Good post. Regardless of the quality of the academy a young player will want to join the PL clubs first. So it will come down to catchment area and how far parents are able or willing to travel. Your Damien Duffs are certainly more likely to go to one of the local PL academies. It's one thing being in the Championship but a whole other problem being in L1 for any length of time with nothing for youngsters to aim for except graduating to other clubs' youth teams. Brockhall's infrastructure will only get us so far. We need to bounce back for this to work I guess. So I'm back to being stumped. Maybe they are simply stupid after all.

Can't quite work out what the Raos intentions are with the academy. Do they see top flight (or even second tier) football as vanity and feel there is money to be made from growing our own players and selling them. I guess if Lenihan goes for £2.5m or more then he pays for this season's academy costs. Much like Hanley has done. But if that was the play, why would they not protect their investment by offering Mahoney a proper deal? They will have a very short window for their player farm to get to market. If a player comes through and signs a four year deal (on a pittance btw) then he will need to be sold in the first two years to make any real money. Which means they have to make a massive impact in year 1 and remain consistent in year 2. For it to work they need one successful youth player every season. Now, how does that stack up with EPPP? According to this http://www.fsf.org.uk/latest-news/view/the-eppp-and-why-youth-development-matters the compensation is based on academy status so remaining Cat One will keep the wolves from the door. The fact that the Raos continue to invest in this - at the expense of the first team - suggests that this is all about turning this into a money making enterprise. Kinder's comments about the division of the first team not being important to Cat One do allude to the fact that tye academy is the be all and end all of Blackburn Rovers under their tenure. Is that why they are still here? And are we all comfortable that this is the kind of club we may already be? Is it any wonder that first team attendances have fallen through the floor? On this basis, we could be stuck with Venkys for years and years and years. The price to watch first team football could well continue to increase because it isn't that important and they have no time for the fans.

Kean offered nothing to English football. He should have been sent back to where he came from. And I don't mean Cumbernauld, I mean putting out cones and handing out bibs. I'd hate for anyone to get the wrong impression considering how touchy people are.

Old hat thinking. If the football authorities really wanted to promote matchgoing they'd cap ticket prices.

A lot of effort to prove my point - thanks @Dunnfc! No way can Bowyer take any credit for Judge, nor Mahoney for that matter though. I'd also put Akpan as more of a hit than Steele.

Ringing up clubs to see if they have anyone available? That's lower league management and borderline amateur behaviour. What a nonsense. If that's the case I've clearly been giving Gaz too much credit. It was just luck after all. 50% was merely the law of averages.

Well for every oversight there was the odd success story. I think Bowyer's recruitment success was a creditable 50%. If only we had had an actual manager to get the best out of them.

Bowyer signed Judge.

As a fan of Bowyer and Lowe, I expect attack-minded players must be a frustration to you. Just exactly how loyal has Lowe been considering he was an ever present last season and therefore instrumental in our relegation? But no, kick the young lads instead of the proven failures.

Football 2017 needs its head checking. Such a shame some fans are now going to demonise the lad. He's shown desire more going forward than anyone since Hoilett and has been messed around for years whilst under contract. Is it any wonder he wants to consider his options before signing up for another 2-3 years with this basket case of a club? There is still uncertainly as to whether Mowbray will see his assurances backed up with funds. If they aren't he could walk. Hardly a great environment for a developing player.

Reliably informed, eh? So you have no @#/? clue then. Some things are more important than money, granted but allowing Venkys to throw your career down the toilet? Amazing that he won't stay though given how highly some fans think of him. You're on ignore now. Your posts are getting worse and worse.

Lambert. All I've said is speak to the lad himself and decide if you think he has ego or humility issues. Having done so I can assure you he hasn't. Think 'Rovers fan whose dream has been to play for Rovers' then add in the fact that it's now his job and consider how badly Rovers is run - and what the prospects are for the future (both Venkys' Rovers and his own). Personally I'd advise my own son to move on for the good of their future.

Speak to the guy and then give me your opinion. Or carry on dreaming about Venkys.

Wouldn't be at all surprised if we have offered him a lower wage and don't qualify for compo. If his current contract has a Championship wage and a League One wage then it would still represent a pay cut in real terms for Mahoney. Fits and starts? This lad is at the start of his career and will develop. Of course he won't be the finished article. Better than the club? Ego? Tell you what, have a chat with the lad and get back to me. A more humble person you will struggle to find. What has happened for Rovers and for him will have torn his heart out. But at the end of the day, Venkys do not value players or understand football. We have downgraded season on season and will continue to do so. I wish him well. He certainly deserves better than to be messed about by Venkys' Rovers - and that's on top of being messed about by Coyle.

I thought United just wanted it more but yes Ajax were poor.

How many Mowbray threads do we need?

People believe it though. No word of a lie, a bloke collared me at work this morning about the story that Mowbray had been offered a new contract: "Good news, it means Venkys look like they are getting their act together".

Let's see what the line of questioning is. The is the chance for the local media to give a platform for the protest message. Let's hope it's not an attempt to quiz Duncan on his policies for taxation and schooling in order to embarrass and undermine the message. Good luck Duncan and team.

Why are you lining this up for failure. The score here is that it's even a protest. The media need to do their bit though and at least mention it. I don't expect RL or LT to though. I don't expect this to get thousands of votes and even if it did, I don't expect the council to talk much notice directly. The issue for the council here (and Hollern) is the damage that the Rao family have done and continue to do to the reputation of this town. As the owners of a club bearing the town's name, they should be required to meet with the council and explain their actions. Or declare the use of the town's name publically withdrawn meaning that the club does not have the council's permission to use it as a part of their brand. Even if only a symbolic gesture rather than anything legal.

Horrible horrible reading but an excellent piece. I would urge any newbie to the site to read this. Better still, it should be made into leaflets and handed out to fans. Hard not to feel angry even now about the lip-licker. Will never forgive him for the part he played.

Just watching the celebration event that they are shutting White Hart Lane (for 12 months). Some of the players they are wheeling out are real C listers - maybe it's a non-Spurs fan view. Can't help think about the calibre of players that Rovers could parade as former players and managers. Thousands of Spurs fans straight after a match day all celebrating together. Yet, what did Rovers do two years ago? Had a secret event in front of an empty stadium with a small band of sycophants. Very disappointing.

If I didn't I'd Top accountants would explain that Rovers is not a going concern and to liquidate. Possible cuts, eh? I used to think he was good but Nixon might actually be a savant.

Imagine being a Crewe fan over the years... they could have been a Premier League club.

Mahoney leaving upsets me greatly. Another dropped ball in the Desai-Rao era.

Not saying I disagree but where does that thinking get people though? A little richer with the money saved? Probably spend it on something else. Less stressful? Not really because the club is still going backwards, the results are invariably crap resulting in relegation and the NAPM guys still genuinely care. More bitter? Probably. They are sacrificing something they love and because the majority don't agree that a boycott is the right thing to do, they aren't actually hurting Venkys. Angrier? Almost certainly, and with the added bonus of being described as the main problem by certain sections of the support. Seriously. As much as it is a matter of pride (perversely the same reason Venkys won't go either) is this simply a waiting game, hoping that Venkys will leave? How long will that continue to be the position - indefinitely? Ironically most of our recent, more acute problems seem to be because Venkys have adopted a NAPM stance as well; whether by necessity or spite.