The playing side has hugely regressed and the Academy was already there producing International footballers. Under them we have been in our lowest ever league position, had two relegations, been run by conmen and shysters, lost millions upon millions of pounds, lost ten thousand plus supporters........need I say more?

And the positives are what?

I'd be really surprised if it does. There might be some leniency because of his good record but he will at the very least incur a fine.

Did he stick up for him because he left the technical area, spoke to the ball boy or said something to the referee? I don't know what Mowbray said to get his red card but generally referees are tolerant towards managers. As I said for the life in me I can't understand why Mowbray went to speak to the kid and lecture him about morals particularly whilst the game was in progress. If he felt that strongly he should have sought the kid out privately after the game and spoke to him. Completely unprofessional in my view.

In simple terms the problems are caused by paying players too much. Bury bad a player on £6k a week and it's almost certain that some other players were on similar. When a player is registered and his contract sent to the relevant leagues the vastly over inflated wages should be questioned with the club. The authorities have to take some leadership and seriously question some of these errant owners and chief executives.

Shaun Harvey - remember that name. When the dust settles he should be questioned about his involvement in the Bolton and Bury fiascos. I fully expect a cover up though.

Mowbray was initially yellow carded for leaving the technical area. He spoke to a ball boy about the time he was taking to give Rovers players the ball back. He must have said something to the referee because a red card was produced within seconds presumably for something he said. I honestly don't know what Mowbray thought he was doing by speaking to the ball boy. That's completely out of his remit. All this 'good human being' is bollocks in my view and in my view he has made a fool of himself. Uncle Tony indeed. The referee was poor all night and his inconsistency was about as bad as I have seen.

I was surprised when I saw the team and three of our current first choice back four were playing. Given that Tosin is already out for Saturday Mowbray was taking a huge gamble. Seeing them three in I cou!don't understand why Travis wasn't in ahead of either Evans or Smallwood. The difference in the first half was the keepers. Their keeper saved a penalty and the rebound whilst ours clapped at a perfectly catchable cross. Leutwiler prefers to punch than catch and it drives me mad. Poor, poor goalkeeping. The second goal should have signalling least a double change at half time but Mr Play It Safe did nothing. When he eventually changed he kept his two banks of four when I thought we should have gone all out. Armstrong and Nyambe disappointed me as did Rothwell. The two central midfielders are not good enough. Buckley was good but in the time he was on Rankin-Costello was really good. Overall I'm really disappointed because this was definitely winnable but errors cost us.

https://www.theguardian.com/football/2019/jul/11/bury-takeover-without-full-football-league-approval-transfer-embargo-efl I have posted this before but David Conn reports that Dale wasn't even subjected to take the fit and proper persons test. If it's true the EFL have major questions to answer. Lots of fingers are being pointed at Shaun Harvey who was the EGO Chief Exec at the time. He also allegedly turned a blind eye to Anderson's wrongdoings at Bolton.

Out of 8600 I would have thought that a high proportion are local although I don't really know how that equates to postcodes. I was thinking more of people I know and see at games who live within a few miles of Ewood.

I remember that too. I think it was based on the postcodes of season ticket holders and we came out with a really high proportion. I would think the results would be similar now albeit with significantly smaller numbers.

People like Dacks girlfriend feed off publicity whether it's good or bad. Essentially they are Z listers and need to be in the public eye otherwise they'll be forgotten in a week. The old maxim of 'no publicity is bad publicity' has never been more apt for these reality TV no marks.

Williams and Lenihan are looking strong together as demonstrated by three consecutive clean sheets but I think that Johnson and Travis have also played a big part too. They are a huge upgrade as a partnership to Smallwood and Evans and both do the dirty stuff whilst adding some creativity and energy going forward. Hopefully they can steer clear of injuries and suspensions.

Rowett has failed at Birmingham, Derby and Stoke after having success at Burton. I really don't understand why a club would consider a manager like him with a poor CV.

I have read that before but how many of them created chances or were played to teammates? Most of them were out on the right wing in areas where we couldn't hurt the opposition. It's another pointless statistic with nothing tangible coming from them.

"Today it was unusual for us to face so many long balls! I'd get slaughtered! But I thought we coped admirably. The above is a quote from Warnock. He is exaggerating in my view but the long diagonal balls to Gallagher on the right are getting predictable and unproductive. Sometimes Mowbray has to be smarter.

A dour but predictable no score draw which both managers will be happy with. I thought we looked lethargic today and the energy of the last two games seemed to be lacking. Too many under hit and lazy passes meant the possession was quickly turned over as the game became a stalemate. Their only threat was the long throws until Hoillet came on as they ran at us. Aside from a couple of half chances we didn't really threaten. Whilst a point and clean sheet are welcome we have to simply be more creative. We still haven't scored from open play and we simply haven't worked any opposition goalkeeper enough.

After two clean sheets I sincerely hope he doesn't shift Williams to left back and bring Tosin in. We have been solid in central defence and I hope Mowbray understands that. It has to be Bell or Downing.

Andy Holt's take on the whole farce. https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/football/shakers/17856447.accrington-owner-andy-holt-calls-efl-wake-problems/

I can't see many goals tomorrow and feel that one goal either way could do it. We still haven't scored from open play in the league and if Cardiff score first I think they might shut up shop.

https://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/sport/17856251.efl-cancel-scheduled-meeting-bolton-bury-fans/ The caring EFL have cancelled a meeting scheduled today with supporter groups from Bolton, Bury, Blackpool and Coventry to discuss ownership issues. Before I read the article I knew the Bury issue would be the excuse for cancelling. Do they not have other executive officers who could have attended? Once again the EFL paying lip service to the lifeblood of the game.

Ironically our next Premier League game was against Wolves on the first day of the following season. Like you I was convinced we would get relegated to such a degree that I rang 606 and told Jason Roberts and Darren Fletcher just that. I said the club was rancid and Kean just wasn't up to it. I was pretty much derided by both with them saying it was too early to make such predictions, give Kean a chance and all the other nonsense we were force fed on by the media. I'd love to bump into either of them smug b******* now to tell them I was right. ?

Without checking I thought we won 3-2 on that final day. From memory we were three up and playing really well and sloppily conceded two and then backs to the wall. I distinctly remember lots of Wolves fans on the pitch at the end of the game applauding us and we reciprocated.

Technically he didn't do anything wrong but I felt he was disloyal after Rovers pushed the boat out for him and his family. He was brought over as a kid and went to St Bedes, he was then loaned out to a German club whilst he got the necessary permits if I remember correctly. He was on a huge contract here as Rovers gave him the platform to showcase his ability but he chose to turn down a new deal to leave on a Bosman. I thought at the time he might have repaid that faith by staying longer but that was misplaced. For somebody who shows open disdain to one of our (by popular opinion) most important players your last sentence seems a bit hollow.

I don't understand the significance of this - care to enlighten?