57 minutes ago, roversfan99 said:

What message did he leave?

I doubt he reads the messageboard to be fair.

He sent us a video thanking all the fans for their support, he’ll be watching his brother as a fan and can’t wait to one day come back. It was included in a podcast episode. 

18 minutes ago, Andy said:

I find it bizarre that some folk make things up for the sake of attention / causing chaos (like all of the above instances).

There must be better ways to spend your spare time.

If it was all made up how do you think BRFCS ended up with the first message to Rovers fans from Adam after he left? Released before the club, in fact?

23 hours ago, Tricky said:

Markanday 

I’m astonished anyone thinks Markanday has anything about him. He’s rubbish. 

12 hours ago, Miller11 said:

“We love it when the away team bring a big following. Like Preston and Wrexham. There is really only an atmosphere when the away end is full. We want to play in front of a full house.”

- Aynsley Pears. In that infamous meeting at the start of February.

Gallagher and Hyam were in agreement.

I'm sure they do think that - the question is whether the opposition get an increase % performance higher than our players. It's impossible to answer but my eye test tells me that when we have a big game and a huge away followings we crumble. Games against Preston, Wrexham and Newcastle for me aren't comparable - PNE was a local derby in the first half of the season (which we lost), Wrexham we where favourite's and didn't crack but ultimately where playing a L2 team and all of the pressure was on the opposition for the Newcastle game.

There's a reason playing at home is considered an advantage. The Sheff Weds players described it as a 'like a home game' and our Manager said 'a big away following has an impact but we won't use it as an excuse' (whatever that means). In my opinion there's absolutely no argument that in a potentially league-defining game giving the opposition 7K fans has a net-negative effect on our clearly poor-under-pressure players.

3 minutes ago, Ghost7 said:

Could someone help me understand what the consequences would have been if Pears had clawed the ball away with his hands after the miss kick.

Is it a yellow card and an indirect freekick or would he have walked? 

The former is my understanding. 

49 minutes ago, ruggles1995 said:

My 11 I would go for:

Pears (there is nobody else)
JRC Carter ORiordan (if whartons injured) Chrisene
                    Tronstad Buckley
Dolan szmodics Gilsenan

          Gallagher 

I am not a massive fan of the above 11 btw its just about all I can think of maybe getting something out of the current dreadful group. 

Whilst I too think Markanday is rubbish, Gilsenan has a (back?) injury that will see him out for 4 weeks. I think Markanday is probably better than Gilsenan if Zak can't walk. 

On 21/04/2024 at 02:48, Hannoverover said:

Would you keep Telalovic or Vale? I think Vale has a more impressive record so I would keep Vale if we were to keep one of them. I haven't seen enough of either this season to make a decision though...

I wouldn't pick either of them in my Monday night 6 a side league. 

37 minutes ago, arbitro said:

Rovers under 21's play Arsenal at Ewood tonight. If I was Eustace I would be insisting on Koumetio and O'Riordan playing with a view to seeing if they can play against Coventry in Saturday. We desperately need some pace at centre half and aside from Carter we have none. However I don't for one second think either will play. Eustace likes his experienced players irrespective of his badly they are playing. Hopefully Michalski plays too.

I was told Koumetio is a bit of a running joke at Brockhall between the players and coaches. He's absolutely terrible and at this point is essentially here to be used for shape drills.

On 18/03/2024 at 10:25, chaddyrovers said:

 

 

Get him in nets on Saturday. 

LET Ratings:

Pears - 3;

Brittain - 6, Carter - 5, Hyam - 4, Wharton - 6, Pickering - 5;

Tronstad - 4, JRC - 6;

Szmodics - 7;

Dolan - 5, Gallagher - 6.

BRFCS Ratings: 

Pears - 1.2;

Brittain - 3.3, Carter - 4.7, Hyam 2.7, Wharton 4.5, Pickering - 3.8;

Tronstad - 4.4, JRC - 4.5

Szmodics - 6.1

Dolan - 3.5, Gallagher - 3.3

32 minutes ago, NeilInBristol said:

Can some one please explain how he doesn't just catch, punch, kick it away instead of watching it bounce in to the goal?!

He can't think when the pressure is on him. He's in fight or flight at all times. The worst keeper I've seen for us. 

20 minutes ago, TheRevAshton said:

Agree on most of that.

Out of interest, who would be your ideal (and realistic) picks for some of the signings you mentioned?

It's not my job - thankfully - because its unenviable for whoever has to do it. 

Priority List - 

Keeper: Pears & Leo both shown they're incapable at different periods. Leo will likely stay and develop as No2, can't see Pears ego letting him stay as No2. Sell Pears, buy a No1.

RB: We only have one right back. Brittain needs competition. 

CB: Don't want either Koumetio or McFadz and we need five CBs in the squad. Carter, Hyam, NEW, Wharton, ORoirdon. 

LB: Pickering is our only left back. If possible I'd sign Christene, I think he's significantly better than Pickering.

CM: Existing viable options are Tronstad, JRC, Buckley. Will Travis come back? Based on what we've seen it'll either be Tronstad or Travis, will Travis accept that? Will Buckley ever come good? I don't want: Fleck, Garrett or Ayari. That means I need at least one creative CM with another needed if Travis doesn't want to stay.

Wide Players: Unlike others, I've been really impressed with Sigurdsson. He didn't have a pre-season and clearly signed for JDT who was subsequently forced out. I like Dolan, he can be frustrating but he's capable. Hedges is a very good player to keep within the squad. I make that three players and ideally want four. Hopefully Markanday is sold, he's shown glimpses but in the most part has been terrible. 

Strikers: Szmodics is obviously vital to our club. Gallagher should be sold in the summer - he has his positives but his contract is running out, he clearly wanted the Ipswich move and he's never achieved stats to back up what we paid for him initially nor his high contract. Telalovic and Vale need to be sold, frankly I'd be fine seeing both released on a free. 

I therefore think across signings, loans and promotions we need to fill the below, colour coded as 'green = must be experienced and permanent, yellow = could be a short term loan with a buy option, red = could be a young player either purchased or promoted'.

No1 Keeper

A CB that is fighting to be our third behind Carter and Hyam

A right back that can push Brittain

A left back that is better than Pickering

A creative CM that is tall, strong and can create chances. 

A tackling CM in the mould of Tronstad if Travis leaves

At least one wide forward who's at least as good as what we already have

A first choice no9 striker to replace Gallagher

A back up striker that is actually viable to replace Telalovic and Vale. 

That's 5 expensive, first choice purchases or free transfers.

3 top-flight loan players

1 cheap player - either a free transfer or internal promotion. 

Leaving the squad as:

New Keeper, Wahlsted, 3rd Choice Keeper

Brittain, New

Carter, Hyam, New, Wharton, ORoirdon

New, Pickering

JRC, Tronstad, Buckley, Travis, New

Sigurdsson, Dolan, Hedges, New

Szmodics, New, New

I make that 23 players, so we're allowed another two plus youth I believe? Youth can be: Leonard, Batty, Gent, Barnes, Gilsnan, Fyles, Eastham, Gamble, Finneran.

4 hours ago, TheRevAshton said:

The window opens in 7/8 weeks, they need to get their ducks in a row, agree a budget and start narrowing down the list of targets.

If we're allowed to spend, i'd be over the moon with something like the following;

Duncan McGuire - Free
Louie Sibley - Free
Liam Millar - 2.5m
Harrison Burrows - 4m    
Karamoko Dembele - 800k
Abu Kamara - 2.5m

That'd be just shy of 10m spent, incredibly optimistic and unlikely I know, but could become more of a possibility if/when we sell Szmodics.

Either way, I hope Gregg is able to spend a good few quid with all of the millions we've had (and have) coming in.

McGuire - minimum 2.5M

Sibley - is U22 so will have a fee

Millar - minimum 4M given successes at PNE

Burrows - likely going up with Peterborough - captain? 

Dembele - like the idea, not sure 800K does it though

Kamara - suspect first team at Norwich who have more money than us.

I reckon your list, if at all possible, would be closer to 20M. Can't see us spending anything like that.

On 14/04/2024 at 14:04, chaddyrovers said:

I don't see why we need 2 centre midfielders when you got JRC, Tronstad, Buckley, Travis and maybe Garrett. 

 

 

Because JRC has played his best football for us as a right back, Buckley has never quite managed to do what he teased he might and Garrett is not good enough. 

2 minutes ago, Parsonblue said:

I agree with regard to season ticket sales and the new TV deal is more likely to decrease sales rather than increase them.  I looked at Sunderland and Leeds with 40,000 and 30,000 plus on each ground and fans paying £30 + per ticket.  I'm going to have to pay £33 at Leicester and that's an OAP price!  FFP makes it almost impossible to compete income wise over the course of a 46 game season.  Hence, I can understand why we will try to fill the Darwen End whenever we can.  

Whilst all of this makes sense, our approach is certainly the easy route. 

23 hours ago, SIMON GARNERS 194 said:

Once again we see fans doing the job for a man on circa 300k.

And unfortunately no matter how good willed it is, it won't happen because its far too ambitious for a man who's sole job is to deliver the bare minimum without rocking the boat. 

Former scout Bruno Reis speaks about outgoing finance Director Mike Cheston. 

39 minutes ago, Tom said:

It’s not all negative at least

Steve Waggott secured a £40k / 13% increase to £308k

Total guesswork, but his salary changes year on year so my assumption would be his salary is dictated by success on and off the pitch i.e. its gone up this period because our commercial income increased and we finished 7th in the league. It wouldn't surprise me if some of the increase was down to Venky's paying more for sponsorship to help invest money into the club, which is bonkers.

15 hours ago, Herbie6590 said:

Does anyone think they might fit a 2XL (48”) or know someone who would wear one…? 🤔

I dream of seeing @ABBEY wearing BRFCS merch. 

7 hours ago, bazza said:

Harry Leonard may be the new Sammie next season under JE.

Its vitally important we stop this mindset of selling our best players is fine because there's always a ready to go replacement in the U21s. It might have happened before but relying on it is so, so dangerous. 

Give away another, give away another..!

Looking forward to the Trust's AGM. Would be great to clarification on whether this is "Q&A" or listen to Waggott and Eustace, then move on to Trust business without them? 

3 hours ago, rigger said:

He isn't a Rover anymore, so I don't care.

Clearly a man that didn’t listen to the BRFCS pod with an exclusive comment from Adam where he said he would always be a Rover and would be back some day!