[Archived] Rovers XI v Stoke U8s (Tues 29 Aug, Ewood Park)

[Stuart]

Anyone going to this on Tuesday? Looks like it's being treated like an U23s fixture by the club with only the JW lower open.

It's a shame we are so poor because Mowbray should be our the U23 lads and paying any fine levied. Frankly it's an insult that we have to field anything like a First XI against a team at a lower level that our U23 side. Given the start the U23s have made (top of Div 2) there is an argument that we would be far from understrength.

If we are forced to field the first team then I hope we batter them out of sight and that all of the league clubs also hammer any U21 teams put out. And by batter I mean physically impose themselves as well. Let them know that this isn't a reserve league and you are up against men who are not going to pander to you just because you wear a replica kit.

How the mighty Checkatrade-branded competition should require PL "representation" is beyond me.

Its not even a game that will test the likes of Doyle, Nuttall et al from the point of view of adding them to the first team squad.

A farce of a fixture and a sign of the disdain with which the FA and Football League hold the third and fourth tier. Just because they don't make them loads of money. I want to football bubble to burst just to see some of the pale, male, stale, FA-blazer-and-tie-wearing fuds trying to do proper jobs out in the 'real world'.

[Parsonblue]

7 minutes ago, Stuart said:

Anyone going to this on Tuesday? Looks like it's being treated like an U23s fixture by the club with only the JW lower open.

It's a shame we are so poor because Mowbray should be our the U23 lads and paying any fine levied. Frankly it's an insult that we have to field anything like a First XI against a team at a lower level that our U23 side. Given the start the U23s have made (top of Div 2) there is an argument that we would be far from understrength.

If we are forced to field the first team then I hope we batter them out of sight and that all of the league clubs also hammer any U21 teams put out. And by batter I mean physically impose themselves as well. Let them know that this isn't a reserve league and you are up against men who are not going to pander to you just because you wear a replica kit.

How the mighty Checkatrade-branded competition should require PL "representation" is beyond me.

Its not even a game that will test the likes of Doyle, Nuttall et al from the point of view of adding them to the first team squad.

A farce of a fixture and a sign of the disdain with which the FA and Football League hold the third and fourth tier. Just because they don't make them loads of money. I want to football bubble to burst just to see some of the pale, male, stale, FA-blazer-and-tie-wearing fuds trying to do proper jobs out in the 'real world'.

I think under the new rules for this competition we only need to field four players from the weekend game.

[Stuart]

The rules aren't clear but Luton Town posted the following on their site:

Player Eligibility 

For EFL Clubs: 

A Club can play any goalkeeper in the competition; 

The revised requirement of Rule 7.3 – ‘4 qualifying outfield Players from 10’. 

 

A qualifying outfield Player would be: 

- Any Player that meets the current criteria (excluding Goalkeepers), includes those who: 

- Have started the previous or following first team fixture; 

- Are in the top 10 players at the club for starting appearances in league and domestic cup competitions for season; 

- Have made 40 or more first team appearances in their career; 

- Are on loan from either a Premier League or Category 1 Academy Club. 

 

Surely as a Cat 1 Academy Club we could therefore play any player we want? I'd go with that. Let Dunn and Johnson run the match and have Mowbray sat in the dugout for aesthetic purposes.

[Speedie's Gonna Get Ya]

Rules are more complex than I'd first thought; Cat 1 Academy Status could be an interesting and unusual loophole for a L1 club!

[Gone to seed]

We will have to be very careful how we approach this one - anything less than a victory might give the team a bit of a wobble, at a time when we need to be building confidence and consistency.

A professional account of ourselves is required. Nothing less.

COYB

Venkys Out! Backwards stawT!

 

[Blue Cabbage]

Regardless of who is picked I reckon we'd comfortably beat Stokes U8 side

[had.e.nuff]

8 hours ago, Stuart said:

The rules aren't clear but Luton Town posted the following on their site:

Player Eligibility 

For EFL Clubs: 

A Club can play any goalkeeper in the competition; 

The revised requirement of Rule 7.3 – ‘4 qualifying outfield Players from 10’. 

 

A qualifying outfield Player would be: 

- Any Player that meets the current criteria (excluding Goalkeepers), includes those who: 

- Have started the previous or following first team fixture; 

- Are in the top 10 players at the club for starting appearances in league and domestic cup competitions for season; 

- Have made 40 or more first team appearances in their career; 

- Are on loan from either a Premier League or Category 1 Academy Club. 

 

Surely as a Cat 1 Academy Club we could therefore play any player we want? I'd go with that. Let Dunn and Johnson run the match and have Mowbray sat in the dugout for aesthetic purposes.

I doubt when they wrote those rules they never thought that a team with a cat1 academy would be in the competition. And its typical of rovers you can`t get the free child's ticket on line was going to take my grandson  will have to ring on Tuesday now.

[Stuart]

4 hours ago, Blue Cabbage said:

Regardless of who is picked I reckon we'd comfortably beat Stokes U8 side

Don't give the EFL any ideas. It was only a joke!  

[RoverCanada]

If that Category 1 loophole works... who says the Academy doesn't pay for itself with such ancillary benefits!

Meh, hope the game at least provides a good runout for any players in need of one...

[BRFC4EVA]

With the international break, seems like an opportunity to play some of the players who havent had many games so far this season as well as incorperating some young players. As someone else said, a win is a win regardless of the competition so it would be good to build some momentum.

Would like to see players like doyle, Wharton, Chapman, Gladwin, Nuttall, Graham (if not gone yet), even Whittingham as he doesnt seem like he has the legs to be first choice, start the game. 

[arbitro]

Can anybody confirm if the ticket office is open today please? I have scoured the website and can't see any mention of Bank Holiday openings.

[McClarky]

Surely with no game at the weekend we will be playing a strong side. You need to play games together as a team so why not put the first 11 out in this game? We're missing Mulgrew and Evans, who are both injury prone anyway but apart from that, pick a centre back who'll fill in when CM is injured and the same in midfield and go with that. Big blow I think having to sit out a week so early in the season so this could be a bit of a saviour.

[philipl]

I wouldn't play any loan players and put youngsters into the gaps left by call ups and loanees.

 

 

[Boaty]

Play a full team, beat them 12-0 and go in hard trying to cause a few injuries. If grown men start injuring kids on the pitch the rules will soon change.

[arbitro]

2 hours ago, meadows said:

I've tried to contact Rovers as kids tickets advertised as free if booked in advance are coming up as charge-for 

no joy yet

I drove down to Ewood Jim and the Roverstore is closed.

[Commondore]

So this is the old Johnstone's Pain Trophy, but with Premier League club's U23 teams eligible for competition as well? I don't get it. 

[had.e.nuff]

12 minutes ago, Commondore said:

So this is the old Johnstone's Pain Trophy, but with Premier League club's U23 teams eligible for competition as well? I don't get it. 

i believe it was a compromise with the premier league when playing reserve teams in the league was muted and they wanted something for the pittance they pass down to the EFL.

[Stuart]

2 hours ago, Commondore said:

So this is the old Johnstone's Pain Trophy, but with Premier League club's U23 teams eligible for competition as well? I don't get it. 

U21s...

[Madon]

I expect to see something like this...

                  Leutwilwer

      Nyambe Platt Wharton Doyle

Gladwin Tomlinson Smallwood Bennett

                    Chapman

                        Nuttall

 

[Oldgregg86]

Just now, Madon said:

I expect to see something like this...

                  Leutwilwer

      Nyambe Platt Wharton Doyle

Gladwin Tomlinson Smallwood Bennett

                    Chapman

                        Nuttall

 

Possibly swap Chapman and gladwin around and Feeney for Bennett. That's the team I would play. 

[blueboy3333]

I hope Mowbray takes this seriously. There is a realistic chance we could get to Wembley.

[islander200]

37 minutes ago, Madon said:

I expect to see something like this...

                  Leutwilwer

      Nyambe Platt Wharton Doyle

Gladwin Tomlinson Smallwood Bennett

                    Chapman

                        Nuttall

 

Will Leutwilwer not have joined up with his national team?

[Madon]

Yes I think you're right actually! Fisher it is then!

[harryhealless1928]

Ludicrous to chance getting our quality players injured in a nonsense match.

Whittingham, and  Feeney nailed on starters for me! After all"they need the game time".

[roversfan99]

Raya

Nyambe Ward Wharton/Platt Doyle

Chapman Tomlinson Whittingham Gladwin

Graham Nuttall

Give Whittingham and Graham a game because we are going to need them both to get promoted.

Give Chapman 90 minutes to push for a start and give Gladwin a chance even though he looks a waste of space up to now.

Put Ward in to guide the younger defenders around him.

Tell people like Doyle and Nuttall that this is the chance for them to be promoted into the first team squad, as they surely are no worse than Williams or Antonsson.