Mercer

On paper a home banker and a licence to print money. Owls lost their last 6 league games without scoring a goal. Their last point came against, you guessed it, Rovers on 29 December. The reality, any result possible here. Teams and strikers seem to enjoy ending barren runs against Rovers. Fail to win and it may well be over for us. Jerry Yates, and we could have done worse than to snare him, to deliver a knock out blow I fear.

A 'reverse premium' so St Pauli could get shut!?!? Think it will be buttons.

A certain Mr Kean also did on more than one occasion, hopping on a plane very soon after he was appointed if my memory serves me correctly.

Think position at WBA irretrievable. They look even more hopeless since Ramsay came in. Think only thing they can do hold up their hands, acknowledge they've got it wrong, sack Ramsay and appoint an experienced guy who can hit the ground running - Rowett until end of season.

I think Rovers are in the 'fortunate' position in that despite the shambles enveloping Ewood Park, there are other clubs with their own problems who might just save us from the drop. Sheffield Wednesday are gone WBA in freefall and they look even worse since Ramsay was appointed Oxford have appointed a manager who contrived to take Luton down - doesn't augur well for them Leicester face a substantial points deduction Think the third relegation place is between Rovers, Oxford and Leicester.

Firmly in the NO to Mowbray camp: Couldn't save us last time and he should have (arguably in an even bigger mess now with worse players) 9 to 10 years on, recent serious illness and abilities in decline (failed miserably at WBA second time around) Him and Venus too old school - desire and hunger or a chance to further top-up their pension pots!? Neither trust nor like the guy - at the helm when Waggott's plan to carve up Brockhall came to light and always moaned about his distance away from home and family life only to later rock-up at Brum then WBA! Could be Bailey doing his pal a favour and getting his name out there. We need a change of manager/head coach but for me, Mowbray is not the man; IMO, mainly in it for himself and you need to look beneath that 'Uncle Tony' persona he likes to portray.

Barrel being scraped. Not prolific.

Not an easy one to call. Hull a form team playing with some momentum and confidence. On the other hand, Rovers due a home win but struggling with their ragtag bobtail team. If I was betting on this one, and I'm not, would go for Hull win.

If Ismael hadn't fecked the lad about, he'd still be playing in the 1st team and wouldn't have picked up the injury in an Academy game. I think the way Rovers have treated the lad after an excellent start to 1st team football is diabolical.

Would be no excuse if Rovers still think its 11.00pm - and there's their excuse ('all agreed but couldn't complete on time').

Perspective called for. Please read my post carefully. I stated three personal 'could not sees' and using Nicko's adjective, found it bizarre Rovers should make an enquiry. If you were aware of the source then I feel you would agree it was very likely an enquiry, for whatever reason, was made

So Nicko talking about bizarre! Heard something quite bizarre earlier in the week about a Rovers' enquiry for a striker. Asked the source if he was taking the p1ss and he said not I could not see the club loaning/selling, I could not see the player wanting to come and I certainly could not see Rovers paying fee and / or wages necessary. Don't shoot the messenger. Player Ellis Simms.

Timing just after news broke about Macron suing Rovers! Someone tell me this is not a coincidence!? An effort to deflect / 'bury' bad news!?

My goodness, you would sh1t yourself if a bloke like this approached you menacingly! This guy was really, really hard. According to Alex Ferguson: McNamee threatened to "kill" Ferguson at the end of one game Ferguson dismissed the threat but "nearly fainted" when he saw McNamee waiting for him after the match Ferguson hid until the Celtic coach had departed, reflecting that he was "dealing with a monster" Says it all! So all depends upon what you mean by hard - my definition, players your opponents wouldn't want to mess with. Rovers' players I readily recall: Fergie, Knighton, McNamee, Branagan, Keeley, Speight, Batty, Shearer, Flitcroft, Todd and Mokoena. Some 'tough' competitors have been mentioned like Nicky Reid, Faz, Hendry, Moran etc but, IMO, not as 'hard' or as 'feared' as those named above. In fact recall reading an article many years ago where John Fashanu supposedly put the frighteners on Hendry in the tunnel pre match and Hendry was physched out by it.

Doubt he will. Had far more trust and confidence in JDT/Eustace. I wouldn't trust Ismael as far as I could spit.

Let's hope they appoint Russell Martin - he'll take them down if they get a points deduction.

Don't worry, Ismael will find at least one further excuse: Clubs ask silly fees in the Jan. window and we couldn't secure all our targets The lads coming back from injury need time and games to get their rhythm Further injuries happen - I've never known such a season The games just keep coming, we have 6 alone in Feb The pitch isn't helping (used already yesterday) and no doubt there will be more!

Glen, sorry to hear the bad news about one of your parents. Hope the surgery has been successful and recovery is good. Horrible situation for all the family. Puts football firmly into perspective. Life is a precious privilege but sadly so fragile. Take care.

You mean confirmed?

Indeed! It happens - past, present and no doubt the future.

Just a further thought on Gudjohnsen. Ismael has been hammering on about how many injured and how desperate we are to get players back - won't have gone unnoticed in football circles. If a key player suffers a longer term injury just a week or so before the window closes and you need to replace, you wouldn't want the football world to know as asking prices for potential replacements would rocket. Think we should know soon if Rovers playing 'a straight bat'.

Nope

My 'peppercorn' doesn't normally 'talk' to me unless I've consumed too much red before eating . If you mean 'source' then not the same.

Seems, and hope, someone has been a tad mischievous. You will note, I caveated with question mark and 'if correct'. Let's see where we are next week then. Surprised Montgomery might be back - weren't we advised 4 to 6 weeks?

A huge blow if proven correct. Yuri has been run into the ground - at risk, IMO, from longer term injury. Think we now need 2 more decent strikers to give us even half a chance.