Not just 'all of the above'; but one thing that particularly pleased me about DJ's appointment is that "He's one of our own.", in that he started his playing career with us. In a small way, it's a sign that we're trying to do what Liverpool have done in the past; what Ajax do now and what Solskjaer seems to be trying to do at Old Trafford; viz. having former players who (should) know what's in the club's ethos in positions of authority/usefulness. It won't always work; but when it does, it's particularly pleasing, imo.

And isn't that at the root of things?

I suspect so. Bury seem to be in an extremely parlous state; apparently on the verge of appointing a Conference South - Tier 6 of the football pyramid - manager. Apparently, Frankie Bunn - former Oldham Athletic manager - declined the terms they offered him to manage the club.

I've been a football fan for over 65 years now - Rovers till I die - and one of the things I don't like about modern football is the 'rumour mill'. I couldn't care less about which players are supposed to be signing for clubs - specifically, coming to Ewood - until they've actually signed and begun training. What I worry about is how the club buys into the rumour mill by making statements about revamping the scouting team, implying that we might soon be fielding players from the second divisions of larger European countries and top division players from some of the smaller nations. Like Gavlay, I ain't seen anything coming from that, so far. So, a rhetorical question coming up: What sort of links do our recruitment team have with Premier League clubs? Especially those which have staff with a kind of Rovers link. This thought, which often recurs to me when I read the Manchster Evening News, was prompted by reading in last Friday's edition that Manchester City's third choice keeper - a 20-y-o 6' 6" Kosovan international called Aro Music who played in 5 of City's Carabao Cup games last season - has been "offered on loan" now that Claudio Bravo is again fit enough to deputise for Ederson. According to the Evening News, "with Preston North End also keen, Nottingham Forest won the race" for him. I realise he might not have been even a temporary solution if Raya is sold. And it's none of my business whether anybody at Ewood ever speaks to, for example, Jason Wilcox at City about up and coming players there whom we could borrow. But surely it ought to be the business of somebody at Ewood.

What you write, DE., is sad but true, imo. My Geordie pal - resident in Glasgow for 30+ years - confirmed my memory of Mulgrew as a midfielder when I asked about him at the time we signed him. It just confirmed my opinion of the paucity of Scottish football these days that their international team in recent seasons followed TM's lead in playing him at the back. This was before we began to realise that TM collects midfielders the way some of us collect football programmes. I'm sure someone - sorry, I can't remember who - said on here not too long ago that it's a pity that our kind of football couldn't be like American Football with the concept of 'Special teams' so that Mulgrew could come on to take free kicks/penalties. I'm fear that, realistically, would be more use to us than his defending next season.

Exactly what Darrenbot's just said. Word for word. And it pains me to even think it.

You're selling yourself short, CambridgeRover. I must say I was impressed by your ability when drunk, to bring in a reference to Keith Andrews' main contribution to our play! But seriously; I was always one to cut Mowbray some slack but I'm beginning to lose faith in him. I know that centre halves like John MacNamee don't grow on trees [before anyone else nips in with the punchline, "I know; they're quarried!"?] but our minimum requirement in this window has surely got to be signing a commanding figure as close to that great man as current-day referees would permit - he'd probably be on a minimum of a yellow card per game, these days! - but essentially a leader for our defence. And if TM can't/doesn't see that, then I fear he's surely living on borrowed time.

Houghton definitely at the heart of the Back 4 with Lenihan, based on tonight's display!

As a paid-up Old Fogey, I always ring the ticket office wherever possible. Getting an online ticket for Barrow a week on Saturday - I need a seat - was indeed a real 'pain in the star' (Thanks for that phrase, oldgregg; I'd not heard it before. I'll be using it again. And again!?) Also potential problems for those of us who need assistance, particularly at the larger grounds. [Ibrox more than Holker Street!]

I'm sure I remember reading reports when Aitor Karanka was the manager of the Smoggies that Downing was a disruptive influence in their dressing room. Like others on here, I wouldn't have had his signing as our first priority. We all know problems on the pitch that should be addressed ahead of replacing Conway. Let's hope that they're sorted - properly - before Charlton's visit to Ewood.

I can only agree with all the congratulations & praise that people have already heaped on the people behind this enterprise. It'll be a superb research tool. Match previews on here will never be the same! If I were being selfish, I'd express the hope that the entirety of the work - rarely was the phrase 'magnum opus' more appropriate! - is published on here before this 73-year-old pops his clogs.? Afaik, I'm in good health but you never know, do you. . ?!

I'm not saying he won't be here next season; but he'd hardly post anything like, "Right then; that's me celebrating but this may well be the last you see of me at Ewood." Would he?

Doesn't he also sit as a legally-qualified member of FA & FL Panels?

Ooh, I like that one. I'll add it to my repertoire!!?

Don't care; I'll still bore the fans of other clubs with the question, "Which is the only club to have won one or other of England's two major Cups in each of the last three Centuries?"?

And I've not seen the 3 words 'Bolton', 'Wanderers' & 'ace' side by side for a VERY long time!?

I have a number of pals who've moved away from Blackburn in recent years and my texts to them reporting on the games I've stayed to watch have often had the same theme, "Why doesn't TM give his half-time talk before he sends the lads out for the 1st half?" Surely in this day and age with modern technology, he's got a general idea of what style the opposition is going to play. So surely he ought to be able to send out a team for the start of a game knowing roughly who their danger-men - and their weak spots - are going to be. So if he can tweak a game at h-t, why can't he send out a team for the first half to do from the start what our teams so often do; viz. start from half-time?

Be careful what you wish for, SG 194. Once, 10 or more years ago now, when visiting an - English - old College pal whose work had taken him to Glasgow, we went to a Scottish League game at Ibrox. I found it quite an intimidating atmosphere - not perhaps quite as scary as being a Rovers fan when we're leading at the old Den in Millwall in pre-segregation days - and was glad I wasn't wearing the opposition's colours that Saturday afternoon. At least we and Rangers fans both wear blue and white scarves and it'd be a Friendly match but it could be 'fun'. I'll be there if it takes place, of course, but the 70-odd year old me hopes we'd get a specific allocation of tickets.

Perhaps a more accessible presently-PL CB recruit might be Phil Jagielka who, if a report of Everton's 2-0 victory over the Dingles last night is to be believed, will be out of contract this summer and "is likely to be offered the opportunity to remain at the club he joined in 2007. However, a desire to play regularly means that he could look elsewhere, having made only four starts this term." We may only get 1 season out of him, but perhaps that would buy us the time to develop Lenihan & some of the even younger players. Just a thought.

Yes, this seems a fair summary of the season to me. Like many others, I've been pleased that we've never really been close to the relegation zone and, at the end of a first season back at this level, it feels like we're close to being where we should be. Which makes this summer's transfer window all the more crucial. I agree with many of the comments about players who, shall we say, have realistically found that they may have come to the end of their useful time with Rovers, either because of age or ability. I remember reading an article about TM in The Times while on the train up to Newcastle. He came across in that as a good human being who cares about all the staff at Ewood. Which is great; but the big concern it left me was whether he has the ruthlessness to erm, 'move on' players who need to be replaced by others better suited to what we need to progress in this Division. Here's hoping!

Hear hear, wm7. As one who hates - though knows all the commercial arguments for - 2 'change' shirts, I'd like to see the Premier League & the EPL both bring in a regulation which: 1] only permits an away team to have 1 alternative shirt design per season which they must only wear when their 'home' shirt in an away game clashes with the colour - not shade - of the home team's shirt in that game; 2] all shirts to have the player's number clearly shown on a white square on the back of the shirt so that the player can easily be identified. [As an alternative to 2 above: all seats in the Visitors' Section of the Leazes End, NE4, to be provided with powerful binoculars!] If I remember rightly from the halcyon days of the mid-1990s, 2] above was a UEFA requirement for European club competitions. I'm not sure if it still is.

Cue the singing of "Small town near Wigan"; that'd tell them!

As a non-driving season ticket-holder living in Heywood, my usual route to Ewood is by buses via Bolton Interchange. Thank goodness for the Todmorden Curve which will let me get a through train from Rochdale to for this game. Not saying I'm scarred by - scared by! - past experiences when we were playing there, you understand! I'm optimistic about this one; I think that pretty well any team we put out will be good for an already-relegated Wanderers.

Really? Surely someone in the club's backroom must keep an eye on this Message Board? Not saying that he'll act on our suggestions, mind!

How long have you got?!! There's already a thread to Barrie Hole. Fwiw, while Kit Napier perhaps wasn't as outstanding, he played his part in Ken Furphy's attempt at the renaissance of the club - T.G.C.O.O. - This Great Club Of Ours - after we'd sunk into Division Three