A one way National Express ticket to Teesside would be even cheaper and more beneficial.

If the owners had anything about them and Mowbray came trotting along with his Brentford comparisons the first thing they'd do would be to ask him why we're trying to copy a club that hasn't got promoted. Surely the aim is to get promoted asap? Or not? Again we see that the owners don't really want promotion, they're willing and able to sink in £15 million a year no sweat especially if they can be persuaded that it is leading to assets on the books. I'm not even sure that is essential to them but it sounds nice and is a back up for a mid table manager to convince people there's more at stake than just points and wins. If Venkys did take all this seriously then half the squad wouldn't be out of contract in a couple of months and we wouldn't have a defence built on loans. Mowbray another one taking advantage of the vacuum. He's here to stay folks and Armstrong is the golden goose that will save his skin. Speaking of Armstrong isn't it amazing that after 3.5 years of exemplary fitness he's suddenly out of action for weeks on end whilst the manager openly invites interest. Anyone would think there's more going on here than meets the eye.

Under a different manager I'd agree. Under Mowbray no. We won't get close to £20 million in this climate unless someone gets desperate. 1 year remaining on his deal will see us down towards £10 million. Still enough for Mowbray to get serious brownie points in India and secure his position for another year.

https://www.lagalaxy.com/post/2021/03/09/photo-gallery-la-galaxy-continue-full-preseason-training?utm_source=social_share&utm_medium=share_button&utm_campaign=social_share_button A medical miracle? Del out for the season at Rovers yet able to pass a medical and train for LA Galaxy

I'm just curious as to who these assets are other than AA. He's the big feather in Mowbray's cap and yet we aren't in the Brentford boat with him because he's only got one year to run and so we will have to sell him this summer, even at a lesser price than he is worth. Brentford get their stars on 4 year deals before they sell. Who else is worth more now than 12-18 months ago? Dolan has happened more by accident but even then he's not worth big money. Dack no. He's having us on, again, and its just annoying nobody picks up on it and challenges him.

I've seen today's headline from Mowbray about Brentford. I dont think I can read it but I know what he's going to say. He's in full on self protection mode. Looks like operation sell Armstrong is in full swing.

Why would we follow Bury? Would Wigan and Bolton not be more appropriate?

Or the club could not refuse refunds, holding people's money without their consent, put prices up during a pandemic and selling off prime property. I'll 'pull together' when they start treating people properly.

How about we keep what we have? IF there are issues with outdated facilities or pitches (unlikely) then spend some money improving them. I very much doubt that this is the case. The last time I visited the facilities remained excellent and better than most in the top 2 divisions. Waggott reckons Venkys might need to top up the funding gap to get this project delivered. So surely they could chuck in the same amount to refurbish the existing facilities which would be much quicker and easier than building a new centre. I suppose it comes down to trust. I don't trust Waggott and that is based on his track record. I've seen no improvement at the club during his 3 years and actually attendances have fallen and facilities deteriorated further on his watch. The trouble we have here is that is is non reversible process. Once its sold and permission granted its gone. The club shrinks, assets diminish. Gone. Even the way they have done this increases concerns. The secretive moves behind the scenes. The hasty statement released to try and put a positive spin on it after the news was out. The absolute nonsense about a new 'coaching structure' or outdated facilities. Its all bunkum. I suspect this is concocted by Waggott and supported by Mowbray and Venus. Venkys could stop it but likely will fall for the same drivel as many of our fans already have. Obviously Venkys will like the sound of saving more money with one site and probably support the new 'coaching structure' led to believe it will improve our fortunes or academy performance. I believe their involvement will end at that. I don't believe that they will pour in millions more to build new facilities. The rest will be left to Waggott and his associates. He seems to spend a lot of his time dealing with property and construction projects and did at Southend, Gillingham and Coventry too. Brockhall will be the biggest and juiciest of the lot. Imagine going from Roots Hall and Priestfield to Brockhall. Its the big time.

Has Waggott shed any light yet on this new 'coaching structure' that keeps being mentioned and why the existing facilities prevent that being implemented right now? I wonder if it will be similar to Waggott's new management structure that he made a fuss about but which changed nothing? I'm convinced he doesn't actually believe what he comes out with and its just hot air to try and impress people.

The sale of Phil Jones has probably covered the net cost of our academy over the last 10 years. Of course there have been a few additional expenses beyond the basic running costs such as the new floodlights and classrooms but in the scheme of things we aren't talking mega money here. In our squad at present we have Lenihan, Nyambe, Buckley, JRC, Travis and Wharton when fit all featuring with regularity in the first team. Even if we ignore their transfer values (which combined ought to eclipse the academy running costs over the last 5 years) and just focus on their roles in our Championship squad - that alone should make the owners and management desperate to ensure the academy is protected and is able to prosper moving forward. Nothing at all should be done that might jeopardize that status. I've heard what Waggott has said about protecting the academy but I just don't believe it is likely to happen on a site that size and with those restrictions - is it really all worth it so Mowbray can keep an eye on the u18s training and they can have breakfast together in the canteen?

I honestly don't know. Half of me thinks Mowbray will just cart on with more of the B.S over the summer and the other half thinks things are drawing to a close and that surely a combination of the owners getting fed up, diminishing returns on the pitch and Mowbray clearly feeling some heat will see a parting of the ways. It seems a corner has been turned again on the 'death spiral' with 4 points, should have been 6, from two tricky fixtures along with much improved performances. This is standard Mowbray management. The pressure will lift just as even the most positive were getting restless and enough is done to keep us away from trouble. Keep that up for another 2-3 games and we will limp along to safety in mid-table. Probably hit another 2-3 game winning run in April to see us through to 60 points zone by season end. No doubt a few excellent performances along the way from the younger players or prospects will further 'vindicate' his management whilst Nyambe exits stage left, which encapsulates why the whole 'project youth' thing is actually a bit of a sham when our biggest asset of the last 3-4 years is on his way. Assuming we limp through to the end of the season without dropping lower than 16th or 17th I think the pressure on him will ease and a legion of fans on Facebook etc. will be more than happy to support 'the journey (though probably not enough to actually spend money enduring it next season) It seems some people are now at a stage where this season will be seen as a success or acceptable regardless of position or points simply because we have a few good young players stepping up. I still think this season has been a massive missed opportunity, one we may not get again for some time if the Venky fire sale begins, and if there's an ounce of ambition here in the summer we need to be preparing for a post-Mowbray era. I think Mowbray knows he's cocked the season up, expects to be on his way or at least under serious pressure, hence his comments, but actually the way things will probably pan out is that Venkys will be happy to keep their man in place to run it for them (that's when they get around to checking what league we are in next season some time in the summer)

Did you miss Cardiff, Hull, Brighton, Palace, Bournemouth, Leicester, Brentford, Sheff Wed, Sheff Utd, Ipswich, Huddersfield, Wolves, Leeds and now Barnsley and Reading who have all finished in the top 6/got promoted in the last 10 years not one of whom was in receipt of parachute income? We have owners with financial resources greater than Norwich, Watford, Brentford and Swansea's owners combined. Shouldn't that count for something?

Good performance, disappointing we couldn't take the 3 points but this is a familiar feeling. We can play and we can cause the better teams problems but making the dominance count and having the discipline to keep it out at the other end are constant issues. Chuck in a familiar hard luck blame the ref story. End of the day these are the games promotion chasing sides need to win and mid table sides don't Cringeworthy levels of pro-Swansea talk doing the rounds. There's no reason we can't be them other than management. They're a crafty side that's for sure. 5-10 yards on every throw and free kick, know when and where to foul and go down.

Forgive me if I've missed it but has there been a suggestion that the swimming pool won't be built in the new facility? I appreciate what Waggott is saying about one site being intrinsically linked to the other. Sadly i think that once the path is clear on the housing front everything else will become secondary Having a site ripe for development that has cleared all the planning hurdles will not be left to gather dust just because we have difficulties on the bottom site. It will either be goodbye to Cat A academy and condense what we can onto the bottom site or find somewhere cheaper like Whitebirk and sell the lot at Brockhall

Tonight's 'Virtual Match Sponsor' is 'Rovers Select' - our in house competition. Last week it was the Community Trust. Anyone worrying about revenues and book balancing would be better getting some sponsors on board rather than simply promoting the clubs own brands. No external cash coming in. My local amateur cricket club manages to find 20 odd match sponsors a season to raise funds. Why can't Rovers?

We're a Championship club and have billionaire owners. So we don't have to do anything. Why haven't any other clubs built housing estates on their training grounds or downsized? Our requirements now are just as great if not greater than they were in the 90s. Yes we are currently in a lower division but we still have a squad of players and an academy that have requirements. They don't drop off or increase with Championship/PL status. Billy Barr and his excelling squad will be out of jobs if this plan gets off the ground. It's goodbye Category A academy. I suppose it comes down to whether you trust a bloke like Waggott. I wouldn't give him a tenner to go and buy me fish and chips and be confident of getting either back. I keep on coming back to the first point I made. If the academy and senior training centre can so easily be accommodated on one site when why did Jack Walker bother with the expense and hassle of two sites? If we need to cut costs how about sacking off Steve Waggott and saving £300,000 per year?

Me too. They've got away with it too many times, they're due to drop.

Does she work for the club? Thought it was admission only to essential staff?

Anyone else notice Mowbray at full time yesterday, turning to the directors box upstairs and saluting someone up there?

Because for a player like Armstrong it will be all about getting to the Prem asap. He doesn't have the time in his career to plod around in circles for 4-5 years. The next best thing to a move to the Premier League is to be at a club with genuine aspirations of getting there and the staff and structure in place to do it. Whilst Armstrong has performed well in Mowbray's teams anyone paying any attention to our results and performances under Mowbray's management in the last 2-3 years will see we aren't close to the requirements. Barnsley have gone closer in the last 10 days than we have in 3 years. So the only way of keeping someone like Armstrong is to convince them that we aren't happy with our lot in life and that we are going to do what is necessary to get promoted. There's no indication that has happened As for my doubts on contracts reading Mowbray's public comments he is reminding the owners of the perils of allowing contracts to run down. Not the sort of comments i would expect if we were busy trying to sort. And little has happened in terms of progress since last year. I dont get any impression Venkys or the club are locked in talks thrashing out a deal. Confusion and inertia are the way of things here

I'd say Armstrong was more likely to sign a new deal if we got rid of Mowbray and brought in a manager that made people sit up and think we mean business. As it stands with Mowbray here in the summer no player worth his salt will want to stick here long term. He's also more likely to sign a new deal if the club actually offers him one. By the sounds of things we haven't even reached that stage yet.

Mowbray will be going nowhere unless he decides to in which case it will be confusion and then take the easiest and cheapest option which will mean either promotion from within or a desperado looking for a job. As much as I'd like to believe there's concern and review taking place in India I just don't. The Barnsley manager is flavour of the month at the moment so no surprises Nixon is pushing him as the model we'd want to replicate. Might need a board before then as the people running Barnsley know what they are doing.

Why does he have a now almost weekly column speculating on potential bids and destinations for Armstrong just like he did for over a year before Jordan Rhodes eventually departed? Why doesn't he run such 'stories' on other players? Does he have an unhealthy obsession with linking our goalscorers with moves or is he acting on someone else's behalf to try and drum up interest in a move?

Ah yes, Nixon with his weekly Armstrong 'update'. What is it with him and touting free scoring Rovers strikers around? Does he just have a weird obsession with our top scorers or is there something more sinister going on here?