We all do that's why he remains reasonably popular with fans. However we can also see a man's limitations and a good one accepts them too.

The midtable Messiah thinking outside the box as usual.

You really are his number one fanboy aren't you ?

Sell the stadiums and lease back loophole looks like it's about to be tightened up on.

Well if Dack is anything to go by ?

His copybook with some fans i mean as to confidently sit out so long it looks like he has something sorted elsewhere or an offer has been there a long time. Or maybe even a loyalty bonus or something due from Rovers when his deal ends that might have been null and void had he sought some kind of move. Who knows these contracts contain all sorts. Just find it hard to fathom an all action lad so keen as him when he's on the pitch would just wipe out a year of playing.

I listened to it daily when i was a white van man years ago that's what it's designed for really just background noise. Tolerable when you are diving in and out of a van all day but are sick of commercial radio playing same songs on same loop. Min i stopped doing that iv'e never listened since in over a decade and never will...... unless i buy another van maybe !

Ha ha there you go again, now it's half pay ? Not how it works and you know it they get paid the same it's between the parent club and loaning club to sort who makes up what percentage. I follow no players on anything i leave that to fanboys like thee. I wish him well but he's blotted his copybook but he probably couldn't get away with it at most other clubs. That's a different argument though.

Stock answer from you when you've dug another hole one day you'll hold your hands up and say yeah ok ? Play the ball not the man and where in gods name did anyone say send him somewhere else and we pay him. The whole point is getting him off the payroll or at least some of his wages for a while which is what tends to happen. Get inside out of the sun mucker.

I'd say i understand the notlob fans after all they've been through the ringer but a lot of them are like that all the time. Especially towards their smaller town but bigger profile illustrious counsins other side of Darwen ?

Point is it still doesn't sit well with people sitting out his contract doing naff all and being allowed to do so at a club were every penny counts. Yes he's perfectly within his rights to do so but to paying supporters stumping up their hard earned you can't be surprised it wrankles. Especially when the club needs every penny to put towards the team. Probably doesn't seem like a big deal at the end of a keyboard but it is it's taking the piss really.

We'll get part way through next season doing similar and going nowhere at which point i can see the manager saying maybe we need better players but we can't afford them !!! Can just see it now, when it's something everybody knows already. Get them playing a wait that suits them and their strengths not his so called ideals that are part fantasy.

By and large its been gash and needs binning off as plan B is always hoof it and plan A is often hoof it towards Gallagher on the wing. There's no revolutionary style coming from these lot its classic second level stuff. We've always looked better pressing in the faces or counter attacking but they don't seem brave enough for that very often. They want safety first tip tap that allows rotation, people out of position and youth in there all designed to get people mins and increase squad value. The manager and others on here ewould throw up stats it works over the season and we've finished a bit higher. No saying that another style wouldn't achieve similar though either and maybe just better. Everything here is geared to just play it safe though and hope for the best. Before we know it this team will be dismantled and we'll be throwing together odds and sods of another with another period of good chances missed.

If he's well connected there could have been the promise of something on the table all along there. Hench him not giving a toss about doing much this season. All about who ya know.....

How could it diminish it though if he's playing and playing well the lge 1 stuff would still be in his resume. He might then have a few decent clubs in for him instead of the desperado's. With that goes the chance of a better contract it's called putting yourself in the window and showing you want to play and have something to offer. It's an age old method in football and sitting out your contract doing nothing is an age old red flag about attitude. Sorry bud but by your theory very few would bother going out on loan it's not rocket science players should want to play. There must be something in it that contractually suits Smallwood and fair enough but it isn't a good look to potential suiters. Especially someone of his age who has a good few years left.

If there was no twitter & insta etc there wouldn't be as much celeb culture but these lot have a 24/7 platform on which to gather young clueless disciples. I'd say its still thriving and not only that there's money to be made out of it. It's the way things are so they probably feel they have to be in it any decent player these days and any pretty tv person is instantly a brand. Just the way things are now and in 5 years or so it'll be something else.

How high is his stock when he lost his place to a novice at championship level and hasn't kicked a ball for the first team in a year or whatever ? Also you think clubs don't take notice of a player happy to sit out and soak up wages ?

Smallwood drained 5-10k pwk for a year seemingly with the gaffers consent after being told it's highly unlikely he'll kick a ball with the first team. Surely they won't let Mulgrew do the same on double that. Just think about this when we are told we can't find the extra few grand a week for a keeper on loan or something. Mowbray should pay off these out of his own pocket ! Wouldn't be so generous to his mates with his own money.

No surprise though his missus is a D lister celeb and they are interested in that side of things it's clearly the world they live in. If it's what makes them tick then the happier they are the better he should go about his job. We've seen the state of him when things aren't going well at home and the spring in his step when they are. Might get a bit of profile for the club as well.

Can't remember how it all started with Hendry but it was in the days fans and players had humour and interacted without fear of being banned or fined in their case. Used to do it at the beginning of most games when the chant went up but i think the club put the dampners on it when the crowds and profile started to rocket. Still did it on the special occasions though !

Investigative journalism ? Give over more chance of dinosaurs returning. I think what JH is getting at is the local rag has long been known to toe the club line 95% of the time this last decade. So no reason to think they aren't doing here with a little bit of get the names out there. Their aim is to sell papers etc so news is news whether it's what fans want to read or not.

I just think with Wharton like one or two others have said if we are blooding youth, have no money and need defensive back up surely you'd keep him around. If there's a good fee on offer and potential add ons fair enough and i don't think he's going to be a top player but maybe good enough squaddie for mid table championship slogs.

Cover for wanting Williams in the mix instead he's been saying that about Wharton for 2 years now i'm sure he's managed the rough and tumble of lower leagues ok. Mulgrew isn't exactly hulk hogan and neither was Lenihen at first. His face just doesn't fit for some reason he probably refused some drizzle cake or something.

Similar things this season with 'oh we replaced Nyambie with Elliott for this game because we thought he could.....' Pecking order rules here were some other clubs like Fulham take players because they have a particular strength then try and get the best out of it. Cairney was another example and even Raya at Brentford they wanted a keeper of his style, were willing to take a punt on the flaws because he fir their system. The set up at Ewood always seems to be geared to just accommodate players and get them games. Which makes you wonder what the remit really is and who lays it down ? Where is the actual strive and drive for the top 6 !

Indeed you did but it's probably best to go down the Sherlock Holmes route.... We are after a GK, LB, CHx2, RB, Centre mid x5, Striker, drone flyer and they are on lists A, B & C so let's all get excited ready to be disappointed. However we've tried for loads, no names though until they've signed somewhere else. Some call it the Nixon system. Can't say those doing their mates a favour with the PR haven't earned a drink though.