Pleased to see the same line up. I’d take a point. Tricky midweek away fixture. Avoid defeat to keep the momentum going.

The year we came 6th with Bellamy was 2005/6. Struggled to get over 20k even when the big teams filled the Darwen End.

There were several seasons in the Prem where we got little over 15k home fans on. The year we came 6th with Bellamy and co. Regularly failed to break 20k even with away fans. This isn’t a new phenomenon.

Can only imagine that he’s saving Holtby for the coming fixtures as we have a 3 game week. Didnt see this last two weeks coming. I was all for Mowbray’s sacking in the middle of Nov but you can’t knock the turnaround. 2 points off top 6. Crazy. Well played.

Rothwell has had several very average games this season, last weekend being one of them. Im glad he’s getting a run of games however and think he’s got plenty of potential, but let’s not take it too far. It’s been equally significant that Lenihan has returned to the team and Nyambe is now playing RB instead of Bennett.

Dack is a step up from Rhodes on many fronts. Dack scores goals but is also our main creative outlet. He makes things happen. Not saying he’s ready for the Prem but I think he’s got a far better chance of making it than Rhodes ever had. Rhodes’ record since leaving Rovers speaks volumes.

Or maybe they’re pragmatic business decisions that have been made because no one is making use of the facilities you’ve listed.. We had 11k on last night. I don’t think you can blame the club for shutting parts of the ground if only 1/3rd of it is full.

After the last 8 years, Mowbray is the virus? If this is all it takes for you to start losing your love for the club then I’m not sure where you’ve been since Venky’s arrived. TM needs to go. We need new ideas. He still doesn’t know his best team and his transfers have not worked out.

The results haven’t improved from last season. We’ve played some good stuff in patches but it’s not equated to points. We need new ideas.

Yes yes yes. No one is disputing that. This summer, they backed the manager. That’s the point.

I haven’t read any reaction and for full disclosure, we’d left the stadium by the time Armstrong scored. Put simply, that was unacceptable. Pitiful. We created nothing and our defence was appalling. Naively, I thought capitulations against bang average teams were a thing of the past. I compare that display with the game at Fulham. We lost that day but gave it a good go and looked a threat. Miles ahead of today. Why is Johnson not involved? Graham was abysmal and shockingly, Rothwell is not the second coming. Bennett and Evans were invisible. Bell is league 1. Who is to blame? Everyone involved.

Notts Forest at home? Pull yourself together. Some of the hysterical reaction on here is pathetic.

Were the better team, deserved to win. Travis and Downing ran the game. Bennett looked solid.

So we’re criticising the club for not signing cheap players and getting promoted. It’s not an easy thing to do. That does not justify the Brereton signing but I don’t think it’s fair to look at Pukki and then consider it easy to sign a 20 goal a season championship striker for nothing. How much did Villa spend to get promoted by the way?

Not sure that back line ever played together. Warnock and Emerton were the full backs when Samba and Nelsen were our cbs.

Dack was cited as a player we brought in on the cheap and you changed the parameters to strikers only. We know he considerably overpaid for Brereton and Gally has to start scoring. But Mowbray has bought influential players for small amounts. How much did Johnson, Downing and Holtby cost?

Like how Williams has been dropped? Cunningham? Dack? Lenihan? Etc. You get the gist. The wider squad is being rotated and we’re winning. It’s a good position to be in. My question is why are you choosing to bring this up when there’s plenty to be pleased about. If that’s considered point scoring then so be it. Likewise.

Are the players really ill? Why are you even trying to go there? What’s the point? If we win without Rothwell then so be it. It’s not Rothwell FC. Holtby is a great signing, let’s not use that as a stick to beat people with. Our squad is the strongest it’s been in many years. Someone will have to be left out. We’re in the top half and gaining momentum. What is more pleasing is the way we’re playing. Very encouraging signs. Also, the away kit. No. Hard to pick out our players against Reading’s kit today.

Impressed with Bennett. Really looked assured. Evans didn’t do much. Johnson gave us more solidity and composure. Our quality shone through at the end. Didn’t play great but got the job done. The depth to our squad is very impressive. When you can bring on Johnson, Holtby and Graham during the game, that is the difference between us and teams like Reading.

Complaining that we have too much competition in midfield. I long for the days of Akpan and Guthrie.

Stop blaming the strategy. The tickets aren’t that expensive. They’re competitively priced for the league we’re in. That’s not subjective. Are they more expensive than Preston. I doubt it. Could they be cheaper? Obviously. But where do you draw the line. Do you still want a competitive squad? I’m bored of the excuses. Fans can look to find reasons not to go, that’s their prerogative. There will always be a reason. The product on the pitch. The owners. Transfer activity. Not starting Rothwell. Mowbray. The shade of blue on the shirts. The damage was done years ago. Our crowds have been static since 2013. I genuinely don’t believe that there’s any marketing strategy which will significantly change that. Promotion may be the only way.

Smallwood and Evans are now behind Travis. Mulgrew is warming the bench for Wigan. Surely that says more than any comments made in public..? Rothwell is older than Armstrong and Armstrong gets picked most weeks so I don’t think it’s an age issue. Furthermore, on form alone I’d select Downing ahead of Rothwell at present. Dack came in at 24 (23?) and has been a pivotal player for us. I like Nyambe and his non selection, for me, is the main contentious issue when it comes to Mowbray’s tactics.

This is going around in circles. For me: Play offs are the target. An improvement on last season is the minimum expectation. Two slightly different things. Id like to think that wasn’t too controversial?

I’ve been impressed with Dack this season. End product hasn’t been there so clearly work to improve on but his all round play has been good and he seems to be running himself into the ground each week. He’s a cut above anything else we have. Rothwell has plenty of potential but hasn’t blown me away this season. He has had chances and not made any mistakes but he’s also not done enough to warrant starting above Downing. Think he’s one who gets a better reputation when he doesn’t play..

You don’t expect promotion but do expect top 6 and for heads to roll if we don’t get there.... Thats a mighty fine line to tread. Have you seen our budget and squad in comparison to other teams in this division or is that irrelevant? Out squad is capable of doing better than last season and that’s what I expect us to do. Play offs would be a bonus. Low expectations? Possibly. But at least I’m being realistic. Setting unrealistic expectations and then using it as a stick to beat Mowbray with doesn’t really seem constructive to be honest.