Has the ability to be a top player and have at least a stint in the Prem but wouldn't be surprised if he lacks the discipline and mindset to achieve that I think that was touched upon reading between the lines by the panel on tv when we were on live a while back.

True and not what you want in a supposed blood and thunder local derby but I do suspect some of it may be down to him saying keep calm and keep your heads going off his recent comments about wanting them to relax a bit and not be anxious. Trouble is I think sometimes he and them are so laid back they almost come to a standstill.

Could well be the strike force next season ? Nuttall up top, BB and Armstrong wide, typical TM stylee....

Good thing from Saturday was there was no panic after going a goal down early on and heads haven't dropped yet so they should be up for this. We need a bit of luck from somewhere and it might come in this in the form of a late penalty after the customary poor goal conceded. Rovers 1 Wigan 1

The last fire sale probably went towards the big hole and external loans/overdraft of running costs so a few quid here and there in the Championship might be vital to doing the same for the past few years and next few years. Similar in a way to when under Williams and they trust they ran the overdraft near it's limit then pacified the bank by paying it down from a big sale or two every few years. They want it run as a more sensible going concern so that might be their speculate to accumulate front loading. Personally i'm still not convinced TM wanted Brereton certainly not over some decent first team contenders my guessing is it was presented to him late on in that window and in the absence of anything else he ok'd it.

Which brings me back to the last window and in some ways the Brereton signing, I think TM was somewhat pacified in summer by being allowed to lavish new deals about and signing one himself. Then when BB pops up but there's no real investment for good players afterwards or the next window he goes along with it and starts toeing the company line. How many managers wouldn't be a bit miffed about that type of thing when first and foremost their job is supposed to be getting results at first team level and improving it enough to challenge the top spots in the next few seasons ? If previous paths are followed I feel it might all be being primed to grow this team a bit longer the start selling it off !

Mulgrew has the best left peg in the Championship probably but from set pieces, very rarely does he play a good pass forward or anywhere he tends to keep it simple. Rodwell similar a tidy player comfortable on the ball but he too doesn't ping it around so having footballing centre halves in this team in this league is all a bit pointless if they aren't good at actual defending. Where are the first to the ball, clear your lines, sniff out danger instead of standing there like lemons when opposition launch a long throw straight to the head of their big target man types ? They may point to lack of people available to pass to and certainly more quality in the team would help that but yet again we are a basic side with very little flair and they don't have two up top to aim for or put balls in the channels.

Does your manager play these lads in their natural positions where possible ?

Frustrating, deserved a point so it's hard to criticize too much other than the usual glaring obvious issues. You look at the team pre game and think shit looks like 3 at the back we'll be all over the shop and we are slower than a walking football side, you think shit Williams is playing that weakens us even further. A few mins in we've had a go been all over at the back when they've boke, Williams is at fault again and we are one nil down, piss poor defending by a weak defence and dozy defender. So the most frustrating thing is it is all so so predictable ! Thankfully they showed a bit of stubbornness yesterday but a good performance and not conceding that goal then that Preston team was beatable although they showed how to defend and sit back comfortably on a l1-0 lead. I await the day we can do that under this manager and coaching set up !

The official stats say a couple of thousand more home fans which is really the least you'd expect for a game so close. The unofficial stats will probably show a lot of ST holders didn't show because of the kick off time and another couple of thousand home fans followed it elsewhere when they'd have otherwise been there. The smug suits will see it as a raging success though but they'll probably want it kicking off at 11 am next season after getting the police bill.

From Uncle Gary to Uncle Tony ! does every footballer have to be a nice lad and every manager have to hug them ? How do other teams manage ? No wonder the game and general atmosphere around it is so stale get some f###### winners in there !

Been the same all along under Mowbray though whatever they do in training all week it's as if he abandons that one hour before every game when he announces the team and tactics. Keep the opposition and his own team guessing but we got away with it last season and early in this since then though a complete shambles.

Three at the back but what can we do without adequate cover, Williams at centre half is an act of desperation anyway. Can't help injuries but it's piss poor management putting us in this situation anyway I don't care what anyone says. Hopefully they'll pull it off today but I fear the house of cards will tumble.

So am I and I could probably give you a run for your money in the thick and thin stakes but I can't go tomorrow and made the decision a few years ago with this and Leeds that I won't be jerked about by kick off times when it isn't on TV because that tends to happen enough in a season anyway. You might want to take into account that thick and thin refers to supporting the team on the pitch good or bad and NOT the whims of half arsed suited muppets who get paid to attend these games whatever happens !

He wasn't to be messed with Don and he fell out with the fans a time or two, even got a crowd dig in on the interview lol. It was a two way thing though plenty of mutual respect between him and the fans he didn't mince his words but he didn't talk shite all the time either although a bit different then when it was probably only Peter White of the LT and Radio Lancs who he spoke to fans through. It was a time though when the boss was still the boss and he called all the shots it's a different world now. I seem to remember with him sometimes when they'd had a stinker and he wasn't happy with them he'd make them do training runs along the roads then up to Darwen Tower so fans could see they were putting in some graft and he was cracking the whip. Imagine that these days my god you'd have players on strike, agents pulling them out, tears, tantrums and ffs actual fans melting down and defending them on social media saying it was cruel !!!!

Arse covering for all his messing and meddling is all that is he still needs to fathom out he's mostly dealing with bog standard average players and youngsters not Galacticos. Square pegs in round holes and over complicated systems don't work with these lads they aren't good enough and to be honest do you really need a lot of that stuff in this league against half the teams ?

And that's something that was evident the season we went down, last season and early on in this it's no coincidence that fans all across social media have been asking for a proper centre half or two for years now. Three converted midfielders and a left back have been the mainstays yet not the best footballer but most competent in the air maybe was used as back up then let go. You really wonder sometimes why these managers can't see the wood for the trees when you throw in the mix the raw keeper who's never been a commanding one from the word go before you add in his dithering. To go from Robinson to Steele to Raya shows why we are still struggling.

That's a fair point he has defended them in the past although often in a roundabout way and he went a bit over the top in dishing out new contracts like they'd won promotion to the Prem or something when all they'd really done was what they were being paid to do. They owe him big time but a lot of it is down to him as well many of us said we desperately need a good defence and a solid keeper in the championship as we struggled last time but he didn't see that. He's reaping what he's sown now in many ways but obviously he'll not acknowledge that in public but I hope privately he's kicking himself.

It would be nice if this was the one in 5 or 6 where they are all on the same wavelength as each other and the manager, if so we'll more than make a game of it but snooze and you'll lose against this lot they aren't great but are a good championship side these days. As a club and fans they're tinpot as we know but as a team they're a benchmark we should easily get up to next season or pass with the backing and infrastructure we have. Oh and do we need to mention wage budgets etc ? I wonder when was the last time PNE committed to a 7 million deal for a player who wasn't ready to hold down a first team slot ? Doesn't seem to do them any harm not being able to do that !

It would've happened regardless of Waggot it's the other jobsworth back slappers responsible but you'd thing the CE could overrule it and make some kind of effort to fill the place up a bit. Mind you they get paid the same but get home a bit earlier so why should they give a toss !

Don't start Preston loving as well as Coyle loving chief !!!! A few times over the last ten years we've sold out Bolton with a week or two to spare similar to two out of three visits to Preston, you can't sell 7500 unless that is the allocation i'm certain we'd have done that. Nobodies knocking the numbers it's their attitude pretending they are Sunderland or something ? We've sent plenty a full Darwen End packing time and again down the years even under Venkys so I expect our lot to be fired up tomorrow and if they go down with anything less than a fight Mr Mowbrays comfort zone won't be looking as serene over the next few weeks.

Would anyone in their right minds say PNE are a bigger club than Bolton ? Yet the Pigs feet have only sold over 6k in the DE once in the last 20 years - when it was ten quid a ticket. Even the banjo pluckers haven't actually sold out everyone of their restricted allocation tickets on a few occasions although not far off. It means sod all except they are on a good season and just love a day out over here.

Going to a back three against this lot is suicide i'll call it now they'll pull our lead footed ball watchers all over the place it'll be embarrassing.

Like I said not long ago there was c800 at an empty Turd for a Sat tea time champ fixture, shades of Middlesbrough with this lot. Also ignoring the fact that the two sell outs for us at their tiny hole were sold out about a week and ten days or so in advance. There'd have been well in excess of 7k over there if they had a ground big enough.

50% won't have been on Weepdale this season, aside from maybe a prestige friendly in summer or something ?