9 minutes ago, Bad Boy said:

The 7,000 ST holders were included in the figure whether they turned up or not.  There were also about 480 Hull fans.  Whatever way this is painted this is dire.  Some blame Covid, that is only a small part of the problem and certainly not the root cause, indeed many other clubs have seen gates go up and our own away support has Improved.

Apart from the owners and the senior management team we have the up issue of some people not wanting to turn up to a morgue; we need initiatives like safe standing which albeit have a cost attached it will encourage our 16-30 year old support.  Also do the club analyse our free ticket schemes, do they work and how many return and buy a ticket?

I agree, although my point about season ticket holder's not showing up was meant to demonstrate that if paid up ticket holders didn't even show up its unlikely that we would have many walk ons to boost the gate.

I don't think the standard of football or entertainment from the team on the pitch warrants the decrease in attendance personally. I think off field stuff like ticket prices, concession stands service/pricing and the general malaise around the ownership/investment has just pushed people away.

Anybody spot the invisible man at Ewood over the weekend or last night?

13 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

Lots of things have caused me to lose significant interest in the club but Mowbray and the football being played are top of the list. Have we ever played well for a full 90 minutes in all the time he’s been here ? Even when we were running away with it in the promotion season most games contained 45 minutes of dross. People aren’t going to pay good money to watch rubbish like last nights first half when it’s on TV.

I have got to say that I very rarely find going on Ewood boring, even though last nights first half was a shambles we still got there in the end and got a 2-0 win. I don't think there will be many teams in the Championship that will dominate for 90mins, although I would love it if Rovers showed up for a bit longer as you say!

We have been really fortunate under Mowbray to have what feels like a great home record (at least when we were allowed on the ground) and I personally really enjoy the battles at Ewood where in most cases we come out on top.

Thought the manager got the starting 11 wrong last night but fair play for making the changes in the 2nd half to get the win.

Positives

• We look like a real attacking threat when we turn up the gas as shown by the two goal blitz on Saturday and last night. Just need to work out how to show that for longer periods in games.
• The back four look really solid this season, Ayala solid and Pickering in particular has grown into the team the last few games and you can see them talking a lot and working together well.
• Dolan has been class the last couple of games, loads of skill and work rate.

Negatives

• Central midfield is so weak, we have too many small technical players in a league where you need some beef and muscle. Buckley, Rothwell, Clarkson and even Travis all look powder puff against most teams we have come up against this season.
• Travis is worrying me, looks miles off the player he looked pre-covid in terms of work rate, skill and ability.
• Defensively the tracking from midfield was abysmal again last night and we were lucky one of the Hull lads bombing into the box didn't cost us a goal like on Saturday.

So basically we need a massive re-think in central midfield but other than that its looking good everywhere else. We might surprise ourselves this season and make a decent go of it.

A lot of season ticket holders around me didn't turn up last night, Tuesday night against Hull isn't really one to entice the fans!

It would be fairer to compare a Saturday 3pm attendance with the the last few years instead, probably still down on what it has been.

Putting the price up £100 in the Riverside was an idiotic move and has probably lost a couple of thousand purely based on cost.

I would love to know what he actually does day to day, because nothing seems to be progressing off the field and he isn't caught up doing media interviews either!

The only saving grace would be if the club tie up all the expiring first teamer's on new contracts with the Armstrong money and say that is the reason for a quiet window. I could buy into that.

If it turns out that its just the usual shambolic running of the club then its about time some heads rolled and some competent people were recruited (as if!).

1 hour ago, islander200 said:

We will get money for Nyambe regardless if he runs his deal down as it will go to tribunal.

What will we get for Rothwell?I'd say it wouldn't be very much so probably best keeping for the season unless we were to get decent money 

Yeah hopefully we get something for Nyambe, i bet it would be a lot less than we could get for him in an open market right now though.

Rothwell is not going to be the difference between promotion or relegation so if we could get £2m for him now then we should take it. Let Buckley/Davenport/Clarkson/Johnson take his spot for the season

1 hour ago, islander200 said:

The contract situation is worrying but we can't put a blank piece of paper in front of the players and tell them to write down a number and we just agree to it . According to Waggott Lenihen and Brererton are close to new deals.Rothwell and Nyambe may want to leave due to footballing reasons, both in and out of the team under Mowbray and Nyambe in particular been thrown under the bus a few times by the manager.

 

If it is the case that Rothwell and Nyambe won't sign new deals then we should sell them now whilst we can. Both will be missed but we have enough to stay in the championship.

We aren't in any sort of financial position to let valuable assets leave for nothing next summer, you could prob get around £5million for the two.

The worry then is Lenihan and Brereton are blowing smoke and decide they want out for free at the end of the season, another £5 to 10 million vanished.

I would rather raise the bar and sign them up, they are proven first team players and young enough to be sold on at a later date. It is basic football administration that the non-existent Waggot should be doing day in day out, the guy is as much use as a chocolate fireguard.

4 hours ago, magicalmortensleftpeg said:

As mentioned, the club are in an awful financial predicament and there is no good solution. The same fans who are quick to point out the mess we’re in also  seem to be complaining at the lack of transfer funds or demanding that we throw more money at the players out of contract. We’ve got to draw a line somewhere and cut our cloth accordingly, even if it means Joe Rothwell leaves on a free next season.

I can see your point here and agree we need to get our wage bill down to something less suicidal, I would hope the 12 leaving over the summer has made a massive dent in that given we haven't replaced. As well as the Armstrong money to help with finances.

The part I cant agree with is that by not renewing these contracts means Rothwell, Nyambe, Bradley Johnson, Jacob Davenport, Rothwell, Dan Butterworth, Harry Chapman, Brereton, Lenihan and Tyler Magloire all leave for free.

That is an insane amount of revenue out the door and as we won't replace them will mean certain relegation the following season.

The alternative is we try and sell all/most of them in the next few days and get some cash for them whilst we can. That will almost certainly mean relegation this season.

It just shows the absolute state of the leadership at Ewood and the disastrous situation the club now finds itself in from a squad perspective.

3 hours ago, Wheelton Blue said:

I can't see why the club don't try 'pop-up club shops' on the concourses.

Sell a few scarves pre-match or at half time, that sort of thing.

You see this type of thing at other stadiums. 

This would be a great idea. I would like to see the same for those that want a pint at half time, just have one of those vendors with backpacks on the concourse and a card machine walking around.

They have lost out on loads of revenue in the riverside from having such abysmal service its been like that for years and never gets any better.

The price is one thing but the service in the Riverside actually stops you from spending money at most games. The one poor lad in the snack bar with the slowest pouring pumps in the universe normally means they get through about 10 of the 100 people queuing up for a beer or snack before the game restarts and we all wonder back moaning about how shite it is

Is this guy even at the club anymore? Never hear a word from him about anything or get a statement out, the shambles with the season tickets is just one example. Also we were promised a new pitch but looking at Ewood on Saturday it is already looking roughed up after 2 games!

It always seem to fall on Mowbray to talk about contracts and budgets etc. when in reality it has got nothing really to do with him and Steve should be coming out explaining FFP, budgets, ground maintenance etc. 

Remember the glory days of John Williams when we used to get regular interviews in the LET and some communication about the club and its future.

2 hours ago, harryhealless1928 said:

The most important transfer activity should be a change of manager.

If we really are in the financial mess that is reported, why do we need to replace Armstrong? 

Shouldnt the money be spent in at least tying down Kaminski,Brereton & Rothwell to longer contracts to get a decent fee if they go? In a less than ideal scenario  which we have Id chance Nyambe & Lenihan leaving on frees.

This is the most important issue at the club currently, we have enough about us to stay up this season.

Use any cash from the Armstrong sale to get the existing assets signed on so we don't lose a small fortune next summer when our best players leave for free. That would no doubt end in relegation or administration shortly after as we won't replace them.

You have to wonder if the current leadership are just thinking it will be someone else's problem as its been dragging on for over a year.

Probably the worst performance since the Barnsley game. Out of sorts, terrible in possession and was actually looking forward to full time so I could go home.

With all the link players out injured this formation simply doesn’t work. I just hope Tony isn’t too stubborn and changes it up.

Agree with comments above about giving younger players a chance to grow into the team for the rest of the season. Davenport, Brereton, Chapman, Buckley should be starting to see if they have a future as donkeys like Johnson and Gallagher have had enough chances. 

Cannot understand people blaming Sam for Benni situation. The guy has been dropped by all previous managers due to being fat and lazy. He turns up 1 game in 10 and expects to keep his place, then throws his toys out when the manager has the audacity to tell him to train harder. £2m+ is good cash for him, just dont waste it Sam!

What a cry baby, "boo hoo I have to do some extra fitness training cos I'm overweight". Its hardly disgraceful behaviour from Rovers is it.

The only disgrace is one Benni McCarthy who thinks its okay to put in half assed effort for his 2million a year in wages, then whinge when his employers ask him to get fit so he can play 90mins to shoot us up the league. A re-occuring theme over the last few seasons under Hughes, Ince and now Sam.

Dont let the door hit you on the way out lad