As far as I can see, it is essentially a case whereby unless something remarkable happens, ultimately nothing can be done should BCD be the only option for a substantial period of time. It all depends on how long it will last. The double whammy is the extortionate cost of the regular testing required relative to the financial size of these clubs and the lack of income. Their fortune lies in the hands of the pandemic really. Ideas of loans are fanciful but both unlikely and even if they were granted, many of them clubs couldnt cope with an additional chunk of debt, theyd probably need a grant. And a salary cap is a nice idea but essentially pissing in the wind at this stage.

I suppose though that although there may be some logic to thinking that our home advantage is diluted or not as prevalent as other teams due to our attendances, our home record is better than our league position so I suppose that doesnt ring true. 4 "home games" left and 5 "away" so suppose there is a slight advantage.

"Today’s outcome ensures that the League and its Clubs remains as faithful as possible to the previously agreed Regulations and that there is consistency in the approach adopted across the EFL in all divisions if required." I do particularly enjoy this quote by Rick Parry. The consistency of relegating teams having played all games and promoting teams based on an incomplete season and a formula.

Absolutely ridicilous. Potentially Championship clubs relegated after a full season and replaced by teams who havent. And needlessly shuffling teams between Leagues 1 and 2, neither of which are finished! If you are just playing the top 2 leagues, stop relegation from the Championship down. If you cant finish the leagues then you cant promote and relegate teams. If they genuinely think they have any integrity then they can shove their PPG formulaes up their arse.

Exactly the scenario I had in my mind. Interesting that he even had a reputation in football in terms of his character.

Also Cunningham is back training with Cardiff and Neil Harris seems to want to have a look at him so a return might be a non starter.

Might be difficult to sign long term players this summer to be fair.

Monks quotes were very damning. "Unfortunately, I didn't listen to a lot of people in football circles who warned me about him. That's an error of judgement from myself. I don't speak with him."

Is it overly surprising? Did a poor job at Oxford, seemingly stabbed Monk in the back and has hardly pulled up any trees at Birmingham. They seem like a club destined to bumble around this division indefinitely.

To be fair, he had a lot of credit in the bank following his performances over the space of a couple of years. And also there was something in it for us in the hope that he could return to something like his old self. Indeed although he didnt, there were at least flashes and contributions after that, the goals at Villa Park and the winner at home to Portsmouth examples of that. Interesting to compare to Ben Gladwin. Whilst I appreciate that the difference is a lack of personal blame on Gladwins part, he earnt a pity contract on the back of absolutely nothing that he gave to the club to warrant such loyalty and didnt show any promise to suggest sticking by him could be favourable for the club.

A pay as you play wouldnt appeal at all to him surely as his game time dwindles. The concept of pay as you play cant be literal, all contracts will have to have an element of fixed salary otherwise he will have weeks and weeks where he wont receive any money. I have to admit that he has dropped off considerably from his brilliant season when we came up, and in an ideal world he would be let go. As it is, with money a scarce resource, and with Gallagher and Brereton as alternatives, I think another year may have to happen. I think the coaching type role is a little idealistic too, as @Sparks Rover touches on you shouldnt give coach roles out for sentimental values.

Some real crap on there. Very much filling column inches, most of the players he personally has suggested, hes then gone on to sat why its a non starter.

I think its not too much to ask to send out a mass email or 2, with a set letters, with a much more stripped down, perhaps Q&A layout compared to the copied and pasted EFL spiel. Just assuring fans what is known and of what isnt known, that we will be further communicated to in due course. Nobody is necessarily saying that they should have had the exact logistics on how an ifollow link can avoid the increaed traffic, exactly what options will be available etc. As I said earlier, its not something that bothers me but I can see why some feel detached and in the dark. You mention that people can call the club, but the point is that the club hasnt contacted its season ticket holders, not the other way round. And it makes no sense to leave the club open to receiving numerous calls, which could be avoided with aforementioned email and letter. I do find it a bit strange that the fixture list hasnt been announced considering that we know the order of the games and the first one is a week on Saturday.

Not for everyone it isnt. Many dont have an interest in behind closed doors football which is totally understandable. There is also the limited value of say a number of people within the same household all getting an ifollow link, that will be fairly common. I think the club (and every other club) needs to offer the option of a refund like I think Derby have done, that wouldnt be the best choice for the club in terms of cash flow at this time but it could potentially save a few supporters in the long run so will be worth it. I do also think that it isnt particularly difficult to send out a mass email and a letter to season ticket holders (they already send regular emails to season ticket holders) explaining from the club that they will hear in due course rather than just copying and pasting the EFL statements spiel word for word. I am also not bothered about it but can see that quite a few are and its about keeping your supporters in the loop.

Still a rumour. Either way, 15m move this summer? May set myself up for egg on my face, but not happening.

I think, although I take on board comments about a lack of clear communication from the club for sure, that our season ticket gives us access to watch all 9 remaining games so essentially it would be closer to £6 per game. I may be wrong though. I await with baited breath as to if and what any alternative offers are given to the ifollow option. The thing that has become clear is that quite how many people have zero interest in BCD. For the principle of an option refund of around £60 per person, which granted is an unwanted expense in these time for the club, you could be potentially driving people away and losing much more than that long term. Similar to the surcharge, whereby if you deter one fan from buying with it you need numerous buyers to make up for it.

Yeah we dont know if there was any truth in the rumour. Possibly not. But if they did have an interest the whole framework has changed. Hes had and still has a serious injury. The whole financial framework of football has been changed by the pandemic in a negative way. West Brom will almost certainly be playing Premier League football rather than trying to get promoted from the Championship. And this season Pereira and Krovinovic has established themselves as very talented players who will sign permanently. 4 major reasons why thinking that they will stroll in with 15 million desperate to take Dack is naive in the extreme. To be honest I think nit picking over positions is a pointless conversation, to expect a normal summer squad overhaul is not going to happen in the current climate. Its a patch the gaps as best you can job. Having Bennett as sub right back when he plays is often as good as a goal head start for the opposition. No one in the past 2 years has done anything to suggest they are the answer out wide either. They would have had to be looked at had it been a normal summer. Youd prefer Williams covering left back over Bemnett covering right back. Ultimately Mowbray has made some very shrewd short term signings since promotion. Adarabioyo, Reed, Cunningham, Walton, Downing, Johnson and Holtby all improved our team. Luckily we have some good players developed internally, Lenihan, Travis and Nyambe, because his longer term signings bar Armstrong have bombed as @Stuart touches on. Rothwell flatters to deceive, Chapman and Davenport have vanished and the less said about the main 2 the better.

They were linked in the rumour mill but its a different ball game now anyway. They are I think signing Pereira and Krovinovic permanently so dont need him. And 15m in this market with his knee is dreamworld stuff. Cant see a Prem team signing him and certainly not at 15m. Lets hope we will see him in person in a Rovers shirt again. And regarding moving Rothwell. Where does Gallagher play? Mowbray loves him wide.

Ideally I think we need more than that even. We definitely need 2 keepers. We only have Lenihan and Nyambe contracted as good Championship defenders next season, plus Williams who is below average but ok as a body as cover for LB and CB. I would say a starting CB and LB plus another CB as we have seen in the last 18 months how irreplacable Lenihan is to us. Right back is an area we could do with cover too as we only have Nyambe who can do a job there competently. Central midfield and number 10 are positions we are well stocked in. Out wide we have no one who has proven their worth there, with Downing more useful centrally now. And up top with Graham very much on the wane and Gallagher and Brereton as much use as a chocolate tea pot, we only really have Armstrong. It wouldnt be a realistic expectation to adequately sign 2 goalkeepers, a full back 4, 2 wingers and a forward at the best of times though, even if things were normal. I suspect an added knock on effect will be the interest in free agents may increase with teams unable to pay fees. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/156-championship-players-who-free-4135583.amp There are some useful frees to be had, players like Daniel Ayala and Lyle Taylor but I dont think theres any chance of getting players like that now.

I think you are underestimating the financial situation again. Its ok us being willing to sell Dack but most Championship clubs make considerable losses even in normal circumstances so if you think one is gonna chuck 15m at an injured player then you will be surprised. Even the lower Premier League clubs would struggle to afford that in these circumstances and im not sure he would appeal to Prem teams especially considering his injury. We can have all of these supposedly saleable assets but im not sure if the teams that these players will appeal to will be able to anytime soon. Its not going to be a normal transfer market.

I dont think we will get close to 15m for someone still out with a serious knee injury especially in this climate. Nor do I see him being able to push for a move too hard, I doubt he has got itchy feet during his rehab. The likely buyer would have tended to be a promotion chasing Championship club and I cant see any Championship clubs spending much money this time. Lets also not have short memories. Dack is as important to us as any player, such a consistent contributor of goals. Hes our best player.

I suspect that the priority of any transfer window will have shifted from development and evolution to a conserve and make do approach considering the current economic climate. I suspect that we may be open to selling one or two to claw some of the deficit back but I can only see Premier League clubs being in a position to spend, mainly the top ones and I dont think that any of our assets, an injured Dack, Lenihan, Nyambe, Armstrong or Travis would be on the immediate radars of Premier League clubs. I suspect that we will plug the gaps left by Adarabioyo and Walton with cheap freebies, perhaps Sunderlands keeper or players of that ilk, Mowbray will be typically considerate with new deals, with dross like Bell, Leutwiler and Samuel kept to keep the numbers up, and positions that would have been necessitys to improve, notably left back and out wide will become luxuries that we cannot afford.

Or as you said earlier, football whereby the result is really important. For the 18 months leading into the pandemic we never came particularly close to the bottom 3 and never have got into the top 6. Weve just been muddling in the middle. Chuck in a CEO incapable or unwilling to really push the boat out to get the numbers in the ground up and its not a mix to provoke atmosphere. There were a few games in the second half of our season in League 1 that werent particularly well attending but were more atmospheric IMO.

Haha typical Nixon. Pull a rumour out of nowhere, claim it is now not possible, no one questions him.

I am not sure how much of a responsibility a manager carries towards envigorating the supporters but its an interesting debate. For me the results are always the most important thing, indeed Big Sam was always criticised for his style of play, harshly IMO. Our home form has been decent under Mowbray. His football is not particularly entertaining and we dont tend to beat anyone convincingly and improvements can be made but I am not sure if it is fair to expect those tailored towards improving the atmosphere although I take your point about entertaining the fans. I appreciate what you say about certain tactics he employs which are not effective but I suspect that it really a different topic of conversation. Rothwell is the type of player who splits people but flatters to deceive and gets better when he doesnt play and frustrates more when he does. Im not sure he can be defined as a scapegoat considering how ineffective he often is despite his all action style. That being said his limited effectiveness is still more than Gallagher out wide could ever offer. I still think that whilst I concede that its a difficult task to improvr our atmosphere with a limited fan base, Waggott and co who have managed to double their remuneration in the latest set of accounts published are still at the best of times totally clueless in terms of improving atmosphere and attendances. @Mattyblue is right about some fans potentially breaking a habit but for me the primary additional difficulty will be getting those back who up until now were guaranteed regardless of what they did, who now have to be convinced of their safety to return and may be particularly reluctant at first. That could be fighting almost a losing battle even without the lack of dynamism Waggott and co have shown to date.