Mercer

These are financial facts Chaddy. V's are now in for £180million+ and growing by the week. It's fair to say any rational person with a degree of financial acumen would doubt the position is sustainable. Yes our key players are still here - let's hope that is still the case come Saturday morning!

Wishful thinking there I think! If I recall correctly, over the last 24 months, VLL have issued about £40million in shares which, coincidentally, probably ties-in with the Rovers' financial losses over the period!!! Think the last share issue of almost £10million was back in August so I think more funds were due to keep the ship afloat!!!

and it will only get worse this summer when we have to replace loan players, ageing players, players out of contract and players who simply aren't good enough. If Mowbray is still here, and God forbid, I think it will just give him another ready made excuse for 'stability' - 'you can't have so many new players in the building and expect them to gel'. I think it underlines our player recruitment strategy has been simply shambolic under Mowbray.

Can anyone really say they are surprised how this transfer window has panned out!? Despite the utterances of some on here and the 'smoke and mirrors' from Ewood, I think it's pretty clear we haven't a transfer pot to p1ss in. Where we are is a result of, IMO, Mowbray's shambolic player trading record. I think Mowbray has signed the wrong players for the wrong positions and therefore we see the square pegs in round holes syndrome. I think Brereton and Gallagher are appalling and expensive signings and if Mowbray tries to tell us they were signed as 'wide men' then he's even more incompetent than I thought. IMO, Armstrong just hasn't got the physicality to be a number nine, is not a 'wide man' and is more suited to being one of two front men in partnership with a bigger unit, however, doesn't seem to be a Mowbray system! It also seems from the LT that we took Smallwood to Portugal. What the feck is that about when he seems to be no longer part of our first team plans and is seemingly happy to sit out the rest of his contract with us contributing little. IMO, unbelievably poor management of the situation. Think the only way Venky's get a good part of their £160m+ money back is if we get back to the PL. IMO, that will not happen under Mowbray. I don't think it takes too much to get out of this league. Appoint a manager who knows what the feck he's doing, is shrewd in player trading, can organise a team and can get the most out of available resources - get some momentum and confidence and away you go. As an aside, as I said before the window opened, I still think, and increasingly think so, there will be at least one 'big' departure before the window closes.

Why the feck would any club want to pay Rhodes £35k per week. Sit on your arse in Sheffield son and draw your money if that's what you want. If he wants to play football, I think he needs to realise he's a £10k a week man and that's being generous!

and, in the main, that's why players don't develop at Rovers. IMO, Mowbray hinders young players as opposed to helping them. Brereton's confidence is shot whilst, largely, Gallagher is played out of position. Whose fault is that !?!?

IMO, Mowbray's managerial record is very average. He did okay at Hibs and got WBA promoted to the PL only to be relegated in their first season back. I think he disappointed at Celtic and failed to get M'boro back to the PL in a fairly lengthy second spell there. We know how Coventry ended up. He failed to keep Rovers up when that's what he was appointed for, got us back at the first attempt with the biggest budget in the division but, IMO, we are as far away from the PL as ever. In actual fact, I think you will find he's managed in the PL for just one year and not 'years' as you say. I think Mowbray has done very well out of the game on the back of, IMO, a very mixed and indifferent managerial record.

You can't blame the players. The blame lies at the door of those who negotiated / signed-off the deals on behalf of Rovers. I think there's a staggering lack of business / commercial nous within Rovers. IMO, the shortcomings of Mowbray and Waggott are evident yet again.

I've not got the numbers to hand, however, I suspect we are beyond mid table for our transfer spend since promotion. However, I have to disagree with your argument. It isn't about having "spent enough" or otherwise. I think it's about the recruitment policy and how you get the best out of your players through organisation and tactics etc. For glowing examples look at Brentford (who Mowbray keeps referring to) and Sheffield United (what Wilder did there and the resources he had before this season). Mowbray has been here for three years now. More than long enough to structure a recruitment department and policy and more than long enough to fashion a playing identity. Sadly, I think he's failed miserably where Brentford and Sheffield United have admirably succeeded and it's now time he was replaced.

I think there are some serious anomalies here! If these figures were correct, the door on Mowbray's office would have been taken off its hinges by angry agents. Any organisation needs a remuneration policy that is defendable. I think you could drive a horse and cart through that lot.

Sick of hearing Mowbray and Waggott on the transfer window - IMO, it's all p1ss and wind. Think at best, there will be a couple of underwhelming loans towards the end of the window, at worse the same loans with a last minute departure of someone like Lenihan or Travis. As for wages, those who think Chapman is here on relative 'peanuts' need to think again. I think eyes would be opened if the wages of Dack, Mulgrew, Gallagher, Brereton and Chapman etc were published. IMO, some of the wage levels mentioned on here are seriously understated. Have mentioned before, Rovers also pay a whacking 13/14% in employers' NI so every £1million in wages paid to our 'stars' also costs almost another £140k!!!

I've seen Mols several times and he hasn't impressed me. The lad's going on 21 now and, IMO, wont make it. I called it right on Brereton very soon after he joined us. I'll trust my own eyes and judgement after, IMO, seeing some of the b0ll0ocks dropped by the so called professionals with Brereton and Gallagher topping the list!

Remember watching 'Hutch' destroy Rovers in a Div 1 night match at Blackpool. It's over 50 years ago but I'm sure he was up against Newton that night. Was on the 'spion kop' and it all got rather nasty, as rival fans clashed, with ammonia being thrown. Little Tony Green was a magician and if my memory is correct, Blackpool signed him whilst Rovers dithered. Three top class acts there.

Agreed, but, sadly, it would seem we haven't a transfer pot to pi1ss in.

Tony Field was magnificent. He would be priceless today. One of my all time favourite Rovers who shone like a beacon in the darkest of Ewood days.

Owls down to 10, 3-0 up and playing well (scored against whilst making a cuppa!) Doubt even Mowbray can feck this up. I gotta feeling that tonight's gonna be a good night........................!

Not too much muscle / steel in that midfield. Where's Johnson?

Gone for Rovers at 7/2 and by 2-1 at 16/1. Heart ruled the head a bit but we are so unpredictable and Mowbray has a habit of finding a win when he desperately needs it.

Horrific injuries. Wish Evans well. Think it will be a huge challenge for him to get back to football at this level.

Greaves moved him back into midfield in latter years and he strolled through. Byrom always had a touch of arrogance (in the right way) and was a class act - loved watching him play.

and the right league!!! Think he'll do well up there.

Any footballer has a choice. Sit on their arse and take their over inflated wage, or, accept they are no longer worth what perhaps they once were, take a pay cut and play some football! If you were in Rhodes' position and accumulated over the years what you had through football, to most individuals, it would be a no brainer.

Would think the remaining 18 months would carry a cost to Rovers of at least £2.5million including employer's NI. If I was in Mulgrew's shoes, I'd want circa £1.65million to walk away with £1million net. IMO, Mulgrew holds all the the aces. IMO, another ridiculous deal for a player 34 years of age in a few weeks time - will be well into his 36th year when his contract ends.