Feel for Nyambe not making the squad. 

@Biz It was Directed at Chaddy too, who claimed the vile abuse was something he couldn’t bring himself to/wasn’t allowed to post on a message board...

I listed a load of protected characteristics which it is illegal to discriminate against someone for, you know, things that might actually constitute vile abuse. Calling someone a dick or a shit footballer doesn’t.

@Biz I made no joke about gender appropriation. Not surprised you were mistaken as you seem utterly humourless. I don’t know if you do it deliberately, but you reimagine or misconstrue fundamental parts of almost every post.

I agree with you on one thing, it’s not about you being offended... it’s about your steadfast refusal to accept any perceived criticism of anything relating to Ben Brereton. 

@Bizthe revisionist strikes again!

I pointed out a list of things that would constitute vile abuse... how is this belittling any of those things? The point is there are real issues... things like racism, but by getting all offended by a bit of swearing, and labelling same as vile abuse will only serve to trivialise real issues.

Collective crowd groan as Brereton gives the ball away... shocking that!!

7 hours ago, chaddyrovers said:

Wrong there pal. 

You want to some of the vile and nasty comments Ive heard at games at Ewood Park. I would be ban from this site instantly. 

So your comment people get behind everyone isnt true.

You clearly dont sit in Blackburn End N02 and N03 behind the goals do you? 

Both you and @Biz have heard vile abuse have you? It must have been so vile and abusive that two righteous and upstanding citizens couldn’t bring yourselves to repeat it and report it to stewards, which being so vile and abusive, would have been the right thing to do.

You are claiming that is was so vile and abusive you can’t repeat it... give us a clue... was it racist? Regarding his sexuality? Around any physical or mental condition? Maybe they incorrectly assumed his gender and verbally attacked him for it? Don’t tell me the pitchfork wielding, card carrying Klan member sat behind you attacked him for his religious or political views?!?!

I expect it far more likely that in a moment of frustration someone has questioned his footballing ability or the value for money he presents... probably with a swear word or two chucked in. I don’t doubt for a moment that someone has said something along the lines of ‘You’re a dick Brereton’... which J*B has clearly pointed out would get you a ban if Brereton was a member of this board... so you can exaggerate this vile abuse issue without getting into specifics, and spin a bit of stick into far more than it is.

If it is the case that he’s just got a bit of stick, you really do need to get a grip. You also need to stop running down and vilifying other fans.

If Brereton is so fragile, and has such good hearing, that an isolated comment or two when he does something wrong is having such a negative impact on him he might as well hang up his boots.

If Brereton was to break his duck playing in Bradley Dack’s testemonial against a Gillingham side 2 divisions above us in 2027, there’d be some people saying ‘I told you so’.

As a slight aside, I hate all this last day hysteria... created by and for sky TV!

North End have played a blinder this window. Done some good business early on and picked up 7 point from their last 3 games with those new signings being instrumental.

16 minutes ago, Mercer said:

I posted this yesterday on this thread:

'Having spent quite some time recently with a colleague who is a Forest fan and who has good connections with the club, my understanding is that Forest are absolutely delighted with the deal.  If my understanding is correct then I think you would be surprised at just how costly this deal is for Rovers'.

If my colleague is correct then I am very surprised at what Forest are guaranteed. 

 

I’ve heard from someone, who was apparently told by Brereton himself a few months back, that he was due a signing on fee of 600 grand in January.

Don’t know if it’s still the case, but I’d always been under the impression 10% of transfer fee was the going rate. Certainly a few years ago. So it wouldn’t surprise me if we’d coughed up (or committed to) 6 million at this point.

7 minutes ago, Biz said:

Paranoid delusions are exactly how I’d describe many assertions about our clubs dealings over the years. It seems that not believing them all makes me a “Rao” apologist.

As for the actual strategy you’re suggesting, fair enough if you want an instant attempt, but can I remind you that this has been tried before, by us and others. It’s the scenario that comes if we aren’t promoted that you’re ignoring here - if we are selling players like we did prior to relegation in 12 months to “avoid ffp” or “curtail costs” then I’d be mortified. 

Develop a squad that’s always improving, sensibly investing the money we can in more potential future stars for the fringes of the squad and grade 1 academy, improve and develop them, and when the big money bids come for players (remember what happens to transfer fees when opposition know you need to cut back) it will be enough to replace with some quality. (w/o more borrowed owners cash - which is exactly the financial problem, owing THEM!)

On the original post, maybe stick to taking the mick out of Balaji and not the fans.

If you’re going to slag fans off, maybe stick to those who cba watching the team. Who are these venky apologists anyway? 

Come on @MCMC1875 how does supporting my club make me apologise for owners that I clearly despise? Pointless bland insult.

Careful now, you’ve not jumped to the immediate negative conclusion, bland banal insults await.

People who absolve Venky’s of any accountability for our current predicament.

People who claim they are good owners and we are lucky to have them.

People who go from “nice one mate, I voted for you” to “You’ve done more damage to this club than they have” in the space of 18 months.

People who dismiss any negative reports/discussions/opinions about Venky’s without offering any argument.

I could go on and on...

I’m not too bothered about fans who “can’t be arsed”... they generally don’t feature on my radar. Anyone who bothers posting on here clearly can be arsed, they may not attend for a variety of reasons, none of which I feel are more worthy of some mild piss taking (at best taken out of context, possibly twisted by you) than the above.

Of course splashing 10/15 million quid on Assombalonga won’t gaurentee promotion, but I think it would drastically increase the chance. Yes there are obviously loads of instances where such an approach has failed, but there are cases where it has worked a treat.

If we aren’t promoted, we are fractionally more indebted to them than we already are. I’m firmly of the opinion we are only ever on the precipice of a disaster as long as they remain in charge. If they are willing to buy a player to significantly improve our first 11, I’d jump at it.

Problem with the model you have outlined above is we are going to have to apply it perfectly for about 50 years! 

On the whole indebted to them issue... it really depends how you look at it. Some people will look at it as we owe nothing to them, as it is in the form of share capital. Whole other massive discussion.

7 minutes ago, Biz said:

The viewpoint you are belittling (that we tried but couldn’t compete) is probably the case for 9 out of 10 clubs in most windows, but you’re dressing it up as an excuse.

The excuse then becomes a fiction (normally one of BRFCS’s favourite “monopoliser of untruths”)  that these stories have been fed to fans to create false hope, to bring round to the idea that they want to instantly return to the premier league without ever having that intention - hence “scandalmongery”.

“Monopoliser of untruths”, “Scandalmongery”... Jesus Christ! I made a jibe, quite clearly directed (I thought) at the Venky apologists. If you want to throw around terms like those, here’s one for you... “paranoid delusions”!

19 minutes ago, Biz said:

On the other hand, You'd like to see them pump in (remember they lend, not give) the equivalent of 150% of our turnover for last year to attempt instant promotion(on one player I may add if you’re talking BA)?... and you are concerned about our finances?

On the other hand, I’d like to see them increase the level of debt to them in the form of share capital by about 8% to have a real go at putting us on even financial footing for the first time since about 6 months after they took over. In the grand scheme of things it’s relatively low risk, massively high reward. Of course I’m concerned about our finances (which are fucked either way) but this to me represents a pretty decent gamble. Better than any they have made so far.

Just now, Madon said:

I've been trying, the silence is deafening. 

Give Balaji a bell...

”Alright Balaji, Britt here. I’ve got your number of Harry... Harry Chapman, and I’m desperate to sign for Rovers!”

1 minute ago, Biz said:

The notion that this is simply a smokescreen to avoid criticism down the line is utterly embarrassing.

Its a notion you’ve dreamed up in your head Biz. I don’t think for a minute that it’s a smokescreen and I think you’re really stretching to suggest I’ve implied this. It was a bit of a dig at some of our more deluded fans... the ones who say things like “we are better off now than when Venkys took over”... the ones who reimagine history.

So all the other scandalmongering I do? Seeing as I do it whatever the discussion?

I do doubt Gallaghers potential.

With our finances in as much of a mess as they are, I’d like to see them punt 15 million in an attempt to get us promoted this year. I’m fully aware this may or may not pay off. If they are willing to spunk big money on the likes of Brereton, there is clearly situations in which they will loosen the purse strings and increase the financial burden further. The rewards of promotion far outstrip any “long term investment” on players.

6 minutes ago, Biz said:

A 23 year old Gallagher is going to get better and even on loan it’s a good option/backup for Graham if it happens - you’re bringing the deflation with your unrealistic “need to kick on”. You’d be the first to put the boot in the club and owners so shouldn’t that cynicism steer you from such wild expectation?

We've already signed a position; a winger many of us felt we wanted, one we rate and know could turn out to be a star.

Thus the worst case scenario is already quite a good one.

I don’t prescribe to the notion we should be putting all efforts into instant promotion as opposed to developing/building a young and hungry squad that can develop.

As for the last paragraph - you’re beginning to sound like @tomphil - why does discussion on every scenario our club faces resort to some sort of scandalmongery about playing the fans?

Do you both do it simply to stop yourselves feeling dissapointed if we aren’t able to live up to transfer or league expectations? The irony is, instant promotion and signing 40k waged + 15m strikers in their prime is not what I’d call a reasonable expectation personally.

So me stating that we need to kick on is unrealistic? Because I don’t. I’m not going to be grateful, or even content just because we have reversed a ludicrous, self inflicted, avoidable and disgraceful period of decline that saw us in the worst position in my lifetime. Of course we should be trying to progress.

I do prescribe to notion we should be putting all our efforts into an instant promotion. It’s well within the realms of possibility and the rewards would address the absolute shambolic state of our finances. Don’t confuse what I want and think with expectation though, I expect nothing but rank incompetence from Venky’s.

Yes, I will take any opportunity to put the boot into the owners... I’d like to do it repeatedly and physically if I could! Their entire tenure has been an unmitigated disaster. I detest them.

As for Gallagher, I think he’s overrated. We’ve tried him, didn’t work out, and I’d sooner sign a cheaper option from the lower leagues. Be happy to be proved wrong though.

As for ‘scandalmongering’ care to elaborate how I’ve done that?

Definitely a more deflated feeling on this board today!

Not at all enthused about the prospect of Gallagher. Don’t think he’s ever going to be near prolific, thought he was average at best when we last had him. At best it’s a sideways step for us when we really need to be pushing on.

Best case scenario, the fat idiot Venky has a champagne and sniff induced rush of blood to the wallet in the next couple of hours decides a selfie of him and Assombalonga would look good next to the one of him and Akon, regardless of what Mowbray thinks.

Worst case would be nobody, but in 6 months these last couple of days being reimagined as a valiant battle against all odds by Steve Waggott to get the deal over the line... I can hear it now when we are no further on... “You can’t knock Venky’s. We tried to sign Assombalonga in January, and he got Boro/Derby/Bristol city promoted!”

2 minutes ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

"As with" How so definite? I haven;t seen any sources say Mowbray doesn't have the final say on players 

Make what you will of it... heard from someone within the club that Mowbray wanted Brereton in the U23 squad last week but Waggot stopped it as ‘It wouldn’t look good’.

Just now, arbitro said:

It's a gradual process as Mowbray has said many times. Smashing your wage structure by a significant amount isn't a good practice in my view.

I don't think Shearer would have been on more than double the wages of Mimms, Hendry, Newell and others do you?

Shearer was on 10 x the wage of some of our first team players when he signed.

There are a lot of posts here making a fundamental error.

Common sense and logic don’t often figure into our transfer activity. Admittedly Mowbray has been somewhat of a steadying influence, but the Brereton deal is as baffling as any transfer over the course of the past 8 years.

Our purchases have, and will continue to be dictated by Balaji’s whims, FFP restrictions, agent influence, the strength of the global battery chicken market, and probably dozens of other unfathomable reasons, as well as the manager of the days personal preferences to varying degrees at any one time.

If this means we make a signing of the calibre of Assombalonga, for me this is one of the very few moments of genuine excitement I’ll have had at a signing in years. Maybe foolhardy, but then what’s new? On the flip side it could prove to be the catalyst of a decent promotion push. Consider how much they have gambled with the future of the club... this could prove to be one of their better bets.

39 minutes ago, Madon said:

Not Kodjia. 

 

BA

Convinced Madon must have a direct line to Balaji... have you been ringing him for a chat? 

Superb today. No criticism of any player is warranted. Our quieter players were solid 7s and plenty of excellent displays. Each of the 11 must keep their shirt for now... with Nyambe and Mulgrew pushing them, Rothwell again looking impressive, Chapman seemingly on his way in, and Nuttall proving decent back up for Graham, playoffs need to be seen as a realistic target.

I was worried Hull were going to hurt us in wide areas before kick off. They like to soak up pressure and move the ball out wide and counter quickly. We absolutely nullified their threat, and both Armstrong and Reed were superb. They abandoned this tactic almost completely in the second half, such was our dominance.

I think Travis coming in has allowed Reed to keep occupying the wide areas and not have to drift inside so much. The interchanging between AA and HR was great to see too. So for all my (and others) moaning of a lack of width, we absolutely nailed it today. Almost looked like 2 flat banks of 4 at times.

How well does Rodwell read the game by the way!

Richard Witshge needs to be included in the worst conversation for West Ham away

Best

Rovers 4 - 2 Derby (1992 play off semi)

Rovers 1 - 0 Sheff Wed (final day 92-93 season, purely because this was the last time I stood on the terraces at Ewood)

Rovers 1 - 0 Newcastle (VE day)

Burnley 0 - 2 Rovers (2000, first derby for me)

Rovers 3-1 Leeds (Boxing Day 1992)

Honorable mention to Rovers 1 - 0 Newcastle in 97/98... didn’t know it at the time but the last game I went to with my late Grandfather

Worst

Rovers 1-2 Burnley (2013-14)

West Ham 2-0 Rovers (94-95... also helped forge a lifelong hatred of Richard Witschge... soon forgave West Ham though)

Rovers 0-1 Spartak Moscow (95-96 I was absolutely gutted at this one... such high expectations)

Rovers 0-1 Wigan (The culmination of the Kean debacle)

Rovers 1-1 Blackpool (2014-15 - not entirely sure why this was the day, but this was where my boycott started. Something just snapped and the straw which broke the camels back came here)

Honorable mentions to Ince away at Wigan and to Rovers 7-1 Norwich... the only home game I missed in a decade, and my brothers first ever game (on my season ticket)... what a game to miss!

3 minutes ago, S8 & Blue said:

Lamberts put some decent players in tbh

What happened to Gwion Edwards? Looked good opening day and can’t see anything online about an injury...

Appears to have been dropped. Lambert hinted at him being loaned out in this window. He’s got 4 goals in 20 appearances so far, but it appears Lambert doesn’t fancy him.

I’d have him at Rovers all day long.

If we don’t invest in some proper defenders this window, serious questions need to be asked of our recruitment policy.

Not loans, not ones for the future, not emergency back up, not converted midfielders. Proper defenders.

The reluctance to pay anything more than a nominal fee for a defender is really coming back to bite us at this moment in time. It’s blindingly obvious we need to strengthen this area, and failure to do so could prove disastrous... also makes the Brereton signing seem all the more ludicrous!