Plus Sammie is 26 now

He deserves a good reception because he didn't really get a great send off the club managed to cock that up. Plus he'd spent a good few months unendearing himself to a lot of people. If he takes the points and jumps around in the dugout he should be banned from entering the area ever again.

Surely the second group falls under the jury is out at this stage. Nobody knew much about Van Hecke before last season he was more or less unheard of. Rothwell had done the square root of fck all here until a spell first half of last season.

Something iv'e been saying ages that the Brentford model here is nonsense it was just pitched by the previous regime as another get out of jail card when pressure was on. 100% correct we just exist on a whim, they spent early in Bowyers time, they spent big early in Mowbrays time. Just history repeating itself with a new manager but it's the lack of consistency that causes the issues as time moves on. Just as likely as more investment in summer is another round of budget cuts and big sales. So we need to make the most of it now !

He doesn't want to leave is the top and bottom of it and the owners are obviously happy not to sell unless the money was unreal. It was never going to be and both parties knew that that's why it's all been so relaxed. The club could use the money but now the onus is on Vs to fill that gap when he leaves for nowt in summer. Although the outside option remains to grab a bit in Jan if it makes sense. There'll probably be a few hooters out of joint behind the scenes at Rovers and a few agents so it's worth it just for that as far as i'm concerned. For once though it isn't a greedy head turned pissed off player he knows there'll be far wider and probably more lucrative offers soon. Ben Brereton Diaz i salute you sir, now Rovers shape up and offer him something tempting there'll could still be a big potential return yet.

They still won't hit the right numbers

As others have said there are two or three who can fill in there better. He is not a right back or rwb and keep sticking him there is ruining any development he might have. Apart from maybe character building, far better he goes on loan and gets some action at a level that suits him better.

Why ?

That's why they hired him. He'll do what it says on the tin for a couple of years but any no wins in ten runs he'll be gone make no mistake. Makems WILL have his head on a stick not just sit in silence and moan on the interweb.

So if the loyalty bonus allegedly replaced the signing on fee then it could still be a hefty chunk of his deal, 10% = 700k Agents work on a two way basis sometimes so it depends if anyone at Ewood has been actively trying to sell on behalf of the club. Forest if the fee is say 10 mill get a % of the 3 million, with seven already having been paid and all the rest thrown in like i said it seems pointless selling. How much of the money would actually get reinvested unless it came in one lump payment - again unlikey. Keep him And if i was him i'd wait till summer or even sign a new deal with a clause he really could be a 25 million player with better clubs after him by then.

Managers iv'e seen are from Saxton onwards although a kid then and didn't take much notice of tactics or anything. So if i'm placing him down the pecking order he'd be 6th. Just a shade in front of Bowyer but behind Don Mackay by a good few points Not bad as he's behind some real top notch names there but most of the chasing pack are dross.

Exactly This is where we are at now the sale of him makes little sense because the money, not likely to be much, won't be spent. Take off Forests cut and agents fees and whatever the player might be owed there's a bit carried over to summer maybe. If the owners are prepared to invest again next summer though with FFP allowing it then his sale now is pointless. 15/20 mill hell yes you've got to deal now but anything less forget it. Of course it shouldn't have come to this but it has so lets get the best out of him as a fan that's what i want to see not 8 million or so disappear into thin air and a toothless attack.

Wait...he didn't mention Middlesbrough ?

Hasn't it been said the new cycle of FFP will mean a sale doesn't really matter because the owners can inject more next season anyway. If they chose to do so of course and that's why the club has been relaxed about it ?

That's so bad it's almost good

The very best thing for both the player and club is JRC going out on loan to remove him from the 1st team equation. Hopefully he then gets a season of football he is more suited to and in a position that suits he's never a championship right back whilst he breathes air.

With the amount of teams so called registering interest in Brererton Rovers should be able to clear 25 million !

Can we sack off all the daft calls on here to sell BBD as if the money is going in to your own pockets. It would be suicide to the season to do so and shouldn't be entertained unless there is a ridiculous offer. Superb tonight and a superb win COYB

Mowbray probably doesn't go into interviews making demands of a million quid a year 4 year contract, 20 million war chest and bringing in a dozen back room staff. He'll initially work with what he has and work for modest money and shorter term deals that's why he'll always appeal to championship owners. Alongside his experience and modest track record of course, then there are his connections and eye for good young loanees. The phrase you can do better but you could do a lot worse was coined for Tony Mowbray.

And there goes the jug of cold water.....

No

If Mowbray pays money for Pears all is forgiven it'll be like history repeating itself with Steele.

I hope he told Sunderland he'd have to do the school run every morning and how tired he gets every Jan/Feb (when in a non winning run). Also how he wishes managers could have two weeks off every mid season. No, i doubt he mentioned any of that but he might have said there's a lad called Johnson i fancy for the false 9 !

It'll be Jan and next summer when Mowbray and his new gang come sniffing.

He just knew he could rest on his laurels here after the first few seasons he's as crafty as they come. Unlikely to get away with that up there beyond maybe this season but he always tends to do well in his first full season at clubs. A two year contract he might well be tempted to just go for it next season although i don't think that is in his dna.