Mashed Potatoes

Fair enough. We disagree on some things but you are courteous in your responses.

We clearly are progressing - we must be top or very close on a table of the last 19 games. A lot of our players are of an age where it is reasonable to believe that there is significant improvement in them so I see no reason for thinking there is "no hope". Earlier this season you were challenging my opinion that there was no significant likelihood of a relegation struggle this season under Tony Mowbray; I have been proven right over that and continue to be of the view that under the present owners retaining Tony Mowbray as manager is a more likely route to promotion than moving him on.

I've never seen anyone on here who thinks like that.

Hope is what sustains football supporters - it has to in a division where only 3 of the 24 clubs will make the promised land - and I don't see any point being a supporter if you won't have room for hope. You and people like you seem to derive next to no pleasure from the experience of supporting our club. But then as Jimmy Armfield once put it "They don't have a crowd at Blackburn, they have a jury."

He's already brought a number of young stars through.

Now that our defence has strengthened considerably, our principal weakness is failing to break down teams who are content to play for a point - we have been unlucky in that injuries have deprived us of Dack and Holtby, the two players most likely to unlock opposition defences. Nonetheless despite the gloom and doom brigade doing their best to convince otherwise we are not out of playoff contention yet.

Very good game and a result we would have taken beforehand. Not sure if it was evident on TV how much effect the wind had - getting the assist for both teams' opening goals. I didn't think either penalty should have been given.

I can't speak for Paul but that would be my definition of a "must win" game - like this one was 3 years ago.

Do we have minimal crowds ? Your admission that the supporters continue to support the manager is interesting; I can see no reason why that would have a negative effect on the atmosphere. Logic would suggest it helps.

I've never denied the existence of FFP ! Mowbray's signings have brought the club to the brink of the play offs. Stop trying to rewrite history.

Really ?

FFP was raised by me because the poster above was talking about a transfer spend of £25m at which point it would become a concern ! I have no interest in project fear - unlike others back in the autumn I was one of the posters saying with confidence that we would not be relegated. I was right.

You also have to observe FFP !

Players of the calibre of Tosin,Walton and Cunningham can be brought in via loans - we've proven that. You are missing the point that young players like Nyambe,Armstrong,JRC,Buckley,Travis will probably be better next season that this as they get more experience. There is no reason to imagine that a team which the league table shows is already close to the top 6- and which is top of the table of the last 17 games - cannot be good enough to be in the top 6 next season without this additional expenditure.

They didn't create the story - it was already out there.

The article makes it clear that there have been reports in the North East of interest in the player. You can't seriously be suggesting that in today's marketplace where local newspapers are struggling for their very existence that the LET should engage in a cover up of a story being reported elsewhere.

That you resort to abuse underlines the weakness of your argument. In those days there was no transfer window so signings were not restricted to the summer; The likes of Friedel, Hughes and Begovic arrived later in the season and we did not become promotion contenders until about November. By the standards of the time Souness spent pretty heavily for the second tier.

Newspapers can't be blamed for reporting the facts - it's the primary purpose of their existence.

There is no comparison between 2000 and 2020. There was no FFP then and the financial muscle of the club was greater than the other clubs in the division - as you point out he also inherited some outstanding younger players.

You seem to be suggesting that transfers in and out should in part be determined by what someone thinks the impact on season ticket sales might be. I don't think any serious football manager would countenance that. I remember Aston Villa signing David Ginola because Doug Ellis thought there would be a pick up in ticket sales as a result - it didn't work out on the pitch at all.

Yes, that is a good analysis of the situation and points to why moving Mowbray on is fraught with risk.

Because the club is clearly making progress under Mowbray.

No wind up - perfectly valid to demonstrate that things can take time and those demanding success yesterday- the ones who quote the likes of Sheffield United etc - need to understand that.

I've read your post which clearly moves the otherwise moving situation regarding Tony Parkes on to the club's financial affairs - and the decisions taken by those responsible for them.

And yet people are demanding that the club spend money on signings. Where does that come from ?