That's not quite right though, the applications are inextricably linked but if permissions are subsequently granted for both there's no obligation to act on either of them. However the option is there to do so if the Club wishes. Hypothetically also if permission for the housing development was given but the one for the Training Centre was refused, the Club then know that the housing development has been agreed in principle and there would be nothing likely to stand in the way of a separate stand alone application in future. I can't help but think we're being massively conned on this. If the intention was to genuinely improve the training facilities and retain Cat 1 Academy Status (apart from upgrading the existing facilities) then surely the way to go about it would have been to draw up detailed plans of the new combined training facility and what space was available for outdoor pitches and submit them to whoever deals with Academy classification to see if the new facility was likely to comply with Cat 1 status. THEN (if the answer was affirmative) submit the joint application so that everyone knew exactly what we were dealing with. The way it's been done seems to be the opposite, be as vague and non committal as possible about the training facility as possible to try and get the housing plans through. Then, even if both sets of plans were approved, there's no guarantee at all the new facility will meet Cat 1 status. In fact if the new facility is built to the specification outlined in the application (i.e. virtually identical to the existing STC) then it seems unlikely that it would as according to Cat 1 regulations it seems the Academy lads would have to have their own exclusive facility. It comes across as though Waggott has either never given a thought to the subject of Academy Status or assumed we could do a new build and get Cat 1 status almost automatically and put the planning application in accordingly. Then someone has looked at the regulations ano said "shit they can't share!" at which point he has hurriedly started talking about 2 storey buildings and Cat 1 status being important after everyone kicked off about it.

Great player but I wasn't particularly impressed with him as a manager at either Derby or Chelsea. On the plus side would raise the profile of the Club and would let the youngsters express themselves. Not going to want to come here though is he?

Cowleys for me too. Don't rate Monk in the slightest. Other than that agree with your post almost entirely. Bit harsh on Johnson possibly, risky and timing not ideal now but could be great. Venus would be be beyond suicidal. Isn't he meant to be Tony's ace transfer negotiator who I also read somewhere (might have been in connection with Coventry) Tony also thought was a genius at juggling figures? "Write the theme tune Sing the theme tune...."

Didn't realise Moore had gone to Sheff Wed. Was wondering today if he might be an option for us. Done quite well at Doncaster. Might be a bit too late for them this season but he should be a good appointment either way. As for us I'd get the Cowley brothers in. And fast.

I went on there this morning to see if opinion had changed, to be fair I think most have woken up and smelt the coffee but bizarrely there are still a few who think TM is still the man and as long as we don't go down there's no cause for concern and next season with the crowd in ** and a new pitch etc etc I really don't understand it, it's like Tom said a week or two ago, it's as if these supporters (if they are genuine accounts) support Mowbray and not the Club. ** of which there won't be so bloody many if Mowbray is still here.

"We're only 14 points behind......" "If we go on a run......." "Let's judge it at the end of the season......."

Yes down to 10 men and scoring a winner in the 97th minute! Will do wonders for their morale. Bicycle clips on!

Yes, I think it's pretty obvious that if the intention were to genuinely improve the training facilities then plans would simply have been unveiled to upgrade the existing facilities to which we'd have all stood up and applauded. Or, if it was possible to do everything to the same standard on the one site (which I don't believe it is) we'd have been shown detailed plans of a space age new complex which would have made our jaws hit the floor. None of that. The telling thing for me is that a lot of thought and planning has gone into the proposed housing development and there's no detail at all about the new training centre or why it will allegedly be better in footballing terms or how it will meet Cat 1 Academy regulations. Waggott's probably been tasked with trying to cut running costs in the Club generally and possibly is trying to do that by merging the two training centres into one and scrapping the other. If he can benefit from a Developer for obtaining the planning permission that would be a bonus for him as well. It's difficult to see how the owners benefit from this unless there's a massive surplus left over from the sale of the land after the new training centre is built. If they have to wait years to see the benefit of any cost savings what use is that?

Feel a bit sorry for Johnson. Should have been given a chance to prove his worth early enough in each of the last 3 seasons. Now I fear it's too late, we're on the cusp of a relegation fight and if things get any worse it would probably be a bit too much of a risk to chuck him in for his first experience of management in those circumstances. His prospects could well have gone here, tarnished by association with Mowbray, Venus, Lowe and Benson.

JFHC That might have been what Mowbray was alluding to when he said keep the footballing ethos of the Club the same if he goes. Hoping to keep Venus in a job. Mowbray or Venus, we'd better hope neither Rotherham or Sheffield Wed put a run together.

That must absolutely NOT I repeat NOT be allowed to happen. I'm not sure what this obsession with Mowbray is, it's not as if he's a King Kenny who would be a major asset and add to the stature of the Club going forward if used properly. He's a bloke with (at the very best) an extremely ordinary managerial career. We rescued him off the managerial scrapheap and whilst he did well for a season and a half to two seasons he has been imo an abject failure at Championship level despite having millions and millions of pounds of financial support chucked at him. He and Venus don't seem to have any concept of what Championship players are worth these days either in terms of their salary demands. Having him as a DOF would be an absolute disaster. The manager wouldn't be able to manage and Mowbray would always looking to protect the players already here over bringing in new players to try and improve the starting eleven.

Has the Alex Neil trail gone cold?

A far more damning stat for me is 15 points from the last 17 League games since Dec 9th. W4 D3 L10. Before anyone accuses me of being selective I think we actually managed 10 points from the 4 games prior to that so that totals 25 points from the last 21 games. W7 D4 L10 Still not great.

He was right about one thing in the interview though. You don't leave the division by fluke. That applies to teams leaving it at both ends of the table!

Yes, he was inferring either it would be a break even project or that the owners would have to dip their hands in their pockets yet again, which would make the whole thing even more pointless than it already seems. Also noticeable that he keeps trying to calm people down by saying "No need to worry it probably won't happen for years anyway" Which does nothing to allay the suspicion that he couldn't care less whether we eventually end up with a state of the art training facility, a much smaller version of what we already have or absolutely nothing. He'll be long gone and is only in it for whatever financial benefit or commission he can squeeze out of the Housing Development.

Here's hoping. Apart from the point about his demeanour you could drive a bus through the holes in what he says there - everyone expects instant results - he's been here 4 years - we have a young team that will only get better - most of the decent ones probably won't be here next year and the rest weren't our players to begin with - didn't get enough players into the box - don't pair fooking Evans and Trybull together in CM then! They get a nose bleed if they cross the half way line let alone get in the box. - The working class hero thing is wearing exceptionally thin. He will be (or at least ought to be) a very wealthy man after a long career in football and its insulting and patronising to suggest that everyone from Blackburn is working class or can't aspire to anything beyond that. - Re the reference to Souness- which one of our players steam into challenges like him? With the possible exceptions of Travis and Davenport our lot couldn't tackle a fish supper!

Fair enough, I've now watched the video in full and it doesn't come across quite as badly as made out. I think the overall point about him not being bothered by the result is still a valid one though. His demeanour was extremely odd in the circumstances, it wasn't that of a man on a run of one point out of twenty one, or a man who was desperate to save his job. He appeared cool as a cucumber and going purely off that you'd think that either he knows he's gone already or that he is completely safe thanks to his relationship with the owners and Waggott. Results dictate it ought to be the former but I wouldn't like to bet on it. The problem is that if he's effectively given up and is already looking forward to spending more time with his family, we still need to eke out another eleven or twelve points to be completely safe.

He's gone from saying "If I ever feel like I've become a burden to the Club I'll walk away" (when he never thought it would happen) to "If the owners feel like I've become a burden it's up to them to get rid of me." You wouldn't really expect anyone to walk out without a pay off in this day and age. However by claiming he would do something that no normal person would do in an effort to portray himself as a beacon of integrity, then not doing it when push came to shove - that has painted him in a very poor light for me.

Yes. imo he's been trying to keep himself in employment for a couple of years with this slow build, long term plan, we're on a journey nonsense. Now it seems that even he has twigged that he can't pull that off any longer and is basically just pleading to be paid off every time he opens his mouth. As for the manager of Blackburn Rovers saying he isn't bothered by a defeat, quite unforgiveable, especially when you're on a run of one point from twenty one. Have a bit more respect for the Club and the fans!

Sorry Gav, Mowbray's nearly as bad, been here 4 years and now he's trying to con anyone who'll listen into believing it would take another 5 years to get the recruitment right. 9 years! He's practically begging the owners to pay him off every interview he gives now as well with all this "If it's felt I've become a burden it's up to the Club to replace me" crap. A manager of genuine integrity would also be speaking out strongly against the Brockhall scheme because irrespective of whether certain individuals or the Club will make money out of it, it seems to be extremely detrimental to the football side of things.

Don't do it. It hurts misjudging something so completely.

It did at the start of December. This latest run is just slightly more noticeable.

Doubt he'll say too much. Although if one of our own youngsters had have done that TM would never stop going on about it and said player would be blackmailed for 6 months.

How did Trybull get a free kick there after Dolan gave him the ball and he lost it? Terrible player.

Spot on. "I never lose the ball because I never pass it more than 2 yards" Yet various managers over the years appear to have rated him. A complete mystery to me. Same with Jason Lowe when he was here.