Exactly what iv'e been getting at and whilst i'm not saying he doesn't want a good budget i think it'd suit him and his crew if we could just carry on as we are with the minimum of fuss or change.

I'm sure he'd love promotion it would be a great way to sign off his long career. Just don't think he's under any pressure to go out on a limb to try and get it. Seems more of a we'll just keep plodding on and if it happens it happens if not, shrug the shoulders.

Iv'e said this a dozen times but Tony Mowbray has one of the best jobs in football and he knows it. If you know how to play these owners you're secure never mind all this basket case behind the scenes rollox. They want the least fuss possible and this regime provides it in spades just wait till the sales start they'll be building a statue of him at Pune towers ?

They'd be grateful for the double your money 3 years contracts he might bestow on them though ?

They are a team who nearly always out bullies us for some reason, maybe they just get more fired up for it than us. Sick of the number of times we've been rolled over there down the years by them being stronger in the tackles etc. Maybe them having no fans behind them in this will help us.

I can think of a list of successful managers who wouldn't do it like that but first and foremost Mowbray is a players man. However there is a real danger that the situation extends itself and 'keeping morale up' ends in fresh deals for those he's keeping around. There is youth in the squad to cover positions so an opportunity to cut deadwood and save that money should betaken when it presents itself. Those few names mentioned are very unlikely to play any part this is a similar to the Gladwin situation without the injury. Looking after the boys but that's the way he works so that's the way it is. Be very prepared though for a name on a free to pop up who might freshen the squad up a bit in summer only for us to be told there's no spare change in the pot to do it !

I think there's been a policy of throwing around some decent names and registering an interest knowing it's highly unlikely we'll get them. Creates the scenario that we are actively chasing good targets whilst providing a bit of cloak and dagger to line up something else that might not be as interesting. Also keeps your name in the hat should one of the big targets suddenly become available cheaper or drop his wage demands - then we might become genuinely interested. I think the Bauer farce kind of showed this up - sniffing around him for ages, finally becomes available so try and land him as cheap back up. He says no so tell everyone his wage demands are ridiculous whilst in reality you've now decided to put your money elsewhere. Then he signs for modest paying direct competition and blows your illusion out the water. If there's a decent money deal to be done it'll always be done via one of the usual friends via friends route here imo.

I doubt Alex Neil hands out those kind of guarantees but telling a player i see you as a starter as long as you are fit and earning that spot isn't really giving him an automatic comfort zone. Telling him i'm signing you as back up ( to an about to be converted left back ) or an ageing international who was dropped at the end of the previous season for poor form, isn't exactly selling the move. Bauer been a good signing at North End and they are on a par with us at present and he's theirs.

I want to remain loyal to these lads who've got us promoted, some of them have now done it twice - TM We can lease players - Mrs D It's the future iv'e tasted it.

Nice lad, good to have around the place, helps with the bibs and cones. Worth keeping around on 5-10 grand a week till he gets fixed up surely ? After all it's not their money ?

I think he does quite well to rinse what he does out of most of them to be fair and they clearly play for him. I think it's easy at this level and the types of players it contains to get into just going through the motions and just doing enough. Iron that out out and with a decent group you might get somewhere. A lot of his chopping and changing is probably to try and avert those comfort zones developing in the team as well as keeping harmony. Still needs that extra bit though to go places and that's were spending your transfer budget really wisely comes in. A lot of work to do on that one from what we've seen.

I can really see the keeper next year ending up being the Canadian or another brought in in desperation who's a step down from Walton. Hands might end up tied now because of new circumstances but it's another example of piss poor planning sadly.

Lockdown gave time for reflection and it has to be said he's a good steady manager at this level who has a habit of pulling out the stops when backs are to the wall. Also has a bad habit(s) of contributing to undoing some of his good work and his use of large transfer fees is truly bad. Overall though got to be a B- grade for me up to this point.

We usually come back down to earth with a bump here so i expect this to be no different. Also expect the tombola to be spinning beforehand. Wigan 2 Rovers 1 Then again if they fly a banner over 'Pies lives matter' we might dick them 5 nowt !

I think hands were tied in the case of Lowe whoever managed us he was going to be first on the team sheet if fit. 3 managers all the same when it came to him they just had to shoe him in somewhere despite at times having better options. And of course we know who set that ball rolling ! I never for a min bought the 'they all rated him' line there was more to it than that. The state of his career once he'd left here showed the real thoughts on him once out of his rovers comfort zone.

Just shows what a hype job Hart is when the likes of James is better.

I honestly think James was a far better keeper than Hart. He had his fair share of ups and downs but had more about him.

Some thinking Hart will end up at Boro so if there's a Boro connection there TM might be sniffing around. With the way things might go though Hart will be in for a shock next time he asks for a wage.

Cardboard cut outs every bit as cringey as the giant Mowbray flag being waved in from of the cameras. Or even the chicken munching advert, it just sums the club up under this lot some things will never change there will always be an element of the ridiculous. Just those comfy at the club buttering up their paymasters knowing Vs probably love that kind of thing. By the way i notice there's 6 of them now.

No sentiment with Hart though no keeping him around whilst he gets fixed up, is good to have about the place, is a nice lad etc etc. Times up, thanks all the best in the future. Proper management.

Only 7 points separate them and 3rd place Fulham though.

Division was there for the taking this season.

If only. Think it's just more down to him getting mins on the pitch for as many as poss as quick as poss. Getting them back into it.

Home record kind of disproves that. If they shape therselves at Ewood they get the crowd behind them, simple really.

If they can find their way from India or it's the UK based branch of the family then what better time to come and watch what they pay for !