The 1995 title winning team was 25 years ago, which must seem like ancient history to younger fans yet it seems like yesterday to older fans And 25 years before that, we were struggling near the bottom of Division Two ....... a different world of the old Ewood, meat pies, smelly toilets, hooliganism, and John O'Mara, which many of us remember clearly!! Time marches on.

..... take me back Ewood, as quickly as you can Oh Mr Mowbray what a silly man you am

Why was Ben Davies just down the road at Preston on no one's radar? At £2m he seems a snip for Liverpool Lawrenson rates him as Championship player but has doubts about him in the Prem https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55891068

Yep, good player when he wanted to be. Another one though who gave the impression he thought he was slumming it at Rovers and never really pulled his tripe out because of it.

Surprised you're on here after the mauling you got on this subject and other threads yesterday. Other fans put you right

You thought Taylor and Johansson were "poor defenders" so excuse me if I take that with a pinch of salt. If Pickering is half as good as Fred I'll be happy

Me too den. Doesn't makes sense from all aspects

It's disappointing Pickering has gone back on loan - was looking forward to seeing him in a Rovers shirt. Still, at least Tony gets a free pass for another season at the club by telling the owners we'll be stronger next year.

They're "kids" in terms of experience - I think that's what he means They may have had a few games at a higher level but some of the tough old lags in the Championship will knock them around. It's a good experience for them though

Doesn't make sense seeing as PNE and Burnley are in different divisions unless PNE think the Clarets will be in the Championship next season. PNE certainly won't get promoted

Glenn Murray - a proper centre forward. He'd score a hatful for us even at his age

And him Then there was Ashley Woeful-Ward, Keith Awful-Andrews and Robbie Fatso-Fowler

... and them Harwood-Bellis sounds more posh though.

Yes, forgot him

The team needs strengthening now. It's that simple

Harwood-Bellis signed apparently. Question: Is this the first Rovers player with a hyphen?

Absolutely. If they think he's as good as the publicity says he is and that he is an improvement on what we've got, what's the point - except of course for Tony to extend his tenure into another season?

Giving them a platform for other clubs to sign... eg, Tosin who played well for us but we could never afford him so he went to Fulham. Elliott is another, we'll never be able to buy him and Liverpool will likely sell him on eventually for a big fee. This City lad if he comes will be the same. We're just a nursery for the "big" clubs.

Changed it for you

Misread AIK for AEK. Both were very good players who had excellent careers. If we had them now we'd be a much stronger side. None of Lenihan and his numerous partners come anywhere close.

Taylor played more than 300 league games for a number of very good clubs including Rovers, Sheff Wed, Birmingham and Norwich, under many top-name managers. You don't do that by being a poor defender. Johansson played more than 500 league games for Rovers, Leicester, Bayern, Nurembourg and AEK Athens. You don't do that by being a poor defender. Both streets ahead of any defenders we have at the club now.

Really

Footballers are money motivated - yes, they want to play but their "contract" always come first. Faced with the choice of joining a Premier League club where he would boost his wages or a Championship club, there was only one outcome.

Football's full of players happy to spend most of their careers on the bench if it means earning more money. This bloke's no different.

So you're going to turn down doubling or more your fork-lift driver wages? Come on, get real.