The disagreement over player ages sounds a load of bollocks to me. It will be the usual, not being willing to stump up the going rate for exceptional young players and instead expecting him to find cheap ones that can't step up - Telalovic.

If they'd have gone in quick for Anel Ahmedhodzic in 2022 and the Norwegian(?) striker last summer we'd be sat on £25m+ worth of assets that cost £7m/£8m.

Lets not forget that last summer we were actively chasing experience and were told Venkys vetoed it.

The simplest strategy would be to set them at 94/95 prices.

Is it wrong to assume he was a quickfire appointment by Waggott to exert some power over Broughton / reinforce his own position?

He led a clusterfuck search before Broughton came in and appointed JDT.

Regardless of who was responsible for bringing him in I don't understand the need to hand out the length of contract. Surely 18 months with an agreement to review after the season would have been more appropriate? That said, only at a competent club would that happen.

Or if you want to insist he was involved lets take it from 4pm after he came down. The second half result was 0-0. A point per game over the season. Relegation form.

I've never felt so disconnected with the club and with this guy as the mouthpiece and focus, every piece of shite that comes out of his mouth makes me feel even more done with it all.

Even with Keen, whilst players were being pushed out the door and the rats were creeping in, there were still a few heroes and players that you could have an affinity to - I think when we went down MGP was still there, Robbo and Dunn. The first years in the Championship were a shit show but we at least had a prime Jordan Rhodes and other exciting players.

The Coyle appointment felt like an absolute piss take - it was the first time I'd not renewed my season ticket since 1991.  I still went on now and then though and got a season ticket early in the league 1 campaign. Obviously the winning games helped but with Dack, Graham, Mulgrew, Bennett, etc in the side and youth players establishing themselves it felt like we had the club back and there was hope that we could push on.

The last couple of seasons prior to this we were winning games - had goalscorers in Armstrong then BBD and we were winning games. The football under JDT whilst unpredictable towards the end was the best I've seen us play. We should have kicked on and at least achieved playoffs.

Today I'm really 50/50 whether I want us to stay up or go down. Part of me feels the further we slip, the more likely we are to get rid of the owners but is the reduced wage bill and costs going to make it easier for them to stay? I really can't be arsed with another season like the last 6 months next year in the Championship. Just what is the point? More arseholes lining their pockets just delaying the inevitable.

It seems the only way to get rid is administration but I fear it would likely see the one remaining piece of Jack's legacy - the academy - sold and the training ground bought up by Bolton or similar. But then you think to Coventry - 6 years ago they were in league 2, more recently they had no ground, but 2 promotions and 2 seasons being around the playoffs along with an FA Cup semi-final makes you realise, whilst it can and will likely get even worse, there will be enjoyable times afterwards.

We will come back, I just wish there was a glimmer of an end point. Maybe September when there are no players of value left to be sold and the Indian courts do us a favour?

Anyway, back to the manager. He's not for me, then again aside from Szmodics, the entire board, first team, management and owners can f off and let us start again.

14 minutes ago, Exiled_Rover said:

If you'd given Mowbray's budget to JDT we'd be playing Premier League football right now.

I don't know how he managed it, because he's far from charming, but he managed to convince the owners to back him with significant cash and allowed him to have free run of the place (appointed Waggott, Venus was our defacto Head of Recruitment etc).

Simple - He went over to India... Kean did it and Gary Bowyer did it - they usually come back with money to spend.

If the EFL had any balls they'd say no problem, no premier league teams in the EFL cup and by the way you can stop entering your U21 sides in the EFL Trophy.

Hopefully common sense prevails and they'll do a u-turn.

How many of that squad would be playing week in week out for Ipswich, Leicester, Leeds, Southampton, West Brom or Norwich? I'd say Szmodics, Tronstad and Carter are good enough for top 6 over a season. That's 8 new players needed if we're to have a chance of getting out of this league (the right way). 4 good loans and 4 decent signings would be on the table at a normal club given the money brought in but no chance here.

I don't care about Venkys, they don't care about me, all I care about is BRFC.

It's not simple though - it just lets them off the hook. The Venkys and Waggot Out chants stop and the pressure goes. We plod along, unravelling as a club until they decide to leave.

Right now, to progress it does feel like a group needs to take a lead - either an existing one or through a new one springing up. To do so requires effort and commitment and despite the unrest I don't think there is a willing by anyone to do so. I suspect as the season goes on this will change - relegation and a summer of selling more players will probably tip more people over and it will ramp up.

This isn't having a pop at anyone - hats off to those trying to do things. I wrote something up intended for a poster to be handed out ahead of the Newcastle game but it didn't go anywhere. Maybe it can be adapted to use somewhere down the line.

Something like the march Morecambe fans did ahead of their recent home game would be positive but without a lead organising it won't get off the ground.

It's becoming more and more apparent that no one at the club gives a shit.

On the performance, we've gone from having 7 players in front of the defence when we have the ball with JDTs tactics of one full back going into midfield, to just 5 given our wing backs rarely show for the ball in the opposition half. Lack of options meant more playing it around the CBs and more and more long balls as frustration at lack of options grew. The players may not be playing well but that set up is down to the manager.

We've gone from the defence having Adam Wharton, Tronstad and JRC to pick out to John Buckley and Jake Garrett. I like Buckley and think there's a place for him in that side but comparing the 2 options is night and day.

He needs to ditch the 3 CBs, set up the same as Newcastle second half and go back to 4-2-3-1. A comprehensive win at the weekend might just give them some belief.

The team look like they're playing with their wings clipped. JDT showed that without a proper striker they needed to be attacking-minded to get goals. 3 at the back at home to Millwall FFS. Too many passes around the defence because there are no outlets further forward.

I expect we'd have lost more games in the last 7 with JDT in charge but we'd also certainly have more than 5 points.

Uninspiring manager befitting of those above him. Going down sleep walking into the relegation spots.

The king is dead. Long live the king!

Thought despite a few good individual performances we didn't look that great as a team - a lot of loose passes and space for Stoke to play but understandable given the change in coaching and tactics.

Shout outs for Brittain's first half performance, the new CB, Chrisene and Dolan.

The obvious biggest changes were binning off the short goal kicks and a willingness to cross the ball but I though as a team we looked so much bigger.

In the end, a great result. Something to build on and I'm a lot more confident there are at least 3 teams that will finish below us come May.

13 minutes ago, Exiled_Rover said:

You an generally tell from the warm-ups - do we have 3 CBs or 2 practicing heading clear a long ball?

Looked to be 2.

13 minutes ago, Waggy76 said:

Snowball got a Venky and Waggott is a bigger target!

Funny you should say that - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fuyamp-Slingshot-Chicken-Stretchy-Chickens/dp/B0B3QSVL7P

No to tennis balls. Yes to rubber chickens. https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005510434133.html

No shit aimed at him. I'm next to the padded seats - in December they put up a load of netting from row 13/14 up leaving a small section below which is full on a match day. You can't get near him.

He heard everything being chanted tho and looked slumped in his seat.

ignore looks like I've been had 😕

Just now, J*B said:

We’re going to spend every penny we do have on loan fees. What happens in summer when we lose 6 loans, Gallagher, Dolan and Travis doesn’t want to come back? 

I was looking at this earlier. Don't forget the new defender's contract expires too.

Assuming those players go. We'd have:

GK
Pears, Wahlstedt

Def
Brittain, Pickering, Hyam, Wharton, Carter, O'Riordan

Mid
Tronstad, JRC, Buckley, Garrett

FW
Szmodics, Hedges, Sigurdsson, Markanday, Leonard, Telalovic

If we don't get relegated this time it looks odds on for next season.

Whilst a loan to buy looks to be the sensible option - see George Hirst - that must impact other potential deals given the maximum loans in a matchday squad. They're not going to bring in the Palace winger and Newcastle midfielder for example to go with all the others... I can't see that we've been linked with any other cash buys aside the 2 foreigners. The time is ticking...

Re Lawrence Shankland...

Buckley returned to light training 2 weeks ago. I expect he'll be back in February?

In terms of numbers I'd say we have enough to get through to the end of the season - Tronstad, Garrett, JRC, Ayari, Buckley. Chrisene can also play there. Questions over the quality but there are other areas of the pitch to look at before midfield for me.

15 minutes ago, OldEwoodBlue said:

If the traffic isn't too bad, should get back from work about 6:30 tomorrow. Quick tea then get down and buy a ticket.

If only it was that simple...

It's been discussed to death on here but the ticket office closes at 5pm so you'll need to buy one online... 😕

Gilsenan reminds me of Harry Chapman. A lot of hype from the fans and at a young age. There looks to be something there when on the pitch but for whatever reason, chances have been minimal. I wouldn't be surprised to see him end up at the same level and not fulfilling the potential. Lets hope not.

Admin. My only fear if/when that comes is will we lose the academy? It's still the one glimmer of hope that's left. Though I suppose it would be fitting that as Venkys lose control of the club they also f... us out of that too. One last hurrah.