[Archived] A Taste of Things to Come

[TBTF]

I have no real problem in the appointment of Gary Bowyer.And therein lies the problem i have with myself.

When these idiots rode into Town 2 1/2 years ago we were promised untold riches, uphold the traditions of the Club, maintain Jack's legacy and continue the push for European football funded by a Group who were looking to expand into the Western world and a win/win for all parties.

Fast forward and a reign of terror culminates in relegation, we are about to post record trading losses, the Club is run by utter baffoons and our owners have retreated to such an extent that a simple decision takes weeks. This is probably because they don't trust anyone on their Board to do anything right either.

The Club is a shell, paralysed by indecision, there remains lingering stench of possible wrongdoing in the eyes of many supporters and we are in the midst of the most unedifying and negative close seasons anyone can ever remember. We can't even sell a season ticket yet and the prospects of doing so will not increase that much when they actually do go on sale.Its National Lampoons FC.Lets not even mention the debacle in Court.

The reserve team manager has just been installed as our saviour, the man to lead us to the promised land after a handful of solid if unspectacular results to save our backsides in a shocking league.Of course, its more a reflection of the rubbish they appointed and failed before him that we are content he deserves his chance. I have nothing against the guy and he has probably served his time in the game to warrant this opportunity.

Our Global Advisor has disappeared to Malaysia on holiday after a visa farce just at the time when we need major surgery in our squad and probably need to lose 15 players from last years bloated squad to even survive let alone deal with FFP.No worries , the PR Numpty and the shelf meister can cock that up without any help.

Meanwhile, we can all look forward to the return of Alan Judge, a freebie from Millwall who a year before was free from Oldham and a freebie keeper from Portsmouth.

Just how far we have fallen is a debate of quantum only ;its just where is rock bottom that concerns us most.

But if thats what the Idiots from Pune thought was in the plan (conspiracy theories aside) then just where does it go from here??

Its a shambles of immeasurable proportions that shows no sign of being addressed anytime soon.

So no problem Gary Bowyer, i have no issue with you and i wish you luck, but the downsizing appears to have barely started and i dread to think where we will be come August.

Or maybe i just need a holiday. Venkys, please please give up this pretence.You haven't a clue and neither have those you pay to advise you .It really is time to go now.

[Stuart]

The downsizing started within weeks of taking over and every transfer window since. This isn't a taste of things to come, it's a sign of the times.

We are now the club that a town of our size should realistically expect, possibly still slightly higher. However, we can't afford the wages we are currently paying players so even this is a sticky wicket.

Let's hope Bowyer can work wonders with our youth players because we are going to need them.

Reasonably happy with Bowyer. I'd be happer if we had a decent board above him.

[Rover_Shaun]

It is the club we could realistically expect if where we are now was the owners starting position.

We were a midtable premierleague club and there is no harm in keeping that ambition for the future

[bob fleming]

It is the club we could realistically expect if where we are now was the owners starting position.

We were a midtable premierleague club and there is no harm in keeping that ambition for the future

That is the ambition, always was, always will be. Anything above that is fairy tale stuff. That's what Jack delivered. We all know how lucky we were.

Where we are now is where we'll be for a while I suspect, and that's if we're lucky. Kamy talks of them "giving it another season" and you go with the guy, he's made more in roads than the local, soon to be, 65p a day LT, which adds nothing, adds no pressure or asks the questions we want answering. I fear for its future (possibly another topic this but blimey, make a stand, give me a reason to buy the bloody thing).

So they sell this time next season, their "sh1t or bust" strategy intrinsically flawed from the word go. Put your faith in the devil (agents) and don't be surprised in the outcome. "Confused"? Maybe, at first. Quids down? I doubt it. I like a bet as well. The club ruined for years on end? Every chance. One last pay day for the guys at the top? Every chance again. Where's this summers "untapped market" I wonder?

Hey, maybe GB will get them up and running? Maybe he can galvanise the squad? I have no problem with his signings to date, these are the type of signings we should have made 12 months ago instead of signing the likes of bench warming Portugeezers, Murphy and Etuhu. Rhodes was a God send but let's not pretend we can afford that fee. We need runners and grafters in this league. What we don't need is a Singh Shaw and Agnew - none of whom give a damn about our club.

Shi1t or bust I reckon as I mentioned above. The former is favourite and it isn't GBs fault. Nor Bergs nor Appletons.

The unemployable Steve Kean saw fit to see the squad dismantled in his name and sign utter dross or long term expensive contracts. Friends in high places. We all know where those places are. We should never forget that.

[davefarnworth]

Too true, Mr Fleming. Hearts bleed around this country for our shower (and wiser ones fear for their teams with the alleged apathy of the FA).

[Proudtobeblue&white]

Words again fail me, GB should have got the job last day of the season, then we could have kicked on. But no, shower of idiots p*ss about, prioritising the chickens above their "baby". Is he right for the job, probably not in an ideal world, but we left that behind when the Loons rode in on their bantams. I wish Gary well, he needs every ounce of luck whilst working under these conditions. Going to be another long, hard season.

[Leonard Venkhater]

I have no real problem in the appointment of Gary Bowyer.And therein lies the problem i have with myself.

When these idiots rode into Town 2 1/2 years ago we were promised untold riches, uphold the traditions of the Club, maintain Jack's legacy and continue the push for European football funded by a Group who were looking to expand into the Western world and a win/win for all parties.

Fast forward and a reign of terror culminates in relegation, we are about to post record trading losses, the Club is run by utter baffoons and our owners have retreated to such an extent that a simple decision takes weeks. This is probably because they don't trust anyone on their Board to do anything right either.

The Club is a shell, paralysed by indecision, there remains lingering stench of possible wrongdoing in the eyes of many supporters and we are in the midst of the most unedifying and negative close seasons anyone can ever remember. We can't even sell a season ticket yet and the prospects of doing so will not increase that much when they actually do go on sale.Its National Lampoons FC.Lets not even mention the debacle in Court.

The reserve team manager has just been installed as our saviour, the man to lead us to the promised land after a handful of solid if unspectacular results to save our backsides in a shocking league.Of course, its more a reflection of the rubbish they appointed and failed before him that we are content he deserves his chance. I have nothing against the guy and he has probably served his time in the game to warrant this opportunity.

Our Global Advisor has disappeared to Malaysia on holiday after a visa farce just at the time when we need major surgery in our squad and probably need to lose 15 players from last years bloated squad to even survive let alone deal with FFP.No worries , the PR Numpty and the shelf meister can cock that up without any help.

Meanwhile, we can all look forward to the return of Alan Judge, a freebie from Millwall who a year before was free from Oldham and a freebie keeper from Portsmouth.

Just how far we have fallen is a debate of quantum only ;its just where is rock bottom that concerns us most.

But if thats what the Idiots from Pune thought was in the plan (conspiracy theories aside) then just where does it go from here??

Its a shambles of immeasurable proportions that shows no sign of being addressed anytime soon.

So no problem Gary Bowyer, i have no issue with you and i wish you luck, but the downsizing appears to have barely started and i dread to think where we will be come August.

Or maybe i just need a holiday. Venkys, please please give up this pretence.You haven't a clue and neither have those you pay to advise you .It really is time to go now.

Good post. Paradise Lost...

My positive response to Bowyer is partly relief that they didn't do something really stupid!

There is a kind of self fulfilling prophesy. The reign of the idiotic, revolving door, knee jerk, Keystone Cop senior "management" has had a negative impact on the players. We had to have a period of stability. But this is only because Venky's themselves created the chaos, in the first place.

I am mindful that the manager Venky's dumped to install Anderson's client had so many more premiership games under his belt than all the next the four put together.

I suppose I am trying to hold onto two contradictory responses at the same time. This is a positive decision in the circumstances. A pattern of abusive behaviour caused these circumstances.

[TBTF]

Good post. Paradise Lost...

My positive response to Bowyer is partly relief that they didn't do something really stupid!

There is a kind of self fulfilling prophesy. The reign of the idiotic, revolving door, knee jerk, Keystone Cop senior "management" has had a negative impact on the players. We had to have a period of stability. But this is only because Venky's themselves created the chaos, in the first place.

I am mindful that the manager Venky's dumped to install Anderson's client had so many more premiership games under his belt than all the next the four put together.

I suppose I am trying to hold onto two contradictory responses at the same time. This is a positive decision in the circumstances. A pattern of abusive behaviour caused these circumstances.

Exactly the theme of the post LV.Sadly i don't think we have witnessed anything as debilitating as we are likely to see this pre season with possibly an entire turnover of squad all to be replaced by freebies and no marks.I am not against getting rid of high earning mercenaries but this landslide is (as you rightly say) the result of the hideous activities and bullocks management up until now.

We will probably hear the cries of ''players with hunger/understand this division'' etc etc but you just know that good housekeeping is not the reason this will be happening.Oh no, its because theres very little left on the carcass bar one last parachute payment so little wonder Kamy thinks they will have one last year at it.

this is the final act of asset selling and collecting what bit of cash they can extract this year all under the guise of adhering to FFP-before doing one in 12 months time.

I dare not think where this club will be next year at this time once the parachutes have finished and there genuinely is no point in Venkys being here because all the scalping has been done by then.

If you want that on your conscience Shagnew, then prepare to suffer the consequences.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

Never understand this idea that they are asset stripping to make some money - they are just incompetent in running a football club and have cost us two of the best players to come out of the academy for a number of years (Hoilett and Jones) and then wasted the money. I cannot believe they will make any money out of Rovers - unlike a number of agents and ex-managers

[ABBEY]

chill ,all is well ,this board is happy with L1 players and the venkys appontment.

[imy9]

chill ,all is well ,this board is happy with L1 players and the venkys appontment.

It's not that simple though is it? With what we have Bowyer is a good appointment above the likes of Sherwood etc, and he is someone with an affinity with the club..

L1 players? Millwall guy is in our league, as is blackpool guy. Judge was best player in l1 so should be fine in championship. The core of our squad is average at best so I am happy with players with something to prove.

We spent vast amounts last year and we're almost relegated!

[Leonard Venkhater]

Exactly the theme of the post LV.Sadly i don't think we have witnessed anything as debilitating as we are likely to see this pre season with possibly an entire turnover of squad all to be replaced by freebies and no marks.I am not against getting rid of high earning mercenaries but this landslide is (as you rightly say) the result of the hideous activities and bullocks management up until now.

We will probably hear the cries of ''players with hunger/understand this division'' etc etc but you just know that good housekeeping is not the reason this will be happening.Oh no, its because theres very little left on the carcass bar one last parachute payment so little wonder Kamy thinks they will have one last year at it.

this is the final act of asset selling and collecting what bit of cash they can extract this year all under the guise of adhering to FFP-before doing one in 12 months time.

I dare not think where this club will be next year at this time once the parachutes have finished and there genuinely is no point in Venkys being here because all the scalping has been done by then.

If you want that on your conscience Shagnew, then prepare to suffer the consequences.

Conscience!. If he had one, PA would never have accepted his previous job, let alone the meteoric rise from hospital porter to consultant brain surgeon. At least, he might have resigned, when he accidentally lobotomised the patient.

As for D.S, conscience wouldn't be the first word on PNE supporters' lips.

I don't think we should ever make the mistake of thinking that these people operate to the same standards as the rest of us. Predatory is the word. To follow on from your own analogy of the carcass, think jackals gnawing at a lion-kill. Rant over!

[K-Hod]

chill ,all is well ,this board is happy with L1 players and the venkys appontment.

Nobody's happy abbey. Thing is, just because people don't verbalise their discontent in the same vein as you, doesn't mean they're any less angry.

[jim mk2]

The downsizing started within weeks of taking over and every transfer window since. This isn't a taste of things to come, it's a sign of the times.

We are now the club that a town of our size should realistically expect, possibly still slightly higher. However, we can't afford the wages we are currently paying players so even this is a sticky wicket.

Usual balderdash.

The club pre-Venky's for 10 years showed how it can be done with very little money but with excellent management.

Good people, ambition and confidence and we can get back up there again.

I

[Stuart]

Usual balderdash.

The club pre-Venky's for 10 years showed how it can be done with very little money but with excellent management.

Good people, ambition and confidence and we can get back up there again.

OMG Jim. You really are STUCK in the past.

We were "locked in" because of the PL money. Now that's been arrogantly thrown away by Venkys backed by their over paid minions, we are locked out.

The reason we were locked in is because a bona fide superfan pumped his money into it. Without that, we would never have got there in the first place to be run on a "budget".

There is not going to be another Jack so we are now going to find our natural order.

Which bit of this do you not understand so that we can focus on that bit and stop going over the same debate over and over?

[jim mk2]

You really don't get it. Our success post Jack Walker had nothing to do with money.

It may have escaped your notice that plenty of clubs have won promotion from the championship in the past 10 years with very little money.

It is perfectly possible for us to do the same and stay in the top flight.

Now you don't strike me as dense but which bit of this don't you understand ?

[pontyrover]

You really don't get it. Our success post Jack Walker had nothing to do with money.

It may have escaped your notice that plenty of clubs have won promotion from the championship in the past 10 years with very little money.

It is perfectly possible for us to do the same and stay in the top flight.

Spot on. Ambition is critical.

[Stuart]

You really don't get it. Our success post Jack Walker had nothing to do with money.

It may have escaped your notice that plenty of clubs have won promotion from the championship in the past 10 years with very little money.

It is perfectly possible for us to do the same and stay in the top flight.

Now you don't strike me as dense but which bit of this don't you understand ?

Our success post Jack Walker had EVERYTHING to do with money, and was completely dependent up our success during Jack's time.

Jack's money (which gave us the leg up in the first place), Jack's legacy money (which the trust provided), supplemented by Sky money (which we only had access to because of Jack's initial input getting us into the damn league).

Following relegation we have Venkys money (or a massive debt) and gate money.

Soon we may only have gate money (if we are lucky) - like we did before Jack - in order to buy and pay players. That won't get us much more than Stanley - maybe even worse if we are up to our eyes in debt.

Riddle me this: without Jack's money, do you think we would have spend the time we did in the Premier League, let alone win the thing plus another trophy, and see the players we have in blue and white?

[jim mk2]

Spot on. Ambition is critical.

Explain it to Stuart. He's going through a dense patch.

[Stuart]

Explain it to Stuart. He's going through a dense patch.

So you can't find an counter-argument against my logic? That's fine, I didn't expect you to.

There is no way we would have got what we did without Jack's money. None of it. Hell, it's why half of football are bitter with envy against us!

[patrickvalery]

Explain it to Stuart. He's going through a dense patch.

He has a point though Jim. Without dear old Jack we never would have been able to sustain what we had because what we had would have been considerably less. A generation of Rovers fans have been spoilt rotten. Coming back down to earth is going to sting a wee bit i suspect.

[jim mk2]

It's always been acknowledged that Jack's money won us the league. Your logic stops in 2001 when he died.

Cue another reply because you must always have the last word.

[Stuart]

It's always been acknowledged that Jack's money won us the league. Your logic stops in 2001 when he died.

Cue another reply because you must always have the last word.

It's not about having the last word. But nice try in trying to win the argument by default.

It's bogus to say that we were a PL team without Jack's money. Without it, we wouldn't have been a PL team, let alone a well run one.

Why can't you see the paradox of your argument?

[jim mk2]

You really don't get it. Our success post Jack Walker had nothing to do with money.

It may have escaped your notice that plenty of clubs have won promotion from the championship in the past 10 years with very little money.

It is perfectly possible for us to do the same and stay in the top flight.

Now you don't strike me as dense but which bit of this don't you understand ?

Read it again. Slowly so you can take it in.

[Stuart]

Read it again. Slowly so you can take it in.

"Our success post Jack Walker had nothing to do with money" - If you can't see the paradox there then there's no hope for you.

"It may have escaped your notice that plenty of clubs have won promotion from the championship in the past 10 years with very little money." - name these clubs who have very little money yet have spent anywhere near 11 years in the PL and won a trophy. Wigan don't count as they were bank rolled by Whelan. Blackpool and Burnley have tried but could not compete without the platform to pay PL wages (which we had thanks to Jack).

"It is perfectly possible for us to do the same and stay in the top flight" - it really isn't. We have shorn ourselves of all of the tools (players and management) required to stay in the top flight. It may have escaped your notice but with our playing squad, and current funds, we were nearly relegated, then relegated, then nearly relegated again.

"Now you don't strike me as dense" - at last something we can agree on.

Not sure why I've bothered justifying your piffle with such a comprehensive response because you won't take it in.

All I've said, Jim, andy you may recall, is that we have now found our natural level. If we somehow fluke promotion next season and get a couple of seasons in the top flight - on our budget - that would be unnatural. It would require funds beyond our natural means. If the league systems were a meritocrisy (with all teams receiving an equal share of TV money) and differentiated only by the money raised through natural sources (gates, merchandise and sponsorship), we'd be low-to-mid Championship. Not sure how you can argue differently.