arbitro

There is a really interesting programme on BBC 2 at 9 pm tomorrow entitled Mrs Thatcher Vs The Miners. The synopsis refers to Thatcher defeating the miners in 1984 and changed the face of Britain forever. I used to know several miners who lived in pit villages and they pretty much lost everything including their dignity and pride. Ding dong the witch is dead.

I agree City were poor but Sterling was ineffective as he often in big games. I thought their most dangerous player was Walker from full back.

Sterling went missing in a big game again. Tuchel outsmarted Guardiola as Chelsea deservedly won.

It's quite ironic that some of our fans who are so beholden to Venkys by saying they are saving us from being another Bolton or Blackpool. Both of them clubs had awful owners who the fans played a part in getting rid of. Now one has been promoted and the other could be in the Championship next season. And both are run far, far better than we are.

http://www.skysports.com/share/12319990 Great quote from Appleton in the article. At Blackburn he was sacked by a Sporting Director he has still never met. "There were things that went on at Blackpool and Blackburn that I probably could not discuss with you. Things that just weren't right and should not have happened " What a mess we have been for a decade.

These Americans are relatively new to football but they know how to deal with financial miscreants and rule breakers like Beckhams Inter Miami. If only the authorities in the country who invented the game could be as dynamic. Edit. It won't let me post a link but they have been fined $2m for breaking salary cap rules. The sporting director has been suspended and their 'managing owner' has been fined $250k with their roster allocation being reduced by $2.2m for two seasons.

Thank you.

Thanks mate. Are there any bookies open?

If I put £10 on Swansea to win what would the return be? Sorry for my ignorance but betting isn't something I really understand.

An interesting start to the Brentford v Bournemouth play off match. Bournemouth take the lead with a swift counter attack from a Brentford corner when the home defence literally, go awol. Brentford equalise with a penalty which frankly isn't one. It's going to be a tough shift for the referee.

There was a handball by Perez in the build up to Leicester's goal which, apparently wasn't seen by the VAR and yet a player literally millimetres offside is penalised, correctly I might add. VAR for matters of fact should be an exact science but the inconsistencies are alarming. I dislike VAR but it's here to stay but VAR itself isn't the problem, it's the people operating it.

What a boring first half in the FA Cup Final. No shots on target and lots of sideways and backwards passing.

Mowbray wasn't asked specifically about that, he offered it up as some kind of excuse like it's real hardship. In my view he says things like that to garner sympathy. He is in an extremely well paid job but nobody forces him to do it. The family circumstances are entirely his own click.

When the pitch and weather was at it's absolute worst what did he do? He had the first team training on it for several days. He's become a living, contradictory parody who insults our intelligence.

Bennett is being offered a new deal on sentiment and the fact Mowbray sees his as as a lieutenant in the dressing room, certainly not on ability and what he offers football wise. Mowbray has previous in this respect and has cost the clubs hundreds of thousands in doing so but in his autonomous way isn't answerable to anybody.

Blame the pitch, lack of atmosphere but no criticism of the biggest factor in our poor home record - himself. He gets his honesty, hard working mantra in though. His lack of humility does him no favours. https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/19304060.rovers-working-hard-provide-best-possible-pitch---mowbray/

Well done for at least doing something. Anything is better than nothing and on the back of the ESL uproar and protests who knows.

We are at cross purposes - the lad I know is a keeper.

I know one of them. I worked with his mum and dad and still (Covid permitting) meet his mum for a coffee. He used to sit close by us in the Family Stand so he is a Rover too. 👍👍

https://www.bbc.co.uk This is a really novel idea from Ajax. Their season ticket holders will be delighted I'd guess.

Skip is regularly on the money with information about the youngsters and particularly JRC. It's incredibly poor management to treat one of our best prospects in such a shoddy way. Waggott, Venus and Pasha's grubby fingerprints are all over this.

Sad to say I completely agree. The structure at Rovers just doesn't lend itself to making such decisions as sacking Mowbray and his staff. Pasha just wants a quiet, easy life and doesn't seem to want to upset Waggott and Mowbray and I'd guess his lines of communication to India reflect that.

The last decade under these owners has been thin and the line 'support your team no matter what' is no more than blind loyalty. Next season I believe our attendances will be at a 30+ year low and no doubt it will be spun as primarily down to Covid but more and more long term supporters have just had enough. The truth is the product has deteriorated and the nobody in any authority seems to care. We have a ridiculous structure whereby the Chief Executive can't call the shots but has to go through the owners representative who then has to get the owners permission. The manager isn't good enough and his coaching staff reflect him. The Brockhall farce sticks in the craw for many who simply do not trust the current incumbents to make the best decisions in the interests of Rovers. As for the owners having to put their hands in their pockets then tough. They are reaping what they have sown.

I still believe we have a top six squad completely undermined by an average manager and staff. What is particularly galling to me is that this seasons Championship is the poorest standard I can remember and we haven't laid a glove on it. Too much chopping and changing of personnel and tactics have become a trademark of Mowbrays tenure and have particularly led to a really inconsistent season. It seems that Mowbray is often caught between two stools as to what style of play we adopt. He continually talks the talk about a passing game and quite often we do have more of the ball but in reality it means nothing. Results are all that matter and Mowbray just can't consistently deliver them. And for that reason he should go but I firmly believe he will be here next season. His infuriating interviews are also worth mentioning.

I have been told today that Bell is not getting a new deal and will leave with Evans, Holtby and Downing along with the loan players returning to their parent clubs. Johnson has been offered a new one year deal. The person who told me thought Bennett had been offered a new deal but couldn't be certain. He also said there is a strong possibility that Nyambe played his last match for us today.