The damage was done before Waggot got here but it doesn't make sense for him to compound it.

It would be nice if you could empathise with people who cannot afford to pay for Sky, Amazon and Netflix and stop being one of Thatcher's children for once. For decades, live cricket, for example, was free on the BBC. Poorer people are now deprived of it.

Fair enough. I never put this thread up from a judgemental point of view anyway. A bit of nostalgia and also interesting because I never heard of it at the time (or I've forgotten) was my take. I just about remember Ben Thornley and who knows whether he would have gone on to be a superstar or not?

I wasn't at the game he put Ardilles out of but those who were came back very angry about it.

We really only got around 20000 fans when we were in the Premier League, sometimes rather less. The 25000 average was made up from away supporters. And, prices were cheaper then! Have to recognise reality I'm afraid. We have a relatively small pool of fans to draw on and it will take years to undo the damage Venkys have caused. Additionally the area is one of the poorest in the country. Income is increasingly dependent on sponsorship and broadcast rights and our club executives have to pull out all the stops there. In particular they should be agitating for a better rate and share of TV money.

Well of course he would be and I'd put any doubts I had aside for the the duration of his hopefully successful run! The "caveat" I made about his past Premiership experience is simply the truth, doesn't mean he's doomed does it? I think if would be a very dull MB if everyone felt the same which is often how you seem to want it. Offering him a 6 year contract now was your suggestion, bit too deferential and naive, imo.

I think you might have have hit the nail on the head with your 2nd sentence.

As I said, if he gets us up, he deserves the chance to carry on. And then be judged on how we do. Would you have it any other way?

Agree with Rover 99 on this, Waggot seems unbelievably clueless. He does not seem to have any understanding that anything he has done has reduced potential crowds. If he needs help, there were plenty of good suggestions on here. Read the thread Mr Waggot, we don't mind earning your salary for you!

I think the vast majority of people on here do think Mowbray is the man to get us promoted. Or at least believe he should be given the chance. However I'd be less sure about whether he'd be the man to take us on from there. He does not have an imposing record of Premiership management after all. However, in my view, as I've already said, having got us up, TM would deserve his chance to continue to lead us. The problem on here is that some posters can't take any criticism of TM at all. He has his faults and they would be magnified in the Premiership. As for Warnock, he is good at getting teams promoted but that's where it ends.

He'd also be much better in a side that attacked more consistently over the course of a game.

A poor man's Kevin Andrews.

I don't believe he'll go in January. I think Venkys are backing TM to achieve promotion.(not necessarily this season!). January window will be quite illuminating. Will TM get the opportunity to develop a promotion squad over 3 or 4 windows? Its been a good start.

That was Gav!

OK!

Guardian article on Ben Thornley today, a Manu youngster in the early 90's. Its claimed that he was the best of his generation---better than Giggs or Scholes or Beckham. His career was ended by an horrendous tackle by Marker in a reserve game at Ewood Park. His knee was apparently utterly shattered and he never recovered. He did sue Rovers and Marker later and received compensation. Don't remember hearing about this at the time. I remember that generally Marker was an excellent back-up in midfield. When we played Spurs at White Hart Lane they were totally confident of winning easily as we our usual central midfielders were out with injury. In fact, Marker and Atkins ran the game and we won comfortably! However, Marker was a dirty sod and ended Ardilles' season when he played against us for Plymouth. Can't give a link but its easily found on the Guardian site.

I disagree with the title of this thread, how is Jason Lowe "enigmatic"? Isn't he nearly always the same?

Smith will probably go back to Brentford and buy the players he rates most. That's the usual thing isn't it?

Read somewhere that West Ham have sold 53000 season tickets!! Along with massive TV income you'd think that was a passport to Heaven. Yet, as you say, Bournemouth are mixing with the best. So could we!

So why isn't he playing then?

Well, imo Brereton is no replacement at all! I can only hope you are wrong.

We are linked with Livingston's centre-back and captain Craig Halkett (Scottish Sun).

Bloody hell, you're back!! While you are here---what's the plan? Get promoted and sell? Please!

Love the attitude of those West From fans! They simply assume that Dack is their's so long as they cough up the right money. Like Dack doesn't have a contract wit another club! If I were Dack I'd stay where I was until a much bigger team came along.

Eh? How did you work that one out? I could just as well say you'd be the one complaining on here if we signed him for 6 years and it started to not work after 3! Anyway I've given you my opinion above and I'll stand by it.