I reckon Jack would've made sure the best steel was used our 3 stands are pretty solid looking. Just lack of basics in terms of cleaning etc although cracking concrete is a worry. To upgrade the riverside would cost millions but i suppose it could be kept going with basic maintanence for now. As said though it's all the little things that add up over time and i was thinking in terms of the future. They won't do much unless we get Prem income and that is about as likely as life on mars being found in the next 5 years. So yes including the pitch - which at some point will become a priority - then 10 million is a fair estimate. And that is now not 5 or 10 years it's a scary prospect. Yet when you think besides buying the club and the initial overdraft these lot have thrown around 200 million into the abyss. Transfers out and in fee wise probably more or less balance out but everything else is in the 'needs urgent big investment' column. It's ridiculous and it's scandalous some start looking at selling fixed assets as nothing more than a short term quick fix.

Probably not unless you can watch it on the Rovers TV thing.

If that lad is on 11k then Rovers paying about half fits in with the 5k pwk limit that's been mentioned. Sounds about right but of course a loan fee as well and agents fees etc would drive it up. Over a season it still might be half a million. Now times that by poss 4 or 5 that's a lot of money. Yes you're getting 5 bods in for a few million but it's still a few million evaporated with no potential return. Good kids they may be ability wise but smart business it isn't.

There's an offer on the table.

It's almost like people are being discouraged to travel and will have to pay to watch it on screen instead......😉 Seriously though how many coaches do they run ?

Hes been a manager long enough to know 2 wins in 17 or whatever it was really isn't good enough with any squad. So that brings with it an amount of uncertainty from everyone.

Never found the Riverside remotely intimidating although they can make a din when they are in the mood, same as anywhere really though. Ayresome was a different kettle of fish but it was a different era to be fair. Nothing against Boro as a club there are similarities and playing them regularly has been a staple of my Rovers supporting life. They have good ownership that will probably guide them back up at some point. Can't stand Warnock but i would've carried him here on my back instead of Coyle. I think he'll fancy this one and have them revved up to get stuck in quickly to our young side and look to expose the weak points. It's a very tricky game as always and should be a close one. It is another one we can pinch though if the attitude is right and the luck isn't against us. Boro 1 Rovers 2

He certainly looked very fed up at times last season and at others like he clearly didn't give a toss. Poor professionalism from a decent human that as is deliberately dragging feet with certain things this season.IF of course that is remotely true. However you are 100% right they shouldn't go behind anyone's back but all this has happened before. I think last season he was basically saying well sack me and pay me up then which they should have done. They were probably hoping he'd just walk but they've learned nothing if that's the case. I struggle for sympathy with either set of them but it's the team, club and fans caught in the middle again. I said years ago when he was in favour it was a very dangerous game giving a manager so much power with no real structure above him.

Never been but i bet they sell hot dogs.

Good luck in getting the LT to print that. Good idea though but tricky to get through plus there's an army of nodding dogs out there will pour scorn on it. Half of them the same person on social media but it influences others.

I think he kept him on because he feared he might not be able to bring anyone at all in or only a couple at most. They most likely knew they could offload him to Shrewsbury again at some point and of course we know he looks after lads from the North East. It's his unwritten rule.

Some people have a fast metabolism. Plus you should be able to get some refreshments or late lunch if you've rushed there that's what the snack bars are for. What you shouldn't be is ripped off inside a football stadium for second rate grub. It isn't the cinema or theater after all so the food should be more in line price wise with the surroundings and experience.

Far be it for me to offer defense to the ownership but as far as the budget goes we don't know who has recommended what. They could have slapped the brakes on Mowbray after hes inflated the wage bill with all sorts of bits and bats over the last few years. Or as has been alluded to this could be the Coventrio trying to extend their stay by presenting a low budget plan to the owners and saying they can reset things again. Or it could just be a simple case of the only way to sort the FFP and not risk anymore sanctions is to slash and burn and hope for the best. However it's dressed up the last few years come back firmly and squarely to Waggot and Mowbrays doorstep. Venkys own the vehicle and pay for it but these lot are in charge of the keys and the steering wheel.

He's a good player i like him and would prefer to keep him on a modest contract. It's a fair enough example to flag up ( because there is little else ) but i don't think he's developed at all. He had injury issues and recently hes had more first team involvement but never a regular and the team isn't set up around him. Mowbray has more or less admitted he's shoehorning him in to try and make him look good. If he was still on a 3 year deal who is coming in now and offering good money going off what they've seen in the last 3 years ? Nobody i'd say, he'd still just resemble a cheap punt for another club there isn't many championship teams he'd walk straight into at the min.

Now you are just repeating what mowbray has said in the press. In reality is he a major part of what we do ? For most of his time here hes seemed to be a bit part player and now he's being put in the shop window. Where is the evidence of what he is actually worth ? There isn't any.

Has there actually been any shrewd buys or free transfer additions in Mowbrays tenure though ? Let me clarify it by saying AA and Dack were great signings but both cost money and joined in league 1 where they already had pedigree. So more of a you get what you pay for scenario. Brereton and Gallagher cost millions and however they eventually work out they were anything but shrewd buys. I'm talking about the lower priced punts to develop and the Brentford model they've always banged on about. There's been little to non i can think of in the last 4 years apart from Kaminsky recently. That proves it can be done even by this lot however the scouting that allegedly delivered him probably cost a small fortune to set up. Now its probably been cut back or disbanded as well. This is why we are now relying so heavily on these loans that are themselves costing money. Because this regime has proved poor to large degree in the transfer market in finding anything of any use and developing it. The successes tend to either cost good money, come from the academy or be loaned in. They really haven't got the nous or the balls to do a Brentford etc.

Well we are stocking up a nice array of potential attacking talent so lets hope the manager lets them attack. I hope they aren't here to have possession stats drilled into them every day.

He really must have something in his contract regarding this it was the same throughout his time here. Do NI pay the club for his services or something ? What a joker he is finally seeing the back of him was about the only highlight for me this summer so far. We won't miss him one iota and wouldn't have 2 years ago either.

That's because we are being steered by a duo who let things happen then moan about it endlessly. Nothing to do with them at all they shrug.

He is full of shit, end of. He'll say and do the opposite next week, if he was so bothered about it he'd do something about it given his alleged influence at the club. All this is on his watch nobody else's and in the next breath he'll be trying to sell another of our better players knowing they won't be replaced. Then he'll be sending Brereton off to play for Chile with another truck load of platitudes. Meanwhile we might possibly have NO strikers ! He cannot just keep swerving any accountability at all and getting away with it. The local media are the lamest of ducks ever to be in a job.

That is just plain crazy these lot are wasting money hand over fist yet get a pat on the back from some fans for operating within budget. They don't quite grasp it at all it's money straight through the club.

When men in suits with no attachment to the club or town are at work and owners are so detached an far away anything is possible.

I don't know it mate but i'm sure someone will oblige.

Mowbray and co knew what was coming this season they are the ones who've probably pitched it. So i think Chapman was maybe just an insurance policy signing for the sake of a body already here. He's managed to get a few in so the loan door is now open wider than the first team door.

Gallagher cost 5 million and is probably on the thick end of 15 grand a week at least. So he'll be plonked in somewhere, this is a monumental flaw but it aint going to change. At least he works hard and pinches the odd goal but those attributes are largely wasted. Mowbray has rarely signed players of any level to replace first teamers.