JHRover

I'm not necessarily talking about the most loyal. I'm talking also about those fans who aren't that bothered about going who after months of inertia from the club might just decide they are better off doing something else with their money. Once gone they aren't coming back. But also the regular renewers who go every season, as the economic damage increases from what is was in March and April more and more are likely going to be struggling for cash and be less willing to throw money Rovers way.

At a proper football club after selling Raya there would have been a coherent strategy to replace him and address other areas before splurging the whole lot on someone like Gallagher with no defined role for him in the team. Then the cupboard is bare for spending on crucial positions so we end up scuttling around for a few generous loans to plug gaps, kicking the can down the road for another 12 months. Now it is coming back to bite. I almost struggle to believe that Mowbray likes Gallagher enough to splash his entire budget on him especially when you look at where and how he has used him in the side. Very strange. It's almost as though someone else took a shine to him last time he was here and obtained the funds from Venkys to make it a permanent deal, on the basis he was likely to grow in value of course. Selling, reluctantly, a decent player every few years may be necessary or helpful but it is the way in which that comes about that is the concern. The Brentford way works because they have replacement targets lined up ready to go and spend the money back on the squad. Here it will be confusion, inertia then permission for a few loans instead.

That reads to me as though Mowbray hasn't yet been told he has to sell assets, but perhaps might be told that in the near future. He's priming the fans for it. But still hasn't had confirmation or otherwise from upstars. He says it is inevitable that we will have to sell eventually. What if we get promoted this season? Or has he written that off already as part of this never ending transition? Basically he's sold things to the owners as an investment to recoup their money down the line and now its time for cashing in. Just like under Bowyer. He talks about using funds to strengthen the squad but we all know that doesn't happen. Last time he used the Raya money to sign Gallagher, and used loans to sort the defence for a season. Now because of that we are in dire straits at the back. Wouldn't happen anywhere else but Venky Rovers.

Oh he already has. Them and Stoke. Only last week it was Sunderland and Ipswich he was waxing lyrical about.

So now we know the identities of the other 23 clubs we will be up against. I wonder how Waggott and co. will be able to spin it as little old Rovers struggling to compete. Only Forest, Derby and Sheff Wednesday really represent significantly bigger gates etc. The day I accept that the rest are bigger, better or ahead of Blackburn Rovers is a long way away. Clearly the 3 relegated clubs will have the benefit of parachute cash but Watford and Bournemouth will have some serious work to do. Then we've the promoted clubs of homeless Coventry, Rotherham and Wycombe. Nope nothing to see there. At this stage I expect Stoke, Norwich and Middlesbrough to be in and around the top end. I rate O'Neill at Stoke, Norwich will know the league and should transition smoothly. Boro have the Warnock factor so if he's up for it and gets backing they'll be thereabouts. Watford and Bournemouth could do well depending on their appointments and squads but i think without Howe there to hold it together Bournemouth will struggle. I also think Millwall are to be earmarked for a play off spot. Already done a couple of decent looking deals this summer. This is the first time in a while theres no stand out side. This year Leeds and WBA were always favourites. Last year Villa and before that Wolves. No such side IMO next year. There for the taking for a club that does some shrewd business, addresses weaknesses properly and keeps their best players.

Those were on twitter somewhere a couple of weeks ago. Love the home shirt and black away shirt.

So sensible that only about 3 clubs including ourselves in the top two divisions haven't bothered to sell any. Everyone else has. Even clubs with capacity issues in old grounds like Luton and Everton. We are a special sort of club. The sort that spends all year moaning about relying on Venkys, low gates, no money, tough to compete, FFP rules but then does nowt to try and get some cash in by offering a voucher, membership or season ticket. As to the suggestion of a donation instead that is just ludicrous. Why can't the club just offer what nearly everyone else has done and has sold by the thousands? The club has the benefit of 20000 empty seats every week and we can be sure away fans will be out of the picture. We also have vast areas of space around the ground for distancing measures to be brought in if needed. So talk about how to manage distancing etc. should be much easier to deal with at Ewood than elsewhere. As to the stuff about wanting your own seat then simple, if they can't guarantee you your usual seat and it is a make or break issue for you then don't buy one. I'd rather have my usual seat but if they told me to sit in the Darwen End upper I would in the circumstances because I am willing to compromise. As I said last week. I've got the money waiting to pay for it as I always do at this time of year. Now give it 3 months and I might decide to sack it off and spend it on a holiday instead, or heaven forbid I might lose my job and need the money for other things. Then they've missed the boat with me. I suspect what will happen is those clubs who have sold loads will defer it until the 2021-22 season and deal with next season separately. But they've got the money, and those fans are hooked into the club for another 2 years and aren't going anywhere. Those clubs need not worry. We are starting from a standing position of 0 season ticket holders and I believe every week that goes by will see less and less prepared to renew. If we had been on the ball in February or March we wouldn't have this.issue

'Making moves' can be done without having a budget. As I suggested last week my opinion is, assuming the information about targets is correct, that Mowbray is approaching things in reverse order, hoping to get his ducks in a row ready for the approval to come through from India eventually. He can target whoever he likes and even have tentative discussions with them but it is very different to cash changing hands. We are good at talking. Its the doing part we struggle with. But I am also very apprehensive and cynical about these supposed targets and how much truth there Is in them given the whereabouts of senior staff and information we have been given.

The longer the inertia and lack of communication continues the more likely it is that people will get sick and fed up and either request/demand something back or failing that will simply refuse to buy one next year and be lost. That is why it was so important for the issue to be thoroughly and competently addressed from the word go with clear options set out and a way of deferring compensation towards future tickets, those that we still haven't bothered putting on sale. Anyhow, transfers. Id be amazed if Mowbray knew or had a budget by now. I suspect he had about 4 days after the season finished to tidy up before having a few weeks off before pre season. Waggott has done a disappearing act i believe because he is as in the dark as the rest of us but.doesnt want to be caught out admitting it so is just hiding away until instructions come through. I do pity those who think signings are imminent. It ain't happening folks.

So are you agreeing that in failing to offer a refund option, and callously suggesting that any fan asking for one would be putting the club at risk of oblivion, that we have harmed our sales potential for next season? I'm still struggling with the logic that Luton, in their ramshackle little stadium where distancing will be a bigger challenge than at Ewood and who didn't know their league status until last week, can manage to sell 6500 season tickets in the face of Covid 19 uncertainty and yet there isn't a good reason for us to at least try and sell some.

All explained away upstairs by Covid 19 and no admission or suggestion that Rovers policies have or will exacerbate that. I've no doubt we are facing a significant drop in numbers. But i think Rovers could mitigate that if they were proactive as most other clubs will do

£250 was an average figure spread across adults and concessions. I suspect the average price paid at Ewood is around that figure. Another question then. Why have Luton Town been able to maintain sales numbers despite Covid 19 and all the uncertainty whilst we are likely to face a significant fall in numbers?

Luton have sold 6500 season tickets. just think about that for a moment then remember that Rovers have sold 0. Luton have that money in the bank, can use it to invest in signings and wages. We haven't received a penny. Can anyone on here congratulating Rovers on their approach to this please give me one reason why Luton Town, at the dilapidated Kenilworth Road, having only recently looked nailed on for relegation, are able to sell 6500 season tickets whilst we cannot? Can anyone also explain why it is better to not have 6500 x £250 in the bank now than £0?

If we splash millions out on this Whiteman lad or any other midfielder/forward whilst bringing in the usual loans and frees for GK and CB it is just confirmation of the long held suspicion that the money can only be made available for certain positions. It is senseless but already we can see it happening. Why can't the manager just spend some cash sorting out the back line and pad out the midfield with loans? Presumably the Whiteman one is another project to try and increase value whilst the GK and CB situations are not worthy of such investment.

About 5 years ago it was our 140th anniversary. I don't recall so much as a mention of it from the club. Certainly weren't any commemorative events, merchandise or similar. Birmingham City, a footballing nonentity compared to Rovers, had their 140th the same year. They had a special crest, kit and all sorts of stuff to celebrate it. Nobody down there has the interest or ambition to do anything about it.

Richardson will resign and join Cook again as soon as he gets a job sorted out.

Wait, so they admitted giving Bell another year because they hadn't found anyone else? Wow. That's some transfer policy.

I think you are being kind here to Rovers, expecting there to be some larger reason why the kits aren't out yet. In the end I think it is just further evidence of the malaise and drift there is at the club that we witness every year. It comes down from the top and infests every element of the club. It is why we have no season tickets, are always among the last to put them on sale, are always among the latest to release kits, and now are drifting without any direction from the owners, seemingly no budget or communication and a CEO who hasn't been seen or heard from in months. The kit will be ready. It will either be sat in boxes at Ewood or in a warehouse somewhere waiting to be delivered. I genuinely don't think there is anyone currently working at Rovers who will be dealing with this sort of thing. Earlier I was looking at Oldham's new kit for their 125th anniversary. Very nice, complete with special club crest and all sorts of stuff on their page about the history behind it. Now that's a 4th.division club, run by a very unpopular owner with gates of a few thousand. Yet miles ahead of us in efforts.

So one day Rich Sharpe hasn't spoken to Mowbray or Waggott, the next he knows who we haven't bid for, when realistically those two are the only ones who can confirm what we have done. I suspect he is hedging his bets. He's probably right too, we will be some way off making any signings.

Why can Luton do it but we can't?

Everton have sold 30,000 season tickets for a 39,000 capacity ground. We have sold 0 season tickets for a 31,000 capacity ground. Everton will have millions in the bank from that. We have nothing. Who do we reckon knows best about running a football club? Everton or Venkys and Waggott. The club can put tickets on sale whenever it likes. But next news is Waggott will be moaning about FFP, lack of income and rich clubs having more money than us. Well speaking for myself i have my money ready to spend and would do so if the club was prepared to accept it. I won't be alone. Can't have it both ways. Can't be bothered with the basics and the hassle of devising a scheme e.g. £300 for the first 20 home matches whenever they may be. Don't then moan about not having any money.

They haven't been punished for breaking Ffp rules e.g. spending too much They've been punished for wrongly including figures from the sale of Hillsborough in their 2018 accounts thereby in effect dodging FFP by lying in their accounts. Simply overspending hasnt been punished. Though Venkys will be delighted with this. Signpost anyone towards Sheffield Wednesday whenever money isn't spent.

Good news for Sheffield Wednesday. More lenient than the 21 points it could have been and they get a full 46 game season to overcome it. Not easy but if fighting a points deduction the more games the better and by no means mission impossible. Wigan almost did it in a few weeks. Bad news for Charlton who go down this season but haven't cheated the system. If i was involved with them I'd be asking why a crime committed in 2018 and punishment decided now isnt going to be imposed until next season.

Grant Hall just joined Middlesbrough on a free transfer. There we go. Experienced proven CB on a free transfer passing by the wayside. Not brilliant but better than what we've got.

We will probably be OK with Sky propping the division up for their TV audiences and Venkys tipping in the difference seemingly without much concern Its the likes of Accy Stanley and Morecambe I wonder about. Sky aren't interested in that level and they don't have enough external investment.