Parsonblue

My point Rev, is that they are still making the same mistakes as they did ten years ago. They may well stump up another £20m p.a. for the next ten years and we will be no nearer the Premier League than we are today. They've been changing managers and CEO's for a decade and we are still light years away from where the club was when they bought it. Yes we need change at every level but that isn't going to happen until those at the top - in India - start to get their decision making right and from what I can see there is no sign of that happening. PS - Hope you and the family are keeping well during these difficult times.

Which is why the problem remains with the people who appointed Waggott in the first place and who are happy for him and Mowbray etc to continue in position. No wonder the owners are happy to keep them in position to attract all the flak and take it off them. If the owners didn't like the job he was doing they could remove him - in the same way they've done with other administrators they've employed. Clearly they must be happy with the way things are going or they would act.

Agree. You can't compare the present crop with these players. I'm just glad I was able to see all of them performing for Rovers.

I'm sorry Rev but I simply don't believe that the owners were not involved in the attempt to sell the training ground. It couldn't be sold without their approval or knowledge. It's fantasy to believe otherwise imo.

To be honest Rev we are this point in our history because our owners can't hack how to run a football club. They have been here ten years and still haven't a clue how football works or how a football club is run. If the manager remains it's because the owners are happy with him to remain. When they are not they will appoint another who will operate within the boundaries that they set. Since relegation from the Premier League we have had a variety of managers and none have been able to get us anywhere near the play-offs - something that Don Mackay was able to do on next to no budget whilst Bob Saxton had us at the top end with no money. The common dominator with regard to ten years of failure remains the owners. Sadly, Blackburn Rovers are just another example of how football has evolved over the past twenty years or so. So many clubs are now just one part of a portfolio of billionaires who operate on a global stage. The football that I first grew in love with sixty years ago has gone forever at the professional level. I suspect Accrington Stanley is the closest I can get to it in this area.

I must admit that my decision, like many of my generation I suspect, will be based on how safe I feel with regard to Covid-19 and what arrangements are in place with regard to what happens if grounds are closed again. There are so many unknowns with regard to next season with regard to social distancing, lateral flow tests, etc. that I would need far more clarity before making a decision. I certainly don't see my away travel season ticket being something that is going to be renewed as I don't believe away fans will be allowed in grounds during the first half of next season. The past twelve months away from football has totally changed my attitude to the game in so many ways. From going to two or three live games every week to none was a shock to the system. However, you realise that it's the social side that you miss and not always the 90 minutes of dross that is put in front of you. Over the sixty years I've followed Rovers, the manager, players or staff has never come into my thinking with regard to renewing a season ticket. Rovers has been my club, the club that generations of my family have supported that my friends all support. Turning away from it would have been unthinkable to me - now not so much. When I look at what is happening in India at the moment, what has happened throughout the world during the past twelve months, you realise that football really isn't that important in the scheme of things. It's why I can no longer get really worked up about the shortcomings of the manager. Yes he's reached the end of the line but then I think Venky's must surely have more important things to address with their wealth in India rather than worrying about where we finish in the Championship.

Coventry have just confirmed on their website that they have been placed under a transfer embargo. It appears that Coventry took up the Government's offer of file company accounts late during the pandemic. However, as the EFL rules don't permit it they have been placed under a transfer embargo. Another example of the EFL not being fit for purpose.

Must admit that I enjoyed that game. Two sides playing some decent stuff. Norwich have a touch of quality about them that the majority at this level lack and no surprise that they will return to the top flight at the first time of asking. I thought we played some decent stuff and defensively we looked better with the two centre-backs and Evans in front of them forming a good defensive platform. Kaminski also looked the part when called upon. Rothwell was the driving force in midfield but we lack that spark in and around the final third. Taking the match on its own it was an enjoyable affair but in the context of the season it shows just how much work there is to do before we can be challenging the likes of Norwich week in and week out. So many big decisions need to be made - starting with the owners with regard to the manager and then with regard to the major rebuilding required to replace loan players and those out of contract and departing. Sadly, I don't think we'll get any positive decisions from the owners anytime soon - and that, at the end of the day, is the major problem the club faces - the lack of decision making on the part of the owners. I fully expect us to drift into the summer before any real decisions are taken.

Club directors are allowed to attend and they are both directors of some description.

I've been to St George's Park to watch our Under-23's. There is no way you could have a development the size of St. George's Park on the present Academy site. The indoor pitch at St. George's Park would cover the present car park and academy building on its own. If you put the present Senior Training Ground complex and the Academy together you might come close to having something approaching the size of St George's Park but not as large. St George's Park is a stunning complex - with a huge Hilton hotel in the middle of it - whilst I suspect whatever Waggott and co are planning will be strictly bargain basement.

Absolutely correct. Diouf was excellent at holding the ball and winning free-kicks to run down the clock. This is what Graham could do and Armstrong can't. We've badly needed that type of player all season to give some variety to the attack and relieve the pressure on a paper thin defence.

Looks a decent appointment by Sheffield Wednesday. Even if he can't keep them up this season - and it looks a tough ask - he looks the right man to take them back up should they get relegated. Notice Lambert has left Ipswich. Not really surprising in view of the failure to get back into the Championship. Once again his vision and that of the owners were apparently different. It will be interesting to see where he turns up next. It's been several years since he last achieved anything as a manager but, as we know only too well, that doesn't seem to matter these days at some clubs.

That's the model that Brentford follow with their 'Brentford B' setup. However, I had a quick look at how they operate pre-Covid and their 'B' team was involved in friendly matches right across Europe. Here they played friendlies against a mixture of League and Non-League clubs and some of the larger Scottish clubs. However, they were visiting Europe two or three times a month to play friendly fixtures. Somehow, I can't see Rovers wanting to go to that expense. Brentford also look at players released from other London academies and pick up foreign players because of their excellent scouting operation. Something we haven't got. With the way we picked up Dolan and Nolan from academy football and have borrowed three Premier League academy lads I do wonder if something is afoot with regard to the academy.

The reason they say these things Joe is because none of them were here 30 years ago to know what went on. But when Dalglish arrived we certainly weren't training at Brockhall. Jack persuaded Kenny and Ray that he would build excellent facilities for them. Which he did. The present academy was actually the first team training ground and that was built first. What is now the Senior Training ground was originally the Academy and that was built later as Jack wanted a state of the art Academy set up. It was Mark Hughes who swapped them around. Whilst I wouldn't expect you to know this, because I suspect you are rather too young, it's sad that the club can't actually get the facts right.

The bottom line is that he was poor. Caught badly out of position on the second and stood off and allowed the player to shoot for the first. Neither Harwood-Bellis nor Branthwaite look convincing at this level at the moment. We are allowing them to learn their trade to improve City and Everton - although one can't see either one making much impact at those clubs. Having supported this club for 60 years I'm appalled that we seem happy to be a nursery club for the big city clubs. Meanwhile players who we have invested time and effort in to develop - like Raya, like Nyambe - are allowed to drift away for next to nothing. Last season we helped develop Tosin so City could sell him whilst we were left with another gap in the centre of defence. But for injuries I'm sure that Wharton wouldn't have got a look in this season and would have been allowed to leave. Fortunately, injuries gave him the opportunity to prove his worth before, sadly, his own injury. It seems to me that when the manager talks about youth development he's taking about developing the youth of clubs other than Blackburn Rovers. I find Mowbray's treatment of both Raya and Nyambe appalling and for the first time in more years than I care to remember I really can't see me wanting to renew my season ticket this summer to watch us because a Premier League nursery outfit.

Well the lad from City proved last night that he was hopeless as a wing-back and had a part in both of Barnsley's goals. I somehow doubt that Mowbray will publicly have a go at him. Same with the centre-half who looks increasingly out of his depth in terms of decision making at this level.

That's why he's likely to be playing in the Premier League next season whilst we continue on the road to nowhere. I assume you have deleted the twelve months watching Walton's error strewn performances from your memory.

Mowbray is doing to Nyambe exactly what he did to Raya. I suspect Nyambe is totally fed up with the way he has been treated and has indicated that the new contract will be left unsigned - hence Mowbray now scapegoating him. I've supported Mowbray throughout his time at the club but, rather like Bob Saxton who did a similar job in the 1980s, there comes a point when you reach the end of the road at any club. I believe he's done a decent job but is not going to take us any further and my worry is that we become a nursery club for Premier League clubs.

Please tell me who these 6 right backs are that are better than Nyambe and are within our budget? Remember we have spent a number of years developing this lad in our academy at some expense. If he leaves - and I have no doubt that he will leave and probably this summer - that money is wasted. Mowbray threw him under the bus on Friday when he knew that the kid he has brought on loan Everton was badly out of position and whose judgement was shocking from start to finish. Lenihan too was caught out. No wonder the goalkeeper decided he'd better start playing centre-back himself with the way the two in front of him were shaping. Nyambe has been excellent as an attacking full-back and has the pace to recover to get back to defend. We have nobody else at the club who can do that role as well as Nyambe. We have little in the way of financial resources but you suggest that we spend money on bringing in a player to replace a player who has done a more than decent job in that position. I suspect we will allow Nyambe to leave and then borrow another youngster from a Premier League club to let him learn his trade and make his mistakes at Ewood. The joy of being a nursery for the big clubs!

Nyambe is probably the best defensive prospect that we have at the club. He ought to be our right-back for the next 5 or 6 years or more. He has all the attributes needed for that position but, sadly, I suspect he will be allowed to drift away from the club. Meanwhile we give minutes to a lad from City, who is certainly far inferior to Nyambe, but it will help Pep develop the player for the future. And we wonder why supporters are turning their back on what is becoming a nursery club for the Premier League!

They put out a weak side and I suspect are only too happy to get out of the competition. It's a sad state that football has got itself into when Premier League money is far more important than the FA Cup to the majority of Premier League sides. Sadly, the cups are just not that important to clubs anymore.

I must admit that I've reached the point as to seriously question the value of paying even a tenner to watch Rovers at the moment. Like arbitro, I hadn't got a clue as to what formation we were playing or what role the players had. The substitutions - particularly replacing Nyambe with the kid from City - were mystifying at times. The Nyambe substitution really irritated me. Here we have a really good prospect who should be our right-back for years to come. A lad who has all the qualities required to play that position in the modern game and yet in the summer I feel sure he will be off and who could blame him. We will no doubt spend next season with a make-do-and-mend job until someone realises that full-back is a specialist position and needs a specialist in it! We ended yesterday with a back-four of two kids on loan - who are here simply to get experience to benefit their own clubs in the long term and not Blackburn Rovers - and a player who is out of contract and will be released come May. Whilst this is a League in which anyone can beat anyone on their day the fact is that if you are serious about reaching the top six these sort of games need to be won. Sadly, we seem to lack that winning mentality both on and off the pitch. We've spent serious money on Gallagher and Brereton and the return has been abysmal. Brereton - who is supposedly a different player this season - has scored 3 League goals thus far. Gally has four. Hardly top six material. We badly need a target man up front. A rough, tough, bully who will impose himself on defenders and create things for others as well as score a few. We also need a similar type in the centre of defence who can organise those around him. Above all supporters need to see that the club has a plan, a strategy for achieving promotion. Watching kids make mistakes and learn their trade before returning to the club that actually owns them has little long term appeal.

I think the plan is to cover home games at Leyland and stream them live.

A good win but a huge slice of luck with regard to the Branthwaite incident. It should have been a penalty and a red card for dangerous play for me. But, having said that, we've had numerous decisions go against us in the past. Bottom line is the standard of refereeing in the EFL is appalling at times. Our goal was well worked and fair play to Mowbray, the substitutions he made afterwards ensured we controlled the game from that point on. I thought both sides looked pretty average to be honest. The fact that both are being talked about as potential play-off candidates illustrates the poor standard of the Championship. It may be an exciting division in terms of everyone is capable of beating everyone on their day but in terms of footballing quality its pretty poor. No wonder teams that get promoted usually pay only a flying visit to the Premier League before returning from whence they came.

I must admit that I like Mowbray. I would never question his honesty nor his integrity. I believe history will judge him kindly in terms of his contribution to the club. I think he is a genuinely decent bloke who has done many good things at this club. He reminds me very much of Bob Saxton. However, like all managers there comes a point when your race is run at a club and if his race isn't quite run he is certainly well into the final furlong. Yesterday was another shocking performance for 75 minutes and then the players decided to stir themselves and rescue a point. Whilst the buck stops at the top there is no doubt in my mind that this group of players are far from top six material at the moment. Too many players have one good game in six or seven. When I compare this squad to the ones that Souness and Dalglish took into the top flight - well there is no comparison the present lot are light years behind. I've always felt this squad would finish somewhere between 8th and 10th at best and, sadly, we are underachieving those expectations at present. At present we seem devoid of ideas. There is no plan 'B' when opponents stop us playing the way we want. The back-four remain fragile - Powell highlighted that yesterday. The midfield is uninspiring at the moment - Mikel ran the game yesterday and was able to do it at walking pace. The attack is very hit and very much miss. We paid a huge amount of money for Brereton and Gallagher and neither one looks like a goalscorer. Indeed, they wouldn't get on the bench under Dalglish or Souness. As I said, I like Mowbray but it's a results business and for far too long those results have been poor and the football uninspiring. I hope I'm wrong and that he can turn it round - I'd be delighted - but at the moment I see no evidence of anything but another mid-table finish with fewer points and a lower position than last season.