47er

At 17 Elliott is a far better player than Brereton. Rooney was a regular first team player at 16 and there are plenty of other examples. They were worth top dollar, Brereton not so. You can argue till you are blue in the face (and I know you will!) but its all about the fee. We could and should have done much better for that sort of money at that time. His signing didn't help the team at all. In fact he had a negative effect---we played him when he had nothing to offer. If the truth is that he was a speculative investment for Balaji then that's how we should judge the success or otherwise of that transfer deal. Nothing to do with football and all about money for the owners.

A joke yes? Faced with an open goal Brereton had 2 options for 2 seasons: 1) hit the woodwork 2) trip over his own ankles We are all delighted he's come good but there was nothing to suggest it and you pretending you had the greater insight is laughable.

When we are a regular established Premier league side again I might forgive them. Interesting that the only stuff we read then, with one or two honourable exceptions, were how nasty the fans were to poor Steve Kean. Nobody in the media has ever said sorry to the fans.

"fleeting"----2 years!!!!! Welcome back Biz by the way!

Terrific young player, hope we are trying hard enough to keep him.

I came to that conclusion at the time, it really was not inappropriate. He's been very good this season BUT I still don't believe this means we got a great deal or that we couldn't have spent that money so much better. If that money was never available for someone else as some claim, then I blame the owners. If it was TM's choice, then I blame him.

I don't think anyone blames him so much as whoever signed him. He seems very appreciative of the fans from comments he has made. In any case he's playing well now, something I never expected. Better late than never!

Its a bit long!

Norwich----top.

And you consistently show no respect to your fellow Rovers supporters many of whom have supported the club through thick and thin for decades longer than you. (Sorry I'm responding to a post from Paul Mani here. Sorry Cucumber!)

So why don't we get the results? Why aren't we up there then?

Are you suggesting this is how normal clubs operate? I notice you ignored my comments about TM's seeming lack of reaction to his job being stolen from under him by the owner telling him what to do (if indeed this is what happened).

Injury record has become a real concern.I can't remember us picking up injuries so regularly. Are we we just unlucky or is there something wrong with our training and/or our medical staff?

That's fair comment but we can only judge on what we see. We don't really know what's happening behind the scenes, we just guess. If TM had no money to improve the defence but had been instructed to buy a young striker for investment purposes not football reasons, then that tells you all you need to know about the owners. Promotion a priority for the fans but irrelevant to the owners seemingly.Yet we are having debates about whether its time to forgive them and welcome them back to Ewood! Anyway, he was bought for the future and played in the present and the club suffered for it---for two years! In your scenario the correct criticism levelled at TM should be that he took it fro the owners and didn't rail against it. Can't imagine Ferguson taking that can you?

I think you meant "discreet" Jim! What makes me laugh is that they get more discreet the older the wearer-----in two ways! First of all they fade as the tattooed one ages, and then they lose their outline as the arm gets fatter and more wrinkly. At that point they become even more discreet as the wearer opts to wear long sleeves throughout the summer! All that dosh for nowt!!

Don't agree. He wasn't criticised because people wanted to get at TM, he was criticised because he was rubbish---- for 2 years! And TM (rightly) got the flack for signing him at such a cost while failing to improve the defence. Not rocket science is it?

We didn't win in anything like the style you predicted though Mercer!

We have a better keeper now?

Get big money for Armstrong, spend it on a "conventional" striker, particularly one who can compete in the air, and keep Dack and I could cope with that! Its more likely that the money would disappear though sadly.

You'll just have to wait!

I don't make judgements about people who are heavily tattooed other than they look horrible and will probably live to regret it. If people want to make idiots of themselves why should I care? On the matter of investment and tattoo removal I would love to invest in a big chain that dominated the market. Money for jam. However there seems to be dozens of little concerns springing up and doubts about their medical standing. However if there is a better definition of idiocy I'd love to know it----pay a fortune and endure unnecessary pain to get disfigured and later pay an even bigger fortune and endure much more pain to get them removed!

Brereton in the LT praising the fans for their support! LOL! https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/18902132.ben-brereton-chile-talk-social-media-support-rovers-form/

Sett End!

Bloody good thing too. I hate them.

Absolutely! The 7M we paid two years ago bears no relation to transfer fees now. As for the Rhodes fee, 7M then was a lot, a real lot!