Thought it was more the first third to be fair, at least come Christmas time onwards it sounded like they were mostly just very unlucky. I only said we should see about them. As in, take a look. I don't watch them closely enough to know why their defence improved. Could be they just gelled as a unit, which wouldn't help us when buying individuals, Marshall's form, or it could be some players just started fulfilling their potential. Or it could have simply been good management. I just know they shipped less than us over the season despite going down and we sorely need defenders. Probably without much money for them.

Jeez. If that were to another Championship side I'd be very frustrated but in fairness we can't compete with Fulham now they've been promoted. Good deal for them, clearly some lowball bids can attain Wigan players right now though...we should see about their other defenders as their defensive unit looked far better than ours in the last third of the season.

And I'm sure all of those people are very happy about it. Maybe except Mercer.

In my head that was more in the 1.5 - 3 mill bracket? Pretty sure it wasn't close to 5. Flowers didn't cost more than Shearer. Certainly wasn't near 5 million, which would have been a British, maybe world record at the time for any player let alone a keeper.

My memory must be playing tricks on me, when did we sign a keeper for 5 million quid?

You talk like a man who has seen a fair bit of him or is well aware of his reputation/game. If so, any info on his strengths and weaknesses?

Loving that google translate from 'fishing behind the net' onwards.

LT article on it is up. Sharpe says another keeper would only be backup. https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/18667197.blackburn-rovers-make-move-aa-gent-goalkeeper/

Looks like Kaminski cost Gent 2 million in January 2019. Selling him for a quarter of that (according to the Belgian report) a year and a half later, after he has just played all season in a successful year for them, seems odd. But we could be getting a huge bargain. Rather have spent a bit more for Phillips, who we know to have had a good season in this league, but funds are low and a lot needs doing (still rather have paid more and got him though). Good age. Old enough to have some experience under his belt, young enough to have many years left in him.

Aye not like Dixie Dean who played on with a ruptured testicle.

Or has a decent punt on him at least.

Bloody hell it was only last week? Wonder if that's why they're selling...I'd be wary working in front of the lad now if I were one of the other defenders! ?

Hah, that makes way more sense now ? Feel daft now but yeh the angle etc made me think it was a huge window with some weird leaning spot. Hey I don't know how the upper classes live, fine sitting on the economy class with the scum

Jeez, what a waste of space...doesnt look like that thing could be used for anything practical. Just for leaning on whilst you admire the view I assume.

My thoughts were that he is just returning to full training. The photo along with it was weird though. Looked sort of like a train, but no train I've ever been on.

It was fair he was afforded the last two seasons. He has put the squad in a very precarious position during them and demonstrated he can't balance it properly.

So you're saying you like him as a person and appreciate that he stabilised the club, but fully acknowledge that he needs to go?

All of which begs the question- why are you a fan of Mowbray's? You say it's not the manager's fault we have no money, but he is the one who wasted 12 million on two strikers that almost nobody thought we should be spending that much on, ignoring the defence and goalkeeper in the meantime, even after recouping 3 mill on the latter. The man who should take overall responsibility for our squad being threadbare is Tony Mowbray.

Money from the Platt transfer? Barrow just came up from non-league in the midst of the covid crisis. If they paid 50k for him, they've done well. That money doesn't need to have 'gone' anywhere, it just isn't going to buy much of anything. Be lucky if it pays for an agent fee.

If Wharton is on 5k a week, the club is being even more criminally mismanaged than I thought. I'd be surprised and a little concerned if he is on half of that. I don't see us fetching 750k for him yet either, regardless of what his CH partner just went for.

Just glad we won't be wasting money on him and that people can shut up about it.

Dunno about that, I make about 2 good posts a year.

Because technically all of these can be fixed by then... ...not looking too bloody likely though.

Surprised I'm only the second to mention this I think, but the title win at Anfield. Not because of the game itself of course but the rollercoaster of emotions and the aftermath (I'm assuming here I get to stay a while after the match!). I was only 10 at the time and couldn't attend, which I was pissed at my parents for (they went, box tickets I think, or limited to two for some reason anyway). Would love to have experienced it. After that, the Worthy final, or the 5-0 Burnley drubbing, both of which I did get to see. Wouldn't mind going back in time to see the legendary Douglas though, see what all the fuss was about

Christ, I was just reading that article about what next for our sponsorship options and a series of thoughts occurred to me. The pre-season match schedule starts on Saturday and we have... No sponsor No shirt No season tickets No signings No senior goalkeeper No budget yet (it appears) It makes you want to add 'no hope' at the end, but it's early for that call. Has to be said though that even by the standards of the last few seasons, and even with the shadow of covid over us, this is particularly precarious. It's been a long time since we had this sort of shambles when the pre-season was getting underway, even under Venkys. Things need to start happening.