Thank you for posting another excellent, highly enjoyable video!

That’s probably unprecedented since the ‘59 youth cup winning team graduated.

I’m not at all advocating Bennett. I just think that no goals and no assists in nearly 100 starts isn’t acceptable these days. As a fellow Hird and Bailey man I’m surprised you are happy with him. Also think your summary of a disastrous season is OTT. Those are when we get relegated or lose our best players in my book.

25 starts was enough to convince me he’ll never offer anything past the halfway line. He ain’t a Lucas Neill, who we bought from this level.

Can’t argue with you there Tony, winning promotion at first go last year is what perhaps what saved him from the chop, plus it’s clear the owners like him. But we had some bloody good runs too: losing 3 out of the first 17 plus two 4 wins in a row. I think that losing run made his mind up about who needs replacing, so perhaps it’ll turn out to have been a blessing, albeit a very stressful one at the time.

We need 5 or 6 adding, I don’t believe 5 or 6 will leave. Mid table teams are mid table because they are inconsistent. Our inconsistency wasn’t spread evenly across games but we were never ever going down.

Much if not most of the befuddlement over Mowbray’s decisions to my mind comes from not understanding the man’s core beliefs (or not agreeing with them). Its clear from multiple comments over the last two years that he strongly believes in treating footballers as living breathing people with short careers and families to care for for a long time after they are finished, rather than as disposable components of a machine. I believe this explains the contracts handed out to the players who stayed but could’ve been expected to leave after relegation, and also the length of time he gave last years team to prove themselves at this level. The last few games he has been sending out some clear messages having marked everyone’s report cards. Raya, Nyambe, Mulgrew and Smallwood face a real struggle to get much game time next season, with Evans not far behind. No-one will be sent to train with the kids or hawked around by agents, but I think he’s betting that Mulgrew’s and Evans’ desire to keep playing for their countries will make them seek moves. Smallwood will be next year’s Downing. Raya and Nyambe will be kept but have to improve substantially to be anything other than injury cover. Williams I think saved himself the last few games and is now a decent option for the 3rd centre back. All of the above were given every chance and more this year, they can’t complain and the other players will not think their mates have been shafted. Mowbray still has to buy well, but Rothwell and Davenport look like they can be added to the Dack category of fantastic buys.

Now the season is over, the history books will only show a decent 60-point return to this level, marred by an inordinately high goals against column. Against that background, to have had two sack the manager polls and a temporarily hyperventilating relegation thread says more about BRFCS than BRFC. The only other factor worth considering for me after a season ends is who in the squad will get better next year, who will be good enough, who will get worse and ergo not good enough. I was enthused by the young talent on the field when the whistle went today, we have several players who should get better. The defence has to be the priority for recruitment; we need a better goalie, RB and CH. Bell may get good enough, he’s definitely learning, but either way we need another LB. Throw in a top midfielder and another scoring option and we could have an exciting year.

Enjoyable game to watch. Some good portents for next season as we played a good passing and running game second half. Good to see six outfielders being Mowbray purchases: Bell had his best game yet I thought; Rothwell now looking a starter, Davenport looks a gem; Chapman showing hints of what he can do; Armstrong perhaps the weakest; Dack not back to his best but took his goal well.

The inexplicable selection playing well so far this half. Davenport looks good.

Wasted some good chances in the first 20 mins. Their first was a direct result of Bennett being off, they overloaded down that side and got a good cross in. For the second Lenihan slipped which is why the guy was unmarked, quality header but from that distance you have to expect the goalie to get something on it. Travis has been done like a kipper a few times at RB, Davenport looks tidy, Armstrong went off for a brew after 20 mins.

The quote I heard from him was not starting “I’m not in the business of losing games just to blood kids. They’ll get on the pitch at some stage.”

Reed is gone, Rodwell going (and humiliated last week), Smallwood not good enough, ergo Evans.

Interesting snippet that he has to go cap in hand to Waggott to get an overnighter while scouting. There’s undoubtedly a tight rein on costs but a Brereton “investment” capital budget.

I don’t disagree, but I bet he buys a RB before a LB

“67 goals. They’ve shown they can’t do the job at this level. New defenders are coming, and the current ones know it.” He’s right. Half the goals we let in were from idiotic blunders. That’s a new goalie, RB and CH then for starters.

I have to say I don’t think he’s good enough for a promotion push. Played 100 games and I’ve yet to see him look the slightest bit dangerous going forward, plus he drops too many clangers at the back. Nyambe vs Bennett is a false dichotomy, we need better than both.

I have a soft spot for Swansea, notwithstanding Kendall’s team’s meek surrender there. Lived there for six months carrying the Cadbury’s sales bag, going back a few years later to propose to my wife on Mumbles seafront. Barry Hole was one of my customers, he and his brothers ran a very tidy chain of CTN’s (Confectioner, Tobacconist, Newsagent), as were Catherine Zeta Jones’ parents, who had a similar shop in Mumbles. Used to drive past Vetch Field every day. Other than Barry Hole, I’m struggling to think of any notable players who played for both clubs. 2 (McKenzie, Crawford) - 1 (Toshack)

And Keith Lee got an award for still being alive! My memory is failing me as to how far back he was on the board - Furphy era?

Far from the finished article but his runs pull defenders with him and create space in front of them for the likes of Travis and Rothwell. Wasn't expecting it but I thought today I heard the first rolling of the bell for Danny Graham; there’s no way we’ll go up with him up front.

Much better second half, played some good passing stuff. Beginning to see a new and better future for us, we had some good, young players on in the second half giving the best team in the division a decent game. We've Come a long way since Venkys sold Bowyer’s team and gave us a charlatan manager and assorted loanees/frees

Zonal marking - how long have we been doing that?

Count me in. Depressing how the mighty Riverside terrace now looks like a glorified bus stop.

I was under the impression only the Nuttall St stand was a Leitch design. Must dig out my Inglis first edition.

It makes sense to me that a new deal for these players this year was part of the agreement for them to stay last year, given they took salary drops and potentially never get back to this level again. It’s the only negotiating leverage Mowbray had. The deals only look expensive now because it’s debatable how much they will play going forward (though Williams has revised my view on writing players off too quickly), but, compared to not having got promotion and the roles that those players played, I think it was a bargain versus the alternative.