Depends whether you think £3m was a fair price for Armstrong or not. Which at the time I think it was. Newcastle haven't been paying 40% of his wage for the last 3 years have they. They got a fair price and get 40% of any profit. Ridiculous.

Well yes, IF that happened then if I were Newcastle I'd be arguing that the value of any player taken in part exchange should be factored into the deal.

It may happen but under no circumstances SHOULD our prize asset be replaced by anyone on loan. He will just end up not being replaced after that.

There's absolutely no suggestion we wouldn't pay the 40% if we did sell him is there? I have to respectfully disagree on whether Newcastle had us over on the deal, I think they saw us coming and shafted us accordingly but it's our fault for agreeing to it in the first place. No surprise with these buffoons on the ground at Ewood.

Doubt anyone else was queueing up to sign him at the time. If Newcastle wouldn't budge then we should have looked elsewhere notwithstanding he's done well with the benefit of hindsight.

Would you rather we went down and banked (at the very best) a net £10m? Or would you rather keep hold of Armstrong and scrape up on the strength of it? I'd take the latter all day long. I'm a fan and it's not my money admittedly. The only way I'd take the money would be if it was utilised to pot the Coventrio and bring in a top manager. But I think we know that wouldn't happen.

I think that's being a bit melodramatic. Also if we never get "that kind of deal" of a Prem Club again then my reaction would be "Thank god for that". We've been absolutely shafted by Newcastle on this deal. At the time we signed Armstrong I think £3m was a perfectly fair price for him and their end should have been accounted for by the add ons. To then get 40% of any future profit on him as well is absolutely ludicrous. We take all the risk on him and do all the work developing him and they get almost as much profit on him as we do! Not really a surprise with the Coventrio in office but Newcastle certainly saw us coming on that one.

And I could win euro millions next week. But in reality I won't.

No, but........ How often during the course of the season do you think we'll be able to rely upon no injuries whatsoever? At any one time we'll always be likely to be carrying a fee injuries like now I'd have thought. A poster above had it right, we've managed to shed a lot of dross but we need around five players of better quality than those that have left badly.

I'm not so sure, that was the best starting eleven we could field today and I'd say apart from the defence, only two of the others Rothwell and Armstrong could be described as established first team players.

I agree with you on most things but I don't understand your stauch opposition to the Academy. £1.9 m p.a. net, Costs relative peanuts in the overall scheme of things. If not enough youngsters are ending up with the first team then that suggests either the Coaching at Academy level isn't good enough or the first team management aren't willing enough to give our youngsters their head. I've not heard anyone complaining about the coaching and this practice of borrowing youngsters from PL Clubs is ludicrous imo.

That's the worry, especially with Mowbray installing another of his mates as Head of Recruitment.

From memory the Academy costs about £3.2m p.a. to run and that is offset by a grant of £1.9 m so £1.3m net or roughly the same as Ayala's wages. The Academy really is the least of our problems. It should be seen as our one shining beacon of hope. Edit: tomphil beat me to it.

Yes, one said he was "quietly confident" about this season and that a smaller squad should serve us well. I want a pint of what he's been drinking.

😂 Not just for today's result either!

The thought crossed my mind too Stuart. For me Waggott, Venus and Mowbray must not be allowed to dispose of Brockhall for any reason before they leave. If true it does also of course give rise to the depressing prospect that Mowbray will install another of his mates within the role. Makes you wonder why all our staff seem to be departing for roles at lower league Clubs.

Am hearing he's left to join Salford City. Can anyone confirm or deny? If true this must surely be regarded as even more extremely bad news as he was highly regarded for the work he was doing with the U 23's?

No worries.

It has been rumoured hasn't it that Mowbray and Venus have differing ideas on how the game should be played. Wonder if we'll see any discernible difference today.

For heavens sake, don't be so precious, it isn't generally serious even if anyone does have Covid. People go on like it's a death sentence or something.

Yes, that's probably the main example of why the modern game isn't as entertaining as in years gone by. The current obsession with possession stats or in trade parlance "not turning over possession" means players are too scared to try and beat a man or attempt a defence splitting pass for fear of giving the ball away. I noticed during the Euros the art of shooting from long distance also appears to be a dying skill as well. Everyone tries to walk it in the net these days. Back to Rochina, would probably need a far braver manager than Mowbray to take him on, he'd probably sign him and never play him. Exactly what we need alongside two watercarriers though imo. I don't think the safety first approach that teams adopt in general these days makes them any better either.

Still only 30. If his wages were reasonable I'd have him back in a heartbeat. The bloke's a genius, worth the admission fee on his own and exactly the sort of player we're crying out for. Come on Mr . Park, earn your corn!

I might have the same problem as I have an ancient ntlworld e-mail address. Doubt it though. Everyone else seems to be able to contact me via e-mail without any difficulty

I gave last season a miss after Waggott put my ticket up by 25% and I definitely haven't had any form of communication whatsoever from the Club inviting me to renew. They must have my e-mail address as I receive some sort of newsletter from them by e-mail and I have also received texts to my mobile encouraging me to make purchases in the past.

Throw Tony Mowbray in and that makes five. And he has definitely outstayed his welcome, by about two and a half years so far and counting.