Never going to get past 99 appearances ?

It's not even a story. Its spreading gossip and rumour. Not doing Rovers any favours. https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2020/02/20/report-suggests-newcastle-want-to-re-sign-10-goal-eight-figure-a/ Here we go. Doesn't take much to get these sort of things going. Next news is 'local press' in Blackburn have reported interest in him, even though they've just picked up a rumour from elsewhere. Then it snowballs.

It's not even a story. Its spreading gossip and rumour. Not doing Rovers any favours

I'm suggesting that they dont pass off gossip from miles away as real interest in one of our better players. Not really asking for a 'cover up', just report on facts preferably unearthed at Rovers end rather than fanning the flames of what might be a Nixon style column filler and nothing more. These sort of things spread like wildfire and within weeks will be going round as clubs preparing bids. That can't do us or the player any good at this stage.

Who says that's a fact? It's a rumour. It might be true, it might not. There's no way the Telegraph know. So they are piggy backing on a rumour from elsewhere. Saying he is being watched by others is fairly obvious and could apply to most players in the Championship. Premier League clubs spend fortunes scouting players all over the place. The vast majority don't get bids and don't move. Telegraph are mischief makers who are always quite quick to jump upon distant rumours of interest in one of our star players but never actually come up with anything positive about the club e.g. new signings or spending.

What facts have the Telegraph reported? Relaying a rumour from another paper isnt the purpose of their existence.

This is how transfer rumours start. Telegraph doing us no favours once again regurgitating 'news' from other outlets and passing it off as 'interest' in one of our players. Before long it will be a fact that Armstrong bids are coming and it will snowball from there. Of course PL clubs will have had a look. He's young, English and not only in good form but scoring quality goals. Can say the same for half the Championship players who have played well this season. Some things never change and before long it will be fact that he's going to be sold and we are going to struggle to hold on. With Dack out and other business not great Armstrong might be Mowbray's saviour when it comes to his India trip.

Suspect it will be true. A relatively small allocation, large portion of Southern Rovers based fans, last trip to Griffin Park. Think each previous occasion we've sold out or gone close. Just save it in the archives for when dingles go on about support. 800 at Southampton last Saturday lunchtime, 1600 at Brentford with Rovers this.

Proof will be in the pudding. It will put hundreds on the crowds, not thousands which is what we need. Waggott, Chaddy and everyone else can say it's a great offer and the fans are to blame for not buying, but the fact is we are treading over well worn ground here. Every season they come with stuff like this and it makes minimal difference. Need to do better and think outside the box.

Off topic but why have dingles got England u21s v Turkey at Turf Moor. Why isn't Ewood hosting such fixtures? It is bigger and better including better access and parking facilities.

Is the allocation usually only 1650? I seem to recall it usually being over 2000?

Highly unlikely IMO. Let's suppose we get these 4 points from the next 3. That puts us on 54 from 36 matches. Likely needing at least 20 points from the last 10. In those last 10 we play Bristol City, Leeds and West Brom at home and have to travel to relegation threatened Wigan, Barnsley and Luton and tough sides Cardiff, Millwall and Derby. You reckon we'd get through those without dropping more than 10 points? Even then 74 might not be enough.

Anyone heard anything about the small matter of the dingles match on Thursday at Morecambe. Both clubs maintaining a complete wall of silence and pretending nothing is happening, despite numerous requests for information.

What does that even mean? You have your budget, identify attainable players and work on those. You have a plan b, c and d if a doesn't work. Everyone else manages it. 2 years running now we've been told there's plenty of money yet it doesn't materialise, except in odd cases like Brereton. If a deal was unaffordable e.g. Assombalonga then why bother trying? Personally I suspect it is just arse covering when the fans question what is happening. Don't think India would be too impressed if Mowbray and Waggott pointed responsibility at their front door. Much easier and more sensible to keep in their good books.

What sort of manager turns down the option of funds to strengthen his squad? Can you imagine Mark Hughes telling the Abu Dhabi group that he didn't want their cash because it might break the wage structure or upset one or two around the place. A manager works with resources available to him. If it is correct that Venkys have offered money but he has elected not to spend it then that is a very unusual thing to happen. Imagine if we get to the end of the season and finish 1 point off the top six. Normal owners would be asking why the manager refused or failed to strengthen in January with promotion obviously achievable. Mowbray must have a very relaxed view about things if he thinks he or we have all the time to turn down transfer cash when in need of more depth.

They are a West London based club, just a couple of miles down the road from Sky Sports studios, who score plenty of goals and unearth good foreign players. If ever there was a perfect storm for positive publicity and being over hyped they're it. Can practically smell the excitement at Sky/Talksport of having a new London club in the Premier League stacked full of foreigners playing nice football.

Not really sure saying West Brom are in poor form is accurate at all. Seem to be doing perfectly well to me after a short wobble. Bilic an outstanding manager at this level with a very strong squad. Derby and Cardiff tough places to go. Derby terrible away from home but very hard to beat at Pride Park. Cardiff right next to us in the table and have only lost a couple since Harris took over. Those are the sort you need to win to put yourself in the driving seat. Fail to win at least a couple of those big 6 and we will have too much to do from the other 7 matches.

7:35 train from Manchester gets in at 9:40. With split tickets and railcard it was about £28 return. Last year we went to Vauxhall then the train to Brentford but still a decent trek out.

Best part of an hour to get to Brentford from Euston. Should be fine if in Euston for ten past 11.

Realistically we are going to have to pull at least a couple of unexpected wins out of the bag against the sides above us or in games we would usually embrace a point in. I'm talking Leeds, West Brom, Bristol City at home, Brentford, Cardiff and Derby away - tough fixtures. Mid table sides would happily take draws from those - promotion winners need a few wins.

There seems to be an attitude around the place that increasing crowds is simply a question of price and that by putting a few offers on from time to time the club has done all it possibly can. There's another aspect to it all. You have to encourage people to come and come back. Make it cheaper or easier to get to Ewood and get away afterwards. Put buses on to areas where large portions of our support live like Preston do. Charlton have club run buses all over Kent and Sussex where many of their fans live. We do nothing. Inside the ground - make Ewood a better place to be. Improve the atmosphere by developing a singing section. Generate more of an atmosphere by using music and the big screen better. The atmosphere is so flat and dull it is untrue. Go to Bristol City they have a carnival like range of stalls, bars, music etc. around their ground pre and post match with all sorts for families and kids. People who come for a one off match are unlikely to go home with pulses racing either with the football served or the Ewood experience. Unfortunately the way of it seems to be bare minimum expense which directly equates to bare minimum effort, because all the above require imagination or expense to get up and running.

A very good performance, result and enjoyable day out. Thought our performance was excellent and really pleasing to see us see the game through keeping the clean sheet Still think the play offs are going to be a step too far for us. Probably need minimum 25 points from 39 remaining, whilst Fulham, Forest and Brentford probably only need 20 points. Nevertheless good to see us performing well, good form and good habits of managing games and clean sheets. Keeps things interesting. Despite concerns about the weather, trains and problems at Euston station thankfully everything went smoothly. Went into their supporters lounge pre match behind the goals. Packed with fans, warm meals on, beer, relaxed atmosphere. Feel Rovers are missing a trick not opening up the Darwen End and doing similar on matchday. No entry fee or membership required. Just first come first served.

Think he's made 3 poor steps in his career Walking out of a secure job at PNE where his stock was high to join crisis club Sunderland - can understand the logic behind it but Sunderland a complete basket case. Joining Bradford when they were being run by the German nutter who sacked McCall and appointed the youth team manager so he could run the team. Joining Blackpool - in theory a sensible move to an ex club just after being taken over but it seems their fans weren't overly keen and they appear to have ideas beyond their station. As I said last week I'm not sure where Blackpool think they should be but I think mid-table League One is about right.

Very surprised at that. If this season wasnt a transition season for Blackpool I don't know what is. New owner, McPhillips walking at short notice, first full season Oyston free. I'd have expected him to be given the summer and the start of next season at the very least given his CV in that division. If Heckingbottom is the alternative Blackpool might wish they'd kept Grayson.

Quite looking forward to the day out provided the weather doesn't cause any problems. Think we will struggle here. It will be a big day for Charlton with a full house and a chance to take a big step to survival after last night. They'll see this one as a golden opportunity. I worry about our resilience in these part of games against the poorer sides in the division.