gumboots

Anyone know where we can get hold of a bear?

Mowbray definitely does not get us. Hes from Teesside like me. I grew up among men like him. It's an area that has never been ambitious, always lived in the shadow of Newcastle and never really looked outwards. It's an area with a chip on its shoulder because nobody has ever, ever taken any notice of them in living memory. Tony is typical of many people there. Hes stubborn, unambitious and awkward. We here in Blackburn have many of the same problems but the football club has always aimed higher until recently. Mowbray may be staying but we all know he shouldnt be because his ambition certainly doesnt match ours

'An affinity with' simply means that they get us. They get the history, the area, the fans. They understand where we've been and know where they want to take us. It doesnt mean they have to be from the area, have connections with the club. It means they share our aspirations. At this point our aspirations are to be challenging for promotion whilst accepting we may not get there. We genuinely want to give it the right good go that managers have said they are giving it whilst giving it no such thing

Sale Sharks did this. They wrote first to those who had 19/20 season tickets and asked if they wanted a) an immediate refund b) to carry the remaining ST value forward against future tickets c) to donate the remainder of their ST value to the club. They then set up a membership scheme where for £90 we all got this season's shirt and a scarf. We also got priority on tickets for matches that were possible to play with crowds. Hence huge uptake for the 2 remaining matches in the league. Fans are happy and stay connected. Ticket office chief organised watchalongs Friday nights whilst league was suspended. People all sat down in their own homes watching streamed match of her choice. All Sale wins, some going back a few years, of course but all about keeping supporters and club united. None of it big stuff but someone had sat down and thought, what can we do to engage with the fanbase and keep them onside. Perhaps they should have got more players involved. They have trouble staying onside at the best of times! Seriously even some of the players got involved and chose their favourite matches too. Then, during European cup weeks, Sharks, who'd been knocked out by La Rochelle, organised the Olympics and put it on Twitter. 10 players, 5 days, 5 events. Dizzy kick, egg and spoon race, hula hooping, steady hand game and medicine ball throw. Great to see Faf de Klerk is a hula hoop star, whilst Ross Harrison, the front row, was the only one to put the ball between the posts whilst dizzy. It was a laugh done to break up training when there was no match at the weekend, but shows the kind of imagination Rovers are lacking across the board.

Unfortunately Mowbrays successor looks like being Mowbray so nothing to discuss

It wasn't the stealing or not stealing but the fact that I picked him up on use of language he was on about

Presumably you're going to buy them not take them

Philosophy is fine if used correctly. If you sign the players to fit it and it includes winning as many matches as possible. Top clubs have a philosophy. They defend well, create from midfield and have strikers who find the back of the net. Everything else is frills and furbelows if you don't get that bit right

It occurs to me that, if Mowbray is going down the route of playing our youngsters, then we might as well bin him anyway and give the job to the guys who already manage them relatively successfully. Thats not what I want to happen, but it's logical.

I reflected to my husband on the sliding doors scenario where Venkys walked in and did it right.

They may well both have been involved. After all, Kean was very obnoxious.

It wasn't his footballing skills I was thinking of.

Oh for a Steven Nzonzi

Most people's idea of why we fell away begins and ends with Mowbray.

Can he spell definitely?

I'm with you. It wasnt that what's his name turned out to be the 4th man per se that was disappointing. He was so unmemorable that I've forgotten his name already so easy to see how he might slip under the radar of people looking for Mr Big. It was the fact that there was nothing memorable at all about that last episode. It was less than a whimper even and it needed something to leave you wondering. Something tantalising or spectacular in itself. You cant say goodbye to a big series in a half hearted manner like that. The end of Keeping Faith, whilst somewhat OTT, was more satisfying

It makes a huge difference everywhere. The difference between Sale Sharks under a decent manager in Steve Diamond and what looks like an excellent appointment in Alex Sanderson is amazing. You win matches youd previously have lost. You hold onto leads you'd previously have lost. You overcome problems on the pitch and players sort things out for themselves mid game because of the confidence an excellent manager gives them. Training ground moves start to appear in matches, and players really play for the team. It's not rocket science. It's just like any other job. Get a really good person at the top and everything else falls into place

I think they'd share with equals or those whose wealth is superior

If you run an IPL team you at least understand a bit about sport

Yes. I love the commitment and the innovation but he is scarily dangerous too.

Got our match tickets to watch Sharks v Bristol Bears. Took 2 minutes. There was someone on the supporters facebook page answering queries and the tech team were dealing with issues instantly. Shows how it can be done. Tickets are printed and we are ready for off on May 28th

Thank you

Depends what precedes you. Anyone who at that time appeared to be a fairly ordinary run of the mill manager would have been feted because they weren't their predecessors

What we're after is a copy of the audio review of the season we got promoted . We're back for Jack, it was called. We had it for years on cassette and knew it nearly off by heart but we've mislaid it and would love it if anyone could get a copy to us

Well, they could have taken Mowbray.