If they'd offered him a better one a year or so ago then he might not have i think that's the feeling of many. Tie your best players down and if he flat out refuses because he wants to leave then sell him. This has all very conveniently panned out in favour of Middlesbrough it's as if they had someone here encouraging it.

There was quite a few games he was pretty rigidly out wide although not operating as a winger. Others he seemed to have license to roam around inside more. Either way non of it suited him and as a development plan for a guy his age and size it was totally flawed and has not only hampered him but the team as a whole. That was Mowbray all over though. To be fair to Gally hes always worked hard and hes nabbed a few goals but 95% of his good work here has been sheer workrate and goals when hes got into central positions.

Especially when he's allegedly advising our players to join his former club.

We are a limited Championship team with no money he fit here quite well and probably has his best years coming up.

Other side of the coin is it's good for the bonding and the newbies in the squad getting used to. Young squad also so they should be able to brush it off although ideally the last pre season game would be at home or closer to it.

They were on the coach in Scotland and weren't they already up there anyway ? I think JDTs approach to pre season is quite refreshing so far, 2nd string playing together then first team, instead of the usual mish mash of the two game in game out. Gives it all a bit of structure so i expect similar this week.

That's the plan imo We keep hearing from JDT the word project, with Mowbray it was Journey yet nobody actually sits them down and asks. What is the actual Project How are you going to go about it What is the real plan, the end game, where do you want to be in 2 or 3 seasons.

He has to use the players we have so we are still going to see some slotted in. There's a difference between trying to integrate players into a system and just throwing them around the side just to get them games. Hopefully we see more of option A - because we are developing our own system not running a random tombola at times to try and fox opposition and just keep everybody happy. Time will tell.

Its been the same window dressing for several years now. They'll know pretty early on they've no chance for these kind of players other than subsidized loans.

I think one or two are being a bit harsh on Pickering. Ok he struggled at times today but he was up against quality he'll rarely have come across before, also the way we set up leaves the full backs exposed. Last season was his first at Champ level and overal he did ok but seemed to struggle when he came back from injury. Really all that's missing is a bit of pace that's why he struggles at times. In truth though he isn't a wing back at our level he needs to defend deeper to suit his attributes.

We are a club now who develops players, our own and cheap signings so it's all part and parcel now i'm afraid. The idea is they improve a bit year on year so it remains to be seen with Pickering but we will be seeing. There'll only be back ups brought in if any at all, similar with Carter he'll get his chance now. Looks like the right back, rwb will be between him and JRC these are the pathways Broughon and JDT were on about.

It was JDT who was asked though. I'm sure Sharpe is waiting GB's return calls on the matter, should be an interview by Sept.....2023.

I doubt we'll reach the 20 mill if i'm being honest.

The thing is he'll just be going off Broughtons word about players he'll have told him what he needs. Then GB will be saying to him we have offers in and are talking we'll that you know when one drops. That's the new structure at play whether it's true we are in or not.

Carter is like a new signing just as Wharton was when he came in last season.

Thought that was a perfect workout for the team just what is needed right now to get some steam into the legs. Celtics passing around dragged us all over the place at times which was good for the closing down game and i thought we coped quite well. Worryingly first half we far too much resembled Mowbrays Rovers offering nothing on the flanks. In a game like that the only outlet is the wings/channels to help take pressure off but nothing there. Plus side i much prefer Buckley in a more natural deep midfield role he looks far more comfortable than the false 9 nonsense. Second half once they'd tired a bit and made changes we really came into it and looked decent in attack working some good openings. Gally showed he isn't the finisher to step into BBDs shoes though should he depart. Kaminsky i thought could have done better at times but good showings from Carter, Ayala and Vale which is promising. Pickering and Carter were under the cosh all day but they won't come up against that quality in the Championship too often.

Fair points, we had an ok start and great run but they all played a park in the great demise. Standing in their way though is wide of the mark as at no point did that happen with Nyambe and Lenihen. We failed to tie them down years ago and over the last 6 months they've made their own minds up to go on frees. Just like in the case of the manager when it comes to those 3 players it's all about who comes in to replace them as to whether they are as big a loss as we assume.

Played them off the park for most of it but couldn't get a goal then Tiny goes to sleep and it's 0 1. Second game they schooled us.

I hope the new HoR is someone who likes a challenge. 'Welcome to Rovers, now we need 6 players in the next two weeks all better than what we already have. By the way we've no money to get them so you better start in the bargain bins and trash cans' When you unearth one contact Gregg who'll contact the manager, who'll then decide and contact Gregg who'll contact Steve. He'll then contact the players agent then they'll both approach Suhail, if he likes the agent and deal he'll contact Steve who'll contact the agent again and Gregg, who'll contact the manager. If Suhail doesn't know the agent he'll contact Balaji who'll then contact Babu to see if we can pay it. He'll then contact Suhail who'll contact Steve and Gregg, who'll then inform the manager and player. If by this time the player has been offered a quid more elsewhere and done one then don't worry just move on to the next one.

Yes the narrative is being predictably twisted now as time goes on. Read something on facebook the other day 'fans' agreeing that Mowbray walked because he saw this situation coming and there was no money. Just where the hell do these people come up with this crap from when the guy had been telling all in the media he'd had NO contract offer. And was clearly miffed he hadn't but don't let the truth stand in the way of a good old spin.

The games in the cup years ago drew out an element of our support you rarely see in a league season. The EDL thing though wasn't helped by little groups of them coming into Blackburn from Bolton, Burnley, Leeds etc on the afternoon of our evening game. I don't recall hearing of any major bother at either game though.

A very common theme at other clubs as well judging by the comments.

We don't want to end up in a position where we are trying to make players good enough when they aren't just because we have no one else. It's not beyond comprehension that a lightbuld has gone off in an empty head somewhere, assuming that because we've used a few in recent years then every player coming through is good enough to step up. That wouldn't surprise me one bit and is a road to disaster, JDT will end up another Venky and friends fall guy.

Yes i often wonder where some of the famous Rovers wage bill actually goes and who is on it drawing what. Like many before him Waggot fell into his own little money pit here when he landed this gig. No wonder he's happy to carry on knowing most think he's just another sycophantic pocket filling gravy train rider.

Those above are driving the wages down too low now it seems and that ultimately is why we've lost who we have. Doesn't matter how it ended and what they are now getting elsewhere it all started years ago with low balling. This will result in the recruiters having to look at lower pay grade players who the manager doesn't really want and who won't improve the team. Just bodies for bodies sake we've been down this road before and it turned up some right shite that lent a hand on the way to relegation. Then however we were in embargo but we aren't now as far as we know so why are we acting like it.