Re the Brittain saga. I'm used to the Alice in Wonderland world of Venky Rovers but this leaves me totally stumped. If he was always going to leave why force him into preseason training showing him all the new patterns of play and game management strategy and then sell him to a Championship rival who can leverage that knowledge and even share with others in the game when the time suits to manipulate their league placements. Quite likely I'm a numb nuts but I'm genuinely scratching my head.

M&M is going to be a player. Pity we aren't blessed with patience as a club.

... and if we get promoted?

I walked into that one didn't I, doh!

It's a great debate to have. Not sure it would help though even if legal. I understand (adjunctive therapies defo NOT my expertise) that some emerging research suggests that certain peptides, particularly growth hormone (like BPC157 or TB500, again, so I'm told), MAY play a role in accelerating tissue repair and reducing inflammation. It's certainly not NHS approved! :-) and they're not part of standard UK medical practice and best considered 'experimental or off-label'. Anyway as you say they're banned in competitive sports and probably carry longer term risks for the player. He's got what he's got and my guess is it's something that won't go away, so one for us to avoid. But, what do I know, play and pay may be worth a punt to lessen our risk, could be a Hail Mary that pays off.

Re: Baradji. Stress fractures are microscopic cracks in the bone which develop gradually from repetitive overuse. As such they don't just go away or get fixed by operations. Repeated loading exceeds the bone’s ability to remodel and repair the damage so apparently the only treatment is rest and 'off loading' with a gradual return to exercise over 6 to 8 weeks. Recurrence is not inevitable but it's common, I'm told that up to 60% of athletes who experience one stress fracture suffer another. The bone may heal but if the conditions that led to its failure persist then there's a fair chance it will reoccur. Why? Could be any of a bunch of reasons. Some sort of predisposition like having a dickie gait, too intensive training (VIs watch word), too much effort without the right amount of rest ... who knows. One things for sure he'll need a long period of recovery to be sure that the bone is fully remodelled. We have good sports science people so I'm sure they'd get to the bottom of his problem and manage reoccurrence but the bottom line is that he'll likely always be a creaking gate. Intensity will only go up when he joins us so reoccurrence is really likely so for me I'd say no thanks and move on.

M&M ?

Tell you what boys, tell you what ... some good signs there. Pace and intensity just what VI asked for. Technically OK too. Solid work in defence. Academy lads doing well. Silly to draw any conclusions about the season ahead but after this I'm not quite as pessimistic as I was a few hours ago.

Wish they'd stop making the new guys pose with a bunch of red roses, looks a little porno-pervy to me. Louche even. Maybe better to portray them with rabid aggression with veins and flesh hanging from their teeth. But what do I know.

Sorry chaps, I'm having a bad day so I'm dumping my woes on you here. Hope its not too miserable a read. What is a club? What makes this club what it is? I ask because the pendulum of misery just swings wider and wider and it feels like things are reaching a point of no return. Is Blackburn Rovers still Blackburn Rovers despite 15 years of abuse, is it gone, is it recoverable? Players all go on record saying it's a fabulous homely club and they enjoy being here. What does 'fabulous' mean. Is it the infrastructure, likely not, we all complain of the state of things. Is it the history, well a very nice to have but it was won by others and not the current line up. Still, nice to have though. Is it the fans? We are a dwindling bunch of aging diehards, mostly pissed off and withdrawing our season ticket money. Obviously we're a big part but is that what constitutes 'fabulous' and 'homely'. Managers who come and go set the tone of who we are but rarely cause players to say "Blackburns the place me me, I must play for that guy". Dalglish is the obvious exception, maybe Hughes, but the rest? Meh. What constitutes the family orientated friendly club that defines who we are. I can get no further than the behind the scenes Lancashire folk who smile and joke and nod ... and ... in other words the unchanging body of local chaps and ladies who man the tills, the phones, cook the food, wash the kit, clean the boots, mow the grass, train the players etc.. They're the constant and likely best define who we are at the core. What's happened and continues to happen is that since Venkys took over these self same people are forced out the club. Why? Who knows, money saving? The departure of the higher profile ones like David Lowe is hard to miss but the tea lady slips away out of sight. It's the likes of Damien Johnson and Ben Benson who are mentioned by the players as being amongst the good ones, the core. Hollowing out the club's people changes the notion of what the club is. Without Jack and Williams, Brown and Fox to set the tone, all long gone, what makes us a family club any more. Dolan and Brittans departure and likely Trav and Sondres soon for me points to this rotting from the inside outwards, we are not who we once were even though the name stays the same. Lowe divided opinion but the loss of his dulcet Scouse tones in the background may have been the straw that broke the camals back. Have Venkys finally managed to kill off who we were and only the name survives?

I think its simply about being honest and straightforward, applies to anyone that is developing nicely and looks to have a proper career ahead of them. Hyam would need a different approach. Lads that we are developing need to understand that it's not about being the best kept secret playing keepy uppy in the back alley by the bins, you need a club that believes in you and wants to make you into someone of note. Skill exercised in the wrong environment leads to nowt. That's not free. We deserve to benefit as well as them. The key as we all know is to have that conversation early whilst we still have leverage. I'd be very serious, don't sign and we're done, go somewhere else. Good luck (seriously) but we're parting company, call your agent. I'm guessing you agree with me, honesty and fairness (yes he must be paid well and played in enough games) but be up front and tell people where they stand and your expectations of them. Worked for me. Venkys on the other hand, clueless.

Dolan had an early period when he showed promise. He hadn't yet turned in his later performances that now make him attractive to other teams. My conversation with him would have happened in his season #2 along the lines of: "You obviously have great potential, one day you'll be well sought after. Right now though I need to think about the club. You'll grow from being here, you'll play a lot so I need to protect your value to us before putting in the work to grow you and raise your profile. Sign this." If no: "Then I'll have to ask you to start looking for another club as you won't be developing at our expense any more. You're in the U21 until you leave or reconsider". "We like you a lot TD but that's how it is. Let me know what you decide by next week." Something like that.

I re-read it and got very depressed. Thought, just what is the point. I don't think I care any more. It's like being locked up for life and not being able to find the escape tunnel. I thought to spare you all from my torment and hit delete.

Deleted.

I think the target is always 12th Philip. Natural variance happens of course +/- but I believe that is always their target. Grim and inexplicable isn't it.