Both spoke about a three or may have been four window plan at the last consultation meeting when Mowbray in particular talked about gradually rebuilding the team that had won promotion. He talked about being fair to those players and giving them the chance to prove they could cope at a higher level and improve their game but if not they would be gradually replaced. Clearly the owners have bought into this long term strategy by giving Mowbray a long term contract - something they don't usually do.

But at the moment he simply isn't good enough to start a game. Personally, despite the fee - whatever it might be - I'd stick him in the Under-23's and let him, hopefully, score a few goals and build a bit of confidence. Nuttall has regained him form in recent weeks by doing just that.

In fairness Graham looks a lot fitter than the 19-year-old who is supposed to replace him.

As one who goes to every game and has seen every minute of Brereton thus far, I haven't met any supporter who wants the lad to fail. I think we all hope he will come good. However, I think fans, like myself, are starting to have doubts based on what we have seen so far. In truth I haven't seen one performance which has suggested that he will oust Graham from the team at this moment in time. Hopefully he will prove me wrong and become a mainstay in the team but at present he looks far from a Championship player.

Delighted that Graham has extended his stay. One can only hope that now Brereton is here to stay he can settle down and improve on what we have seen so far.

Thoroughly enjoyed the game today and very pleased with the performance. Travis was outstanding, Evans was solid, as usual in midfield, and Graham worked like a Trojan in closing down and winning free-kicks when needed - Brereton should just watch and learn from him if he is ever going to have a hope of winning a starting slot. Mulgrew's goal was a bit of quality and the second was a superb move and excellent finish from Dack. I thought Bell had a better game today and offered a bit more defensively than he has of late and Armstrong offered more today than he has for some time. Looking at the table I just don't see us getting dragged into a relegation battle the way things look. Lambert is working his relegation magic at Ipswich who seem to have one foot in League One, Reading are in freefall whilst Bolton are looking in serious trouble both on and off the pitch. Wigan have taken just one point from the last 18. At the moment we have 8 wins, 8 defeats and 10 draws - very much mid-table form and a platform on which to build.

King Kenny lost six on the trot, almost lost out on the play-offs but recovered to win the Premier League title. Bad runs can happen to any manager - main thing is not to panic.

He travelled to Leeds and took part in the pre-match warm-up which suggests he is still part of the match day squad.

Totally agree K-Hod. I think Evans has been one of our better performers this season and looks very comfortable at this level. Smallwood offers high energy whereas I think Evans is a better reader of the game. I can see why Mowbray likes them together in midfield although I think a Reed/Evans combination would offer more in terms of attacking value. It will be interesting to see the selection today as Sheffield looked very good at Ewood earlier in the season. I'd be delighted with a point today no matter how we play.

The only times the club has been successful throughout it's history is when it has been propped up with financial support - most clubs are the same. Jack wanted it to be self sufficient and couldn't make it happen. I doubt anyone can. The club is always going to need the financial support of the owners. When the Trust put the club up for sale it took several years before Venkys arrived. Nobody saw the Rovers as a club they wanted to buy and invest in. Today we are in a far worse position than when the Trust put it up for sale so I hardly think there would be a rush to buy in the unlikely event that the owners wanted to sell - and it would appear that they want to stay for the long term.

To be honest Stuart, I honestly don't believe we are in any danger of relegation. I think we have enough to keep a sufficient gap between ourselves and the bottom three. After this run of difficult fixtures, January and February provide us with a real opportunity to kick on again. Ipswich look to be in serious trouble - and Lambert is not likely to turn things around given his recent record. Reading, Rotherham and Wigan are falling far quicker than ourselves and Bolton are in a financial mess. Of course, as many have said, we have to get better at defending the final quarter of games and I'm sure that Mowbray, as a pretty decent defender himself in his playing days, will surely realise that a top class centre-half needs to be one of the first signings he needs to make. My main criticism, with regard to the club at the moment, is that we are failing to explore the foreign market in the hunt for new players. In the past we have found some outstanding players for very little money by scouring Europe. The new scouting setup is supposed to be looking at addressing this - I certainly hope so.

At the end of the day they are here for as long as they want to be and at the moment we couldn't cope without their financial support. I looked at Leeds today with a full-house paying premium prices - and that's what we have to compete with. The Championship is becoming rather like the Premier League in terms of being an uneven playing field.

Having given him a long-term contract - the only manager they have given that type of contract - the owners clearly have bought into his plan to rebuild the club slowly over a number of transfer windows. It's probably the only way that a club like the Rovers is going to make progress with the FFP rules that now exist. The manager has given the players who won promotion the opportunity to prove they are able to cope at this level. Initially some who looked OK are now beginning to struggle. Despite recent results, and couple of difficult fixtures still to come, I still believe that we have enough to retain our place in the Championship this season. However, I have no doubt that a couple of new faces will be signing in January to strengthen what we have and that will be sufficient to keep us at this level. It's then up to the manager to rebuild in the Summer. An experienced centre-back who can organise those around him would be the first signing I would be looking for. Personally, I've not lost faith in the manager because I believe he has the experience and ability to take the club forward.

Once again it comes down to players making the right decisions at the right time. Too many go into panic mode when we come under any sort of pressure. No excuse for this result. Two-one up after 90 minutes and then two goals given away in four minutes - shocking defending. Personally, I don't blame the manager or the coaching staff - it comes down to the players on the pitch doing the job they are supposed to do. A professional footballer shouldn't need telling how to see out a game for four minutes, particularly as they had withstood the pressure for most of the match. Anyone thinking we are going to get rid of Mowbray is living in cloud cuckoo land. Having signed a long term contract the owners are clearly backing him. It's now up to him to keep us afloat this season and then look at a rebuilding job in the summer. We need better than what we have and need to start by building a solid platform at the back.

That's the key point Biz, and if you to talk to people like Johnson and Dunn who do the job and have played at the highest level they also say that there is no comparison. Indeed, although it's good to win, at both Under-18 and Under-23 level that isn't really the main objective. It's about educating players and producing players who are capable of stepping up to the pressure of first team football. I think the difference is shown by looking at the experiences of Scott Wharton, Matty Platt and Lewis Hardcastle. Three players who have looked outstanding at Under-23 level but who have gone on loan to clubs in League One and League Two and can't get into the first team.

Which is exactly where most people thought we would be - a mid-table position, not with a realistic chance of chasing promotion but with more than enough to stay out of the bottom three. The first season after promotion is usually a consolidation job but it's the next couple of seasons that the manager will be judged on in terms of where we are with regard to challenging for promotion.

He's usually on the bench for the Under-23's and I think he's had the odd game for the Under-18's. To be honest he's not really had the game time to make much impression at the moment. I think this is a lad who was signed with a view to the future. If Nuttall goes out on loan he might figure more after Christmas when younger lads tend to get more time with the Under-23's with a view to next season.

I've heard there are personal issues which have impacted on the lad. I wouldn't be surprised if he is allowed to move on in January.

Of those I would think only Charley Doyle, Stefan Mols and possibly Tyler are likely to be retained.

He plays when Nuttall is not available. He may get more game time if Nuttall goes on loan but to be honest he's not a patch on Mansell and Mansell has struggled in the last eighteen months. Simmonds has poor work rate, too fond of the stepover - even when there is nobody near him he can't help but do a stepover or two - and offers very little. Butterworth is a far better player, scores more goals, is quicker and has a tremendous attitude in terms of work rate. He's another who will probably go out on loan in January.

He sits on the bench every week and gets a few minutes at the end of a game.

You've clearly never watched Simmonds. He is dreadful, simply dreadful and I would fully expect to see him on his way come May.

Nuttall has played exceptionally well now in the last three games after looking pretty indifferent prior to that. I believe that Mowbray had a chat and since then he has been outstanding. I suspect he's trying to get the loan move he needs in January. Hopefully, he'll come back next reason ready to challenge for a first team spot. Lyons has been very impressive since coming from Ireland in the summer. A tough tackling, box to box midfielder who looks to have the potential to make the grade. Still a lot to learn but has made rapid progress since his arrival.

You are talking far too much sense here Biz. You must try harder to get into the gloom and doom mood. I totally agree with much of what you say. Far from awful, I've really enjoyed most of the games this season and been impressed with some of the football that we are trying to play. Of course, there are players who will gradually be replaced - Mowbray said that himself last month. Most of my friends believe we are heading in the right direction with exactly the right manager at the helm and have enjoyed their football again over the last eighteen months or so. There is a positive vibe about the club - something that has been missing for a long time. I was very happy that the owners signed Mowbray up on a long term contract as it gives him the time to build the club up from the foundations. At long last the manager, players, club officials and owners are finally on the same page, along with the majority of the fanbase. Long may it continue

Why would he step aside when he has committed to the club long term? He has always said this was a long term project, which is what the owners have now bought into. Until the rebuilding is complete this is "where we are at" in terms of the players available. There aren't players in the Under-23's who look ready to be promoted - Nuttall has been excellent the last two games but indifferent prior to that whilst Travis has been in and out form wise for the Under-23's. Both will benefit from a loan period where they are playing every week. I thought yesterday was down to individual mistakes more than a collective failure of the team. For the most part we looked very comfortable until Graham went off.