Mercer

There is a reason Tavares couldn't command a regular starting place last season in Portugal and a reason why he only finished about 3 of the 22 games he started. If he struggled in Portugal then he's no chance in the Championship.

Getting thumped again today. Don't think their illnesses helped them but they are a very poor side and will be bottom six like us.

Beggars belief. Better having 11 on and being 1 down than having 10 on and being 1 down. Shocking from an experienced pro.. You always remember the ones that go against you but conveniently forget the ones that went your way! I'm a believer that over the course of a season things pretty much even themselves out.

In fairness to Tony Field, although we signed him 'only' from Southport (think the fee was another £20k?), if my memory is correct, he was still in his early 20's, had clocked up 100+ appearances and was a 1 goal in 3 games forward. Wouldn't we snap a club's hand off for something similar now!?

He was one big unit! You would run from this guy in your boozer! In the early 1960s, before becoming a cult hero at Newcastle, he, John Kurila and John Cushley formed a trio of rugged defenders at Celtic who were nicknamed “the Big Bad Johns” after a hit song in 1961. In his autobiography Ferguson recalled facing McNamee – “the worst of these three frighteners”

'Big Mac' a colossus and maybe the best £20k Rovers have ever spent. Hard as nails and Fergie revealed in his autobiography Mac threatened to kill him during one game and he was loitering with intent outside the dressing room post match waiting for Fergie! As you say, so influential in dragging Rovers back from the precipice and I recall he weighed in with his fair share of goals for a ch - think he got into double figures with Rovers. Sadly, he succumbed to Alzheimer's and Parkinson's passing away last year in his 80's.

Whilst you can only beat the opposition in front of you, Hull were unbelievably lethargic and poor and if I was a Hull fan, I would be somewhat concerned. So difficult to use that game as a marker. As for Norwich, think they can be as good as they can be average. New manager so I guess their players are still adapting to different style of play, tactics etc. As others have pointed out, not difficult to envisage any one of the three possible outcomes. If I'd to plump for one, it would be the draw. As for our 9 new signings, it's early days but already written-off Forshaw and big question marks in place over De Neve in particular and Henriksson. 4 look steadyish atm whilst 2 have still to kick a ball for us.

Neither will make it at Championship level - these are not kids with Garrett 22 and Montgomery 21. Garrett has struggled on loan at lower league level whilst perhaps Montgomery found his level at Marine and Chorley last season. They would struggle even in League 2. For perspective, neither can hold a candle to John Buckley who first broke into Rovers 1st team at 19 and has amassed circa150ish appearances since. Good luck John Buckley - a move to fresh pastures overseas might just clear his head and give him a focus. There is talent there but the lad does need to sort himself out.

IMO, the Raos, Pasha, Waggott and Gestede have all been economical with the facts. Preumably, you feel very uncomfortable about that? Perhaps Ismael could also become a voluntary lay preacher!? I would dispute we have spent anywhere near £7.5m. I think fees for players signed have been over-hyped for the consumption of those in our fan base who are highly gullible. I would put fees paid in the £4 to 5million range with a further £2 to 3million due when we win the PL!!! The fact is fees for departing players Brittain, Travis, JRC, Buckley and Dolan (compo) will almost certainly exceed the fees paid for our incomings. I think the reality is we have spent nothing, in fact we are in the black on fees and you can add to that some add-ons from past sales. I suspect if our budget is £5million, there may well be some hefty bonuses to be paid due to a substantial saving on that budget! Of course the only way round this is to scrap all this 'undisclosed fee' crap, report both the actual fee, potential add-ons and the fee paid to agents for every transaction. That would give you the openness, transparency and honesty that seems to excite you.

Not sure there is a conclusion on his back injuries - two stress fractures (?), what's causing them? Understand because of this, the lad is naturally a wee apprehensive to push himself to the max. It's a difficult one and for me the only answer is to let the lad go out on loan to a League 1 or 2 club to play week in and week out and for him to give it his all and try to overcome any psychological barriers that may be there - it could then be make or break for his career.

Glad I let me heart rule my head - day would have been even better if Toth had made one save less! Hull were poor from minute one and to be honest looked like their whole team was playing with a virus with their lethargy - their 18 year old centre back also had a nightmare, way out of his depth. However, you can only play what is in front of you on the pitch and we did the job well. Goalie and defence looked fairly sound whilst our midfield found their feet with Cantwell excelling. We still need another striker, a quality one at that and one who commands automatic selection with his ability. Hope the injuries to Tavares and Kargbo not serious given our threadbare squad. Nice to get our first win on the board but make no mistake there will be far, far bigger tests and challenges ahead,

Nowt to beat here. Don't get a result today then we are in trouble.

Good time to play Hull with their injuries and illness. Therefore gone for Rovers' win at 12/5 plus a little cheeky flutter on 3-1 at 28/1. Heart ruling head a bit but who knows. Think this really will be a shit or bust game for Rovers.

So? When you are much older you become more circumspect about exposing yourself to potentially dangerous situations especially when you are less agile / mobile. That is commonsense. Also, I have friends who are Burnley fans, they are not bastards and your sweeping generalizations are moronic.

You are right, however, it's a fact. The point I was trying to make was how placid and perhaps apathetic our current fan base is to what it once was. We've put up with 15 years of sh1te with barely a murmur apart from @glen9mullan activity in the early Kean days. It simply wouldn't happen at other clubs.

Think it's a sign of a desperate journalist who sits uncomfortably with fan scrutiny - what normal person swears on their child's life about a transfer fee!?

Seems Coventry in for Travis now.whilst Baradji expected to be fit by end of September after treatment for his stress fracture.

Understand the humour! If what I have recently been told is correct about what the agent wanted for himself then it is no surprise to me that it took a little time to find Dolan a new club.

You don't recall those clambering over the dividing fence between BE and Enclosure and those over the wall from BE and into the Enclosure (cutting across the pitch) in order to confront the Directors in front of their Box? I know it might be 55ish years ago but it's still in my memory bank!

I think agents are generally a scourge on football and it's a widely held sentiment. I would love to know how much Dolan's agent made out of his move to Espanyol !!! 😉

Saxton was early to mid 1980's - things had calmed down a lot by then!

Extracts from 'Ewood Park The Cradle of English Football' - those around at the time will recognise some of this, particularly the late 60's and early 70's: Edit @jim mk2has beaten me to it and provided the link in above post.

Not always the case! Not sure how old you are and how far you go back. Rovers' fans had a notorious reputation in the 1960's and to a lesser degree early 1970's.

When you reach a certain age you become more circumspect about exposing yourself to potentially dangerous situations. That is not fear but commonsense. I would ask you to stop trolling. I feel sure other users of this MB are also bored and fed-up with it.

I understand your point, however, there are ways of protesting and expressing your discontent without risk of getting a criminal record. I would willingly participate in any substantial and well organised protest(s) / activities. I also did my bit, when needed, along with others like @jim mk2 many, many years ago - as to how effective those protests were, buy a pint or two for Rovers' fans of my generation in your local!