Clubs might want to keep the fans happy, but Sky and TV pay the wages. Whatever the TV companies want, will happen. The broadcasters will love this back to back football, it was heading this way anyway with a few more live games added to the schedule every time the TV deal was renewed, this "project restart" will accelerate the process though and before long, Saturday at 3pm for the top flight will be a distant memory.

Yeah, but Sky and TV dictate when a game is played. Plus to the top clubs, who all this is geared towards, it won't make any difference on there attendances whether the game is Saturday 3pm, Sunday at 7pm or Tuesday at 6pm. When the next TV deal comes around in 2022, I'd be amazed if there are any top flight games left at 3pm on a Saturday.

I think this will be very much the norm when the next TV deal comes out.

When we're attacking the Darwen End it's easy to forget it's behind closed doors.

Good grief Chaddy.

It's just a lazy assumption from the club that everyone is internet savvy and wants to stream.

Chapman wouldn't get on he pitch if we could use 8 subs.

Sounds a horrible idea doesn't it? I do think we are going down that route with the top flight though and have for a while, and the revised fixture list due to the pandemic might accelerate it. By the time the next TV deal comes around, I could easily see a schedule like this with a Saturday 3pm blackout applied... Friday 8pm Saturday 12:30pm, 5:30pm, 8pm Sunday 12pm, 2pm, 4pm, 6pm, 8pm Monday 8pm Like you say, it makes the thought of a promotion back there less enviable indeed, and would kill away followings for smaller top flight clubs. I think it just means that no top flight games would happen in that timeslot, so lower league attendances wouldn't be compromised.

He joined Middlesbrough as TM left, but TM was the one who organised the deal apparently.

Bell is bang average, we should be looking to get a real left back in this summer, but signing Bell up for another year tells me we probably won't bother and go with him or Williams there for next season. Plus, it's another roadblock in front of Lewis Thompson who we should be really looking to get involved with the first team picture this season.

Gallagher will be on the right wing, the rest picks itself I think.

Interview with Mowbray about his time at Middlesbrough. https://t.co/mA16P86ecX The following bit of the interview made me laugh though I have to say. “We had been playing around trying to make Rhys Williams a centre half from a midfielder, but while Rhys could look amazing bringing that ball out from the back, natural dominance was what the team needed really - someone who had a head like a magnet and could head it out. Glad he learned his lessons from doing things like that before he came here...

There's no way sky want a PL without West Ham in it.

If it was a choice between picking up Maddison on a free and giving him a go on the right wing, or go into another season of Gallagher playing there, which would you choose?

Pretty obvious that the first link other than the Sunderland goalie would be for a position we don't need.

Does exactly the same for me if I try to log in on my phone, works perfectly on the desktop though.

1 - To be fair, last season we were the first club in the league to know what league we would be in this season, and were still the last to get ST's on sale, so that doesn't mean anything. 2 - Great, I'm glad it's a good deal for you, it is to me as I'll watch some of them too. There will be plenty who can't take advantage of it though, seems like because it's a good deal for you personally then it's fine, it isn't. Also "give back what little money they have" do me a favour, as others have mentioned, Smallwood & Mulgrew have been paid thousands a week to do nothing, Gladwin got another 6 month deal to do nothing, all the directors salaries have doubled, and venkys have put another £4m into the club a week or so back. The club can afford to offer refunds, no matter how they try and spin it.

Speaking to a good mate of mine who is a Port Vale season ticket holder at lunch today. He sent me this extract from a letter to all ST holders from the clubs owners. "Before we move too hastily to next season though, we must complete the business of this one. As we were unable to host 5 matches at Vale Park that you had bought tickets for, you are entitled to a rebate. A number of you have already informed us that you wish for the monies to be donated and remain in the club to help during this time and for that we are so grateful and thank you dearly, should you wish to do the same, please let us know. It is really important to say that we are very mindful of the fact that this lockdown crisis is having a devastating impact on many of our families and should you want or need a refund please contact us on any of the following with your full name, address and season ticket number and we will organise one. The closing date for applying for a refund is 31st July 2020. Compare that to what we received yesterday...

Have to admit this made me laugh. How on earth do you get through life Chaddy?!

Was just going to post the same thing! Quite glad the rest of the season is behind closed doors rather than travelling an hour to watch that carry on again.

I like how they just didn't answer the questions about people not having internet access or if there is more than one season ticket holder in a household, just accept and "we've done all we can" springs to mind, The classic Waggott moto. Directors salaries doubled, players earning thousands of pounds a week who haven't kicked a ball for the first team in months, guilt tripping people into not asking for refunds. It feels like it's just another reminder that this isn't the same club I fell in love with as a child.

Saw somebody put this on facebook yesterday, it would have ended like this apparently... 1 - Wigan - 94.79 2 - Rovers - 94.48 3 - Shrewsbury - 93.31

I was wondering if the midweek matches would still be on the red button?

I think any of those lads that are 22/23 will surely have to move on? None of them are going to get any first team football here. I think Hilton, Thompson, Carter & Mols should be around the first team by the time next season starts alongside Buckley, JRC, Butterworth etc. It's surely worth trying these lads out and persevering with them rather than signing any out of contract journeymen who will command a much bigger wage?

Great choice for there rewind series. I don't think I have ever seen any footage from this game since actually attending it. I do remember Hughes's winner though, great strike.