I have no problem with the sponsor although it's not something I would buy. My post was aimed at the EFL and the shabby way they seem to be treating Carabao. My comment about their rivals products was tongue in cheek.

A contract for something like kit and leisure wear would be pretty standard. I do feel there is a hint of laziness about things like this. There will be an evergreen contract and perhaps a couple of meetings a year. I think what annoys me more than anything is Rovers (and all clubs) know fans are being fleeced and don't appear to give a toss. But for me it kind of backfires on them as the products are definitely cost prohibitive for many.

I would love to see Rovers stick two fingers up to Umbro and manufacture their own kit and leisure wear ideally locally sourced. I'm no businessman but I reckon with both manufacturer and Rovers still making a tidy profit they could retail them much cheaper than with some greedy manufacturer like Umbro. The leisure wear is limited and ridiculously overpriced too.

A bit closer to home than last year though. I hope when the draw is being made they are in the energy drinks aisle and advertise Carabao's rivals ?. Another fine example how to demean a competition.

Stoke have signed Liam Linsday from Barnsley for an initial £2m. I think a few posters fancied him here. https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11713/11743112/stoke-agree-deal-to-sign-liam-linsday-from-barnsley-for-up-to-2-5m

He showed glimpses under Bowyer but you are correct in saying that Lambert made him better. Under Bowyer there saw a general criticism of the fitness levels and Hanley did seem overweight and lacking mobility. It went hand in hand with the holiday camp rumour. Lamberts double sessions certainly helped his career.

Quite the opposite actually. Chapman has already been with Downing for a few seasons . It's simply not feasible to have an older player on big wages simply to act as a role model fo r a youngste r. I d on't honestl y see Brereton havi ng learned anything off Graham although to be fair Mowbray ha rdly played him as a targe t m an .

Clearly I don't know but if he was and if Mowbray used that as one of the criteria for signing him I would be disappointed. On the first point isn't that what I was implying?

Chapman has already been with Downing for a few seasons. It's simply not feasible to have an older player on big wages simply to act as a role model for a youngster. I don't honestly see Brereton having learned anything off Graham although to be fair Mowbray hardly played him as a target man.

I hope they don't have their fingers in the pies at Ewood otherwise their sales will take a hit. ?

Plus Mowbray said he had money left over from the summer and January windows. I'm still baffled as to why he didn't spend it.

It was rumoured at the time that Rovers didn't get any insurance because he wasn't wearing a helmet. Or maybe it was because his contract forbade him riding a motor cycle. Either way it was tragic for the lad. I was fourth official at Bolton when he went there and he was on the bench. I had a brief chat to him about Rovers which was clearly difficult for him as he held them in such high esteem.

And he will also be using some of his salary budget on Gladwin who isn't expected back until the end of the year at the earliest. Add convalescent home to the rest home. Madness in my view.

https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2019/june/an-amicable-departure/ Mowbray on Conway saying his wages will now 'will open up some cash flow to put into wages'.

And that will only happen by spending money on the right players not has beens, cast offs or projects. I was quite enthused when Mowbray talked about using what Norwich have done as our model. That seems to have died a death reading the recent interviews with Waggott and Mowbray. And coincidentally their tone changed after coming back from India. The conclusion I draw is that the Indians have told them there isn't the budget that they expected. We will never, ever progress whilst their name is above the door.

In the past they have had an early bird offer which made the tickets cheaper for an earlier purchase. For whatever reason they haven't put in any beneficial deadlines this season apart from claiming your seat. I'm not sure of the reasons for this but why would anybody pay money so far ahead when they don't need to. I have mine but certainly wouldn't criticise anybody who is waiting until the last minute.

I don't believe it's a knee-jerk from many at all. In particular what irks me is the fact we spent a huge amount of money (perhaps at the expense of more important areas) on a 'project' which even by Mowbrays admission is somewhat of a gamble. For him to only start four games and end up with the under 23's speaks volumes in my opinion. It's early days as you rightly say but the signs so far have been completely discouraging. Personally I don't even see the basics in him but we can all see different things in players. Irrespective of what anybody thinks he will be here for a while. I, along with the vast majority want him to do well as that will be to the betterment of our club.

That was the Football League Liner Jack. It was massively innovative at the time. Football fans were treated with disdain at the time by the media and the Football League put their necks on the line with this project. Each carriage had different features such as footage of previous games and indeed the disco carriage you mention. I didn't go to Watford on it but I went to Hereford (I think) where we got gubbed by 6-2. In the disco carriage felt tipped markers were left for you to write pretty much what you wanted on the carriage walls. I remember Burnley had it the week before and there was lots of anti Rovers graffiti, all wrongly spelt of course.

I thought a new thread would be in order for the new Championship season. It looks like Middlesbrough are set to appoint Woodgate as their new boss. I'm praying he finds a role for Stewart Downing. https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11680/11740080/jonathan-woodgate-set-to-take-over-as-middlesbrough-boss Also Steve Cooper looks like he will be named as the new as the new Swansea mananger. I know Steve well as I am close friends with his dad. I think it's a shrewd appointment and wish him all the best apart from when we play them. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48541951

But that pretty much applies to every transfer. If we sold Dack and the reported fee was £15m that would include add ons and more importantly staged payments. Any club would have to budget for add on clauses over the length of a players contract.

My interpretation is that Mowbray is covering all his bases because he hasn't said definitely either way. That's what worries me.

Replace a Buffoon with Buffon ?.

Mowbray is confident Dack is staying in his most recent interview but he was saying things like 'if we have to sell Bradley Dack' to the Indian media the week before. It's the contradictions like this which alarm me.

In my opinion it wasn't.

The VAR will only advise a review if they believe there was a clear and obvious. I think if a poll was taken amongst 100 people I reckon it would come in as 50/50. That in my book isn't clear and obvious. And this is where VAR will fall down for me. For factual incidents there is no matter of opinion. Everything else will be subjective and not the exact science some believe it will be.