Clubs want to get training again but the PL are insisting that all players sign their training protocol document. It looks like a disclaimer to me. https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11661/11987232/coronavirus-players-must-sign-consent-for-group-training

I keep reading about players taking wage cuts but the vast majority (including Rovers) have taken wage deferrals for a couple of months. Whilst that is very noble and undoubtedly helps their respective clubs it's only for a couple of months and then they are entitled to get the deficit paid back.

73% of football fans say a return won't boost their morale. https://yougov.co.uk/topics/lifestyle/survey-results/daily/2020/05/11/7a47b/2

So does it not matter because it's non league? The FA have the same duty of care to every league irrespective of status and as such should be applying the same standards. Despite your implication (which I think may be about money) it's double standards, something which the FA have previous for.

And the same FA have declared steps 3 to 6 null and void with no promotion or relegation. The FA will be powerless in a battle with the PL. Remember when the PL was formed as the FA Premier League? The FA bit was dropped not long after because they offered nothing. https://thefsa.org.uk/news/seasons-voided-at-steps-3-to-6-of-non-league/

I think it's more about the test kits than facilities. There clearly aren't enough kits at the moment for people that really need them. They should be used on the people who are risking their lives for us, elderly people and anybody at risk not footballers whose employers have lots of money and a private company more than happy to take it.

I didn't see it but reading into your comments it appears that the testing of players has been arranged at a private clinic. In my view it doesn't matter where they are held, those tests should be prioritised and done on people that really need them. Privatisation once again being used by the wealthy.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/52605961 A third Brighton player tests positive.

Define a genuine football fan.

I'm not missing it at all Matty. In fact I almost want enough clubs to rebel against the proposals of 'Project Startup' and really put the jitters up the lot of them. I still feel bitter about the league's and Scudamore's lack of action when we so desperately needed them.

https://metro.co.uk/2020/05/09/premier-league-footballers-receive-coronavirus-test-results-quicker-key-workers-12677023/ The PL are paying a reported £4m for testing of players and staff and are expected to get the results back within 24 hours. The frontline NHS staff and care workers are having to wait longer according to the article. If this is true it's another reason to dislike football.

I agree about not being allowed in until next year but in light of Waggott's comments about the possibility of some from of reimbursement hypothetically it leaves the club in a very difficult situation. Assuming we have played nine or ten home games by then and current season ticket holders are discounted for the four missing games it effectively means we will have to pay for only nine or ten games. And factor in if we aren't doing reasonably well and there is still an element of fear some just won't bother. Assuming we don't pay for them until the turn of the year that is pretty much no income for nine months. I can't see too much income commercially neither. Something will have to give.

An interesting idea for the PL if 'Project Restart' doesn't happen. It's points per game but weighted with separate home and away from taken into account. And the real beauty of this is that West Ham would be relegated ??. https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/premier-league-table-decided-weighted-21995675

Many happy returns to you both.

You're asking the wrong person. Not watching sport and keeping people safe is a small price to pay for however long this goes on. I agree with Parson with the way some leading figures in football have conducted themselves. They have left me feeling disillusioned to such a degree that I don't think I will renew my Sky subscription when football is back on our screens. The biggest thing I've missed about not going to the Rovers is seeing friends and family.

They have been really proactive and decisive. Our football authorities and Government are ponderous and driven by a different agenda as far as football is concerned.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/52581841 No spectators at Dutch sporting events until a vaccine has been found. I fear that may be a while yet.

https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11661/11983295/premier-league-gordon-taylor-raises-possibility-of-shorter-halves-for-season-resumption The septuagenarian PFA boss spouts more of his nonsense. The PL have said it's a complete non starter by the way.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/52529679 Some really interesting facts are contained in this piece from the football financial lecturer Kevin Maguire. This pandemic aside it shows how precarious the situation is for most EPL clubs.

I sincerely hope after the furore over the lack of testing kits that the 'moneybags' PL aren't allowed to enter a Dutch Auction for them and in turn deprive people far more worthy of testing.

1/ John Barton, John Butcher and Jason Brown. 2/ El-Hadji Diouf, Carlos Villanueva and Tugay Kerimoglu. 3/ Andy Cole and Paul Dickov. 4/ Buxton. 5/ Matt Jansen. 6/ Bolton Wanderers. The attendance was 62,522. 7/ Arsenal. 8/ Six. 83-84 v Derby (h) and Portsmouth (h) 86-87 v Sunderland (h) 88-89 v Oldham (h) and Man City (h) 89-90 v Barnsley (h) 9/ O'Keefe, Price, Sulley, Barker, Keeley, Mail, Miller, Ainscow, Hendry, Garner, Sellars. Subs: Patterson and Branagan 10/ David Batty. 11/ Watford.

In an effort to relieve the boredom I have put together a Rovers specific quiz for which I will post the answers on a new thread. No googling and the referees decision is final ??. 1/ Rovers have had three goalkeepers with the initials JB - name them. 2/ There have been three Rovers players in recent times whose full names contain all five vowels. Can you name them? 3/ Six clubs have won the EPL. Only two players have played for four of them (not necessarily when they won it though). Who are they? 4/ Tony Parkes joined Rovers from which non league club in 1970? 5/ Who was Rovers leading goalscorer in the successful Worthington Cup campaign in 2001-02? 6/ Who were Rovers opponents when the record attendance was set at Ewood? For a bonus what was it (generously I'll give you to the nearest one hundred). 7/ Who were Rovers opponents in their first ever EPL game at Ewood? 8/ How many hat-tricks did Simon Garner score for Rovers? 9/ Name the Rovers team that won the Full Members Cup against Charlton in 1987? 10/ Which former Rover missed a penalty against Argentina in the 1998 World Cup in France? 11/ Which club did Ken Furphy leave to join Rovers as manager in 1970? Answers on a separate thread soon.

I agree and there are several items which have been raised which will bring into question the integrity of the game. The Chief Exec of Brighton has already stated that out of their remaining nine games five are at home and playing at neutral venues would take away that advantage.

https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11661/11982637/premier-league-clubs-prepare-for-202021-season-behind-closed-doors Speculation that even next season supporters won't be admitted into grounds. Although this is a PL centric article (it's Sky after all) surely this would apply to all football until a vaccine is found and widely available.

The advent of academies has seen the numbers increase massively. I saw a photo the other day of the dugout when Jim Iley was here. There were three people in it, Iley, the trainer/physio (they did both jobs then) and the obligatory one substitute. Now there so many in the technical areas including medics, analysts and none playing squad members it's impossible to know who is who. I watched the 1987 Cup Final on ITV yesterday and saw a Coventry player called Mickey Gynn. I read that he became a postman after retiring as did Neil Webb. I remember a player called David Hillier who played at Arsenal and Portsmouth amongst others. He became a fireman.