This post has made me realise. When season tickets are inevitably well down on pre-covid levels, Waggot won't admit it's because of the club taking the piss by sticking with this manager, instead he will be trotting out this line: "Well you know, people have found other ways to spend their time during the pandemic, that buzz of live matches hasn't been there and so coming back down to the ground every couple of weeks is a hard habit to get back into." Meanwhile, pretty much everyone else's season ticket sales will be fine.

Honestly, don't waste the mental energy wishing for this. He isn't leaving at least until the season has been underway for long enough to establish (for Venkys) that it will go the same way as this one. And even that might be wishful thinking. His demeanour has changed back to calm, he's talking about the future, the LT has reported the club are expected to stick with him this summer and they didn't sack him before two 5-2 home wins, so they won't be sacking him after them. Don't get your hopes up, it's not worth it.

That (Bell) would be contrary to the LT's recent report, but they do get some stuff wrong these days. I'm not interested in Johnson, would rather he left. Smashes it for a few games a season and then a complete passer-by for the rest. Not cheap either, should be moved on. It better be a pay drop offer at least. I've wanted to see the back of Bennett for a long time, and ideally I still do. But I do wonder with the amount of players leaving if we might want to keep a versatile player who is normally fit, as a cheap (hopefully) bench option (though obviously I'd rather someone better). We do have a lot of business to do, with a brand new head of recruitment and a bungling manager, with owners who move in slow motion during transfer windows. It's far from certain we will get all bases covered. But if we were to assume we will, yeh, I'd rather say adios. Nice bloke, great work ethic, not a good footballer anymore. Nyambe hasn't looked interested for a couple of months or so. The barnstorming runs are gone, errors at the back creeping in. Not at all surprised to hear it's expected he will leave, I think it has been expected at the club for a while. Probably trigger the extension then court bids.

I can see us trying for Assombalonga this summer. Been interested before at 8m+, now on a free. He looked like the answer at that time, but probably not now 2 or 3 seasons later. Wouldn't mind him at the club at all, but he isn't going to notch 20+ goals. The wages were what put us off back then weren't they? And I expect they'll be higher now without a transfer fee. I expect us to spend half the window trying to sign him as the Arma replacement for half the wages he wants, then some other Championship club coming in and getting him. Meanwhile a few players who would have been good signings on our budget will be snaffled up and we will loan an 18 year old striker from City or Liverpool and hope he does the job. Then again, maybe not, as I don't expect Armstrong to even move until about a week left on the window, so it will probably be straight to the youngsters at that point.

I find the opposite end of the spectrum, Mowbray's approach, to be much stranger. Yes I do think they possibly slightly over-did it, but I was going to reply to your earlier post where you said pretty much the same thing...it isn't all about what Bowyer can learn from it (although how they cope when things are going badly is something you want to know), it's about what the lads themselves learn from it. It's always a valuable experience. Maybe some of them learnt they're not as good as they think they are, and they need to work harder to be on this level. Maybe some of them shone despite the heavy defeats. Agree with you that somewhere inbetween is probably best, but closer to what Bowyer did than what Mowbray did. And yes there's a great irony that at this stage of the season he seems to be concerned about getting results, when we've heard he isn't really about those when they actually mattered. Total clown.

https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/19286184.lee-bowyer-explains-respectful-birmingham-city-selection/ Lee Bowyer says offering opportunities to fringe and young players in the final game of the season is the ‘respectful thing to do’. “It’s the right thing to do and the respectful thing to do. The players since I have walked through the door have trained hard every day, this week has been no different they were excellent again,” Bowyer said. “It is what I owe them to give them an opportunity for me to consider them again in the future.” Clearly our glorious manager disagrees. The win today was nice and all, if unimportant, but I'm still pissed off we didn't get to see anyone new. It's interesting for the fans, and it's a big boost for the youngsters whose development can be spurred on. Not just from the experience, but as Bowyer says, they work even harder believing opportunities are realistic. Birmingham might have a crapper academy than us, but they managed to get 25 million or so for a 17-year old. Yes they got lucky churning out such a special 17-year old, but part of how they did so was they were bold enough to blood him at only just turned 16 in real games. Meanwhile, we won't risk lads in their 20s in final day dead rubbers. PATHETIC!

I can't imagine there is anyone at or supporting the club who isn't glad to see the back of this season.

No. You post here, and I also post here. You're right, you probably should have said 'without the second half of the season being dogshit' instead of 'a few more results'.

At 20 points away from 6th, what do you class as a 'few more' results and what do you count as in the mix? Second half of this season has just been piss poor.

Problem is we are only getting just over 60% of that money by the sounds of it, and a bunch of that will probably have to go into balancing the books for FFP.

Sort of sums him up. Plays when he feels like it. Looking for a new deal elsewhere now. Has played well before contract offers from us in the past. Injured for us, always available for NI. I can't be sure he does all this on purpose, but I'm suspicious enough that I'm glad to see the back of him.

It really is terrifying that in a season where we haven't been ruthless enough and finished 15th, our two biggest goal threats are very likely to be gone next season. Between the two of them, they have 51 goal contributions (goals plus assists) in the league.

Gonna need it with Arma off. We are so reliant on him. Without him we are losing 2-1 to Brum's half u23 team. As I say that Elliott scores, but that's another lad who is off and our second biggest goal threat.

Tony Mowbray.

Oh good, Evans. That's 3 of 5 subs who almost definitely won't be here next season. If I was one of our u23 players I'd be spitting feathers, whether it be for myself or my teammates.

Well Armstrong finally did it. After trying all season to score from outside the box, he finally notched one. And what a time to do so........

Fucking finally. 66 minutes too late.

Because Tony's transfer strategy next season relies on polishing Klopp's sphincter as much as possible.

Two old ex-Boro players, one of them made of glass, and a good loanee that leaves us with a void we won't fill. Yep you're right, textbook Tony signings.

I'm glad we are developing Elliott more than Dolan even at this late stage. I'm sure we will reap the dividends of that next season.

Belgian league.

Dack's lack of compassion for Ben was pretty amusing.

I meant to put money on Jutkiewicz scoring (go me if I spelt that right without checking), but forgot. He always seems to notch against us.

Just saw it back again and my suspicion that the lad on the floor's legs caught Kaminski's was right. I don't think he did it on purpose but certainly be harsh to blame Kaminski too much for dropping it, considering.

This isn't just a weaker side. Half of it is the youth team of a weaker side. Nobody should take encouragement from this unless we win 10-1.