The decision was on 30 January. The Ferguson injury looked serious at the time. In the event Undav has had marginally more game time than Markanday at Aberdeen. Here's hoping we have vastly less ill fortune with the window opening in 28 days' time.

Evan Ferguson got injured for Brighton against Liverpool on 29 January. Sh1t happens...

I noticed you expected Rovers to be promoted as Champions

The difference is Duff's transfer clause was triggered by a big enough bid and Brereton Diaz wasn't. We didn't hand Duff over to Chelsea for less than he cost us.

The deal for Undav was completed but the player had a very late change of mind. The rest is explained in my post if you care to read it.

Very solid A from me for JDT and GB. Ownership and CEO bought into the vision and plan of the two of them in making the appointments so assessment has to be against the criteria they set. Both have been absolutely clear to the point of being repetitously boring this is a project which JDT has signed up to for 3 years. Looking around the EFL, the clubs with ownerships willing to contemplate such an approach are extremely rare- Coventry, Luton, Rovers, Wycombe, Accrington, Sutton are the ones I can think of. So JDT and GB have to be judged against the benchmarks they set and have been accepted by the Raos. JDT - a transition season. He has given chances and integrated the academy youngsters, imposed his approach throughout the club (in many ways to the detriment of results in the u-21s and u-18s) and has got more out of Carter, Pears and JRC I would ever have believed possible. Oh and we missed out on the play offs on goal difference. Go back to the season expectations posted on brfcs last July and tell me this isn't a solid A for JDT. Giving GB an A is more controversial. Mola and Hirst didn't work out, Morton is no Elliott but no Clarkeson either, Brittain and Szmodics very good replacements in slots we never wanted to become vacant while Hyam is an upgrade on Lenihan. The hard work was done in January. Thomas, O'brien and Brierley was a fabulous set of signings. The easy bit was cocked up but Broughton stood up in public to take the responsibility even though in my book the CEO always is where the buck stops. I am more generous than everyone else but by the same measure, the project will be more than half way through this time next year and an A in 23/24 will require a concerted serious promotion campaign.

Villareal are a very shrewd club. I think it is more likely Ben will be a success there than a failure. I do expect we will see his playing style to evolve though. One word of caution, Ben is clearly much more of a confidence player than the vast majority of pros. I would worry for him if he gets off to a disappointing start. Those two goals against Millwall are probably worth their weight in gold down in Valencia Province.

A little thing called covid

Have a look at the accounts then

A safe prediction is Ismael Valerien will be sacked after a pre-season kick about.

Haven't seen Serie A for a while and I am not missing anything judging by that second half.

I will put my 23/4 bid in. If we keep the GB/JDT combination we will get automatic promotion. And I don't care who comes down, I am sticking with that at 8.58 on 10 May 2023.

More than 12 players going this summer?

The money has gone in as share capital not debt. Ffp is a thing and we had a transfer ban as a result of it. Stadium and pitch upgrades are an issue but are decisions taken by SWAG on allocation of funds given him.

Those stats are crazy. And Hirst missed that penalty at Cardiff...

LT reveal today JRC and JDT have agreed for JRC to develop as a goal scoring central midfielder. Fabulous news.

The Brentford commentary kept talking about young Coombes like he is a 12 year old. Just seen the team sheet. Young-Coombes Anyway, JDT was justified in his selections by Leonard's lack of penetrative ability against a superior defence this evening.

Burns showing why he is being released

Crikey, Rovers error after error and a pitch that is totally sodden.

Just put it on- we are losing 2-0

Boro and Coventry were in the relegation places in October which because of the World Cup was nearly half the season gone!

Totally incorrect.

Looking at it from a Rovers viewpoint, we'd be really fancying our chances if we were in there. Boro - won away but the Buckley ball bounce cost us a well deserved lead and all 3 points at Ewood Luton - stupidly lost a game which should have been drawn away then Sammy's crossbar thunderbolt at Ewood cost us everything Coventry - another stupid away defeat when a draw would have been a fair result and let's not talk about their keeper's expert handling in the 93rd minute at Ewood Sunderland - one of the easiest wins of the season at Ewood and threw away a winning position with, wait for it, a 93rd minute clincher from a loan player's last ever kick for Sunderland at the Stadium of Light. I think I want to find a dark room for a quiet sob.

Boro, Luton, Coventry and Sunderland- what a quartet! Did anyone predict them for the play-offs?

Ben has given me huge pleasure watching him. He has an infectious presence on the pitch which communicates whether he is down or up and above all a joy for the game. All the players were obviously told to look fiercely serious stepping forward in those selection gifs- except for Ben who explodes forward with that huge smile on his face. I think he will surprise people and become a regular goal scorer for Villareal. I will miss him playing for Rovers.