A number 8, so a box to box midfielder for those who don't like using numbers to describe positions Although from what I have seen of him, he seems to spend more time hiding than Moran does

Gayle is past it at this level, 34 years old now, and this season has scored less goals in similar minutes for Stoke than Ennis did for us (which is probably why Stoke replaced him with Ennis) Gayle 0 goals in 402 minutes for Stoke Ennis 1 goal in 424 minutes for Rovers

https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2024/february/19/watch-bluebirds-battle-on-roverstv-/ They did that this afternoon

https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/dilan-markanday/leistungsdaten/spieler/530807/plus/0?saison=ges Markanday has scored 5 goals for the first team (4 in the EFL cup, and one which turned out to be the winner against West Brom on the opening day of this season in a 2-1 win), so the comment that I highlighted is a little hyperbolic and harsh. However, I do agree with you that Gilsenan has surely done enough to deserve a spot on the bench ahead of players such as Markanday

Eustace said earlier today that due to JRC and Fleck injuries, Buckley will now be on the bench tomorrow v Cardiff. Cannot fathom why Gilsenan cant get a spot on the bench for the first team

Was it that much? Wahlsted in the summer for £800-900K Telalovic for what cant be more that £100K O'Riorden in the winter for an undisclosed amount. Which we can deduce is less than the £500K release clause he apparently had because of the amount of negotiating time Rovers had with Crewe (I heard that we ended up paying about £100K up front and threw in a sell on fee to get it done) Everyone else was frees and loans (although there were probably loan fees) unless I am missing someone

Do the maths on that 😉

Miller is playing on the right for them (Brady on the left) Potts normally plays on the right and is injured, as they have no other RWBs, they had to move Miller over to the right last match. Apparently it nullified his threat somewhat according to PNE fans

Is he?

Fixed it for you 😉

I can imagine during Eustace's job interview him asking "can I bring in my own staff" and us saying "we will see" just like a parent that is always going to say no to a child

Will be interesting to see if this happens. Obviously, Rovers will always use the academy (at least until Venkys mess us about so much that we can no longer run it). It is the one real strength that the club have compared to most at this level. In the short term, I can definitely see Eustace going more direct, but I do feel that if/when safety is achieved, and in the medium long term, the old plans will come out of the locker. I do not mean that Eustace will start playing kamikaze stuff, just that first and foremost Rovers will, try to play out from the back, possession, and building attacks slowly (just hopefully they will now have a plan be of going more direct when it is called for)

Unless its his job to make sure they don't hear anything about Rovers?

Its probably a case of a footballer being asked a question about how well his new boss is doing, and replying in the positive, rather than a direct dig at JDT Not to say that there is not some truth in what Brittain said, but it doesn't necessarily mean everyone hated JDT and wanted him gone

2 goals in 42 minutes of football. Vale will be "like a new signing" next season 😉 On a more serious note, Motherwell fans seem to like him, apparently he is "rapid", glad his loan is working out for him. https://www.steelmenonline.co.uk/forums/search/?q=vale&quick=1

Hypothetically, what would it take for you to change your mind on that? If we scored from 5 set pieces in a season... probably not, but 10? 30?

or we play both just behind Gally, like yesterday

Not modern as such, just the continental numbering system, which is mainly down to English teams (especially those in the Prem) importing so many foreign managers. If one day in the future a load of Brazilian managers were brought into English clubs, we would all end up talking about number 5s when we are on about central midfielders! https://museumofjerseys.com/2022/04/07/negotiating-the-brazilian-numbering-maze/

Me too 🙂

There isn't any link there either Yes all three were at Coventry at one point or another, but none of them were there at the same time as any of the others. Eustace was at Coventry 1996 - 2003 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Eustace Fleck was there from 2012 - 2016 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fleck_(footballer) McFadzean was there from 2019 until we signed him the other week https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyle_McFadzean * Waggott was there from 2013 - 2015, which means he never signed or sold any of these people, and his only overlap was with Fleck, who was already there when Waggott rocked up, and was still there when he resigned 2 years later https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/officers/FKc4o-maeIjThZF3QPcISHHYkS4/appointments I really do not see it as any kind of stretch to think that all three of those were the work of Broughton (seeing as that is his job), Based on the comments of both JDT, & Broughton himself about how the squad would benefit from more experience GB - https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/23857362.gregg-broughton-lack-experience-blackburn-rovers/ JDT - https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/24023305.tomasson-discusses-happiness-blackburn-rovers/ I am not suggesting you are against JDT, GB, or anyone else, I just think that on the basis of all evidence, that your hunch (which you seem to have formed on the basis that 2 new players, our new head coach, and Waggott were all at Coventry at one time over the past 30 years) is wrong.

I'm not too sure about that. Whilst Eustace was very pragmatic last season with Birmingham, he did become somewhat more expansive this season, and there is the "non league Barcelona" story when he was with Kidderminster. So I do wonder if maybe he is a little more pragmatic and sorts out the defensive side of things before developing a more expansive style of play. If so (and only if... I am not nailing my colours to the mast with this one quite yet), then it still follows the original plan, just taking the foot off the accelerator a little

All seem to be a reasonable and sensible set of assessments/guesses

JDT had asked for more experience, which Fleck and McFadzean do provide Eustace left Coventry 10 years before Swag arrived there, so not sure where you think the link between those 2 may may be? Broughton is still in place (as shown from Rovers social media videos today), so why wouldn't he have brought these people in? Since this is the job he is (still) paid to do? So if there is any theory, then surely it is that Broughton brought all three of these? Even if he was well aware that JDT was off

I am still am not sure why you think that? Swag left Coventry 4 years before McFadzean arrived there, and it is very evident from Rovers social media videos that Broughton is still very much in place. Genuinely interested if they are fishing buddies, or that they were once in the scouts together, or that there is something to link them, in even the slightest way?

Its what other clubs have been doing to us for the past 2 months. The annoying thing is JDT has shown in the past (first half of last season and notably against Watford at the start of this season) that he is able to be pragmatic. I just think he was unwilling to do so for the past few months as he was disillusioned with the job