I honestly don’t think Mulgrew will stay fit. He has been head and shoulders above almost everyone in L1 but not sure about the level above. I’d hate for him to fade from the game (or Rovers struggle through sentiment). He deserves better.

Ok

If we’ve any ambitions of being a Championship club we need to buy (or loan) some Championship (or even PL) players not League One. Armstrong on loan would be on my list because it looks like a good fit for both clubs and the player. We need a right back (still), and we need adequate replacement for Evanshittingham. Tbf Evans has come good this last few games but he has been dire for large parts of the season. Being really ruthless, a striker to replace Graham and a centre back to replace Mulgrew. Purely down to legs and injuries, it wouldn’t be one season too far for both, in my view. His age will probably tempt some to offer him another year but I’d rather let Mulgrew walk away a hero. That’s said, I’d love to be wrong as he’s a fine leader. Let’s just hope we aren’t approached by Jason Lowe’s agent/mum. We’ve not missed him and he can’t get a gig anywhere but we will still have the same stupid debate if he is even remotely linked.

Ask Mowbray.

Disagree.

Sorry, yes. I agree. Not convinced Mowbray has much stock in this youth team which is a shame. I remember a few years ago Bowyer refusing to play any youngsters in a dead rubber game so it could go either way.

Wrong thread Matty? The U23 lads finished off in style with a 4-1 win last night. Nuttall notched again. ? https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2018/april/report-west-brom-u23s-rovers-u23s/

It’s going to be a very interesting Summer. (Or a thoroughly depressing one )

I would hate to be having to choose this year’s player of the season. It’s been a team effort and everyone has played their part. Dack, Mulgrew, Bennett, Smallwood, Graham, Raya - would be on my shortlist. I’d look at it as, which player of the above can we not cover in their absence? Probably unfairly, Raya would be excluded on this basis, as we automatically have an understudy, although I have very strong concerns about Leutweiler whilst I think Fisher could step up. Deserved his place in the EFL team of the year. Not the same role but Graham could be covered by Armstrong, Samuel, or Nuttall. His goals and influence and experience have been excellent and he has been the model professional all season. Our best striker by a country mile. Smallwood could be covered by Tomlinson or Bennett, or even Travis but would need to have Evans or Bennett alongside him. Losing Smallwood at the same time as Nyambe would have been bad news but may have meant bringing Travis back from the cold to play rb. The way Smallwood adjusted his game to avoid that 10th booking until after the suspension watershed was a testament to his footballing brain. He has been the real surprise package this season and someone I’ll admit to being wrong about on first (underwhelmed) impression. Bennett would be a big miss from the side. Mowbray chose to sacrifice his influence in midfield by bringing in Evans to basically play six defenders whilst being compensated when Dack was playing well. When he wasn’t this was a major self-inflicted blow. Bennett’s problem is his versatility. This means automatically that there is cover for him. However, his energy, passion and work rate has been huge for us. He has been, in my eyes, the under appreciated influence on the pitch. Leading by example, with some tough tackling, energetic runs and heart-on-sleeve celebrations. There was a danger of him becoming a caricature of himself with his “trademark” celebration but there has been nothing artificial about this lad. When Lambert brought him in and he talked about “being fit and being Paul Lambert fit” you just knew the kind of pro you were getting. He has not done anything to dissuade me of his influence. Mulgrew. We have struggled when he has been out this season, make no mistake. Not necessarily for his footballing ability as a cb but for his set piece goals and his obvious leadership. He has had some wobbles too this season. Could we cover him? Only if Lenihan is fit and with Bell in the side to allow Williams to move inside. A back four of Bell Williams Lenihan Nyambe would not have me reaching for the whiskey bottle. Dack. In attack he has been immense this season. It’s been plaudits galore: EFL, PFA, individual and team. Could we cope without him. In my view, yes, just. With Armstrong and Payne (and if Chapman had stayed fit) he may not have risen to the heights he has. I think the bloke is magic - when he is in the mood. When he isn’t, it can be to the detriment of the team - and results. A big influence then, certainly, but Rovers player of the season? I’m not sure. Even typing that sounds churlish but I just think our season has been about more than just the cherry on top and with Smallwood and Bennett in the engine room he has been afforded more freedom than he might otherwise have had. TLDR? All things considered, I’d go for Bennett as my Player of the Season. Edging out Mulgrew and Dack by a point of two. Meanwhile, the official winner will be Dack IMHO.

Great to see youngsters enjoying being Rovers fans despite our current position. It’s likd the antidote to City shirt wearing know-nowts. (I blame the parents). Players like Dack who bang in quality goals, and look as though they are really enjoying themselves whilst doing it, are a massive influence on young fans.

Everyone’s jumped on Chaddy there but it’s a simple innocent ‘fan wish’ comment, surely? Chaddy, an emoji on the end of a sentence like that would go a long way. ?

Rovers are champions!! ? Well done to Damien, David and the young lads.

First VAR and now this?? The game I loved is dead. (Sorry, I’ve got a new app)

Would he be saying all this if he hadn’t just been relegated? Not sure but it’s an interesting perspective. Nicky Butt on U23 and academy football. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/43745108

He scored in the last two matches. Is he supposed to score every 90 minutes?

I’d sooner we just won our last game Mike. I think part of the problem tonight was knowing that a draw would do whereas Villa had to win and then do everything and anything to hang on.

Real shame this evening. A sucker punch right at the end of a reasonably even first half. Second half we just couldn’t make our possession count and lacked the killer ball. Villa are most cynical youth side I’ve seen this season. Dirty, whinging and time-wasting. Clearly the image of their manager - who looked like he got dressed in the dark. In a hostel. In a tramp’s clothes. Really hope we get the point we need against one of Villa’s local rivals. I’d be disgusted if they won the league. Oh, and the ref made the worst L1 official look like Bradley Wiggins. Couldn’t keep up with play and was very poor. All in all, I think the occasion got to our lads. I think we’d have got a draw at the humble County Ground. They looked dejected at the end. Johnson threw the kitchen sink at then but we didn’t really fashion a clear-cut chance all evening.

Good post Chaddy. And no, Mowbray wasn’t in his usual perch last night. I expect he was busy preparing the team for tonight’s game.

Bit naughty that pb. Nobody mentioned Graham but Nuttall was ahead of Samuel at the time and on the face was dropped for political reasons rather than form. ‘Can’t be seen to be dropping a player I’ve bought’.

May as well shut all of the academies down on that basis. A promotion campaign is exactly the time to blood some of them because they will benefit from playing with good players who are high on confidence. Certainly won’t be the right time in a relegation battle. Even worse is when managers stick two or three out with a second string side in the cup competitions. The players get nothing but expected to outperform their peers and the manager learns nothing about a makeshift side.

“His lads” - he doesnt help himself does he?! We are going to miss out on some of these young players when it comes to contract renewal. There are so many scouts down at the County Ground now it’s ridiculous. It just seems to have been a nice ‘pet team’ for Mowbray to have this season. Next season he needs to be sending out some of these lads on loan to get some experience. Although Tomlinson, Nuttall and Travis are ready now. What is he going to do with them? Magloire and Grayson will be the next ones.

He dropped Nuttall ages ago, and Tomlinson even sooner. You and I both know Travis should be cover for Nyambe and not Bennett. We have other clubs coveting our youngsters and a forward thinking manager would be making use of them. What happens next season (hopefully) in the Championship? “It’s too big a step up” will be the excuse made on behalf of Mowbray by people who have never seen our young lads play. Yet they are routinely beating other PL teams’ U23s. This is meant to be a ‘premier’ competition - albeit at reserve level. We are the only L1 club to have U23s in it (and winning Div 2) and yet cannot produce any L1 players. That’s down to Mowbray. Johnson is keeping up his part of the deal, Mowbray is turning a blind eye. Made worse by the fact that he regularly watches them!

Both he and Nuttall (who scored our second tonight) seem to have been unceremoniously dumped from the first team this season. How Mowbray treats our young lads has been nearly as frustrating as his tinkering with the line up. He has certainly put Nuttall’s development back, and for what? To keep Samuel happy? Dropping him after his first spell dented his confidence - perhaps Mowbray thinks he doesn’t work hard enough but I’m not sure Samuel’s work rate has been great either and Nuttall had been in fine scoring firm at the time. Likewise Travis. Yes, he overstepped the mark (once) but Mowbray has weakened our midfield in order to make a point to young Lewis by playing Bennett out of position instead of him - during an injury crisis and with a career rb who he also doesn’t trust. Presumably because of that rash challenge. Hardly a crime. Maybe he is being especially harsh to send a message but I’m not sure what the message is. He just seems to prefer his own men. Even Tomlinson has been largely overlooked after a cracking debut last season. It’s a testament to what Johnson and Dunn have built that they will almost certainly win the league by utilising a style of play and an attacking ethos - mixed with a real desire and even aggression - which can withstand Mowbray’s occasional dabble. Almost seems like the U23s are their own team at times rather than a feeder for the first team. Probably wise for as long as Tony “why spend money on the academy” Mowbray is here. All that said, it’s the first team league table that matters so as long as TM wins his version then fans can be happy. Long term I just hope we can keep hold of Johnson until TM reaches his expiry date. Because I don’t think he is the man to cultivate, or integrate, our young talent into first team regulars.

Freeloaders. You'd better save me a seat.

Really enjoyable match tonight. Excellent team performance with LewisTravis and Stefan Mols the real stand outs; Mols getting a goal on his first game back after injury - much to the delight of his personal fan club / family. 2-0 win and now only a point needed to win the title. Hopefully we can ack Ewood next week (we’ll the JW lower anyway) and see them over the line. https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2018/april/u23s-report-newcastle-h/