The VLL accounts state explicitly that the loan to BRFC of £138 million has not been discounted for any risk of delay or non-payment. This surely means that in Venkys main accounts none of the money they have pissed away on this venture has shown up as a loss yet. So, what they have on the line is, not only the £138 million, but the hit to their share price (and the family have a LOT of shares) when the loss is eventually declared, which it would be if they sold up or the club went into admin. In that situation, having to put in £15 million a year is a lot better than the alternatives, especially when one promotion to the Premiership makes the problem go away. It seems we are both embraced in a mutual death grip, if either let’s go we both lose.

Given that more fans from Norway make it to Ewood in a season than do fans from Ipswich, (and Canada), who exactly is “us”?

Might explain why they carry on, stopping would mean writing down the asset value in one big lump, not unlike KraftHeinz did recently which immediately decimated the share price.

Does that mean their share capital in VLL will be on the parent company’s balance sheet at face value, ie as a £127m asset so nothing is showing so far as a loss for them?

Excellent and much needed summary. How do they put the money into VLL? Loans from a parent body or share purchases?

I thought Napier made Tony Field a more effective player. Also remember him scoring a last minute 3-2 winner at Oldham when he latched onto a backpass, rounded the keeper and sent us all delirious.

When I saw him put two Everton defenders on their arses, I thought he would take the division by storm this year. He hasn’t, and since Xmas a neutral wouldn’t be able to pick him out as our supposed talisman. Last few games he’s looked just like a player signed from Gillingham.

Life qualities. Leadership qualities, whether in the dressing room, the corporate boardroom, the battlefield, taking a scout group hiking or Scott heading to the South Pole.

Interesting debate but I think missing an aspect. While the assorted B&Q till operatives (stealing a very memorable descriptor from another poster) that we are on here will always be convinced we know more about football than the manager, the fact is that Mowbray has, barring a short hiatus or two, been employed his entire working life in it, which is pretty rare. I think I read somewhere that half of all managers only ever have the one job doing it. I have no doubt that Mowbray knows more about football and thinks harder about it than everyone on here. But what we are seeing now is not so much the man’s football brain but how he responds to extreme pressure. It’s now about the ability to change course; to admit what you are doing isn’t working; to recognise that people you trust are letting you down; to have a Plan B and switch to it. These are human qualities, not football knowhow. And here his track record isn’t so great. Stubbornness in adversity has sunk much greater men than Mowbray.

Well that was extremely dire. Can’t believe I took time off from Miami Beach to find a coffee shop with free wifi to sit through it. When I saw the line up, I thought “Finally, Rothwell in Dack’s role”. Too much sun, I guess. His two stand out moments were standing looking at Danny Graham head down a sitter for him and then not looking at Smallwood or the ball at all. Why oh why do these bench geniuses always disappoint. How did Bennett ever play in the Premier League? More than any other error Mowbray has made, keep putting his trust in Bennett will be the end of him. Truly awful. Two fabulous Raya saves though, the one from Volkes was almost Banks/Pele - he didn’t just get a hand to it but somehow scooped it round the post.

For all the blustering on here I reckon there’s zero chance Mowbray will be potted before this time next year. 1) This isn’t the only online congregation of Rovers fans, it’s just the only one running weekly sacking polls. While some on here might think those on there to be deluded fools for backing Mowbray, if it comes to a question of fan sentiment, their votes count too. 2) The fact is the overall fan sentiment is nothing like as negative it was for Kean and Coyle, and look how long it took to get rid of them. 3) The last ten games have been a dreadful run but, as a mid-table-ish team to that point, it wouldn’t have been unreasonable to expect, say W3, D3, L4, so, in reality, we are talking about losing an extra 4 games we should have won/drawn. 4) Many of the reasons I’ve read on here are about what he will do - balls up the summer; keep playing his favourites etc. - I’ve yet to see our owners take such a far-sighted view. He’s going nowhere.

Didn’t have to dig far into that website to learn that Miles Anderson has been at 17 clubs!

That’s the pass about to be played. The recipient out wide is clearly played onside by Mulgrew and also perhaps Nyambe

Given you bleat for a new poll every time we lose, I assumed you understood the difference between a poll - a quantification of differing opinions - and a debate - an attempt to change opinions through argument. Apparently not.

No. Mulgrew was playing him on then stepped up after the pass to leave his man free for a tap-in. Nyambe also had no idea there were two players behind him, ball-watched the whole move.

Keep for now. 3 reasons: 1) Perspective. The last two months have been horrible, but the 18 months before that were good: a promotion season and then on the brink of the playoffs at the end of Jan. Personally I think the main reason behind the slump is that we’ve been playing teams a second time and they have figured out Dack, Mulgrew and whichever hapless LB plays. Should he have seen this coming and headed it off, yes, but then the reason for sacking becomes we aren’t in the top 6 when we coulda/shoulda been. Which sounds a bit entitled. 2) Doing better than Wigan/Rotherham. It’s a big jump up, and we have jumped it better. Yes we were only down a year but so were Wigan. 3) Kean, Berg, Appleton, Bowyer, Lambert, Coyle, Mowbray. I’d take him from that list every time and have no confidence at all the next name on the list will be any better.

I’m beginning to think sell Dack and play Rothwell in that role. He’s scared every team he’s been up against at this level, whereas Dack today, and for quite a while, might’ve well have stayed in Dubai. We play a good, on the deck, quick pass and run game when Rothwell is on.

Of the defenders whose jobs ought to be on the line: Raya - good saves, good catches. No chance with the goals. Nyambe - Weak. At sea for the first and offered nothing going forwards Lenihan - Mostly good. Got caught miles upfield once going for a ball he had no business to. Mulgrew - Get rid. At fault for both goals and almost gave away a third with a dreadful pass straight to Villa. Poor positioning and weak as piss in the air. Bell - Best game yet IMO. Gave them something to worry about going forwards, esp after Rothwell came on, blocked a few crosses coming in, and three goals in this team is not to be sniffed at. Williams - Where he should be, nowhere in sight. Rodwell - If you can’t get in this team matey, time to move on.

Final score: Mulgrew 1 - Mulgrew 2

Some players doing OK: Raya kept us in it with a string of saves; Travis; Graham; Bell has looked good on the ball, but that’s about it apart from the offside Villa player who literally hit the ball as it was crossing the line to get it disallowed. Dack has needed a touch too many virtually every time so I don’t think he’ll have made Southgate’s notepad. Villa streets ahead though. We’d have needed to sign 8 in January to been viable playoff contenders. Wouldn’t surprise me if we nicked a point.

Jesus. Nyambe no idea who was behind him. One of the two who was was played onside by Charlie being too deep in the middle, who then pushes up after the pass to leave the man he was marking free for a tap in. Worse than ever.

I’m actually pleased that Bennett is starting in centre mid, it’s his best position and he’s a better option for getting back than Smallwood. Disappointing to see Rothwell benched but I feel the only realistic option for starting him in this game would’ve been instead of Dack, given how he offers absolutely zero cover for his fullback when played out wide. 2-2

Everyone on here is expecting a complete hammering. How would putting the youngsters into such a one-sided affair assist in their development? However, I can see an argument for saying to our senior defenders “You have 8 games to convince me you are the one I don’t need to replace.” Not that I think he’s said that.

So why bother listening to it? It’s no more instructive than Eddie Quigley’s programme notes were.

I agree. Once pre-match pressers became a thing I stopped paying attention as they are trying to fill far more airtime/pages than there are sensible things for a manager who headed 10,000 wet case-n-bladders to say. The last one worth listening to was Souness IMO.