a sudden it is set up after most people have committed to a season ticket. He's little more than an opportunist, there's no plan or strategy it's just react to the situation and circumstances and try to cash in on it to make a few quid. Some might say there's nothing wrong with that if it works but it leaves a very sour taste in my mouth and I'd like to see a bit more forward planning and strategy from the club about growing rather than cynical late attempts to screw the diminishing numbers for a few more quid. Others have rightly pointed out that the 1875 membership won't be needed for any fixture except the dingles and possibly away in the FA Cup if we get drawn against a small club with a very limited allocation. Nobody can predict that to happen so it comes down to the dingle game. He's basically wanting to coin it in off an away game knowing tickets will for once be in high demand. He's absolutely shameless, but it will basically have netted him an extra £20,000 for doing very little so he's happy. I remember the days when having a season ticket and a database history of buying away tickets was sufficient to get priority - evidence of loyalty following the club through thick and thin clearly not important to Waggott who sees paying an extra £10 as sufficient to defeat someone who hasn't missed an away game but has not paid extra for membership. Sums him up neatly - all about the money and who pays the most and not about loyalty and dedication. It's the same with the 'refurbished' Legends Lounge. It's sat empty for most of the last 5-6 years, never used, never open, and then all of a sudden some hastily arranged lick of paint so it can be opened for when Sunderland come. He's just sat there, worked out that they'll probably bring a few and reacted to that by opening this room to try and profit from them. Again there's nothing wrong with looking at ways to capitalise but it's just ad hoc, last minute, minor efforts rather than anything sustained or substantive.

The problem is that there is no responsibility or accountability for it. Any other club and the ownership would be taking executives to task for falling crowds - here our owners don't know nor care. I think it is quite obvious the basis on which Waggott was employed and I suspect only because he was able to advance a money-saving agenda did they agree to take him on. Things like cutting ticket prices, promotions and serious efforts at growing numbers all cost money in the short term but importantly reap rewards in the long term. Waggott isn't paid to improve things long term, he won't be here anyway, and will be back in Kent enjoying his retirement in the next couple of years. You only have to look at the miniscule effort being made to 'grow' the fanbase - which basically amounts to putting on ONE free bus to drive around Blackburn and pick primary school age children up. I mean its a start, but it is tragic if this is seen as a serious effort at turning around our falling gates. You need dozens of those sort of buses, reaching out way beyond Blackburn into Rovers' supporting communities who are out of the habit, you need to be targeting teenagers and young adults - people who have the means and will to go to games on their own or with their mates. We'll get the usual excuses - London clubs fans have more money, NE clubs have less competition and bigger catchment areas - not interested - lets look at more relevant stuff - Blackpool, PNE, Bolton - local clubs, similar populations, similar economies, similar standard of football - yet putting us to shame on attendances. There's no excuse for that. No amount of spiel from Waggott can account for that - put simply it is pricing and strategy - both of which he has got wrong yet he continues in place wreaking more havoc.

Convenient I said last night that the one player who we tend to avoid turning to and giving a chance happens to be the biggest earner and at the wrong end of the age scale for the 'project' I've seen enough over the years to question whether that one is purely footballing.

Anyone know why only us/Wigan and PNE/Bristol are playing this week? An already congested fixture list made more so whilst the dingles and others have a rest.

Dyche isn't the hot property some would have you believe or indeed he was made out to be during his time at the dingledome. I kept on saying that his near 10 year spell there wasn't because he was unusually dedicated and loyal to their project, but instead because very few serious alternatives came along for him during that time. He's now been unemployed for 6 months during which time by my count there have been 20+ vacancies arise in the top 2 divisions and none have gone to him. I think the likelihood of a PL club giving him a job is close to zero and someone like WBA is the best he is going to get - sorting out a struggling side making them harder to beat at a club that will tolerate dull football having been used to it under Pulis, Allardyce and Bruce. A Championship relegation scrap not exactly the 'future England manager' stuff some were predicting a few years ago. The struggles of Wilder and Bruce have surprised me but that doesn't mean they are finished or outdated. I see the latest 'sexy' name linked with everywhere is Rob Edwards - for some reason considered to be hot property after 1 good season at FGR and a short failed spell at Watford. He is portrayed as some sort of up and coming modern coach with very little to back that up whilst Bruce is seen as a dinosaur despite achieving more than most at Championship level.

I've seen a few on twitter complaining about the decision to allow independent travel on the basis there is 'bound' to be trouble. End of the day I'm a big boy and a free citizen. I can make my own decisions in life and don't need babysitting. If I want to go under my own steam I will. Anyone who doesn't feel safe or comfortable has a choice. Go on the subsidised buses the club are providing or don't go. Fed up with this nanny state attitude that everyone should be subjected to rules and restrictions because of a minority who might get into trouble. If you are daft enough to turn up in the middle of Burnley wearing Rovers colours shouting and bawling you'll find trouble and that will have to be dealt with by the authorities. I'll be doing what I always do - parking up, going for a beer somewhere if possible and minding my own business. I might even almost enjoy the day if I'm able to do these things that make away days worthwhile. I'd also love to know how many of the 2275 tickets actually find their way into the hands of season ticket holders with 1875 membership. Of course they will give some to players families but that should be it. No hangers on or exceptions. All us 1875 members have paid on the understanding that WE have priority not other groups.

Yep - jam tomorrow is the motto for these owners and their subordinates. Promising good or great things but not to expect them now but in time to come. Tomorrow never comes. I can't fathom making a decision now that we won't be doing much business in January. What happens if we are in the same league position then as now and need reinforcements? What happens if we continue to win 50% of our games and have a real shot at success? What happens if we lose players through sales or injurieS?

What can Hull offer him that we couldn't in the summer?

Or Rovers have gone cap in hand to United and asked if they can use their 'highlights' (very limited in content) because they've neglected to cover it themselves. Either way - are you satisfied with a meagre 6 minutes of highlights to cover a battering of Man Utd? I'd expect a bit more content than that from a home game especially when most people have been unable to go to it due to a direct clash with a senior fixture.

Pretty sure they've just taken Man Utd's coverage there.

Burnley have sold season tickets to home fans in the shed end of their ground, so the chances of them booting those people out to make room for more Rovers fans is zero. The only chance of it happening is if the police intervene but that won't result in anything other than a wider no mans land and less away tickets. There's nothing we can do about that. They are entitled to whatever ticketing policies they like. All we can do is return the favour when they come to Ewood. So where they should be given the exact same number they give us at exactly the same price what we will have is a shameless cash grab by Waggott where he gives them a ridiculous allocation, they can have their big family day out, kick a few season ticket holders out of the end blocks of the Riverside and JW stands, annoy your regulars and then wonder why people get fed up with it. For me I'd be giving them half of the bottom tier, surrounded by netting, and then the remainder of the allocation upstairs surrounded by netting, then put Rovers fans in the other half like we will have at their place.

I'd take Ayala out for this one, Hyam and Wharton at CB with Brittain and Pickering.

Amateur hour strikes again. And why are we only releasing tickets 2 weeks before the game?

Any chance of Rovers themselves actually providing any coverage of this game? I mean playing it at 12noon when the first team have a home game at 3pm is annoying to say the least but I'd have hoped at least we could have a replay or a decent package of highlights to get through instead. Yet there's nothing. We are having to rely on Man Utd's coverage. At what sort of club could you hammer United 6-1 and there be barely a mention of it from the club?

For once Chaddy I completely agree with you. I think Mowbray's astonishing admission that he had advised and encouraged Harvey to move to Sunderland is very concerning and appears to confirm a suspicion I had with him some time ago that he was not entirely focused on BRFC and it maximising its potential and I think he was more interested in being 'uncle Tony' and making sure 'his boys' did alright out of it. He sounds quite proud of his role in encouraging Harvey to up sticks and leave, almost as though he is seeking credit for it. Really all it does is show us and his new club that he needs keeping a close eye on otherwise he could be advising a whole range of people to leave. It is unforgivable when he is taking a wage out of the Club but that's what happens when a manager has too much power, there is a power vacuum above him and is left in place to do as he pleases. Any serious board or ownership would have dealt with that situation and axed Mowbray if he had been encouraging important staff members to leave but not Tony - he probably knew what was coming and wanted to ensure they were all set up and looked after each other in their next job. Stinks but not the first time eyebrows have been raised. I hope he fails miserably. His comments are unprofessional and insulting to the Club that paid his wages for 5 years.

And he was the captain of that 'tanker' when he said it. Doesn't say much for himself and his abilities when he's been at the helm over 4 years yet has such little confidence in his own performance that he's looking in the rear view mirror at League One clubs.

That's certainly a question I hope people behind the scenes at Rovers are asking following this public admission. Tony and Veno had a cushy number with them running the staff and Venus having some sort of 'director of football' role alongside being assistant manager. It really doesn't take much of a leap for Mowbray to advise players to turn down whatever the club were offering and look elsewhere. If there's any truth in that I would hope the Club explore the possibility of legal action against him. Those departures have cost the club millions in lost assets. If that is a result of him advising people to look elsewhere then damages need to be looked at.

As I said earlier I'm fairly sure if anyone at Rovers was bothered enough by this they could take some form of action against Mr Mowbray for a public admission that whilst in the employment of Rovers he was advising or encouraging other staff members to move elsewhere. It is a stunning admission of acting in contravention of the interests of the Club employing him. Incredible, incredibly dim that is, for a manager to admit doing such a thing in public. That's Mowbray though. Thinks he is clever, thinks he can outwit people but really he's a very stupid man who puts his foot in it with his comments. Even if nobody at Rovers can be arsed doing anything to upset St Tony, this admission ought to also have the effect of sinking his career. I mean who in their right minds would employ him again after admitting doing this? Yeah we'll give you a job so you can spend your time advising our valued staff to move elsewhere. Sounds good.