Harry Chapman quotes from the LET website: “When I was at Blackburn, I used to travel from Hartlepool ever day, a two-hour slog there and a two-hour slog back. I think that affected performances because my body wasn’t right from all the travelling. Living locally, I’ve definitely reaped the rewards from that." To me, this adds to the big question marks over renewing Chapman's contract. It's a personal decision for him as to where to live, which he has every right to make but if Mowbray thinks he's not committed on the pitch and for personal reasons he's staying in Hartlepool, it's fairly clear that there's not much a future for him at the club.

I haven't followed the SPL but was surprised to see that the league top scorer is a Ross County player, Regan Charles-Cook, with 13 goals. Presumably the Old Firm have used a lot of players (including the January signings) and the goals have been shared around? One player I've always admired in the SPL is Tom Rogic, the Australian midfielder, who has, it seems, periods of favour and then disfavour. His contract expires in 2023, I read, and, though, he's been back in form, he might be available for a club that can afford him.

One of Mowbray's final comments reported in the media was his suggestion that he had put the club on a firmer footing by signing Adam Armstrong and Ben Brereton-Diaz. He deserves credit for the signings. Unfortunately, however, due to club mismanagement, for which Mowbray must take some responsibility - though, perhaps, not the main responsibility, we will be losing, arguably, over £10 million worth of transfer fees this summer in players going for nothing. That's not including the loanee signing on fees which are also a sunk cost, as they head back to their parent clubs. Brighton will likely reap the rewards of Khadra and van Hecke gaining experience and U21 international recognition. We, unfortunately, get nothing, except some good memories and maybe a chance of getting the next Brighton youth loanee, as the club has shown no indication of wanting or being able to sign them permanently. Edit: On a different note, I find it troubling that the club statement refers only to the 'Owners.' There's something Orwellian (or Monarchical...) about the depersonalised language which, increases the sense of remoteness and unaccountability.

Farke won two promotions, I believe, at Norwich. Just scanning his signings, it looks like he had a few big successes in Pukki, Buendia and maybe, Rupp. However, the majority, including, his German recruits seem to have fallen by the wayside. That said, I really don't know enough about the players and the context. Edit: Looking a bit more closely, it looks like several of the signings like Tom Trybull, Stieperman, Hernandez and Vrancic did play a lot of games and were probably short to medium term signings who helped the club rise but came short in the Premier League. It looks as if there was a very high turnover of playing staff, with a lot of foreign signings coming through the doors, as well as gambles on Premier League reserve signings.

Apparently, he scored for their U23s recently, as a trialist, so a good start for him in trying to get a contract. Sheff Wed would be a great move, if he can get it. He has the potential to be a decent player, I guess, based on my very limited viewing, as he seemed very disciplined defensively, quick and decent on the ball. I would have thought he'd try to get a loan move away whilst he was here. Joe Nolan got on the bench ahead of him in pre-season for the firsts, in the game against Leeds, so, unless he was injured at the time, the writing was on the wall.

Mowbray urges Nyambe to sign on for Rovers... by calling out his game flaws: "I feel for him, I love him to bits, I’ve been with him for over five years, he’s like a son. What are you doing? I feel as though he needs to stay, and grow, and learn, be better at bending that ball down the line, at chipping it to the back stick, getting to the byline and cutting it back for the striker to tap it in, I just hope he’s making the right choices."

I must credit Mowbray on persevering with Buckley. He's probably mismanaged him by moving him around to unfamiliar and, frankly, unsuitable positions, including false 9 and right back but he kept picking him, at least. I believe Mowbray brought Zoltan Gera and Robert Koren into English football, whilst at WBA, and, even though Mowbray, to my mind, has lost his way in keeping up with the tactical evolution in the game, he's at least doggedly stuck by the principle of fielding technically gifted midfielders (if not always in midfield). The Buckley wonder strike against Birmingham indicated to me just what he's capable of, if he works with the right coaches and, also, develops mentally himself. He beat a man, spread play, across the pitch and then got the return and hit a sweet strike to score. I feel that sometimes his game is about style over substance, and, just sometimes, the style and the substance are matched, such as in the goal which, it seems, he hit with the outside of his boot, or, at least, not conventionally. I don't mind style, at all, and Buckley has a unique, effortless style on the ball but if he could match that with regular outcomes, he could be a really top player.

The Hedges situation sums up Mowbray's difficulties in recent years. He seems to have signed a useful player, at least, technically, clearly gifted but then can't get the best out of him. In Hedges case, he wasn't included in the team until the season had got away from us. Mowbray has claimed that Hedges wasn't ready for some reason but nor was Gallagher, ready as a right winger and he was a fixture in the team. The same might be said of Buckley. His wonder goal on Saturday was all the more impressive because he started it by beating a man and hitting a cross-field pass, before getting it back. He's got a lot of attributes but it seems that he's most suited to the deeper role where he can play those passes - rather than as a forward. Moreover, he lacks conviction at times and is clearly not ready to be a forward - and may never be one, though, he had an impact there during the winning run.

At the Rovers end of season drinks... "Eh, Aynsley -" "Gaffer, it's me -" "Aynsley, you're like a son to me. I always -" "Gaffer, it's me, Chappy. You're not that sloshed are ya? How many -" "Chappy, I didn't recognise you without your fuckin' Alice band. What's going on, where's Aynsley? Where's the others?" "Dunno, gaffer. I reckon they've called it a night, you know." "Called it a night, my arse. I'm no spring chicken, you know. I've been around. I know what you lads are like. They've fucked off to an unofficial party or something. They'll be going until tomorrow." "Maybe, gaffer. The coaches have fucked off and all." "What are you doing here, Chappy? Thought you'd be breaking your neck to get to the club. I know what you're like. Fucking cheeky chappy." "Gaffer, I wanted to ask you something -" "You want to go and see if the Indian's open, Chappy? I fancy one." "Fuck me, I thought you might've had enough of Indians, gaffer." "You know, Chappy. I like you. If you'd just cut out those faces and the back chat, you'd be in my team. We could've done with you. Fucking look at how Mahrez has turned out. I gave him the big build up - mind you, the scouts need a look at themselves. Telling me all about his assists and set-pieces. Fucking shite -" "Mahrez, gaffer?" "Yeah, Rinan - Riyeed - you know - fucking Riyeed Mahrez. He's gone back to Wolves now." "You mean Ryan Giles?" "What son?" "Gilesy - the lad on loan from Wolves?" "Fucking African Nations my arse. Made me look a knobhead. I tell you Chappy, there were times when I was thinking of you. Then, I woke up! Ha ha ha!" "Gaffer, you mean Gilesy? Ryan Giles - the Wolves lad? Or do you mean the Dutch lad? Zeefuik?" "Damn right, the fuck. What the fuck was what I was thinking. I thought I'd got in a world class winger and I got that. I even dropped Gally." "Anyway, gaffer, I wanted to know -" "Alright, alright, Chappy, you deserve to know. You fancy being a manager, Chappy? You'll see what it's like having a little scrote in an Alice band giving you chat. Ha ha - no seriously, Chappy, I knew you had potential - a lot of potential. Look at what Ben's done. You could be as good. I mean it Chappy. You were as good as him at youth level. But, I wasn't getting enough from you and then I got wind that Poveda and Clarkson were available and you know - " "No, gaffer -" "I know - I know. You done alright at Shrewsbury but that's League One, you know. There's a huge difference - "Gaffer -" "Give me a chance, Chappy. Jesus. I know, I gave you the one year deal and then told you to fuck off. But, put it this way, it was a decent deal - you can't say you didn't do alright out of it. A lot of players didn't get deals, you know. And, you got a chance at Burton. It's not my fault you didn't take that chance. I saw some your games and shite doesn't cover it. I spoke to Jimmy -" "Gaffer, that's not why I'm here - " "Well, Chappy, that's a big question. None of us know the answer to that. If we knew that, we'd somewhere else. You know, Davenport once said to me that he reckoned that he had a higher purpose than passing sideways and I told him, damn right. His purpose was in the fucking reserves. Another terrible signing. But a good lad. But, jesus, what are you young lads like, worrying about your purpose in life." "Jesus, gaffer, you're sloshed, big time." "There is no purpose, Chappy. We're just here to do the best we can and have a bit of fun along the way. Some of the fans give me stick for trying things, you know, but I say, fuck them. What's the fun in playing Gally as a striker? That reminds, me, where's Aynsley?" "Gaffer, seriously. I just wanted to ask if you'd put a word in for me at Boro. My agent's hearing things about a trial and that." "Is that it? Fucking hell, Chappy, I thought you were a man. I've slagged you off for three years and you come asking me to put in a word. You should be trying to knock my lights out." "Thanks, gaffer." "I'll tell them you're a fucking pansy Burton-reject." "Alright, boss. Have a good one."

We had the squad and players but not the manager to get over the line. Am I right in thinking that Mowbray persevered with Gallagher as a wing forward for two seasons, until the final games of this season? I suppose he looks at Real Madrid and wonders what they could achieve if Benzema was out wide. Edit: Mowbray deserves credit for assembling the squad, having the desire to play passing football and including technically gifted players like Buckley, who another manager may have given up on. But, Mowbray's attempts to mould the team and his decision-making was simply not good enough, in general.

I think Garrett should've been in ahead of him. Edun has struggled in most games.

I think it might mean that he's captain and favoured by Mowbray, so doesn't get dropped out of the squad like Rothwell and Nyambe.

He's lost much credibility after that the astonishing decision to play Bradley Johnson as a forward. You might find some way to excuse Giles and Zeefuik as right wingers - maybe, at a stretch, Gallagher, but not that one and I'm sure the players can't take him as seriously after that. Incidentally, Giles has the joint top assist record of our players, alongside Rothwell, with 10 assists this season - albeit, the majority were for Cardiff, where he played on the left and also took corners. Johnson as a false 9, perhaps, surpasses Souness' desperate choices of Dominic Matteo in left midfield and Dino Baggio as a No.10, during his final period at the club, when the team was in free-fall. Putting that aside, it would be welcome to see Garrett and Vale rewarded for their U23s form (and played in their best positions) and I'd like to see Nyambe play, as he has been our best right back and deserves a good send-off, if he is to leave. Moreover, the stats that some have dug out here seem to show that we are much more likely to win if he's in the team.

Not sure about the Rhodes comparison, as McBride was often playing in a deeper role, sometimes, as the wide forward, and it was reported that in the PL2 20/21 season he got 12 goals and 6 assists in 20 appearances - albeit, as mentioned, he did get a number of penalties. I do agree that there are question marks, as the PL2 is a lesser standard and he didn't do much on loan at Stenhousemuir as a Celtic player, nor, now at Queen's Park. Though, to be fair, neither Burns nor Vale did brilliantly in their most recent lower league/non-league spells. I think the time to have tested him out at Rovers was definitely after he scored that friendly game goal for the first team against Leeds, when a few other U23s impressed. However, his career has seemingly stalled. It will be interesting to see if he can revive it.

I wonder what people feel about retaining or releasing Connor McBride, whose contract, as far as I know, expires this summer. After not being allowed to go on loan pre-season, there were rumours of a loan move to Charlton Athletic and Crewe Alex in January but a surprise move to Queen's Park materialised, in the third tier of Scottish football. He's not scored a goal yet there, I think, and has mainly been a sub. His apparent lack of success on loan has come as a surprise to me after his stellar PL2 season last campaign, under the management of Billy Barr, when he finished as our top scorer, albeit, with several penalties, and was nominated for player of the season, alongside Man City stars, such as Palmer, McAtee and Delap. After a goal for the first team in pre-season, when he scored a deflected free-kick against, I think, Leeds, his form for the struggling PL2 side fell away - though the whole team has often been poor. He was in and out of the side and now is potentially heading out of the club. My opinion, for what it's worth, is that it would be a fair gamble to, like Burns, be given another year and some first team opportunity in pre-season to show his worth. Last campaign, for the U23s, he looked superb, not only scoring goals but, also, creating a lot of the ones scored by Burns. However, it looks like the club are persevering with Vale and Burns and with U18s forwards coming through and the first team new signings such as Hedges and Markanday, it might be that the club decide that they have the numbers and will let him go.

I think he'll be thinking like that, especially, if he can break into the Ireland squad/side as a regular. I'm sure that becoming international regulars has helped Duffy and Hanley's careers, not just in their development but even simply in their reputations. It must be a disappointment for Lenihan that he hasn't done more at international level given the weak state of the Rep Ireland squad, relatively speaking.

In March, this year, Mowbray spoke of his/the club's achievements in developing young players (I can't find the original link but the quotes can be found here) “I’ve managed six clubs and this one is the best at the growth of their footballers. This club has to, because of the financial situation. Damien’s only job is to develop, to work with individuals. He went on to add: “The biggest area of growth in this football club in the five years is the individual development of our footballers, to try and make the young players first-team players and better and try and hit the targets they get set. The drills are created for each individual on the grass and they work on technique, whether that’s finishing, crossing. That’s what this club does, tries to develop its young players and I hope the evidence is there, that the young players are in and around the team. And underneath them, bubbling, there are lots more young players that will hopefully become Blackburn Rovers first team players.” (My italics) If you recall, last season, we had Downing, Holtby, Bennett and Evans on the bench together, often, even though there was nothing to play for and they were all known to be leaving. (Holtby was later given, apparently, paid leave, so that he wouldn't get injured and scupper his next contract). I believe that this short-termism/favoritism, which has been followed through this season with reliance on the outgoing and, often, ineffective, Bradley Johnson, and, arguably, too much reliance on loanees to plug gaps, that has helped contribute to this situation of an end of a squad contract cycle without many contingencies in place for continuity. That's not to mention the allowing of key players to run down their deals. It's all very well Garrett or Vale being on the bench on the last game of the season, as may happen on Saturday, but really, that sort of integration was needed much earlier, if these players are rated. If they're not rated and Bradley Johnson is preferred - even as a forward, as we infamously saw for one half of a match - and they're not sent on loan to a decent level where they might develop, then the club shouldn't be talking up its youth system and should focus on signing new players and retaining it's current ones. The club has seemingly done neither - not integrated the next set of youth players (though, admittedly a number got injured), not secured/traded some key senior players, leaving this situation. The biggest positive, for me, is the emergence of Scott Wharton (aside from the emergence of Brereton-Diaz). If he stays fit and gets a decent set of defenders around him, he could be a Rovers first team player for the next decade and probably a captain. Also Hayden Carter has been managed well and is doing well on loan and may could come back and be a key player - though, lack of pace at the back will continue to be a problem.

They would likely have been listening to or waiting on sermon or speeches in those photos, prior to the prayers, so more likely to be bored than anything, as these things can go on. Moreover, the Eid prayers are often considered a time of quiet reflection and communion, hence the lack of frivolity. There would have been plenty of smiles and embraces afterwards. I'm sure you'll find photos of them, if you look. It's a great initiative by Rovers which follows in the steps of Croke Park in Ireland. Whatever one thinks about immigration policies and Islamic traditions (of which there is not just one set) we are here together and must cooperate and live together. Reaching a hand of friendship is what is needed, especially, from institutions and authorities. We know what the alternatives can lead to.

I think Rovers should at least inquire about signing Khadra and/or maybe Poveda permanent or on loan again. In a functioning team, I think both would be effective. Van Hecke too but not sure about valuation and availability. Might well be they have higher aspirations and offers.

Definitely, agree about Beattie. Forgot about him and what a deal that was for Southampton to sell Davies and get Beattie as part exchange, albeit, the former did eventually prove his worth in the Prem. A shame Beattie didn't make it at Rovers. Derbyshire's a great shout and still scoring goals in Cyprus, I think. I read that the Olympiakos fans/media called him the English assassin - though, as far as I know, he wasn't very prolific in England after Rovers and struggled, at times after such an impressive rise and breakthrough. According to Wikipedia, his best spell in England, later in his career, was at Rotherham and has had success abroad. I suppose it's arguable whether he's a Rovers youth developed player given, as I remember, he signed from Great Harwood and went straight into the reserves and the loans and quickly into the firsts. That said, Rovers giving him the chance and the loan at Wrexham, especially, certainly helped him grow and flourish. Garner's a strange one as he's never been that prolific at senior level (perhaps, a Kevin Davies type player who impresses by being a target) but has been transferred for big money several times. I'd estimate that in total his combined transfer fees might be in the £5 million range. I haven't followed his career closely but I got the impression he was a decent Champ striker for a while but the stats show, again, not very prolific and was a bit of a journeyman of the more lucrative type. He's well remembered at PNE for a stunning long range volley, I believe. It's been a while since Rovers produced a decent youth striker and there haven't been many in recent years - Ben Burgess might be up there after scoring crucial goals to get Blackpool into the Premier League in 2010. Here's hoping for some of the guys coming through at the moment.

A speculative name and probably not ready but Liam Rosenior seemed a very knowledgeable TV pundit (which, admittedly, proves nothing when it comes to coaching and managing) and has, it seems been proving himself as assistant manager at Derby County, under the helm of Rooney. I'd prefer to see someone like Rosenior considered - even as assistant or joint manager, if not the main man, than a tired and recycled old name. Like a few others here, I would like to see Damien Johnson step up and test himself in a more senior role. Bringing back Billy Barr from Salford in a more senior role too, after his sterling work for the U23s, might be an option. But as for who would make a good manager, it's so hard to tell (though, I can, with some confidence, rule out certain combustible or recycled names). It's a gamble but if the club also encourage some internal progression with the likes of Johnson, it provides some stability and options if the next appointee doesn't succeed. Having Tony Parkes to steer us through difficult times was very helpful and it will encourage good coaching staff to join Rovers if they can see a path to progression. Edit: On the bigger picture, the new man (woman...) has a huge job to deal with, with a squad overhaul in the offing. There is the exodus of players, several on frees and a few expected sales, there are the fringe players whose careers have stalled, such as Edun and JRC and then there are a few U18s prospects. The new manager doesn't have the luxury of players coming through of the calibre of Scott Wharton, Travis, Nyambe, Lenihan, Buckley knocking on the door. There's a few hopes in the U23s but with a barely any first team experience. In a sense, the present squad has reached an end of a cycle and the current management have neglected in planning and successfully working to bridge the team for the next cycle of first teamers. Reliance on loanees has plugged gaps temporarily but will leave us severely lacking again by the end of the season. There's a real risk of plunging into the mire of relegation trouble if the right person for this moment isn't selected.

I think, also, perhaps, he didn't quite have it together mentally when he was younger and, also, English football didn't accommodate the no.10 much. I recall reading comments from Plymouth Argyle fans, when he was on loan there as a young player for the back end of the season under Sturrock, I think, complaining that he didn't work hard and battle enough. If it was Sturrock, then the style would've been very direct football which wouldn't have suited him much, I can imagine. You had a few Sheringham/Bergkamp types, in the English game, but if you weren't both a prolific goalscorer, technically gifted, slower players tended to be sidelined, literally, by being shunted out wide. Ruben Rochina's had a decent enough career, it seems, at the lower end of the Primera Liga, and I think, perhaps, continental football may have suited Gallagher, tactically - though of course, culturally, would've been a challenge. That said, Gallagher didn't fade away like I thought he might. Had a very good run at PNE and even made it as a CM, I think. Unless I'm missing somebody, I think Gallagher may be the best "forward" produced by the club, as in came through the youth ranks, in recent history, followed by Joe Garner...? I recall he was tearing up the reserve league with consecutive hat-tricks and the like before getting his debut as a skinny 17/18 year old.

New signings used to uplift me with endless possibilities. I remember a lot of excitement when Kevin Davies signed. He'd been great for Saints and was much hyped by the media. I learnt of the signing suddenly and almost couldn't contain my excitement and remember telling people that Wenger was an admirer, so he must be good. Jon Stead and MGP were other ones. I'd tracked the online rumours and negotiations as they drip fed. There was a great Huddersfield fan site that made cartoon graphic stories of their games and Stead's goals and satirised tendency to point as to where he wanted the ball was much featured. Meanwhile, Tromso had match highlights on their website and I negotiated Norwegian to track down goals by Gamst. I recall doing so with Ternana and Ciccio Grabbi too. (And remembered noting his strike partner at Ternana, Fabrizio Miccoli, who seemed useful). I've become more detached about failures and successes now but I remember taking relegation from the Prem badly. A Marian Pahars goal for Saints and a Chris Bart-Williams goal for Forest were particularly painful as they knocked the final nails in our coffin.

Sam Burns new one year deal announced by the club. If the club are planning ahead that should mean he'll get a chance with the firsts in pre-season, as he's not a youth player any more in age. He hasn't appeared in relegated Scunthorpe's matches lately, when I looked, so he's either been dropped or injured. He scored a brace in a game but that was it - so he has a lot to work on when he comes back.

No Nyambe in the squad against Bournemouth and no mention about any injury from Mowbray in the pre-match discussion. Lenihan continued at RB after his excellent showing there against PNE and Zeefuik was on the bench. Unless I'm mistaken, it looks like Nyambe has been dropped from the matchday squad and may well have played his last game for Rovers. He hasn't lived up to his potential at Rovers - like almost every player in the squad, not helped by terrible tactics, at times but he seems to be Mowbray's fall guy. Like Rothwell, earlier in his career, Nyambe was the one Mowbray would publicly critique, whilst other players repeatedly failed to perform and were shielded and favoured by management. He's probably the most physically complete and one of the most hard-working players in the team and has multi-tasked in a variety of roles. Last season, he got exposed often but was left unprotected by Gallagher on the wing, invariably, and was trying to cover the shoddy central defence, whilst getting down the wing, into the opposition box, and defending the full back area, virtually, singlehandedly. He reminds me of a very lesser Brett Emerton, in that he gives his all, has so many fantastic physical attributes, had some stunning games, but hasn't been able to get his game together and may lack something in terms of self-belief to really achieve his potential. Nonetheless, he has been a very good player for Rovers, deserved better from the manager and, hopefully, will have a long and distinguished career, wherever he goes. One things for sure, barring some upgrade signings, our defence will be weaker without him as there is no-one, defensively and discounting loanees, currently in the squad who has his pace.