This. I feel like so many of us are acting like we haven't been in this situation at work, or at home. 90% of us have! Yes, the whole official story might be a tissue of lies, I accept that. What I find more difficult is the argument that it might not be GBs responsibility when part of his re-engineered, watertight process breaks down and doesn't deliver the agreed outcome. It really is primary school level governance and management. There must be controls at each step to guarantee that human error cannot break the system. Esp when the risks are soooo high. Crimpshrine's simple example above is one control, and there are a myriad of other ways to ensure important things are done correctly and monitored at every level. Barrow, Harrogate, Accrington, et al, are all expected to have watertight controls in these areas, on significantly lower budgets, and yet again we are the only one out of 92 that is making the 'laughing stock of the year' headlines. GB was quite happy to have his name in the frame nationally for last January's calamity, and unless he has resigned, he appears equally content to have this on his cv again. If there is a more malevolent explanation, he could show some integrity, and explain. Incompetent or fraudulent, one or the other, neither of which make him a 'miracle worker' or back up Farron's claim that we are 'lucky to have this DOF'. I can't wait for the interview.

It's truly ironic that the accepted narrative appears to be that the latest cock-up was in some way an intentional act by the 'club', and that the view of a number of us that it is GB's sheer sleepwalking incompetence, is now the conspiracy theory. You couldn't make it up, although many if us are proving that you can make it up, and then believe it as probable, or even fact. It is the fault of whoever was directly responsible for player transfer administration. This is the considered opinion of a number of us, all whom sit firmly in the Venky's and Waggot out camp. This compounded fiasco will reduce the club's value, to a level beyond what it will save in avoided transfer fees, and that's one of the reasons I don't believe the error was in any way directly intentional.

My point about the 'conspiracy' was that a lot of clear-thinking, intelligent members of this board are repeating it, so has this been leaked from somewhere, however tenuous? Also, in relation to our McGuire cock-up and alleged appeal, has the Athletic story been corroborated by anyone else, as I assumed it would have by now, similary to when the O'Brien debacle was corroborated and confirmed? There was more than one source of that story. I do believe that there was/is a problem, as there hasn't been a squeak about DM on the Rovers website since Fri(Thurs?).

Ok, before this conspiracy theory becomes accepted fact, by enough of us quoting and accepting it, I do not believe that the Venkys or anyone else deliberately allowed these transfers to get down to the last seconds and pieces of paperwork before intentionally sabotaging them. There is no benefit to the club or Venky's in this approach, only severe reputational damage which lowers the financial value of the club. Behind the scenes misunderstandings, differences of opinion, and sheer incompetence, yes, but planned chaos and fraud, I really don't think so. There really is no benefit to anyone in this dysfunctional, immature, publicly self-destructive approach. They save this stuff for the behind the scenes incompetent, naive destruction of our great club.

Strong on paper. Need to have a good look at Christene....

If we play as well as we did on Monday, we'll win. Simple. I came on here petrified that he may have already departed. We need JDT for at least this season, then we accept our dismal fate. Or protest or whatever, but I would like him to be with us til May, for the glorious cup run, if nothing else. Sorry to hear you have stopped attending, I tend to give in at the last min, and literally buy a ticket on the way to the ground. Interested to experience the atmos today, JDT will obv feel the love, if indeed he's allowed to attend! We will pass QPR into submission, remind me of this bold claim at 5.15....

It's hard to see the fans tearing each other apart. Prob better for us all to focus our negative energy on the owners and not each other. Difficult times...

That is probably true, but they signed within days or weeks of him stepping thro the door. This discussion was originally about GB's scouting team and contacts' ability to identify a Championship quality player, primarily someone to lead the line. He hasn't shown he can do this and those he has 'brought on' (sorry...) have been some our least successful signings ever, including Chis Brown...

I had to look that up 😃 Fair comment.

Promise I won't repeat this again, but the Hyam and Szmodics transfers were ongoing when we employed GB, so can arguably be removed from that list.

The discussion is whether GB and his scouting team initially identified them. It is accepted that the 1st player that GB identified and pursued in earnest was Hirst. I'm not a Waggot fan but this isn't directly about him.

It's documented that the Brittain, Szmodics and Hyam deals were commenced before GB arrived.

I think that's a fair challenge to my position on GB. Having said that, I believe that Szmodics, Hyam and Brittain had already been identified before GB joined in June '22. If we could have brought in a lower Championship-level goalscorer to lead the line, since GB & JDTs arrival, we would have been in a better position to resist the latest attack from Pune.

The 'O'Brien farce', which directly resulted in us missing out on a play-off place, was the responsibility of GB. Some of us dare to suggest that we could have had better value from the permanent signings GB has brought in. Most of his signings have brought zero benefit to the club, have been nowhere near the 1st team, and have been shipped out soon after. Some of us dare to suggest that there are players out there who would have done a job, at least deserving of a place on the bench, for the same money that we spent on the recent failures. Some of us don't believe that he is particularly good at picking a Championship ready player, based on the evidence in front of us. He was 100% sure Hirst and Ennis would play well within JDT's set-up, his interviews were effusive in terms of his confidence that they would make us better. They and Telalovic have been a drain on our collective confidence and resources. Until one of our GB signings at least gets near to 1st team action, never mind successfully or not, the jury will be out on whether he is the right person to do positive things with a criminally limited budget. Only someone with great talent would succeed in these circumstances. In the same way that certain managers succeed on shoestring budgets. He has now invested a lot of time and money in another unproven foreign striker. I desperately hope he bucks the GB trend. That's not hate. It's just a realistic appraisal of someone finding it very difficult to function in a very challenging role. He doesn't yet warrant the praise heading his way, but I'll be the 1st to laud him if there's a shred of evidence to do so.

(wrote this before the news of our fleckin new signing.....) If JDT gets his way, we'll only need 2 of those 4 at any one time, as he wants to play 5 - 2 - 3. I'm interested to see how JDT moulds another challenging ugly duckling squad into a gliding swan, with the odd, understandable youth-driven stutter. A continuation of our on the pitch style development, which a lazy-looking, frustrating Buckley, showing the same level of brilliant inconsistency we've seen from AW for the last year. (Now Fleck thro the door, JB will be more of a bench warmer....hmmmmm, options)

GB was responsible for the Jan '23 fiasco, he said so himself. It is the main element of his role. It was a massive administrative failure, and it will never be forgotten. This one abject failure directly, yes directly, cost us a play-off place. There are many of us that hoped he would then step up and pull the odd signing out of the bag, despite the challenging financial landscape. The loans have got to work, and the signings have got to be at least League One standard. James Hill apart, this has not happened, and some responsibility for this lies directly at the door of GB. It's not personal, it's based on direct evidence, whereas the support for him is based mainly on pity. Sorry.

For most of us, it's not hate. We just base our extreme disappointment on the evidence of who he has brought in he arrived, especially the permanent signings, who he has said were his number one targets. We have all been waiting to see if last January's catastrophic cock-up, which directly cost us a play-off place, would prove to be a one-off. The answer so far is no, we are still waiting for him to support Rovers to punch above their weight, which is the sign of a good football administrator. I've not seen that he has quality contacts, or the ability to 'spot a player', and these are the main requirements of his job. A decent director of football manages to find quality, regardless of budget, and he hasn't brought in a single quality player (Hyam excepted, although he was identified before GB arrived). Broughton has had to work under increased financial pressure since June, but he has known that he would probably have 4 or 5 million to spend since last week, or before, so a DoF worth his salt would have had 2 quality players lined up in advance of Adam's departure, but no, not a single major signing to make up for the debacle of Jan '23. That's why the jury is out, and for many of us, he is part of the problem, not the solution. JDT's talent has provided protection for him for 18 months, but many of us see-through that. Are you any clearer now?

I feel a bit embarrassed to be marginally positive on here, but if all reported incomings arrive, it will feel a lot better than it did this lunchtime.... I happen to rate Andy Bayes's journalism, so I'll keep my fingers crossed. I know its a low bar to improve on last Jan, and I am totally critical of Broughton's performance since he arrived, but I'll retain a smidgen of optimism, at least until 11. None of these signings will work until Buckley returns, however. We need creativity in midfield. AW hasn't sparkled recently, but we'll notice his absence against better teams. As I say, fingers crossed, and bitten...

Yep, there'll be a few caught out by this, and a few who'll assume it's 8 due to tele selection. We could be out of sight by then, one way or the other 😀

It really doesn't look like they've sold anything like those numbers on the Select your own Seat view on the Ticket site. That's a relief, but it won't look and feel like 18,000. COYB!!!!

Yep, there will be a few walk-ups surprised they have to settle for the Riverside... For me, the Riverside is the best viewing experience in the ground... Estimated crowd? 20,000? Need our creative boys to turn up today... C O Y B !

That's better. It's matchday. Hope any waverers are deciding to bite the bullet and get down to Ewood. We genuinely need the vocal support. Hoping our new defensive unit benefit from the impressive but tough 90 min at Norwich. If we can repell them defensively for 45 minutes, we should be in front. I've told my PNE mates, and neutrals watching the tele, they they will see some neat, controlled football, with phases of brilliant, intricate passing, which SS and maybe even TD may finish off. If he decides to play LT, then AW needs to push on and look to directly test their keeper more. JRC is a miss, but as a result I look forward to CB ghosting into his usual midfield and forward roles, which no team can prepare for or manage. I'm nervous, it would be great to continue our momentum with a good '90 min', quality performance, and even hopefully the 3 points. Can we put 3 of our 9 decent chances away??? COYB, for Birdy....

Sorry to go off topic, but how do we feel about our chances of winning and replacing PNE in 6th place? As usual, I feel it could go either way. We will come out of the traps at speed, but we need to be as pro-active in the 2nd half as the 1st half. I'm worried he will feel he has to play Trav, after we were bullied at Ewood last season, although that was mainly Evans. We will run rings round them in the 1st 25 min, we just need to score, score, score. Lots of ale will have been taken so the atmosphere will be good, at least to start with. Really looking forward to it.

Bit worried about our attendance, never mind the away fans. I really think we need to make the Riverside seats £5 cheaper for these games, but that will never happen whilst our priority is to fill the JW for the 'TV view'. £30 min is steep for a Sky game. I know we'll sell a thousand over next 36 hours, so will make a good atmosphere, but every shout counts...

He's been disappointing for the last few weeks...