Pre Season Matches

[HIBBY]

6 hours ago, Admiral Nelsen said:

To be fair, you've probably picked the worst time in the last 30 years to ask that! Of those who played yesterday, I think 8 were academy graduates, and most of the rest were frees, with the odd 6 figure fee there too. Having said that there's probably still a fair gap in wages though.

In any case, glad to see optimism about the state of the game North of the border. A healthy game in Scotland is good for football in the rest of Britain & I'd say we've tended to get a pretty downbeat picture of things down here in the last few years, to the point in which I had no idea anyone outside the Old Firm were getting near 20k crowds. 

Best of luck in Europe. 

Hibs and Hearts both averaged just over 18,000 last year with Aberdeen not far behind on just under 15,000, though I wouldn't blame anybody south of the border for being unaware of that in view of the fact that there is absolutely no mention of our game in the English media.   Crowds are far lower for non big city clubs, but if you want context, if Gateshead was in Scotland it would be our 5th biggest town behind Dundee.

You make a good point on wages, that's the real killer for Scottish clubs even more than transfer fees ….  clubs in division 2 in England and even some 'non league' clubs can afford to pay more than most of our clubs outside of the bigot brothers and Aberdeen.  Its an actual fact that the BBC pay Gary Lineker more to host MOTD than they pay for their entire coverage of Scottish football and our SKY and BT sport deals wouldn't pay Man City's subs bench wages for a week ….. In a world where TV money rules Scotland is miles and miles behind, which is why comparisons between our game and England is pretty pointless and I wish Scottish folk would stop doing it.

It must be the same for fans of English clubs outside of the premiership …. the TV money EPL clubs get is insane and how long before the likes of Blackburn are left floundering with no way back as the rich get richer and richer …. for all that our game is dominated by one club your far bigger league is dominated by a handful of clubs, to the point where its only a matter of time before the clubs in the EPL between 9th and 17th will start to expect a trophy for not getting relegated because for some bizarre reason its celebrated like winning a cup final.

Ha ha … sorry I love rambling on about this stuff …. Anyway, plenty of respect for people who stick with their home town clubs like Blackburn fans do, especially with Man Utd and Livepool just along the road … who knows, perhaps you will make it back up this season, good luck. 

 

 

[tomphil]

3 hours ago, Athlete said:

They paid Stokes contract up a fair while ago now... A lad who is talented but clearly has wasted his talent 

Aye I know I was just bringing him down a peg ?

Stokes will end up broke in a gutter somewhere by 40 and it'll suit him.

[perthblue02]

39 minutes ago, tomphil said:

Aye I know I was just bringing him down a peg ?

Stokes will end up broke in a gutter somewhere by 40 and it'll suit him.

Hopefully all shook up and in the Ghetto

[HIBBY]

12 hours ago, tomphil said:

Aye I know I was just bringing him down a peg ?

Stokes will end up broke in a gutter somewhere by 40 and it'll suit him.

Ha ha …. Sorry mate if your comment was meant to annoy me it didn't.  I was one of Stokes biggest critics, I was dumbfounded when Hibs re signed him from Blackburn … apart from having the game of his life in the 2016 Scottish cup final his previous time at Easter Road had been average at best.  As another guy said 'a wasted talent' …. he signed for a Greek club after Hibs effectively sacked him and didn't last two months with them, did a moonlight flit back to the bright lights of Edinburgh with them fighting relegation and wondering where the hell he was lol.

The fact is though that even if he was shown on the 10 o'clock news battering seal pups to death with a sack full of kittens he would still be a legend to us for what he did in that one single game.

 

[tomphil]

He certainly finds the lure of Edinburgh nights far to hard to resist that's for sure and it's probably down to the hero worship of Hibees.  That one good game has guaranteed to get him laid every night for the next 5 years.

One day it will all run out but the way he treats clubs and football in general he should be booted out and blacklisted right now, waster.

[Stuart]

17 minutes ago, HIBBY said:

Ha ha …. Sorry mate if your comment was meant to annoy me it didn't.  I was one of Stokes biggest critics, I was dumbfounded when Hibs re signed him from Blackburn … apart from having the game of his life in the 2016 Scottish cup final his previous time at Easter Road had been average at best.  As another guy said 'a wasted talent' …. he signed for a Greek club after Hibs effectively sacked him and didn't last two months with them, did a moonlight flit back to the bright lights of Edinburgh with them fighting relegation and wondering where the hell he was lol.

The fact is though that even if he was shown on the 10 o'clock news battering seal pups to death with a sack full of kittens he would still be a legend to us for what he did in that one single game.

 

I do miss the laugh button.

Brilliant!

[AdamRochina]

Belgium look really good going forward

[JHRover]

Game at Port Vale brought forward to a 12:30 kick off due to England playing in the afternoon. Bad do for those who have bought advance train tickets.

[Mattyblue]

It's the total non event that it is the third place play off! I doubt they'll be breaking viewing records for it

[RoversClitheroe]

Anyone know if there will be a stream to watch it? Rather this than watch England

[chaddyrovers]

Danny Graham and Jayson Leutwiler miss out for Rovers with slight knocks. 

Edited July 14, 2018 by chaddyrovers

[Fraserkirky]

Could that be wing backs with a 3-5-2? Bennett/Travis in right and Conway on the left?

[RovingRover]

9 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

Danny Graham and Jayson Leutwiler miss out for Rovers with slight knocks. 

Gladwin still out injured as well. (quick reminder to all that he is still contracted at Rovers for another 12 months)

[chaddyrovers]

[chaddyrovers]

[chaddyrovers]

1 nil Port Vale. 

Mulgrew own goal. 

Edited July 14, 2018 by chaddyrovers

[perthblue02]

Link to rovers twitter account and LT reporter coverage of the Port Vale friendly, to save Chaddy posting every tweet (can be viewed even if you do not have a twitter account)

Rovers  LT

[Wing Wizard Windy Miller]

This is a poor starting 11 and worryingly not far from our 1st 11.  Conway and Bennett as wing backs. Give me strength.  Highlights how poor the squad is IMO and how we need at least 5 more 1st teamers in. No pace at all in that side.

[roversfan99]

That line up is frightening, in terms of the lack of attacking threat in the squad.

I hope the formation is just to give everyone a game, not too concerned about the result or performance in a friendly but the lack of attacking quality is stark.

[RevidgeBlue]

49 minutes ago, chaddyrovers said:

Danny Graham and Jayson Leutwiler miss out for Rovers with slight knocks. 

I would hope that Raya and Nyambe would be starters when the proper action gets underway, otherwise I'd say that bench looks extremely thin indeed and highlights the need for quality reinforcements.

[roversfan99]

Just now, RevidgeBlue said:

I would hope that Raya and Nyambe would be starters when the proper action gets underway, otherwise I'd say that bench looks extremely thin indeed and highlights the need for quality reinforcements.

Nyambe only if this 3 at the back crap is dropped.

[Ladyboys of Bank Top]

1-1. Lenihan

[OJRovers]

Very worrying that we're lining up with 3 at the back in pre season. Same happened last season and it meant we didn't get going until September once the system had been abandoned.

[Stuart]

Really not a fan of three at the back.

The kind of player you need to play wing back is well out of our price range.

It wasn’t successful last season but he keeps trying it.

[davulsukur]

2 minutes ago, OJRovers said:

Very worrying that we're lining up with 3 at the back in pre season. Same happened last season and it meant we didn't get going until September once the system had been abandoned.

I have no doubts we will be lining up with a back 3 against Ipswich. 

Mowbray wanted us to play that last season and I think injuries forced his hand to switch formation and it worked, so he had to stick with it.

But it was always coming back.