Burnley v Everton is now off 24 hours after a request by Everton to call it off was overturned. Does Boris run the PL? Burnley are now four games behind their schedule and with a relatively small squad it will really hamper them.

Whilst I am really enjoying the current run at the back of my mind is that Mowbray has previous for goods runs, getting our hopes up and then crashing and burning. In a really perverse way the Fulham drubbing was the turning point and reading Lenihans comments yesterday it seems the players asked a lot of questions about themselves. There was a resolve, determination and commitment in the Sheffield United match that I haven't seen for years at Ewood and I'm delighted to say that hasn't abated. The bigger picture though from the managers perspective is will he be offered a new deal. My feeling was the powers that be were happy to be mid table and that would be some justification for not offering him a new deal. Our over achieving thus far has given them a real dilemma. I can't forget the tinkering, constant changing of philosophies, weird substitutions and nonsensical interviews over the piece of his tenure to be swung by the current run.

I was at Accrington Stanley earlier this season and at half time spoke to a bloke who had been hit by a flare thrown by some dickhead. He has a burn on his leg and red dye all over his shorts. He didn't think they were harmless.

I have just watched Blackburn Sings Christmas with Gareth Malone. An obvious bit of bias but I found it so enjoyable seeing local people so proud of their surroundings and community. The programme centred around Covid, the effect on the community and the wonderful NHS. Well done to everyone involved - you all did Blackburn and the local area proud.

Merry Christmas to Rovers fans everywhere and especially to the moderators of this site for the hard work they do.

And of course the season is due to finish earlier than normal because of next season's early start to accommodate the World next which gives the clubs falling behind an extra headache where to fit the games in. The integrity of each competition could be brought into question.

It's Preston who have requested the game be called off. After this mornings round of testing it looks like there have been a significant number of positive results shown. Two PL games have also gone bringing the total number of games cancelled in the EFL and PL to 16.

Two Premier League games bite the dust. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/59770658

Nobbers Boxing Day game against Sheffield United called off due to positive Covid tests. I expect there to be a lot more games off in the next couple of days.

I don't know how long this spectator ban will last but we are due at Cardiff on January 15th. It's a bugger because I have booked train tickets for me and my granddaughter. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-59729129

Two of the three players who are in dispute did come through the Academy and have proved themself be assets as has Rothwell. We were led to believe we were on the cusp of breaching P&S rules but since then we have shed big earners, sold Armstrong and the STC. If Sam Gallagher (rumoured to be a top earner) is close to signing an extension it's a fair assumption won't be for peanuts. And if the three do leave how can we replace them and it not cost more? Transfer fees, wages and long contracts for potential new signings would surely commit the club to more expenditure than we have now. Ordinarily I wouldn't get too concerned but given where we are it's a huge worry. And reading Mowbrays post match comments on Saturday he feels the same way.

When did this 'wage structure' business start? In the summer we offloaded some of the highest earners in Mulgrew, Bennett, Evans and more. Their wages were estimated at around £100k weekly or £5m yearly. In terms of the numbers we are well down and the new players coming in permanently will be on considerably less. I also remember when Waggott talked about the offer to Armstrong which was described as a bumper deal. This term is used I believe to exonerate Waggott and the owners and make the players look greedy. https://footballleagueworld.co.uk/steve-waggott-reveals-action-he-took-with-adam-armstrong-before-blackburn-rovers-departure/ If we were floundering in mid table I might just understand the situation a bit more but given where we are losing three key players next month would be catastrophic in my view BUT absolutely in line with the owners dysfunctional decade of control.

And potentially their signings would break the newly introduced 'wage structure'. Rovers have to be careful not to paint themselves into corner here.

It's been said many times about the atmosphere at away games but more recently it's been really good. I have noticed several groups of teenagers who sing pretty much all through the games and they have some original songs too. It seems that these groups have got together for home games now and are doing great things to make Ewood a better place on match days. Clearly winning games helps but the atmosphere is important to the overall match experience.

There was proper succession planning under John Williams and Tom Finn. I remember players were offered new deals well before their old ones run down and invariably they signed. I remember Garry Flitcroft saying he was offered a new deal when he was rehabilitating after an awful injury. He cited that as the main reason for his loyalty which is a two way street. It's incredible to think that our season and probably the best chance of promotion could be derailed by money when you consider how much this lot have spunked on absolute dross. Only under Venkys could this surreality occur.

There is also a huge risk in losing our players in January, more of a risk than this 'wage structure' being broke in my view. Until it emerged recently that three players haven't accepted the club's offer I hadn't heard the words 'wage structure' relating to Rovers for many years. Now it's being banded about to pass the buck on to the players in my opinion and make them appear mercenary. With Waggott and these owners who knows what will happen but the reality is this could derail a real chance of promotion and in all honesty would fit in with the crazy decision making over the last decade.

Dolan hasn't has any injections. Potentially two others might not have played yesterday as they also mixed with the player who tested positive. Because the have been vaccinated they could play.

Firstly there was a vast majority of fans who do go to the games who wanted him gone and with justification. The run of two wins in seventeen would have seen the manager sacked at any other club. This season we have seen points dropped and dire performances, poor tactics and as manager that is down to him. The last few weeks have been great and as the as manager he takes credit as he also gets the brickbats when we lose. To countenance that I believe he has stumbled across this system out of desperation following the Fulham debacle. As history has proved we could go into a losing streak under him at any time. The real conundrum is his contract situation. In my view up until recently there was no chance of him getting a new deal but if this run carries on who knows what will happen. For the record I do think you are baiting as I read an element of smugness in your posts.

And most of Mowbrays substitutions have been like for like not the usual three or four positional changes we are used to.

It's incredible the contempt which is given to football fans. I have total empathy with fans of Villa and Burnley many of whom would have been travelling to the game when they found out it was off. Why on earth the tests for the players couldn't have been done earlier on Friday so the results were in sooner this morning I just don't know. And the galling thing is there no recompense for fans who are out of pocket because of this farce.

Wednesday 3rd of November this year around 9.45 will be written into the annals of Rovers history as the worst home league defeat in our history and the performance reflected the score. Players threw the towel in, gave up and looked dispirited. Relegation seemed a damned sight nearer than promotion that fateful night. Nobody will have seen what was coming then as we have suddenly started to keep clean sheets, score goals, win tackles, win headers and win games looking more and more confident every game. For example who would have thought Darragh Lenihan was capable of places pass like he did for the second goal today? The attitude of the players has gone a full 360 and a system which suits them has been found which has been the foundation of a great period for us fans. Today typified the change as we largely dominated the game. I have always said the key to success in this league is clean sheets and who knows where this can end up if we keep the opposition out. Football never ceases to surprise me.

Thanks Ian. In my little world surely the £16m for the STC would be in the bank for Rovers now as the sale went through some time ago. Wouldn't it? Or do you think the payment would be held back.

I'm no finance expert but what about the Armstrong money and the sale of the STC. I thought they were both to cover the shortfall and avoid falling foul of P&S. Has anyone any idea why?

That is a really good point and a glut of postponements, lockdowns etc could impinge on this season and next. The blazers domestically and internationally will be petrified of the already tight schedule being disrupted. Once again though their prime consideration will be financial.

Well us laymen don't hear what is said internally very often so we hear pundits using baffling terms, as I said to try and impress. But you proved my point with your second sentence 😁😁. I spent lots of time in and around football clubs with managers and coaches who I would speak to. The majority used to talk about the simplicity of the game and not over complicating it.