I've never seen him play but it doesn't sound sensational.

Don't forget selection issues.

Personally, I hope we buy a centre-back who can go straight into the team. I'd play Lenihan as a defensive mid-fielder with Travis, and Reed farther forward. I look with great anticipation to that.

Surely, if TM doesn't get us up in the next 2 seasons, he'll be potted? God knows what happens then! Unless the plan is simply to produce an endless succession of Dacks!! As opposed to an endless succession of Breretons of course! If that's his decision he'll already be on marshy ground!

Surely you mean "after" we spent 10M on strikers?!!

They'll have to do more than knock on the door, they'll have to dynamite it!

You do know that I and others have been calling for Travis' selection for a long time don't you? Keep up!

Ah, so If Smallwood had been available, Travis would still have started--is that factually correct? Travis's performances when chosen, do make TM look stupid---fact. If TM continues to ignore him, Travis will leave, either on loan or, worse, ask for a transfer. Not fact, my opinion. Well-founded or far-fetched? Sycophantic----course you are. Never made a criticism of TM in your life!

Not the enthusiastic endorsement I'm looking for.

Usual sycophantic crap from you. I remember you taking the piss when I cast doubts on the summer transfer window! Just to remind you, TM has done great things for Rovers, he is a genuinely good guy and deserves the chance to take this club further. However he does not deserve forever, he has made plenty of mistakes that deserve to be pointed out and, in short, he is not God. You want to see Travis go out on loan while Smallwood replaces him?

You seem to overlook the manner in which we have thrown so many points away needlessly. Manager bound to get stick in this situation.

This is a poor reflection on Mowbray. He has been forced to give Travis his chance only because Smallwood is suspended. Travis has taken out the M.O.M. award! Makes TM looks stupid. Let's hope TM recognises the inevitable.

Let's hope that game marks the end of Travis loan speculation.

I'd take him. He is big, tough and ugly and that's what we were hoping for. We'll only see one Mike England in a lifetime!

Glad to hear it!

If its a fitness issue who's to blame? and why should we have a fitness issue? 1) we've had as much time to get fit as anyone else 2) Didn't TM tell us players coming here found our fitness regime tougher than the club's they'd come from? If its a fitness issue some serious questions need to be put to those responsible. Accountability required here. As for the rest of your post we were looking at the play-offs, now we are left with avoiding relegation. Complacency won't fix it.

Remember Doeuf? Carried the ball from defence to beyond the halfway line? Always got a free kick or a thrown-in!! Team had chance to draw breath and reorganise itself. Absolutely invaluable asset especially in the last few minutes!

We won 4-1 in the promotion year 1991-2 at the old Den.

If so, it was easily fixable in July but we didn't do it. Plenty of posters pointed out how we needed strengthening at full-back and centre-back. TM didn't agree, what makes you think he will this time round?

Its minutes 70 to 90 that are a problem for us! I don't want to think about the next 6 games, the way things are going we'll be relegation candidates by then.

In retrospect the summer recruitment was a disaster. We need almost as many players now as we did then. Reed shines out like a beacon. I thought Rothwell was a great addition but TM apparently doesn't. After that----meh! The key areas we all identified were barely addressed. I know people will say TM couldn't solve all the problems in one window, its that he advanced us hardly at all! Reed, the best one, is only on loan, we can expect to lose Dack, not looking good at the moment.

Don't sack him, help him. Strengthen the team around him. Promote Johnno.

I assume that's gallows humour Stuart! I agree with Tyrone above who suggested we promote Johnno to first team duties. Mowbray needs help whether he likes it or not. Its about assessing our weaknesses and playing a line-up that reflects the players abilities rather than continuing to embrace a method no-one seems to understand or be able to buy into. We are going backwards fast and we are lacking in self-belief. Its a far cry from the team that started the season.

We're now highlighting the number of goals we are shipping in but we also don't score many! Conclusion, we have weaknesses all over the pitch. And it isn't simply about replacing individuals with other individuals, its about rethinking the entire set-up. It clearly doesn't work. Championship clubs have sized us up and are picking us off. that includes Preston and Wigan FFS.

We are 14th, that's not halfway! People should remember that. If we lose against Sheff Utd, as most surely expect the slide into the bottom third is on. I don't believe we will be relegated but I've been wrong before! Right now 14th seems an achievement. Very sad after looking like threatening Top 6.