That's a Damien Duff-esque goal if there ever was one. Will be interesting to see if Doherty progresses this year. Last campaign was a pretty poor one for the whole team, low scoring, disjointed by constant loan comings and goings and injuries. And, frankly, dearth of quality in some key areas. If players like Doherty do go on loan, it'll be an even bigger struggle, which is why I think the club really need some (wise) additions for that level.

Thanks - Vale released passed me by and mean our striker options are even weaker than I thought. I had him down as a possible saleable asset but I guess injuries wiped that out.

Beaten by a team containing England's Gennaro Gattuso, Jason Lowe, is no shame....

Nice to see Litherland come in and play. He comes highly recommended by regular U21 watchers for his ball-playing abilities. I would also like to see Edmondson given a chance but looks like a loan move might be his best bet at the moment. No Garrett, Duru, Leonard or Vale. Presume, the latter three are injured still? Garrett looks like he's heading out, which I think is a shame as I think he could be a useful utility man. I'm not sure about Montgomery as a defender, though he may well surprise me. Throwing him into an unfamiliar RB role and assuming he can cover the first team brings back memories of Tyler Magloire's right back exploits. That said, Montgomery has done ok so far.

Palace made sure of that, and may've kept hold of him for another year, by delaying groin surgery and playing him through pain, despite having plenty of CMs on the books. He's not looked quite the same player since returning, I would suggest, as an occasional watcher.

Unhealthy reliance would, I would guess as an occasional observer, be correctly used to describe Rovers U21 use of Tyjon last season. He played as a lone forward for much of the season, ploughing a thankless furrow in a poor team. He got injured a number of times and didn't score much. He's no teenage Rooney, physically speaking, and obviously needs help as a striker. Unfortunately, without support, I see something similar happening to him and Boggan this campaign.

Before his loan move to Ipswich, if I remember rightly, there were rumours that he fell out with the manager. I have no idea what went on but in the end Travis didn’t make the cut at Ipswich and all was forgiven, it seems, when he came back.

I think he would be delighted by the move. A four-year contract for someone who has struggled with injuries is a coup. Unless he surprises us, he'll have one more contract in him after that before he has to pack it in.

Notable absences today, Matty Litherland (RB/CB), Duru (RB) (but believe he may be recovering from injury) and James Edmondson (our best U21 central midfield option?). Instead Mullarkey-Matthews gets a game having been out for most of last season. A forward is probably needed, as I don't think Tyjon is ready (he wasn't prolific for the U21s last season. albeit in a poor team) and Leonard is injury-prone.

Joe Rankin-Costello still only 25 but injury-hindered, over the years, leaves for Charlton. My overriding thought is where is the next JRC coming through the ranks? In his early days, he was a real prospect and contributed 100+appearances having some decent runs in the team. He came through with likes of Travis and Buckley, so an end of a cycle may be arriving. He had some tremendous moments, as well as falling away badly. One game sticking in the mind was the Newcastle tie in a cup when he played in a back three, if I remember rightly, and looked impressive on the ball, albeit, his lack of pace wasn’t tested.

I think this is part of the bigger issue that has been described here as a managed or intentional decline. Letting so many players of value go for free is hurting the club. Dolan would've been an ideal candidate for a sale, assuming someone was interested a year or so ago. Not integral but catches the eye in highlights.

Not sure about Rothwell. It took him so long to find his feet at Rovers. Not sure how he's done since but he strikes me as someone who requires a lot of patience and I don't know if Rangers will give him that time. His best form, ironically, as a fairly deep central midfielder, in a pivot. His passing was as impressive as his ball running.

A rather irrelevant point given the tragedy, but the modern game means players lack something of their game identity. Will we remember Diogo as a great winger or striker or an amalgam?

Keep them at the club or send out on meaningful, season or half-season loans. Instead, I expect, unless there is a change in policy, the monthly/weekly revolving doors to non-league, injury and unexplained disappearance will continue.

Coming up through the ranks behind them are Stritch, Doherty and Mafoumbi - wingers who could barely muster 5 goals in the U21's season. They're young and may well improve but the standard is really looking weak. The new crop from U18s will come in too but, to my mind, the club had/have to invest in recruits specifically at U21 level to improve the standard. That said, Doherty and Mafoumbi were recruits, along with goalie, Barrett, last season.

Would be interested to know if there is any statistical correlation between young players going on short loans to non-league and getting injured. Hard to say without data (maybe even with), but I would imagine that a young player unaccustomed to the physicality of that level, who's dropped in suddenly, might well be more likely get injured. Throw in poorer pitches and training methods as well. That said, the likes of Gilsenan, Alex Baker, midfielder whose name evades me who was out for 2 years et al, were getting seriously injured regularly without going away on loan. It seems, from an outside perspective, like a problem for the U21s.

I appreciate that players were missing, like Delap, but only 4 of the starting England U21 side were from a top 5 side. Of those four, Quansah and Harvey Elliott might be dropping down a bit soon (albeit both possibly still at Champions League level). A sign that these young English players are finding it hard to make the grade at the very top of the Premier League? Though, perhaps, that is part of their strength, with more humility and desire to work together.

A last chance in the attacking role in a midfield three? Not sure he has the consistency to play deeper but with a freer role, I just wonder if would improve. I am sceptical, of course. Ideally, he'd be replaced but when the rest of the squad looks so poor and incomings underwhelming, I just wonder if keeping him might be preferable.

Southgate was a good ambassador for the England team and, I feel, a focal point for some sort of unity. However, (without triggering the debate now as tiresome as any) it cannot be forgotten that Southgate presided over a time when the Premier League football style shifted towards the continental, especially, I think, due to Pep Guardiola's influence - and, no doubt, due to many an unrecognised work of grassroots coaches. This made competing internationally more possible than the days of Stevie Kick-A-Ball-40-Yards and 4-4-fucking-2. Though, arguably, for England to take the final step, they need to reconnect with their traditional strengths, alongside the new found ability to keep possession.

We effectively have a Super League without relegation as the promoted teams are increasingly likely to go straight down. This will be even more likely if players get picked off like Jobe Bellingham and James Trafford, before a ball is kicked.

If they're kept on as back-up, that's one thing. Wood has been fairly prolific when fit. However, this season showed that the standard needs to be drastically improved at U21s level. The level sunk so low that the team were struggling to beat non-league second strings. To my mind, the club needs to recruit externally, to support and challenge players like Tyjon and Boggan (maybe Joseph) who are the next hopes.

All hindsight now, but if he stayed at Chesterfield and continued scoring some goals and Rovers had extended his deal in January (a couple of big 'ifs'), he would probably carry a small transfer value now.

My less-than-informed impression, which is based only really on highlights, is that Wharton has not been at his best since returning from groin injury and surgery mid-season. Though he has been starting, Palace have rotated their many CMs, including Kamada, Hughes, Lerma and Devenny. Wharton didn't play in their last game, if I remember rightly. My guess is that there is a lot of confirmation bias going on. Every sliver of evidence being used to build the argument that Wharton is currently a world-beater - overlooking where he's not doing so well, compared to before. It makes sense for Wharton to rest and get back to his best. Palace failed in their duty of care, I believe, in playing him when he was suffering from injury.

I'm not sure, but I wonder if Wharton has not been the same since his groin surgery mid-season. Palace continued to play him when he was struggling badly, putting off the op. This despite the fact that they have a fair few central midfielders. I don't know the details, obviously, but from afar, it was negligent, at best, and maybe even cynical. As a result of having his op. later, clubs needing a quick fix couldn't consider him for the January transfer window. He certainly wasn't great against Villa in the semi-final and outshone by Kamada, in my opinion (despite the pundits lazy bandwagoning). Hopefully, he will return to his best.

Arguably, the most naturally gifted footballer in our current squad (not saying much) but is it the end of the road for Buckley at Rovers? He has a few years on his contract, I think, without checking, but things have never clicked since the days when he was touted for the Premier League. His best brief spell was probably as a false 9 with Reda Khadra creating space with his pace (the rare days when the team had pace). He also had a handful of end of season games as a CM under Mowbray when he scored a long-range goal or two and looked to be finally cementing his place. At Sheff Wed, on loan, they stuck him out wide and then on the bench, in a desperate team near the bottom of the league. When playing well, he has fantastic passes in his armoury. However, he just hasn't developed (arguably, like other academy graduates, like Scott Wharton or JRC - though, they have injuries as a mitigating factor). For me it's a dilemma whether to keep or move on. Ismael's not a fan, it seems and even Montgomery was moved ahead in the order, it seemed (unless Buckely was injured at the end of the season). For his career, I think a move abroad could do wonders. A less physical league where he can get on the ball might help him. It's a shame, because in natural passing ability, he was/is close to Adam Wharton. Though, lacks in most other areas, perhaps, most importantly, in some aspect of mentality.