Well that's certainly what Venkys and their cohorts would like us to believe. Of course the alternative is that they are just in cutback mode and FFP provides an all too convenient cover story to do it quickly and substantially without criticism directed towards those at Ewood. Also provides Mowbray with his excuse for the next 12 months.

Plus one of the four higher, Preston, are offering cash back to anyone who had a ST in 2019/20 or 2020/21. This ranges from £30 to £70 so anyone renewing from pre Covid will have the opportunity of a cheaper ticket than at Ewood.

Bless him or anyone else who thinks we are going to be concluding ANY incoming transfers in the near future. Free or not we could have Cristiano Ronaldo asking to join for £10k a week and I don't think they'd get it done.

Leeds confirmed. Usually we would play 6 friendlies so I would expect a couple more. Wonder if Waggott will do a reverse Bradford and only open Ewood to away fans?

£240 for a season ticket at QPR. £299 for a season ticket at Reading. £235 for a season ticket at Barnsley. £399 for a season ticket at Blackburn. Go figure. Oh and the price off for renewals isn't a 'discount' despite what they would have us believe. It is simply honouring their obligations on refunds for not allowing fans in last season.

Count me out. I might have wavered on my anti Waggott and Mowbray position if the club had made an effort and tried to encourage people back by reducing prices (as nearly every other club has done) But instead, after waiting weeks for news, we get more of the same. They've made their bed. Time to lie in it. 5000 sales would surprise me.

Nobody on here has any evidence of anything. Unless you believe word for word what the club comes out with. That isn't evidence its just taking their word for it. They've a history of lying.

The point is to supply players when they are ready or good enough. As happened with Travis, Nyambe, Lenihan etc. If they are good enough they will force their way into the squad. Even when the manager isn't keen, he will end up with no choice. We've had more use from our academy than other clubs at this level and ought to have some real assets on our hands here. Nyambe should be RB for years to come. Trav should be captain in future. Lenihan will be captain now. Shame the club is allowing their contracts to run down but that's another story. My point is that our academy has and is doing the business. I see no reason to force things further by filling the first team squad with academy lads to make some sort of point about using the academy when it is being used already. Too much using it could easily be counter productive and jeopardise Championship status with kids and inexperience learning on the job. It needs to be more gradual - one or two a year coming through not offloading a dozen and replacing them all with the kids.

Its the same tale as with Corry Evans for me. If the club is moving them on with a view to recruiting better and progressing then fine. I support that 100%. Neither are great and neither are going to get better at this stage. Both have served the club well across their time here. Both however I presume are leaders and valuable experience in the changing room. I think it is a dangerous game to offload so much of that in one window leaving behind inexperience in this cut throat division. The reason for my concern is that I believe the manager would have kept both if possible. I think his comments on Evans and the 'attempts' to offer Bennett new terms show that. I've been clear that Mowbray is done and needs removing from the club but if he isn't, then the worst we can do is pull up and not even renew deals. This is of course worrying, because if we can't even get these sort of deals done, which the manager wants, what deals are we going to be able to do?

I prefer to face up to the uncomfortable and alarming reality rather than just making excuses all the time. Either he's been made an offer, which is so derisory that a one year deal at League One Shrewsbury is seen as a better bet, or probably more likely we haven't even got to the stage of putting a deal on the table, despite the club saying they were discussing it with him. I suppose you'd be happy for Adam Armstrong to join Hartlepool because that would be nearer to home and his family/friends?

If you believe that you'll believe anything.

A good move for all concerned, assuming we actually replace him which i doubt we will. I think the biggest question here is whether we offered him another years contract, if so why, and why has he rejected it to take a 1 year deal at Shrewsbury? The answers to these questions are important and relevant to the state we will be in heading into next season. Doesn't look good to me that we've made him and offer and he's declined it.

https://www.bwfc.co.uk/news/2021/june/season-tickets-reach-8500-mark/ Bolton have sold 8500 ahead of their League One season and have only now put them on open sale. Thank heavens for Venkys though otherwise we'd 'do a Bolton'.

It probably is that simple. The owners need to provide evidence of funding to get the accounts signed off. I dont think they're communicating any more which is why there's radio silence and no season tickets. So not difficult to believe this is where the issue lies and everything else spins from that. If this is the issue then Waggott should tell us the truth and resign afterwards. But instead he'll carry on as a patsy and take the coin whilst the rudderless ship drifts.

Can anyone explain this one. Last December some clubs (i think Millwall, Brentford, Reading, Norwich Bristol City and others) were allowed fans in to grounds for a few games. Presumably they made money from those fixtures, albeit limited capacity, whereas we were not allowed to open. So IF it is true we are in FFP trouble and are scrimping and scraping for money i take it we will be looking into the possibility of a legal challenge to any sanctions having been subjected to government imposed restrictions? Likewise Middlesbrough who have presumably made a fortune from hosting 2x England games (thanks to ex Boro boy Southgate). Of course we won't. As I said earlier I am increasingly of the view the people at Rovers want an embargo or restrictions to justify player sales and drastic cost cutting. Venkys are imposing it but FFP provides the perfect front. If there were genuine difficulties we'd be doing something to deal with it - like selling tickets.

Yeah but is there a pandemic and government restrictions in Stockport?

West Brom just announced £329 season tickets. Just us and Derby to go now. Did I imagine the part about us being short on money?

I have read the current rules thanks. I'm on about July 24th, after the date when ALL restrictions are to end. Unless we are being led on a merry dance and rules will continue to restrict people beyond 19th July.

I think it suits them down to the ground to tell people we are under restrictions even if we aren't. And yes I do think the stooges would go to those sort of lengths if it meant shielding the owners from blame and criticism when it goes belly up (which it will). Not our fault you see. Its those nasty FFP rules (that everyone else has avoided). Venkys have done all they can. I wonder if Sharpe is going to ask Waggott if he is going to resign after the training ground fiasco (costing the club how much?) and now potentially taking us back into an embargo after the 'slow build' was designed to avoid this position. His management- surely there should be consequences when it fails? But no it will be more shoulder shrugging and excuse making. Con men the lot of em

If Parker was from Blackburn, played for Bolton and Wigan and wore a tracksuit on matchdays he would have a very different reputation in the game. Not long since he was being linked by the media to the Spurs job. London based, ex Chelsea, Spurs and West Ham and wears fancy clothes so he's sorted. Not sure what the fuss is about, he should have got Fulham up with that squad.

To be honest these top roles at top clubs don't even get advertised very often. The club will have had warning of the departure (worrying that the last bloke saw League One Sunderland as a career progression). To be sat here without the position filled is an absolute joke but to be expected here. At the top clubs they go out and headhunt the right director/manager/coaching staff to fit whatever they are trying to do. Here it is either promote from within or wait and see who throws their hat into the ring.

Late May or early June was the last timescale set at the Fans Forum. Another 3 weeks of sales lost. Too late for me anyway. Even if I'd have wanted one I'm not sitting around all summer waiting. The money has been spent elsewhere.

His agent/people at Rovers will link him with all and sundry until someone puts cash on the table. Another 'link' the day after being voted POTY. Coincidence? I think not.

Not sure what the issue is for Bradford or why they are limiting capacity to a mere 4000 in a 25000 stadium and not allowing away fans. I was under the impression that restrictions were due to end on 19th July meaning the club could let whoever they wanted in to watch without distancing and capacity restrictions. Seems not. More goalposts being moved.

At normal organisations of this size and significance the place doesn't go dormant when the CEO is on his jollies. Business continues 365 days per year. Yet I get the distinct impression that unless Mowbray gets his conversion with India and returns from his hols and instructs everyone else then the whole thing just grinds to a halt and gathers dust. Chip shop attitude and approach to a multi million pound business in one of the most competitive industries in the world.