arbitro

I have written to Lynsey again and included the link in your post.

I wonder who is behind these poorly thought ideas. The club are generously offering free coach travel to Norwich, primarily because of the silly o'clock kick off time. For regular away travellers who don't travel by coach I think this is unfair so I wrote to Waggott asking him if there could be an across the board discount on the ticket price then everybody is treated fairly. I pointed out that there will be people going to their first away match and gaining some benefit. There are as many (if not more) regular away fans who always travel by road or rail. From my point of view I like the independence of arranging my own travel. I know a lot of southern based supporters who can't take advantage of this due to logistics. It's almost like regular supporters are penalised. The very least they could have done was issue vouchers for the club shop. I got a nice email back from Lynsey saying they can't reduce prices on away tickets. I think they could by making up the shortfall themselves. She offered to book my place on the coach but I declined. I understand it's the individuals choice to travel independently but, like season ticket holders I think our support is sometimes taken for granted.

It was. The night before I refereed Brentford v Sheffield Wednesday in a League One playoff semi-final second leg but I was honestly more excited and honoured about doing Tony's game after he rang me to do it. He thanked me by giving me a limited edition Rovers watch which is amongst the pride of all my memorabilia.

No problem mate.

That wasn't a quote from my post that you replied to.

In his cameo yesterday I thought he was embarrassingly bad. He tried to control one ball and his touch was that bad and heavy Forest were able to counter from it. It was like we were a man short and a fan was asked to play. I honestly can't see anything about him despite Mowbray extolling his perceived virtues.

I think your points in the first paragraph have been more by luck than judgement. Mowbray himself has admitted he has been too loyal and although he hasn't mentioned names most of us know who they are. Hindsight is an exact science but I remember saying to my son at Ipswich in the first game that we have five League One players who would struggle over the course of a season. I think you are right in your second paragraph but if we had started the season with the results of recent weeks I think Mowbray would have been sacked in October. One of my frustrations has been the winning and losing sequences over the season. The losing runs have highlighted real weaknesses within the squad.

I refereed Tony's testimonial and you are correct. I was stood next to him as the Blackburn End sang the Shearer Wonderland song and he was overwhelmed (well as overwhelmed as somebody as good as him can be ?).

The game could have finished 5-5 as both teams squandered chances but aside from the win there were several pleasing aspects. Rothwell is one of them type of players who excites me. Running at pace directly at defenders is something we haven't had for a while. Not everything he tries comes off but I can live with that. He has scored again but today's is goal of the season. Williams was really good again today and links well with Lenihan. Travis was good again and worked between the penalty areas with some good tackles and passing. Graham did well but I expect that now. Raya though once again showed me why we need a new keeper. We were coasting and his elementary error gives them a lift. For me he is far too unreliable. His shot stopping is excellent but coming for crosses and off his line is poor. Delighted with the win and if Mowbray is true to his word we should see some youngsters in the last four games.

Sky definitely said Jason Steele on the goals round up. I didn't take too much notice as the goals rained in.?

I noticed a certain Jason Steele in goal for Forest in their midweek defeat at Sheffield Wednesday. He is good for gifting goals to opponents so we should score. It's keeping them out that worries me. Anything less (barring injuries) than the side that started on Tuesday will be a disgrace. But after bigging up his 'holding midfielders' it wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if one of them starts.

https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/rovers/news/17563991.why-rovers-boss-has-gone-with-smallwoodevans-over-loanee/ Just when you thought it was safe to come out of the closet. It's one step forward and two backwards with Mowbray at the moment. I'm glad he says ' in my opinion' because the vast majority of fans think he is wrong.

That's a part of the press. Denying the opposition space is fundamental if this system is going to work and last night there was lots of excellent pressing all over the pitch.

Over the course of this awful run I haven't really seen much evidence that the players aren't working hard enough. The difference to me is the tempo we played at last night compared to recent weeks. And in my opinion that is primarily down to the players who are picked. Smallwood and Evans just haven't got the speed of thought or good enough first touch to play a high tempo, pressing game. Reed is perfect for that style of play and Travis compliments this perfectly. Some pace around the pitch is also requisite in this type of game and last night showed we do have some pace which Derby struggled with. The biggest lesson for Mowbray from last night was that Smallwood and Evans together seriously impede us.

Pace, intensity, pressing and movement. We have been severely lacking in these areas for some time now and tonight we saw them in abundance. As poor as we were in central midfield on Saturday we were the polar opposite tonight which is simply down to personnel. Reed was terrific and is fundamental to a high press at the tip of the diamond. Travis was full of energy and tackled like his life depended on it. He was sloppy in possession a couple of times but that aside was very good. Rothwell excites me when he runs at opponents. He runs a bit blind at times but give me that type of player anytime. Conway was good tonight although I wouldn't give him a new deal. Dack grew into the game and his footwork in tight areas was good to watch. Hopefully he learns from the nonsense of the last few days and stays away from Instatwitter or whatever it's called and remembers who pays his wages and his duty to them. We looked as solid as we have for some time against a side with some good attacking players. Mowbray simply has to see the error of his ways and keep Smallwood and Evans away from the starting eleven. It was an enjoyable evening and, as football does gave us all a high after weeks of lows.

Scoring first in any game is important but looking at our home games so far we have only come from behind twice and then only drew (Reading and Rotherham). We have almost gone full circle from pre Christmas when we conceded lots of late goals to recently conceding early goals. There was a perceived mental weakness with the late goals but I honestly don't know why we have started conceding early too. Either way it shows another huge weakness in the squad and one I fully expect Lampard to be aware of and look to exploit. I can't see anything other than a defeat with Mowbray saying we played well, worked hard yadda, yadda.

My daughter and granddaughter actually went to the Blackburn End having not checked their tickets. They were directed to the Blackburn End side of the JW Upper. They sat amongst parents and kids from her school but they said there were a few other schools there too.

I think you are right but surely the integrity of the competition should be brought into question with the very people who should uphold the standards. Any of the clubs involved in the relegation scrap with them should complain about this. I wonder which EFL budget the money came from and what guarantees do they have to ensure payment (presumably with interest).

I honestly think he would be under more pressure had we started the season in the form we are in now. There seems to be a contentment amongst many because they expected us to be in the position we are now and therefore their own expectation has been met. I'd be surprised if this isn't the line being spun to the Indians from Mowbray and Waggott. But I it runs much deeper than that with some of us having an eye on next season and very little confidence in Mowbray to bring in the quantity and quality to rebuild the squad to kick us on. His over reliance on League One standard players and tying the club to ridiculous contracts means the playing budget will have to increase massively to bring in the type of players we need. Will that be sanctioned by the owners? I have very little faith in his ability to construct a new squad. He seems to be stuck in a footballing time warp.

Well that hamstring soon healed. A touch of Lazarus there for Dacky. I wish Mowbray would pick up his staff and walk. ???

But avoidable if Mowbray hadn't decided to reward average Joe's for doing their jobs and winning football matches (for which they would have been handsomely rewarded with win and promotion bonuses). I've enjoyed debating these aspects in a civilised manner with you. The next few weeks and summer may well define the next few years for our club. Either way I'm sure it will be revisited by us.

But could the likes of Smallwood and Williams earn what we are paying them given they are essentially League One at best. That's why I'm saying they could sit on their contracts and take the money. Even sending them out on loan would cost us. I'm not bracketing them with the big earners of yesteryear but the process of getting rid might be the same given the security they have. And don't forget we will have Hart, Grayson, Wharton and Fisher back and I have a recollection of the first three being given new deals this season too.

The players out of contract are a red herring if you are talking about them being replaced. Leutwiler has hardly started in the league (1 game is it) and Fisher will be coming back anyway. Gladwin hasn't kicked a ball this season. Conway and Rodwell haven't started too many games and Downing was considered not good enough. The numbers won't reduce sufficiently enough to bring in a large number of players unless we get rid of the ones now playing who clearly aren't good enough. But as I have said they have very little value to get a decent fee for any of them and I'd be staggered if they could get anywhere near what we are paying them. That's why I think we might have to pay them up to get shut of them as they will sit tight. Mowbray was absolutely wrong to reward these players with new, improved deals and I believe they will become another millstone around our necks.

Finding out the team at 18.45 will be interesting. Will Dack still have an injured heart string, sorry hamstring? Where will Bennett play? Will the two crabs occupy the engine room? Will Charlie Boy have recovered from his sprained ego? Will Rothwell be the scapegoat? Will our best midfielder be stuck on the bench? I honestly can't see anything for us given the general malaise at Ewood.

Gladwin's the one who I said was permanently injured - I wasn't being flippant I really couldn't remember his name. I'll give you a Graham on the bench but what is the point of the others? If you aren't good enough to start then you shouldn't be on the bench in my opinion. Assuming we bring six (I reckon we need eight) in who are ready to hit the ground running we will have a bloated squad. And where will the plethora of youngsters who have been given deals play? We will also have Grayson and Wharton back in the summer. I envisage a bottleneck at every level next season primarily down to Mowbray awarding extensions to a group of players who aren't good enough.