The most annoying thing is that these Prem youngsters aren't bloody cheap to loan in. It's just wasted money for an asset that isn't yours.

No, it's in his interest to leave on a free and earn a whopping signing on fee as a free agent.

Armstrong would be mental to stay if multiple clubs are sniffing around. I'm a die hard Rovers fan and I'd be looking to get out of this basketcase club in his situation.

He doesn't tick as many boxes as you think. The biggest myth around him is that he's rapid. He's quick, but he's not fast - I've seen him run down on many occasions and competent FBs have him in their back pocket when he's out wide. He's a head down player who has to be built around and accommodated for. I'd take £15m now just to get us out of this FFP nonsense we're mired in. Rather that than he leaves for £0 in the summer.

Still a baffling move for Kipre that. Wasted a season on the bench.

So how do you explain this new breed of England players then? Technically they're superior to their predecessors. That's only come about with the introduction of a comprehensive Academy system. It's the pyramid system - you have to have a wide base to create that elite peak. If you only bring through 1 of those U17s every other year into the First XI then the Academy is working. I think your problem is that you feel like Academies are exclusive - once you're in you think you've made it and 'better' players are excluded if they missed the cut as 8/9/10 year olds. I'm sure there's some merit to that - but that's where your local scouts come in. They should have the remit to bring in a couple of the more talented local lads into the Academy for trials - don't let them 'slip through the net'.

Awful that. The kit should always be quartered.

It's a marketer's wet dream - just look at the team mottos: “Spark the Welsh Fire. Burning bright with intense passion and relentless energy, their hunger will prove the haters wrong. Get ready to feel the heat.” 🤮 The ECB have evidently greased a lot of palms as the coverage is suffocating and overwhelmingly positive in the way that can only happen when it's bought and paid for. To compensate each County for having devastated the Royal London Cup (it's essentially a Second XI competition now - in a format that we're World Champions in) and the T20 Blast, they've been bought off with £1.3m. That's incredibly short sighted - albeit after two COVID hit years I'm sure their coffers are running low. The ECB hate that they didn't patent T20 and also hate that Counties bank most of the money from the T20 Blast. This is their attempt to rectify that mistake - but the horse has bolted. All it does is hamstring the Counties and devalue the product. In the 5 best weeks of the summer there's a great number of cricket fans that can't watch live First XI cricket. I haven't watched a second of it, nor will I.

It's 40% of the profit apparently. We bought him for £1.8m, apparently, so we'd be giving Newcastle another £5m if that £15m fee is correct. Sensible business all round, really. Allowed us to get the player at a cut price and allowed Newcastle to not get their fingers burned if he turned into a worldie.

The owners write off £20m a year to keep us running. As absent and incompetent as they are, I can't question that they put their hand in their pocket.

I've feared for the club for over a decade.

It's blind faith at this point though, right?

It's an odd move for him, but he's not a worldie so we'll recover. As I understand it he's had an injury on his left hand, which is why Vilas has kept for most of the season. It can't just be that Warwickshire have offered him the gloves. As for Lancs being one of the richest counties in the game - absolutely. We've also invested the money wisely. It's great to see Lancastrians in the team from our fantastic academy, rather than a bunch of mercenaries.

The sad thing is that the whole set up is primed for an ambitious Chief Exec / Manager to revolutionise this club. The owners continue to pump millions and millions in, but they're as hands off as you could possibly get - you really do have carte blanche at Ewood. Unfortunately this situation has attracted the Waggots / Mowbrays / Andersons of the world, rather than a Wilder.

He was actively looking to get sacked at the end of last season. He was clearly as baffled as we were that he was still there - it was written all over his face at each press conference. I hate the Venkys too - I have enough to go around. Worst owners in football.

You're a better person than I. He's actively trying to ruin something I love - I very much hate him on a personal level.

I take it you've not watched much Championship football? It's a doggers league - that Starting XI is good enough to finish mid-table. Whether they would under THIS manager is another matter.

Got asked by my parents if I fancy a season ticket last night. I said no chance with Mowbray in charge. Evidently he's still the man with unlimited power at Ewood.

How many of those have gone on to have professional careers? Loans are where you find out what these players are made of, unless they're exceptional and can walk into your First XI at 18.

I wouldn't give Mowbray a penny.

The Championship is a massive step down - as Armstrong will find. I'd take Obafemi and cash for Armstrong. That'd be a great deal for us - we lack pace.

It's not a dangerous proposition if you recruit accordingly. It's such a low quality league that a future PL player (not even a star) can stand out in their teens down here. Obviously you just need to pick the right ones from the Academies of the big boys. Mowbray, in all his talking down of our history / ambitions, has essentially turned us into a test bed for the NW Premier League Academies to bloody their youngsters (or in the case of Tosin, put them in the shop window).

Loans should be used as the cherry on top - bolstering your team for a promotion push with a quality youngster that you'd have absolutely no chance of signing traditionally i.e. Mount, C. Gallagher, Elliot et al. We use it as an integral part of our squad building exercise i.e. Turnbull, Douglas. It's a criminal mismanagement of resources, but that's ol'Tone. We helped City, Everton and Liverpool out last season and finished mid table. We stunted the development of several of our own prospects to do so.

I'd argue that he's done incredibly well to force himself into Mowbray's First XI. Not that he's NAILED on to start every week (although he should be), but he's made himself very difficult to drop. Is he a better player than he was when he arrived. Undoubtedly, he's 3 years older. Is he has good now as he should be considering his potential? Absolutely not. If there's any truth to the Leeds rumour he'll be off like a shot and good luck to him. Bielsa actually develops his players. At the right price that's a very shrewd signing for them. With a year left on his contract we won't get our money back on Brereton, but that's just part and parcel of the mismanagement that's rife at this club. #Mowbrayout

Wait, Bennett AND Evans have gone? Is it Christmas?