4 minutes ago, Exiled_Rover said:

It's beyond embarrassing that he's just assembling last year's squad (as much of it as he can).

It's also beyond embarrassing that "better the devil you know, we could have been Derby" are spending £11m+ this window.

£11M & counting

5 hours ago, andyh said:

The Rovers TV page is now offering a subscription for 25/26. It is an 'early bird' offer only available to those outside the UK (I am in the US), and is only available until August 4. Unfortunately, in true Rovers tradition, the website is clunky and doesn't seem to work properly. The system seems to go through a process called 'Link', which requires validation of your email, and then calls you with a code. I managed to get through that process, but now keep getting a 'system failed' error despite trying with multiple cards. Is anyone else having similar problems?

Thanks for that Andy, just grabbed mine

Similarly to the friendly games in Spain, you can use paypal instead of "link", which goes through much more smoothly

1 minute ago, philipl said:

This is 2025

I don't work for the club, 😉 

Just offering a solution which worked for myself.  Inputting card details seemed to mean the transaction timed out before completing, paying with paypal bypassed that issue

Do with that information what you will

1 minute ago, FE123 said:

Harvey Knibbs, apparently an unknown championship club has just had a bid accepted, could be us?

no

https://the72.co.uk/2025/07/21/sheffield-united-eye-reading-attacker-harvey-knibbs/

18 minutes ago, philipl said:

Payment has just failed for the fifth time.

Meantime I have made two other online payments from the same card without any problems.

This is pathetic Rovers.

No wonder they are far too ashamed to advertise it.

Try using Paypal rather than putting in your card details

11 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

Apologies, it initially didnt appear. Think because I wasnt logged in.

Strange they havent advertised it from what I have seen.

Its Rovers under Venkys, it would be far stranger if they followed normal business practices and did advertise it 😉 

46 minutes ago, philipl said:

I would buy it if it were working!

Payment failed at first as connection timed out, but worked after a 2nd try

So it does work, it is just intermittent

8 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

Where did you see the offer?

Click on this, scroll down, and click "subscriptions"

4 minutes ago, Forever Blue said:

2 or 3 more signings, with emphasis on the attack seems to be the message from Val….but the quotes are a bit all over the place.
 

Can’t work out if it’s 2 or 3 in ‘other positions’ PLUS attackers, or just 2 or 3 in total. 

Jackson’s articles are a difficult read at the best of times! 

1 minute ago, KentExile said:

Im reading it as 2 or 3 others, plus now an extra centre back due to Carters injury, so 3 or 4 in total (barring departures or more injuries)

1 minute ago, MarkBRFC said:

I read it as 2 or 3 in total.

Imagine one will be another CB who can also cover at RB like that Miller from Hibs.

A right winger and a centre forward would be my other two, but Baradji is still there lingering in the back ground.

Obviously we will need more when Brittain or Trav or even both leave. I just don't see at least one of them being here by the time the window closes.

Elliott Jackson, take a bow, 3 people read the same article and come to 3 seperate conclusions

Clear as mud 😉 

Communication truly is a dying art

2 minutes ago, Forever Blue said:

2 or 3 more signings, with emphasis on the attack seems to be the message from Val….but the quotes are a bit all over the place.
 

Can’t work out if it’s 2 or 3 in ‘other positions’ PLUS attackers, or just 2 or 3 in total. 

Jackson’s articles are a difficult read at the best of times! 

Im reading it as 2 or 3 others, plus now an extra centre back due to Carters injury, so 3 or 4 in total (barring departures or more injuries)

10 minutes ago, Parsonblue said:

He seems to be based at Brockhall now.

If that is the case, then it is a step in the right direction. 

Although the pessimist in me notes that  with Rovers under Venkys, one step forwards is often followed by at least a couple of backwards steps 😉 

32 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

Interesting that, so how does he send the paperwork through to correct offices? He is the only one with access card for transfers paperwork. 

How many people work in club secretary office? I know we have assistant club secretary. Been there doing that job for years she has. 

"Paperwork" is no longer "paper", its electronic, like your emails, they can be reviewed remotely. (with the correct software etc)  This is how it will be justified by the club

28 minutes ago, arbitro said:

I really don't know who the assistants are or the processes they use.

I know he is the manager of some Rovers staff at Ewood and they have never even met him.

But yes, a ridiculous state of affairs

8 hours ago, riverholmes said:

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.

Duru still injured - fractured foot

Vale was released

Garrett played for the U21s last week, so may have played for them again yesterday, but yes, that would indicate he is surplus to requirements

Unsure about Leonard - think I've seen him in training pics, maybe just being careful with him after his last couple of injuries?

I wonder if James Edmondson may end up on loan at Forest Green in the National League?  Robbie Savage is now their manager, and he had him on loan at Macclesfield last season and was very impressed with him

U21s lost 3-1 to Tranmeres first team, our centre forward scored, but none of our players named in the Tranmere report so who knows what sort of team we put out (given how many players were on the first team bench)

16 minutes ago, bazza said:

I wish I knew the squad, especially the subs. Who is the goalkeeper and the lad with a double-barrel name?

The sub keeper was Nick Michalski, fairley highly rated, has played for England U18s

Lorenze  Mullarkey-Matthews came on wide right, put himself about quite well, was on loan at Bamber Bridge at the start of last season, but think he got an injury so missed a lengthy spell

17 minutes ago, ... said:

I'm calling it now Kargbo will explode onto the scene this season out of seat sprints and goals and assists galore 😳 

Just in time for him to only have a year left on his contract come next summer

And we know how well Rovers do with contract renewals 😉 

12 minutes ago, MarkBRFC said:

Val just done an interview on twitter saying that "Ryan is not ready".

Don't think he's injured.

Wonder if "not ready" relates to his fitness, or ability

Or, probably as it has been pointed out to me familiarity with how we want him to play

Have bought a match pass on Everton's site,

Ridiculous that Rovers not offering anything when the away team are!

Just now, sharpysharps86 said:

Any word on where Ryan Alebiosu is?

This is as much as we got

Ex-Toffee Adam Forshaw, Aynsley Pears, Carter, Jake Garrett, Harry Leonard, Ryan Alebiosu and Sidnei Tavares all miss out on the squad, whilst new arrival Sean McLoughlin will watch on from the stand.

Just now, Hasta said:

Everton starts a pretty strong team as well.

They have pretty much gone full strength Pickford aside

28 minutes ago, simongarnerisgod said:

very smart signing mclauglin,though i have no idea why it`s only 2 years????????is this  bizarre contract dealings the reason why travis,sonny,brittain and dolan hav`nt been offered one/turned one down,i.e they want longer deals

It was probably originally a 3 or 4 years (with an option) and a higher wage, and then once he had arrived here & done his medical, they changed the offer and did a deal, lower wage, but shorter contract, same as what happened with Kargbo

23 hours ago, Wing Wizard Windy Miller said:

He sounds the type of athletic striker that could play up top in the future.  

I wouldn't be entirely surprised if come opening day, Higgins is seen as back up for Ohashi & Gueye (& Leonard, unless he is loaned out), & Tyjon for Cantwell, with Kargbo, D Neve, Hedges and a new signing competing for spots out wide.

It also would not surprise me to see Rover attempts to appease Tyjon & Higgins, mean that they forget about Joe Boggan (another promising forward but not likely to reach the same level as the other two... which ironically means Rovers may have a greater chance at keeping him for longer), and result in him departing next summer when his current contract expires

1 hour ago, Wing Wizard Windy Miller said:

Can those who watch more of  the under 21 team shed some light on Igor Tyjon?  Keep seeing his name mentioned as the next top prospect. He doesn't  seem prolific.  Is he actually that good? What is his best position? I've read that we are offering a route to the first team, in the hope he signs a pro deal.  

I feel we definitely need another first team striker, do we go with this lad?

Without knowing much about him, it seems like another situation where a youth player is holding the club to ransom a bit by not signing a pro deal (within his rights obviously).  If we hild off  signing another striker to give him that pathway, surely you would want the pro deal signing before the end of this window?

 

In terms of best position, his lack of physical presence or real speed, but being a clever player (his awareness & movement is very impressive for his age), probably mean that being a 10 (more in the mold of a Dack rather than  a Cantwell) is where he will end up. Which is where he featured mainly last season, and also in the friendly last weekend

Can see him being Cantwells deputy this season, as it will enable that 1st team route, and also means that they have an excuse for not signing someone

In terms of his goalscoring, he had a start-stop season last time out due to a combination of injury and him "tagging along" with the first team instead of playing for the U21s, but still managed a ratio of 1 goal in 3 (1 in 1.5 if you look at minutes played) (reminder, he was 16 until March at this is at U21 level)

26 minutes ago, RevidgeBlue said:

We're the last Club to be in a position to complain about that!

(Tin hat on)

If Eustace was interested in Brittain I'd accept Nyambe (still only 27) plus £2m cash.

Nyambe was a useful one on one defender.  However offered very little going forwards, and has had recurring injury issues.  3 separate injuries restricted him to just 17 league games last season.

In fact, in the 2 years he has spent at Derby, he has played in only 40 games in all competitions, so he has genuinely missed more games than he has played

19 minutes ago, yankfan said:

The most positive way to look at this upcoming season for Vi is when the goal is to develop the youth and stay in the championship, Sheffield Wednesday’s not paying their players and Hulls not paying their transfer fees….so presumably staying up should be easier than most years. 

Those 2 teams may well be our saving grace this season given their transfer bans. 

However, the 3 promoted teams look stronger than their equivalents in most other seasons, so unless the transfers team bring in a lot more Ohashi's than Telalovic' s, (without our owners selling off too much more of the family silver to keep the lights on) we are still looking for at least one more team to have a terrible season