This is the kind of owner being attracted to the Premier League and using clubs as a vanity project. If the story is true (it's being reported by lots of media outlets) then his decision to sack Tuchel (for a problem he caused) has cost Chelsea upwards of £13m https://www.football365.com/news/todd-boehly-sacked-tuchel-ex-chelsea-boss-denied-children-half-time-dressing-room

Interestingly one of the Coventry comments is that he stopped one of their best players, Hamer from playing. And yet some of our own fans question his physicality.

At 9.15 this morning we had around 200 left and I was told there would be no further allocation.

Last night's referee was due to be fourth official at Nobbers on Saturday but he has been replaced this morning. I think it's a sensible decision as his mere presence could have been inflammatory.

You are right - I did forget him but I was told that he was Broughtons signing and not Tomassons.

There is some real revisionism on here today. From an attacking point of view look what he inherited. He had Gallagher, almost universally condemned by everyone at some stage, Brereton who just hasn't been Diaz for some time and Dolan who is more of an impact player. He has had to use Vale and Leonard to supplement these. The only attacking player we brought in is Thomas and he didn't come in until January. Tomasson has been let down by Broughton and his recruitment army. He said all along he wanted a striker and got nothing. So far this season we are in a strong position to make the playoffs, got through to the fifth round of the League Cup and quarter finals of the FA Cup. That represents our most successful season in quite a time. It hasn't been perfect, far from it and I have criticised the manager on many occasions but it's his first season in England and the Championship is one hell of a league to cut your teeth in. This summer will be key for me and he needs some backing to build on what he has achieved this far. Football is frustrating at times and things get said irrationally but in the cold light of day who could have come in and done what Tomasson has.

I was earlier than normal last night so had a walk round and bumped into somebody I have known for a long time and who has been employed in the football industry for many years. He told me he had a meeting with Broughton recently and that Broughton now occupies the office that was the managers office under the likes of Hughes, Allardyce and Mowbray. He didn't know where Tomasson's office is now. As they were coming out of the office Tomasson was walking down the corridor and not even a glance was exchanged between Tomasson and Broughton. The guy I was talking to said it was so strange that Broughton didn't introduce him to Tomasson. It also bears out a report in early February that essentially said the relationship between the two had broken down over the failure to bring in players in the positions Tomasson wanted.

Before pretty much every home game I get an email from Rovers about the upcoming game and every one has a warning that any pitch incursion is an offence, breaks ground regulations and will result in action being taken. Last night a Coventry fan ran on from the Darwen End, ran around for a bit, came over the the JW Lower and goaded the Rovers fans before ambling back to the Darwen End where his mates celebrated him like a hero. There were a line of stewards he went through to get on and off the pitch and nobody even tried to get him off the pitch. In what will be a powder key situation next week will any Dingles or Rovers fans be allowed to run into the pitch without any intervention?

The way he creates space for himself on the half turn is a God given gift. Hopefully he gets a lot more opportunities to show his absolute class.

I was probably most annoyed tonight with one incident in stoppage time. We have a free kick for offside and Pears does he bit by taking an eternity. When he knocks it upfield he aims for Brereton, our focal point after Gallagher went off. It's a decent kick but big dopey Brereton is stood offside thus giving Coventry possession and a chance to put us under pressure. Just after they get the corner from which they scored.

An outstanding performance tonight from Adam. Got us on the front foot more often than not and his range of passing is the best at the club. Hopefully Tomasson has seen now that we are much better with him in the team and he should be the first named midfielder on the team sheet.

Rankin-Costello was injured and Brittain was either injured or exhausted. Both had to be changed and given the lack of full back options we had to put Hedges and Carter there.

He was red carded so unless there is a successful appeal he will be in the stand.

Ayala hasn't played a game for a few months. Throwing him into a game like this would be crazy.

I really think the injuries to both full backs was critical tonight. I honestly didn't think it was a five at the back as Thomas got forward but, as he always does he covers well for the full back in this instance Carter. I was happy with the performance though as we played quicker than we have for a few games and at times were a cut above Coventry. I couldn't tell from where I was but I've been told their goal is a clear handball. As always getting a second goal would have been crucial but we just couldn't get it. We are still in there and hopefully we can put Nobbers out of it on Saturday by beating them.

Fielding is leaving.

There are so many permutations it's almost impossible to predict and football is full of variables anyway. Win tonight and then focus on Nobbers is the only thing in my mind right now. The players certainly have it in themselves to beat Coventry tonight but we have to force it, be bold and attack. We can play a part as fans by getting behind them but ultimately it's down to them and Tomasson to get the result we crave. The only certainty in my mind is that it's going to be a nervy evening.

I'm not sure there was any booing (for context there was some but completely disproportionate to the attendance) about it being nil apiece. I thought it was frustration at the pedantic way we were playing. If we played that way but we're one up I don't think there would have been a murmur.

It's off topic but Rovers are advertising for a new Head of Commercial. Does anybody know if it's to replace Paul Fielding, the guy we appointed from Hull who disrespected our history in a meeting with the Rovers Trust? Didn't he also insist that NFT's (or whatever) were the future?

If we play the slow, laborious football tonight we will make it difficult for ourselves and easier for Coventry. Tomasson has to set us up to go at them with an intensity to match how we played at Huddersfield. Adam Wharton simply has to start as he is the one who gets us on the front foot and can pick the right pass at the right time. If he doesn't start that to me will be a statement of intent from Tomasson and we can expect another night of frustration. The last time we scored first was against Reading on March 15th. I believe it's imperative we score first tonight to have any chance of winning. My heart says he will go for it, my head tells me otherwise.

Coventry have sold their original allocation of 2000 and have put another 566 on sale this morning. They can also pay on the night so they will have potentially 3000 supporters tomorrow.

A line from Broughton on the appointment. Does he do irony (in light of the O'Brien fiasco). “We would like to thank Celtic Football Club for dealing with Sean’s move as professionally and efficiently as possible.”

The laws of the game provide for time wasting or time consuming. The text below is taken from Law 7 - Duration of the Game. Every aspect of lost time is covered. Quite simply it's the referees who are choosing to ignore it. 3. Allowance for time lost Allowance is made by the referee in each half for all playing time lost in that half through: substitutions assessment and/or removal of injured players wasting time disciplinary sanctions medical stoppages permitted by competition rules e.g. ‘drinks’ breaks (which should not exceed one minute) and ‘cooling’ breaks (ninety seconds to three minutes) delays relating to VAR 'checks' and 'reviews' any other cause, including any significant delay to a restart (e.g. goal celebrations) The fourth official indicates the minimum additional time decided by the referee at the end of the final minute of each half. The additional time may be increased by the referee but not reduced. The referee must not compensate for a timekeeping error during the first half by changing the length of the second half.

It appears that Arsenal are bottling it in their quest for the Premier League title. In successive games they have been two up and ended drawing both squandering four points in the process. They go to the Etihad on April 26th which could effectively be a title decider.