Last time they were in the Championship they spent millions (including outbidding Rovers for Ahmedhodzic) despite not having a penny to their names and then defaulting upon payments. Only to have a ridiculously small points deduction as a "punishment".. I do not think that will deter them from doing the same thing again.

It probably will blow their rivals away, only Huddersfield and maybe Wrexham will come anywhere near close to that, even as an overall budget. Even Rotherham have a comparatively large budget (compared to other League 1 teams)

https://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/sport/football/peterborough-united/has-peterborough-united-skipper-agreed-personal-terms-with-sheffield-united-4675736 Looks like he is off to Sheff Utd

He played their once or twice for England when he first got into the squad (I think around about the the time of the tournament in Russia). But to my memory, this was only against teams where England didn't have to do much defending. Playing him their against anyone apart from relative minnows would be suicide

https://www.eadt.co.uk/sport/24205704.ipswich-town-accounts-2022-2023-financial-year-revealed/#:~:text=Ipswich Town's accounts for the,m to £18.2m. Apparently Ipswich spent £19.8M on wages alone in their promotion season from league one, so a £20M total budget does not sound too unlikely to me. People hear the word "budget" and automatically assume "transfer budget", forgetting about wages, bonuses, running costs etc. Disclaimer - I do not read or subscribe to Nixon, if he said transfer budget, then I am sure it is rubbish

His family live in Norwich https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/john-ruddy-birmingham-city-contract-29321955 If he wants to play first team football then maybe Millwall (their keeper just passed away), QPR (if Begovic does not sign a new contract), Oxford, or Peterborough if he doesn't mind dropping down a division. Otherwise Norwich or Ipswich as a 2nd/3rd choice option

He played 3 right backs, one at LB, one at RB, and one in midfield

Barnes has a year deal with an option, I would really hope that with him being a Rovers fan, he has been told that if he proves his form and fitness over the next 2 years that he will have a deal waiting for him back at Rovers in 2026 (when he would be available on a free transfer - obviously if Barrow do not take up the option and he is a free agent next summer then we can only assume that his injuries have ruined a very promising career)

He had a very good PR team at that time didn't he?

https://www.walmsleywilkinson.com/news-and-insights/inspiring-leaders-interviews/inspiring-leaders-steve-waggott-ceo-blackburn-rovers/ The headline of this story is mental (I just googled Waggott to check his age/time to retirement based on the previous post)

Apparently he has replaced half of GB, and Adam Owen will soon replace the other half

Bellingham is an attacking midfielder, Wharton, if he plays, would be as one of the holding midfielders alongside Rice Personally, I would play Pickford TAA Stones Guehi Shaw Rice Wharton Saka Bellingham Foden Kane And Walker instead of TAA when they play the top tier teams for a bit more defensive stability Although suspect Southgate will favour Walker at RB and will move TAA to CM in place of Wharton

I can foresee "unforeseen complications"

And yet he incorrectly listed that Hedges does not have a year option on his contract in an article posted a week ago. https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/24373599.blackburns-contract-decisions-11-players-enter-last-year/ Not the biggest error in the world, but shows that even going back 7 days, he does not have a 100% record. Article on Rovers site from when Hedges signed that states he has an option - https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2022/january/30/ryan-is-a-rover-/

Note that they these roles are "Head of...." ,rather than "Director of....". In business language that means cheaper To my knowledge, there are only 2 people at any club able to "press submit". In our case, Waggott and the guy who replaced Silvester (Brett Baker)

According to Gestedes linkedin, He has owned a company in France for the past 3.5 years (H&R Associates if anyone wants to do some digging - just be careful not to mistake it with one of the numerous similarly named companies)

That is being rather pedantic. They have been announced. and will be available for their new clubs next season

The dingle signings were on loan last season, and made permanent (for large fees) this summer And the signings by Norwich, Stoke and Coventry also are not free transfers. they are multi million £ signings. As I stated earlier, it doesn't matter if the window is officially open. several Championship clubs have completed and announced signings well in advance of the window being open.

I will never understand the "transfer window is not open yet" argument https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/championship/transfers/wettbewerb/GB2/plus/?saison_id=2024&s_w=s&leihe=3&intern=0 As is demonstrated by that link, it doesn't matter if the window is officially open. Numerous Championship clubs have completed and announced signings well in advance of the window being open. The ideal is always to have the majority of your squad building done before pre season starts, in order to bed the new signings in and give them time to adapt to what the manager/head coach wants. But I am a realist, and understand that the ideal is really only a possibility for those clubs who can cherry pick who they want and pay the fees a and wages to get them.

I didn't say that either of them were good enough, but it would surprise nobody on here if Leo was sold and one of those two were promoted to 2nd choice in a cost cutting measure

Or more likely Joe Hilton/Jordan Eastham promoted to 2nd choice

He likely didn't. He will have received a percentage of what was left of his contract with Sheff Utd for them to cancel it, and Rovers would have paid the remainder

Raya apparently signed a 2 year extension with Brentford before his loan to Arsenal so that Brentford were protected in case the loan didn't work out https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11095/12936962/david-raya-brentford-goalkeeper-moves-to-arsenal-on-initial-gbp3m-loan-with-gbp27m-option-to-buy#:~:text=The £27m option could,for an additional 12 months.

Played right back whenever I've seen him play

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/championship/einnahmenausgaben/wettbewerb/GB2 Based on this, it is Figures are in Euros, but only 3 Championship clubs spent at least €5M more than what they brought in from player sales, and half of the division spent less than €5M in total. So £5M is, at worst, a middling Championship transfer budget, and at best, a top 6 budget. Depending upon if you are looking at total or net spend. That being said, I would be amazed if Rovers have a middling Championship transfer budget this season, regardless of sales