Hullrover

After 134 mins + shoot out yesterday for my home game & the ridicule I will get at running club in an hour it is still my club and I still look forward to meeting up with friends in the pub before the matches. Planning pub visits for away games. Train journey banter with other fans. It is more than just 90 mins for me. When Rovers score (OK I know ....) I am joyous, when we lose I am moody for a while, but I look forward to the next trip (obviously been a bit moody of late). It might help that I have acceptance that the best days of the JW era are long gone and are unlikely to be repeated, but I also had best days back in the 70's and 80's and I don't see any reason why they will not make a limited return in the future, at whatever level we are playing. And one day, Venky's will go, and I hope we get a better owner. I also wonder how much this malaise also exists at other clubs. There is a litany of clubs who have had poor owners over the last 15-20 years. Fixture changes from the traditional Sat 3:00 pm, price rises, especially at the big clubs. How do Arsenal fans from lower income groups feel? Are they happy just to watch on tv? Or the Utd fans who used to sit behind the dugout and now find themselves relocated for high value tourists? The money in the game has changed everything. There is very limited connection with local players, as soon as they are proven to be any good they are sold on, and not just at Rovers. Clearly some clubs have a much better way than us of running things when this happens though. I will be soldiering on. I would usually go to Ipswich & Norwich as they are good days out but silly KO time has made it a bit pointless and I can watch on tv. But QPR is now Sat 3pm - I hope - and I love a trip to London. Maybe I could boycott Sky, but probably not. Looking forward to the Watford match though (I know!) and a trip to my Blackburn local, and again the following week when I will be on the train with loads of Tigers fans. It is your Rovers, and can only remain so if you stick with it. And that is not a dig at protesters. Good luck to you, I haven't really got the inclination to give up my day out though. And if your aim is achieved I will be more than happy, provided that the next owner does not turn out to be a charlatan.

Similar logic would keep you away from Ewood forever. Hull is a great place and worthy of a weekend visit if you like free museums, a vibrant music scene, decent restaurants and great pubs with good beer. Probably not this weekend though as it is cold, icy and horrible today.

Might have added a few bob to his transfer fee, but one thing is for sure, he won't sign another contract for us due to the international appearance. Someone else will pay him more.

I won't be missing any Saturday games as I have already paid for them. I am happy to stroll in late though if a (sensible - 15 mins 150 yrs, 18.75 mins etc) target time is organised. This tactic was effective for Wolves the other week which was on TV and elicited some explanations of the reasons to viewers. I would do this against Wrexham which is on Sky and will have exposure in USA due to their owners. I don't attend midweek games due to travel and really only have a ST as it guarantees away tickets and I am even less prepared to miss these. Also think the manager is plotting his exit by stating his requirements for January which he probably knows will not be met with adequate players. He will soon have been here longer than most of his other appointments.

Nearer home, which is the usual reason for leaving.

Just like our defence.

Ohashi is getting better at shielding the ball, much improved overall this season but needs more goals. TGH was able to direct from midfield and is strong in the tackle. Ideal from the bench or if Tronstad is injured or suspended. Great to see shots from outside the box.

'there’s a lot of buzz around Ryoya Miroshita' … and now also Andri Guðjohnsen after two goals against France for Iceland (albeit one disallowed). Obviously fit and ready to go.

He will earn is money if he does a job in Makhtar.

If it is I am sure they will apply for a postponement.

The sad thing is that I should be looking forward to signing up for this book, but until I have an idea of content or contributors then I am afraid I won't be doing so. Will there be well written chapters writing about key periods of our history, player bios, great matches, statistics as there were for the Harry Berry & Mike Jackman books. If the book extends the work of those two authors then it will be worth buying. More info please.

Whilst this may well end up being the case, he is at a far earlier stage of his post player career than Coyle who had failed elsewhere. Kean is a different kettle of fish. His signings have yet to be proven as rubbish especially given that (presumably) he is doing as he is told regarding available finance for players.

If we have only conceded 5 goals in 10 games he will not be dropped when others are fit; if we have conceded 15 then he probably will be.

Many of the teams who have impressed me over the last 6/7 years and have gone on to reach the play offs have had strong, fit, fast players in the main so hopefully this is the plan. As you say, we have to wait and see on the new incomings. What is clear is that we have not really had this type of player enough in recent seasons. I suppose we had Amari'i Bell.

It is 74 million if you win, then a cheeky bid might persuade Venkys to sell to you

Presumably the better academy players will get a good pre season with the first team squad and a few will be around and about the bench for the first few games whilst loans are tied up. Is it better to have our own players as spares rather than premier league loans, many of who are despised by the fans because we have to play them regularly. We rarely get young loans who play a really significant part (Elliot & Van Hecke - loved, Morton - disliked even though he played a lot,a few others make a number of apps without ever actually being great) and similarly not many of ours go out to other clubs and are loved by their fans (Carter/Scott W maybe, possibly works with defenders who have a bit of physicality). In fact hardly any of the loans we have sent out over the last few years have returned and done anything for us or anyone else. It iis almost as if a loan out is the kiss of death.

Thanks for this. All it does is reinforce the knowledge of how far we have fallen.

Keep it simple. Do it on the 8th May.

Basic probability tells me that is 1 in 100 that it happens. Takes us to the first game of the play offs in season 2026/27 if we need all 100 games. Might be lucky and be in L2 play offs vs Dolan's Derby or similar.

We will be playing them there soon enough.

I think all 4 sides will be ghost towns. Headline figure for Riverside looks good and is the one that may well be quoted by press or comparison sites. Rest is a PR disaster with largest increases reserved for young adults followed by seniors. Would be surprised if many move to Riverside, possibly a few families where adult wants to save a bit. Might help to hit the numerical sales targets, although not helping towards the financial targets. No indication of walk on prices either, which will increase presumably to punish those who decide not to renew. And don't forget to factor in the fact that the division will lose 2 or 3 Darwen End sell outs, to be replaced by 3 that will be lucky to sell the half the lower tier from the Prem and 3 from Div 1 that will certainly not need the top tier opening. Who will be Cat A next year? Nobbers, one of the current top 4, Wednesday? Will I renew? Yes of course. My JW outer gone up £36 or 12.7% but I get my state pension in July and I want an A ticket for Wrexham or Wycombe or Stockport or Luton, provided they are on a Saturday at a sensible time for train travel. I will get to my usual 15 Ewood games so will probably be paying around par for my tickets. Saves the hassle of buying individual tickets. I fully support anyone who takes a different view though and want rid of the owners as soon as possible.

Still some use for the Derby snakes then.

This is fab!!

Interesting that 4000 adult sales was only 10% below target. The bar is set really low. Barely meets the bill for executive pay. Ironically they are going on sale early which is what people want (why they want to part with their money before the season has finished is completely beyond me) and even if they have also finally listened and dropped the price significantly this will backfire due to the mess that the club now finds itself in. I will of course be renewing, despite only attending around 15 matches each season, as I will be getting my pensioner discount for the second year which has felt like a proper price drop. I hope others get the benefit of a reduction too although I doubt it. Club are welcome to sell my seat for games that I cannot attend due to being midweek or stupidly rearranged to fit in with Sky.

This was very evident in the first 20 mins but to be fair he was chasing back much better in the second half, although when he got to their player he didn't seem to know what to do. Still, really exciting to have someone prepared to take on a defence and have a shot.