lol That being said, its all arbitrary, I almost started arguing with my original point, lol

Maybe, but Rovers have won a few things since the Prem started, and even in terms of number of years spent in the top division, pretty sure we are a fair way ahead. I know PNE, Huddersfield were very successful pre WW1 But pretty sure its only Rovers who were one of the big boys then, and have recovered to win things since the Prem years.... still only half way through that coffee though so still non committal 😉 Edit - could make an argument for Everton maybe?

Indeed, I suppose Rovers are a little unique in this regard, they fare quite well with honours won over "all time" or with one of the arbitrary cut off points (Premier League formed), but if someone's cut off metric is the war, then we become a middle of the road club at best. I cant think that many other clubs (if any) would be similar in that regard? But it is early and I need more coffee before I commit fully to that statement 😉

Talk of "big" clubs does get silly, everyone has their own definition, normally based upon whatever metric makes someone's own club bigger. Trophies won (usually with an arbitrary cut off date point, but not if you are a Rover because most of ours were won in the early days of football), Crowd size (so that fans of clubs in big cities, with huge catchment areas or even Plymouth Argyle can claim they are huge because their crowds of 15000 or 16000 in league 1, conveniently ignoring that they are the only club for about a gazillion miles in any direction and don't have a host of Premier League clubs on their doorstep, or Current standing (for me, history has to count for something, Brentford, Brighton etc are good, well run clubs, but they are certainly not big clubs)

I wonder if this administrative error was caused by the same person who couldn't use a fax machine in January? https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/23620502.administrative-error-behind-blackburn-rovers-director-announcements/

Yep, he looked like a neat and tidy one with a good engine who could kick on, real shame, fingers crossed he can get fit and playing at a decent level even if its ultimately not with us (very hard to come back after a 2 year break from playing at his age I would think) Good to see the club supporting young players in situations like this though

Whitehall has signed a 1 year contract, looks like its to help him during recovery https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2023/june/28/isaac-signs-new-rovers-deal/

lol, Surely they don't think Potters stock has fallen to such an extent that he would even consider a Championship team? Would have thought he would be one of the first names on the list for Mid/Lower Prem teams? The mess at Chelsea seemed to be more a case of a ridiculous scattergun approach to transfers, and no firepower, neither of which were Potters fault in my opinion (Director of Football Model/the owner playing real life Football Manager 2023)

Getting it down the channels and banging it in the box is a way to win.... he has also just spent years watching Pep at Man City. So I am sure that Wilcox is aware that there is more than one way to skin a cat. Also I am fairly certain that as academy director at Man City Wilcox's remit would have been as far away from 'get it quickly down the channels' as you can possibly imagine! It might be that Southampton have the biggest budget in the division and that 'Martinball' works wonders with the biggest budget and best players in the division That being said, I think Martin is a hilariously bad appointment. and a very dislikeable guy too, so I really hope he fails

It does have that sort of feel doesn't it? I wonder what the modern day equivalents of Santa Cruz, McCarthy, Samba and Nelson look like?

In fairness to him he was 17 for most of the season, (turned 18 on 30th April) so he was playing above his age group when with the U21s But that being said, you are 100% correct in that he was recruited for our U21 squad for next season, not the first team,

Courtois (1st choice) apparently threw a strop between the 2 fixtures and refused to play in, or even travel to the Estonina fixture because the Belgium Manager picked Lukaku as captain instead of him, so unless his temper tantrum means that he is walking away from International football altogether (which is possible), it is likely that Kaminski's promotion is only temporary https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/65957261

for 2 or 3 years yes... but that's not to say that we cant/don't bring kids through the youth system to eventually replace them. I didn't mean Gilsenan would be playing 30+ games and soring 10+ goals this season

lol.. but I would hope for a 2nd coming of the Dack we saw for the first 2 or 3 years, rather than the last 2 or 3

Reminds me of a Gladwin type situation where we are helping them through their recovery and then helping them find a club to move on with the rest of their career. I agree with this approach... not because of any moral or humanitarian reasons, but because future young players (and their family/advisors) will see this and know that even if youngsters don't make it with Rovers, the club will do right by them rather than just casting them aside helps Rovers compete with the big boys for young players Harock is an interesting one though, highly thought of and was with the 1st team training for most of the season. but will be 21 this season and has a lot of young competition in front of him for a midfield spot and players like O'Grady-Macken and James Edmondsson just behind

Potentially if he develops as is hoped, he could end up as a genuine replacement for Dack in the future

Gilsenan has signed a new contract until 2025 with the option on a further 1 year https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2023/june/19/zak-extends-ewood-stay/

Fingers crossed, would rather he is another Kidd than another Arteta

I think all Prem teams have relegation wage reduction clauses will mean that those wages will be slashed in half following relegation.. Even so, those are huge and unsustainable wages in the Championship, but all 3 teams coming down have 3 years worth of parachute payments to cushion that blow

It would have lacked the same flair, and would have also left out the other 2 clubs mentioned in his post

One of the 3 teams replacing those relegated from the Prem, he is a Sheff Utd fan

So that sky can run the league 2 play off final (including extra time and penalties if needed) before the prem matches kick off?

I'd prefer the bottom 3 to go down as it is, Everton, despite their financial worries have the biggest chance (of the Prem teams who can be relegated) of being next years stand out team in the championship and I'm not sure I can stomach that, lol

Gamble was already on a pro deal, he signed his first pro deal (a 1 year deal with an option) last summer https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2022/june/21/pat-pens-pro-deal/ Hopefully his footballing abilities are developing as quickly as his facial hair https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2023/may/27/pat-pens-new-deal-/

You would fancy Prem teams to pick apart the carcass of that Cov side now. Gyökeres, Hamer and O'Hare all have less than a year left on their contracts (although O'Hare is injured so he might sign a new contract to protect himself) and they have a few loanees in their first team who wont be there next year