I wouldn’t say negativity, I’d wager most committed Rovers (and football fans generally) just aren’t particularly arsed what England get up to, though folk generally get involved when the tournament comes around. In contrast to rugby and cricket where the England national side is the crux of the sport, the club game in English football just dwarves the international one in terms of interest and fan dedication.

The disdain brfcs members largely feel towards the owners was a widespread view at one time, but I would say we are well in a minority now.

The FA wanted the (relatively) cheap and easy option after spending fortunes on the likes of Capello and then a controversial character like Allardyce. Southgate would also support ‘the pathway’ from the youth squads, justifies St George’s Park etc. It was obviously not because he was a top coach/manager.

‘Blackburn’.

‘Get Real’ 2020 edition... https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/18876240.david-dunn-venkys-commitment-cant-questioned/

The Premier League of 2010 was a totally different place to 2014, never mind 2020. The TV deals post our relegation began to grow exponentially and the PL has become THE place for investors in world sport. Burnley now have a bigger income than many of Europe’s most renowned clubs. Of course, better suitors than the Rao’s could’ve emerged, if only the Walker’s weren’t so desperate to get shut then and there (they’d have made a shed load more money too).

Combining the two would make sense, which they are halfway to doing already with ‘league’ winners getting a play off place. It’s a nonsense having both, especially this year.

Rovers and the Nations League? You some kind of masochist?

Yeah I noticed that, considering you can put the rest of the squad on the bench, seems odd that they’ve called him up and then not named him as a sub...

Indeed. I’ll never forget the abuse I got walking to my seat that day.

He’s going down well on the Franchise FC forums.. https://www.sitdownorwellstealyourclub.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=5556

I went to all four that season (Salzburg, Krakow, Feyernoord and Leverkusen). I couldn’t make Larissa in Athens the season after, remember saying to my mate, ‘we’ll go to the next one’... still waiting

Popular as ever up there... https://www.readytogo.net/smb/threads/danny-graham.1533523/

.... and it’s LIIIIIIIIVE

He’s an established international and will be 31 in the summer, so he’ll want and expect one more big contract to see him through. The club just needs to look at it rationally, does he offer enough to justify making him one of our big earners for the next few years in an FFP world ?

No thats fine Phil, you often come back later with a more reasonable version of your initial thoughts...

Not wrong there, I mean, Scotland even qualified...

First post on this thread since March 2019, shows what a procession qualification has become for England in recent years. Remember when there were far less and stronger European nations (I.e a strong USSR and Yugoslavia, instead of all the successor small nations) and smaller tournaments? It was a real nail biter to see if they’d qualify - those Poland games, Taylor’s meltdown in Rotterdam, the play off against Scotland, the draw in Rome for WC 98, Greece at Old Trafford, Wally with the Brolly etc.

He does it for a reaction. Which is strange for such a long standing poster. As an example on one thread he is calling the Rao’s ‘optimum owners’ and on another he’s liking a post that outlined how the club would no doubt make a total mess of replacing Mowbray - try squaring that circle.

Phil is Captain Hyperbole these days, be it the ‘optimum owners’ or our 17 year old ‘world star’ player (that’s before the tin foil hat stuff on ICBINF).

The away end is like the one was at Filbert Street, you have to go through folks’ back yard to get to the turnstile.

You sound very parochial.

He was. They are his quotes, interpret them any way you like...

In today’s Times ‘’As soon as I stretched for the ball, I felt it tear. I knew I’d miss the big game” ”a win would help me mentally, it would make every day in the gym worthwhile knowing I have something to look forward to next summer” Sounds like we need a win for Norn Iron tonight if you are arsed about seeing him get back on the pitch for us this season...

I posted it on the PL thread too, didn’t get much of a discussion going...