JHRover

Presumably another one provided with an 'opportunity too good to refuse' or furthering his career away from Ewood Park Why is it that none of these people want to or think they can further their careers at Rovers? Especially when we've such a recent record at promoting from within.

When did Venkys ever have an 'open chequebook' approach? They've neglected failed to invest properly in every facet of the club bar maybe the first team for the last 10 years. A quick look at the state of the operation at Ewood and the condition of the stadium tells us that. Anyhow, we are in the end game whichever way. I think the club is on its last legs. When you erode your match going season ticket base down to 5000 in the Championship and set yourself up for relegation by keeping a poor manager and demolishing the squad then the end is near. League One and there's no coming back not with this mob in place.

The giveaway will be later this week once the renewal deadline has passed and all unsold seats become available. Then we can go online and see for ourselves how many remain unsold. Last I heard they'd hit 5000 which is probably about what I would expect.

I would rather have Gary Bowyer and Billy Barr managing my team than Tony Mowbray and Mark Venus. Reason 1 - i think Bowyer is a better manager. His Championship results and league finishes suggests that is the case Reason 2 - even if he wasn't as good a manager I would trust Bowyer and Barr. I dont trust Mowbray or his entourage. Trying to sell off our training ground ensured that.

This. There's minimal benefit to the owners of this. Running cost wise the savings would be insignificant out of £20 million a year. This is also something that they could have explored and progressed many year ago if they were interested in such 'projects' yet nothing has happened. No the drivers of this are the middle men between Ewood Park and India. As you say why so desperate to get this done? Is this for the owners benefit, the club's benefit or others benefit? This is the key question that needs investigating. Much can happen in the chasm between here and Pune. Personally I wouldn't trust any of them as far as I could throw them.

Am I the only one envious of Salford City's management team?

I'm still waiting for the excuses about Covid and how this has demolished our season ticket base. Of course the reality is that this isn't having a serious impact on sales elsewhere and actually at many clubs is actually seeing increasing numbers of sales. Bolton - 9000+ Wigan - 6000+ Rovers - about 5000 supposedly Now there can be no more damning data than that on the state this club finds itself in. And yet we are supposed to be grateful to Venkys for ensuring we don't go the same way as Bolton and Wigan. Tell you what - I'd take Bolton's position over ours right now. Debt free, 9000+ season tickets, unity, new ownership and a bright young manager.

Mowbray was yesterday's man in 2016 when he left Coventry City in ruins. He could hide behind bad ownership there and yet Mark Robins has worked under the same ownership and has hauled them to the same league and a better state than us with a fraction of the money. Mowbray's entire Christmases came at once getting this job. Sadly for us he's taking us the same way he was taking Coventry. Down and out. Same story too. Same issues, errors, gaps and negligence of key areas and aspects. I hope for all our sakes him and his chums are removed as quickly as possible.

Rovers have said they will be from the away turnstiles

I received a postcard from Dacky and the lads through the letterbox this morning. Better late than never but wonder why this is being done 2 days before the extended deadline for renewals.

I can see us starting the season in similar fashion to Coventry did in 2016-17. The parallels are remarkable - team full of kids, not enough 'men', injury prone players and reliance on loans. I have to wonder how much of that is down to inept ownership and how much is down to an inept manager who is clearly stubborn and welded to his principles and over inflated opinion of himself. I think a few are going to be surprised by how far off it we are, distracted or misled by a good performance against Leeds the other day.

Maybe he thinks this is all a laughing matter and a big joke. I don't think risking Championship status is a joke, not when it could be devastating to this club. Yet that is exactly what they are doing by allowing this situation to unfold of releasing half a squad with no plan and few options to replace them other than waiting for hand outs. I don't think it is funny that his management has wasted countless millions, including dishing out helpful contracts to his favourites for no reason. Maybe he thinks acting as a feeder/leaser club for 'giants' to offload their kids like a parent sends their toddlers off to nursery for the day is all Blackburn Rovers should be. No other Championship club would accept this. Why have we just employed his mate to lead recruitment if this is the sum total of our ambitions? No mention of the owners and their generosity again. Isn't it amazing how they suddenly disappear out of the picture when the cupboard is bare?

One of those is Bryn Law. Welshman who absolutely loves Leeds. Spent 20 odd years working for Sky trying and failing to pretend he was neutral. Looks like he's moved to a job where he can let his colours shine through.

I was thinking this too. I know Dack is good mates with Rothwell, Evans, Mulgrew - all gone or going. Armstrong best mates with Rothwell. Other senior players who were popular out the exit door, instead relying on the kids. Some might say that's the way of things in professional football and I understand that, but there comes a point where the remaining players must get mightily fed up and downbeat about the future watching the direction things are going. All the while the same dreary old management team keeps on repeating the same old mistakes. Why would anyone want to hang around?

Lets have a think about numbers. 11 out the door, pretty much all of them either very experienced players or high quality youngsters. Two or three that had well and truly run their course, another handful that still had something to offer yet perhaps not enough or not fit enough. Reality is they are gone. Options we no longer have to call upon. People with know-how to step into the battle at Barnsley or Millwall on a Tuesday night. Now it seems it might be a case of one in, one out. I suspect that's the only way Mowbray will get agreement to bring in Reach and Rothwell and Mowbray don't see eye to eye. Rothwell is also one of the few with any serious value who other clubs might take an interest in looking at our rapidly depleting asset base. But the reality is, whatever people think about Rothwell or Reach and the pros and cons of each of them it takes us no further. A week or so until the big kick off, maybe Reach for Rothwell and a few quid into the back pockets, but still losing one of our few attacking options with any quality and still 11 players down. Its a disgrace.

I see Wigan have announced sales of 6000 season tickets. I wonder if that will beat our efforts this summer, despite everything and everyone telling me that without Venkys we'd be in a state like them.

With Travis absent tonight I wonder if he is the one they are trying to offload Nothing would surprise me with these cretins. Hopefully it is a genuine illness and not more transfer shenanigans.

Travis out tonight ill apparently.

I don't think £15 million is a good deal for Armstrong. It may be the best we can get, but it isn't a good deal and I really hope the revisionists and rose tinted spectacle wearers out there don't start making out like it is. Armstrong should be £20 million minimum. He ticks just about every box there is to tick when it comes to totting up the value of a player: young, pace, excellent fitness record, no major injuries, knows where the back of the net is and perhaps most importantly English. The fact that he is English, he is good at his job of scoring goals and has at least 8-10 years left in the tank adds a massive premium on his price (or at least should). Unfortunately we've wiped that premium out by allowing this situation to unfold. So much for buying low and selling high - this policy only works if you ensure that when the players come good you are protected and can maximise your return. Allowing millions of pounds to slip through your fingers - money that could ensure FFP compliance, enable a rebuild or replace the pitch at Ewood - is criminal.

Over 3 years since he was charged with assault at Barnsley and still not stood trial. With that sort of system in place you have to wonder what's going on.

Because losing him may well cost us Championship status and all the costs that come with that? Far greater than £10 million. I hope nobody is under any illusions here. Relegation isn't only possible it is probable particularly if we lose Armstrong.

Palace recently decided that they were actually founded back in 1861 and not 1905 as they had claimed for the last 100+ years. I don't know the ins and outs of it but it seems someone has managed to find a link to the original Crystal Palace team and that's enough for them to claim status as one of the oldest clubs in the world. Whether it is actually true or not I doubt they care as it seems to be all about proving that they are older/more historical than their London rivals.

I think there are only two ways in which we see an incoming player. First is that we've managed to persuade Liverpool, City or Everton to send a teenager here for the season on a heavily subsidised loan, promising that they will get loads of Championship game time this season to aid their development. Second is that we've got a sale or significant departure lined up and permission to use some of those funds/wages on bringing in a free agent. Draw along from that and ask who we have likely to attract bids/interest at this stage and the list is a short one. Kaminski, Nyambe, Lenihan, Travis, Armstrong, Rothwell. We know Armstrong will be going but they will time it to cause maximum damage to our recruitment and season. Other than that can we afford to let any of the others go? I mean of those Rothwell is the least valuable to us but still one of a rapidly diminishing number capable of creating something in this squad.

I was also hoping there would be a shareholders meeting which is usually an opportunity for the minor shareholders to ask questions of the board. Waggott is now saying that due to Covid 19 there cannot be a shareholders meeting this year. I'm not sure why 20-30 people in a room is higher risk than opening up Blues Bar or the Premier Suite on a weekly basis but hey, it gets him off the hook a while longer.

Is he still 'looking into' coach travel being put on by the club into traditional support heartlands? I know we've had Covid but he was meant to be doing that back in 2018 which tells us nothing will probably happen on anything he says. 19th July and 'plans will be put in place' to contact fans directly. Well the deadline for retaining seats is in 2 days and I haven't seen or heard any evidence of anyone having anything but an email and it seems plenty haven't even had that.