Academy & U21s

[Stuart]

21 minutes ago, tomphil said:

And that makes no difference whatsoever to the first team but gives the tombola a few more numbers.

I often think Mowbray is just managing his squad not the best first 11. With his main aim to keep everyone happy and the team just ticking over rather than a bull headed relentless pursuit for points.  He's either lost track of his priorities or is in such a comfort zone he's more happy plodding along that way keeping day to day hassle to a minimum.

Seems to run our first team like an U23 development side.

Meanwhile Damien Johnson ran his U23s like a first team.

[Guest]

Well well well.. what a mental night. 
 

Firstly the game, we were awful, Chapman had another stinker and thankfully most there seemed to agree with me on that one for once. I liked Isaac Whitehall but not many positives from this game.

Now to the real drama. Seeing a lot of “credit to the Hertha fans” type shit on social media and couldn’t be more fuming with it. The club have fucked up royally tonight and showed poor planning.

Hertha fans drinking and smoking in the stadium, running onto the pitch, punching a female steward, blocking fans view and persistently standing all game.

We counted 12 police cars and vans outside, police dogs and an armed police vehicle. Half of the Lancashire Constabulary must’ve been out for it! No searches on the way in, no separation of away fans from home.

BUT, the WORST bit of all, was grown German men who must have been nearly 30, trying to flirt with and surrounding a 12 year old girl who was at the game with friends in front of us at half time. One walked over and said “is she not old enough?” Quite clearly heard by myself and others around.

Pretty poorly handled from the club, and I’m of a firm belief that both Hertha and Blackburn should receive repercussions for the handling of this game. Started off as light hearted but turned ugly quickly.

[Stuart]

Just now, JoeH said:

Well well well.. what a mental night. 
 

Firstly the game, we were awful, Chapman had another stinker and thankfully most there seemed to agree with me on that one for once. I liked Isaac Whitehall but not many positives from this game.

Now to the real drama. Seeing a lot of “credit to the Hertha fans” type shit on social media and couldn’t be more fuming with it. The club have fucked up royally tonight and showed poor planning.

Hertha fans drinking and smoking in the stadium, running onto the pitch, punching a female steward, blocking fans view and persistently standing all game.

We counted 12 police cars and vans outside, police dogs and an armed police vehicle. Half of the Lancashire Constabulary must’ve been out for it! No searches on the way in, no separation of away fans from home.

BUT, the WORST bit of all, was grown German men who must have been nearly 30, trying to flirt with and surrounding a 12 year old girl who was at the game with friends in front of us at half time. One walked over and said “is she not old enough?” Quite clearly heard by myself and others around.

Pretty poorly handled from the club, and I’m of a firm belief that both Hertha and Blackburn should receive repercussions for the handling of this game. Started off as light hearted but turned ugly quickly.

Have to say, I was surprised that the DE side of the JW wasn’t used for the away fans. Club caught out by so many travelling fans, or another stuff-the-home-fans-cost-saver?

[bluebruce]

I was going to say that in fairness you don't expect that kind of shit from an u23 game crowd...but then I saw you say they didn't even split the home and away fans, which is just a bad idea at all times. 

[bluebruce]

Just now, Stuart said:

Have to say, I was surprised that the DE side of the JW wasn’t used for the away fans. Club caught out by so many travelling fans, or another stuff-the-home-fans-cost-saver?

I expect the same fans are over here on their jollies for the group stage, so would have been at the Benfica game in similar numbers...no real excuse for being caught out on that count. So, stuff safety and save money, yeh.

[tomphil]

Hertha are a massive club over there so no surprise a few bus fulls turned up.

[Stuart]

2 minutes ago, tomphil said:

Hertha are a massive club over there so no surprise a few bus fulls turned up.

Surprised someone.

[tomphil]

Just now, Stuart said:

Surprised someone.

That bit's no surprise.

No doubt the club will be landed with a nice bill for calling out the fuzz. The most inept docile set of stadium officials in the country !

[chaddyrovers]

How did Rankin Costello play and where did he play? 

[chaddyrovers]

7 hours ago, matt83 said:

That’s no doubt the official party line.

I wouldn’t be too fussed about watching the academy vs anyone other than our main rivals or a perhaps a final. Can barely be arsed watching the first team. But the thing that bugs me is they’ve taken the effort to move the game from 7pm to 1pm. Had it always been 1pm I’d have just dismissed it as a fixture wouldn’t bother with.

So school kids can’t go. People who work can’t go without taking an afternoon off. Basically they’re looking to tap the niche market of retired folk who can be bothered watching academy football. That’s probably down to 10s of people. 

I will be attending the Burnley game. Its ideal as it falls on my week off. 

I still think they got 400 too 600 on. 

[Mercer]

Poor stuff tonight.

IMO, not one single Rovers' player threatening our poor first team.

Rankin-Costello and Butterworth very disappointing.  For two twenty year olds, you seriously question if they have what it takes.

Service to Chapman was cr@p - no wonder he seems p1ssed off at times.  Showed what he can do towards the end on two occasions when he beat men in the box.  Mowbray needs to do one of two things - either give the lad a genuine chance or get rid.

Hertha looked more lively, more creative, more mobile and passed and moved much better.

As for their fans, saw nothing more than a tad boisterousness.  Overkill and waste of police resource at the end of the match.

Edited November 15, 2019 by Mercer

[Madon]

Just now, Mercer said:

Poor stuff tonight.

IMO, not one single Rovers player threatening our poor first team.

Rankin-Costello and Butterworth very disappointing.  For two twenty year olds, you seriously question if they have what it takes.

Service to Chapman was cr@p - no wonder he seems p1ssed off at times.  Showed what he can do towards the end on two occasions when he beat men in the box.  Mowbray needs to do one of two things - either give the lad a genuine chance or get rid.

Hertha looked more lively, more creative, more mobile and passed and moved much better.

As for their fans, saw nothing more than a tad boisterous.  Overkill and waste of police resource at the end of the match.

Chapman didn't have a great game, but like you say the service he was getting was awful, and it looked to me as though some players, inparticularly Butterworth, didn't want to pass to him. 

I thought their fans were great,  mega over reaction from the stewards. I was right infront of the scuffle with the female steward at the end, he didn't punch her at all. He had one foot over the advertising hoardings and she pushed him to get him off, he fell and caught her face slightly and then it caused a big hoo haa with the other stewards getting involved. 

Couldn't believe it when I walked out and there was a huge police presence, that must have cost a bloody fortune!!

[Guest]

Just now, Madon said:

Chapman didn't have a great game, but like you say the service he was getting was awful, and it looked to me as though some players, inparticularly Butterworth, didn't want to pass to him. 

I thought their fans were great,  mega over reaction from the stewards. I was right infront of the scuffle with the female steward at the end, he didn't punch her at all. He had one foot over the advertising hoardings and she pushed him to get him off, he fell and caught her face slightly and then it caused a big hoo haa with the other stewards getting involved. 

Couldn't believe it when I walked out and there was a huge police presence, that must have cost a bloody fortune!!

Saw and heard enough to say it was a poor showing from their fans and our stewards. Chatting up a 12 year old girl, surrounded her. Absolute twats, grown men being proper creepy. Didn’t sit right at all. I’m not saying everyone should be berating them, but the amount of “credit to the Hertha fans” is proper frustrating me.

[Mercer]

Just now, Madon said:

Chapman didn't have a great game, but like you say the service he was getting was awful, and it looked to me as though some players, inparticularly Butterworth, didn't want to pass to him. 

I thought their fans were great,  mega over reaction from the stewards. I was right infront of the scuffle with the female steward at the end, he didn't punch her at all. He had one foot over the advertising hoardings and she pushed him to get him off, he fell and caught her face slightly and then it caused a big hoo haa with the other stewards getting involved. 

Couldn't believe it when I walked out and there was a huge police presence, that must have cost a bloody fortune!!

Didn't see the incident with the female steward as left just before the end.

Honestly think our stewards didn't help by standing in front of some of the Hertha fans for the entire match.  Some of the Hertha fans were sat down - the rest standing at the front should have been encouraged to join those sat down.  IMO, our stewards were clueless and directionless.  Probably about fifty Hertha fans and half as many police outside!  Asked one policeman if we were playing Burnley and I was too p1ssed to realise it - think he saw the point and knowingly smiled and shrugged his shoulders indicating the stewards had made the call for 'help'.

[roversfan99]

41 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

I will be attending the Burnley game. Its ideal as it falls on my week off. 

I still think they got 400 too 600 on. 

Ideal for you perhaps, but quite clearly picked at an incredibly stupid time in terms of getting people through the door. Why market kid prices when they will be at school.

Doesnt affect me as I wouldnt have gone regardless but just commenting on the decisions made by Waggott and co and it is yet another failed one.

[chaddyrovers]

3 hours ago, roversfan99 said:

Ideal for you perhaps, but quite clearly picked at an incredibly stupid time in terms of getting people through the door. Why market kid prices when they will be at school.

Doesnt affect me as I wouldnt have gone regardless but just commenting on the decisions made by Waggott and co and it is yet another failed one.

Some kids will be off if its a staff training day like my daughter had yesterday. 

Yes ideal for me. The game yesterday kick off time and date meant I couldnt attend the game. Sadly thats life

[roversfan99]

Just now, chaddyrovers said:

Some kids will be off if its a staff training day like my daughter had yesterday. 

Yes ideal for me. The game yesterday kick off time and date meant I couldnt attend the game. Sadly thats life

If you cant see that the kick off choice is detrimental to the vast majority of potential fans then you are perhaps beyond reasoning with.

[Mattyblue]

Ah, maybe the club checked the school INSET day timetables!

The kids will be flooding in!

[chaddyrovers]

1 hour ago, roversfan99 said:

If you cant see that the kick off choice is detrimental to the vast majority of potential fans then you are perhaps beyond reasoning with.

Ive only talked about me. 

Not discuss other potential fans not being able to go

[MarkBRFC]

1 hour ago, chaddyrovers said:

Ive only talked about me. 

Not discuss other potential fans not being able to go

So to clarify, and don't answer in riddles please -

Do you think the kick off is a suitable time for most people to go?

Do you agree with the club marketing junior ticket prices when most will be at school? (No nonesense about inset days)

[philipl]

Stick this here as it will appeal to the people who read about the Academy.

Fascinating read

https://dtai.cs.kuleuven.be/sports/blog/player-vectors-characterizing-soccer-players-playing-style

[Parsonblue]

Haven't seen the youngsters play as badly as last night for a long time.  Players who usually stand out - Joe, Stefan, Danny etc were well below their normal standard.  Chapman was just plain embarrassing - attitude and effort extremely poor.  It was a very young bench so I'm not sure how Billy Barr could have improved it during the game.  I thought Hertha were decent in terms of technical ability, were very clever in the way they blocked players off but their finishing was appalling.  The officials were pretty poor just to add to a night that was a complete let-down and certainly no great advert for development football.

As for the German fans, the club really were clueless in how to deal with them.  I wasn't close enough to see what Joe saw but they were openly drinking and the stewards really couldn't cope.  Why they didn't open up another area of the ground I'll never know but serious questions need to be asked about how the club got it so wrong - yet again!  

[chaddyrovers]

1 hour ago, MarkBRFC said:

So to clarify, and don't answer in riddles please -

1. Do you think the kick off is a suitable time for most people to go? 

2. Do you agree with the club marketing junior ticket prices when most will be at school? (No nonesense about inset days)

1. Most likely not. Some people who regular go to the games probably wont be attend. 

2. Why not? Maybe some schools will take kids to watch the game. 

[Mattyblue]

Schools aren’t going to take kids out of lessons in the middle of term for a youth football match, never mind it being a ‘high risk’ fixture.

Come on chaddy, bloody hell. 

Edited November 16, 2019 by Mattyblue

[Parsonblue]

Just now, chaddyrovers said:

1. Most likely not. Some people who regular go to the games probably wont be attend. 

2. Why not? Maybe some schools will take kids to watch the game. 

Chaddy, it is impossible to defend the kick-off time for the Burnley game.  It's another kick in the teeth for supporters.  I can attend but friends who work can't attend.  If I had been working I wouldn't have been able to attend - despite going to games at this level home and away on a regular basis.

As someone who spent all their working life in education I would be amazed and shocked if any school thought of taking children out of school during a working day to watch a football match.  You really are losing touch with reality if you think any headteacher would court that sort of publicity!  

I'm afraid at the moment the club really doesn't help itself.  I'm quite sure if they could get away with it - but they can't because of the rules - they would play behind closed doors with no supporters.  Then they wonder why attendances are dropping.  You really couldn't make it up!