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.

https://www.skysports.com/football/news/11676/11738450/tony-mowbray-confident-bradley-dack-wont-leave-blackburn-this-summer

And at the moment for the EPL next season VAR decisions will be made at Stockley Park by somebody viewing a screen. They will tell the referee what the decision is and the referee will comply. This was the way the EPL Chairmen and CEO's voted for it to be implemented.

The past is one of the greatest things about my football club and it's something I revel in. The future really worries me.

https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/rovers/news/17694307.bradley-dack-pays-tribute-to-former-boss-justin-edinburgh/ Some nice tributes to Justin Edinburgh from Rovers players particularly Bradley Dack.

I speak to so many people who compare the women's game to the men's but I think that's grossly unfair for many, many reasons. What I would say is that the women's game has come on massively in recent years and probably will grow even more with the advent of professionalism. I will watch England against Scotland tonight and if it's crap I will turn it off much as I would with any other televised game I watch.

Indeed he did. I vividly remember one of the first things Hughes did was bringing the players in for double sessions because he recognised they were ridiculously unfit and under prepared. I had it at the time from one of the club staff that Souness completely lost interest. Hughes picked up the club by its bootlaces and turned us into a real force. In Mowbrays first few months we were relegated. Comparisons in my opinion are futile and baseless.

Really sad. He seemed to be a decent person and leaves a wife and two young children. R.I.P.

I am thinking along the same lines. Both Mowbray and Waggot were ebullient prior to going to see the Indians but since their return it's almost like they are trying to dampen the false hope they gave to the supporters.

Are you Ian Holloway? ☺️

https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/rovers/news/17692190.experience-could-take-priority-over-overseas-for-rovers/ The message from Waggott is that Mowbray will predominantly go for experienced Championship players and not too many European based ones. This is despite Mowbray decrying the fees and wages of this type of player. One of his reasons in his opinion is that they take too long too settle in but we have had a £7m player warming the bench and playing for the under 23's. It seems to me that he is paving the way for a summer of mediocrity where signings are concerned.

I agree completely. He got several new contracts around transfer window time when he sulked about not getting a move. As good as he was for us he sullied his reputation through sheer greed and blackmail.

Even if this story had legs I honestly couldn't see the Indians budging. There are far too many skeletons in them closets.

I don't really understand what you are asking?

Personally I am hugely disappointed with the potential signing of Downing. It seems like a signing of convenience and within Mowbrays comfort zone but I honestly don't feel he will improve the squad or impact positively on our top six push. He will also come in as one of our best paid players. The length of any deal will be interesting. I have some close friends who are Middlesbrough supporters and they are surprised by our interest in him.

Gloating Scousers I can just about bear as at least they were born there. It's all the 'fans' who suddenly appear (Matty aptly described them as single use plastic) that do my noggin in. Yesterday evening I saw my neighbours and their extended family walking to the pub and all bar one were wearing new Liverpool shirts. I know for a fact that some of them have been Rovers fans in the recent past. They now proclaim Klopp as the second coming. It's going to be a long summer ?

She must have played for him previously then.

The commentary team is so bland. I don't have BT so I'm not used to Macca, J and Fletch and their boys club. I thought the penalty was harsh as it came off his chest. How can that be deliberate?

A simple guide to next seasons law changes. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/48382254