U21s won 3-2 vs Middlesbrough. Wood with 2, and Mafoumbi with the winner off the bench with a shot from the half way line by all accounts, having not been involved in a squad since October (injured?) Baker (Alex, not Lewis) was sent off shortly after coming on a sub, with Boro equalising immediately afterwards for 2-2 late on before Rovers winner Powell on the bench makes me wonder if he has been injured, he was missing from the previous Chorley squad (where he is currently on loan) For anyone who is/was there, can I ask, was it a 4-3-3? or a 4-2-3-1 with Garrett as the 10?

Dion Sanderson following on from his debut with a great answer to the question "name the one thing that is really overrated in life" A - "Burnley" lol

In fairness, that's nothing that Eustace didn't already say yesterday "I don't think anything is imminent in the next few days, not that I'm aware of," "Brandon is another good player at this level. We have been linked with a lot of strikers already from the league. He's someone with good pedigree and someone who has done well over the last few seasons."I don't know if there has been a bid. I'm not aware if that's happened and if it has, ok, brilliant."

Haaland signs a 9.5 year contract at Man City keeping him under contract until the age of 34 https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/cvg44v08911o

Sounds like he had a minor hamstring injury, but he played vs Plymouth this week

https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/coventry-city-urged-to-cut-losses-on-thomas-asante-after-blackburn-bid/ Link Fixed

Not U21s etc but couldn't think where else to put this Former Rovers academy player Sam Barnes finally played some minutes for Barrow after signing in the summer, as Barrow beat Preston in one of the many youth competitions. Piece here on Barrows website about his injuries/update etc

You left out Billy Koumetio Mindboggling omission 😉

Rooney would get that team relegated 😉 Makes Gary Bowyer look like Pep

Possibly will be lining up directly against Markanday on Saturday if they both make their debuts

If it is close to accurate, you need to start a new career in either punditry or football betting syndicates 😉 By all accounts, Orient have an injury crisis of their wide players, so he should get his chance initially, it will then be up to Markanday to take it

Not sure that we can be that exact, but if he puts in a decent performance v Man City (or because it would make me chuckle, scores the goal that dumps them out of the FA Cup) then that might add a bit to his eventual transfer fee. Markanday not cup tied so can play, and sounds like a tie that will be picked for TV https://www.mancity.com/news/mens/manchester-city-fa-cup-fourth-round-opponents-2025-63872293

He played a blinder to my admittedly biased eyes yesterday

Markanday loan to Orient now confirmed. He may make his debut on Saturday vs Peterborough, which is live on Sky Sports + at 12:30 for those interested

Rovers TV if you have a VPN

Pears Brittain Batth Hyam Beck Tronstad Buckley Weimann Cantwell Hedges Dolan Is my bet, but would imagine some interchanging of positions between Dolan & Weimann

And only half way through the season, so we can expect the list to get much longer maybe?

The best we could ever hope for on that score, is a young striker on a loan, Essentially the "next/new" Tom Cannon". Maybe someone like Danns from Liverpool? But it was never going to be a "sure thing/proven striker"

Jason Roberts type player, fairly quick and physical, terrible finishing. A loan with an option in case of promotion is probably about the best we can hope for given the Venkys/Waggott millstone we have to work under

A mixed bag, links are to each players stats for the season. Those highlighted in bold are still out on loan until the end of the season unless otherwise stated Garrett - age 21 - Bristol Rovers (3rd tier) - 11 games in total, 7 in the League, but only 2 starts O'Riordan - age 21 - Cambridge (3rd tier) - 8 game in total, 4 in the league Markanday - age 23 - Chesterfield (4th tier) 7 goals & 3 assists in 24 games, seems likely to be recalled and loaned to Leyton Orient in League 1 Batty - age 19 - Accrington (4th tier) was a regular starter before a knee injury, only recently returned to the bench Vale - age 23 - Motherwell (Scot Prem) seems to be playing now he is fit Saadi - age 23 - Ethnikos Achnas (Cypriot Prem) - hardly got off the bench to start with, but has been a regular starter for a while now Olson - age 20 - Altrincham (5th tier) - seems to have taken his chance Gamble - age 21 - Fylde (5th tier) not got off the bench in 2 months Goddard - age 20 - Dundalk (Irish Prem) then Ebbsfleet (5th tier) - seems to have been given a chance initially at both clubs before being dropped to the bench Powell - age 19 - Chorley (6th tier) seems to be a regular, loan due to end next week unless extended Atcheson - age 18 - Marine (6th tier) - regular starter barring injury/International call ups Montgomery - age 20 - Marine (6th tier) - regular starter barring injury Bell - age 19 - Marine (6th tier) - Marine have not yet played due to postponements since signing Bell. Loan due to end mid Feb unless extended Wood - age 20 - Annan (Scottish 3rd tier) - Scored 1 in 6, then vanished for whatever reason Eastham - age 23 - Ashton Utd (7th tier) - first choice keeper Edmondson - age 19 - Macclesfield (7th tier) Key player for Macclesfield Boggan - age 17/18 - Macclesfield (7th tier) - didn't feature Davies - age 18 - Warrington Rylands (7th tier) - Played 4 games in a months loan Shaw - age 18 - Alvechurch (7th tier) - scored 1 in 6 games Mullarkey-Matthews - age 17/18 - Bamber Bridge (7th tier) - played early on then vanished, possibly injured but no idea Michalski - age 17 - Bamber Bridge then City of Liverpool (7th then 8th tier) - has got some playing time at both clubs Honor - age 18 - Clitheroe then Atherton (7th then 8th tier) - played 3 games at Clitheroe before dropping down a level and being first choice keeper at Atherton Kahn - age 19 - City of Liverpool (8th tier) - played the 2 games he was signed to play in, as cover for Michalski Farkas - age 18 - City of Liverpool (8th tier) - Played 7 games in a month Ramwell - age 18 - City of Liverpool (8th tier) - Played once

Starts tonight for Olson - won 4-0 On the bench Goddard - drew 1-1 Not involved in matchday squad Markanday - drew 0-0 Chesterfield lost on penalties Powell - drew 0-0 Rumors Markanday is about to be recalled from his loan at Chesterfield and loaned to Leyton Orient in League 1, which probably explains him not being included in Chesterfields squad. Not sure why Powell isn't involved for Chorley, He has been a regular for them so far, and his loan doesn't expire until Jan 22nd, possibly he is ill or injured?

3 goals in 17 League games this season, none since October. Contract until 2026

Patrick Gambles loan at Fylde cut short, hardly a surprise, he hasn't got off the bench in over 2 months

Swansea also one of the few Championship clubs that likely wont offer higher wages than Rovers

Stoke will be ok without him, they have the colossal goalscoring talents of Ennis and Gallagher to rely on 😉