If they dont trust him to spend to the extent that he's unable to sign any defenders then he shouldn't be the manager.

I imagine we'll end up with a vague 'similar to last season' comment, which will mean less but they won't admit it or put a figure on it. A massive failure to deliver a decrease in sales given all the 'positivity' of the Mowbray era. Can only push people so far.

The fact that Mowbray started the summer off by boldly stating to the entire fanbase at the consultation meeting broadcast on Radio Lancashire that defenders were coming, make no mistake suggests that he was in no doubt as to the priority. The fact we are now in mid July, have now got a weaker defence having lost adequate cover in Rodwell and Downing and added nothing, and we're seeing frequent stories which appear to suggest defence is not going to be addressed, is a massive concern. It is my belief that something happened in India and Mowbray is unable to address the defence. Very concerning. Of course still time but it doesn't look good. For me if there is no work done to address the defence then Mowbray's credibility will be severely undermined and he will have nowhere to hide should we repeat last season's defensive effort.

It was about 7500 at the last count.

Spot on. Notice when we sold our best players they went to rival clubs, seemingly shoved out the back door (Cairney) or hawked around to try and attract bidders. Nobody at this level can resist selling players to the Premier League. Different story with what we did. Brentford have come on leaps and bounds as a club, have a new stadium nearly ready and are in good shape. Put their money to good use.

I see Sheffield Wednesday followed Derby and Villa in selling their ground to themselves to avoid FFP breaches. Good to see the rules making clubs more sustainable.....

I think some of the negativity or disappointment with the Gallagher deal is it doesn't really feel as though we've progressed or moved on. Mowbray has done a lot of talking over the last 2 years about progressing the club on and off the pitch, scouting, recruiting smartly, yet here we are in summer window number 3 spending weeks pursuing players either the manager knows from the past or has worked with before. In the case of Gallagher that was during a dreadful and painful time for the club that we all want to forget. I actually like Gallagher, think he'd fit in well and could end up being an asset for us. But it does feel very much 'meh'. He's not a signing that will get people excited or believing in a bright new future. Not when we look at what has happened to other recent signings in his position. I also agree that the focus really should be on keeper and defence and the comments and lack of activity there is a real concern. Is Mowbray repeating past mistakes in neglecting that area or is it his bosses instructing him on which areas to invest and not sanctioning expenditure on defence, where the margins for profits are less?

Think Leeds are away in Austria so will likely be one for the kids left behind.

Presumably playing half the squad in each then, or perhaps a younger team at Leeds given it is unusual to play a league rival pre-season?

Don't remember a Bruce managed side at this level ever struggling. Birmingham, Hull, Villa always there or thereabouts around the top 6, four promotions and a play-off final, very decent record at Wednesday last season too. Maybe not promotion ready but certainly won't be in relegation trouble under him. In the Premier League he struggles but in the Championship I'd class him alongside McCarthy and Warnock as extremely good at what he does. Maybe not easy on the eye but results speak for themselves.

Think it needs someone with a bit of gravitas either as a player or manager. Johnson had 'been there' as a player. I'd like to see Terry McPhillips get the job but if my suspicions are correct we'll get someone more low profile than that. Probably another internal promotion

From our point of view I hope Bruce gets the Newcastle job. If he's at Wednesday I think they'll be there abouts this season. Without him probably mediocre.

Rumoured to be selling Kauzer or whatever he's called to Villa for 12 million. Now that's a scouting system paying off. Not noticed them collecting academy players. A clear strategy and good at it. Bit different to the muddled and mixed messages here.

Could you enlighten me as to what any of those players have brought to the party since arriving here some time ago?

Correct, and thus can only be classed as good signings when the manager that signed them plays them.

Presumably their pitch work was planned some.time ago and people on here were raising it as a major concern a few weeks ago. Therefore there was time to call it off or arrange an alternative. Also known some.time ago were the rugby fixtures that seem to take priority judging by Rovers' website.

Chapman, Rothwell and Brereton in their cumulative 3 years at the club have contributed next to nothing. Cant really go any further than that at this point. How much do you reckon Brereton is getting paid? Bearing in mind his contract at Forest, England youth appearances and substantial transfer fee. Reckon he'll be cheap? He needs a new agent if he isn't one of our bigger earners. Anyways, we aren't going to agree. You seem to think everything is hunky dory and all going to plan and I think it's a shambles.

Not falling for that one again. We had this talk all last summer of Mowbray sticking to his guns, not budging, not gambling, waiting for his preferred targets to come rather than going elsewhere and risking things. What happened? We started throwing silly bids around as deadline day approached, ended up paying £7 million on Brereton, spent 12 months pursuing Patrick Bauer only to see him join Preston and failed to strengthen in January. This noble 'sticking to our guns' approach isn't so good if we end up empty handed, overpaying or picking up dross (which has happened in the last two windows). I thought things were meant to be better planned these days?

Goalkeeper and defence are the priority. Even if Venkys aren't putting money in this summer there's the Raya cash plus what was left over from January. No excuses. Sick of hearing it.

As ever under these owners and those they employ to hold the fort in Blackburn the approach is a short sighted and ultimately damaging one in the long term. When you're passing through on a 2-3 year contract judged on numbers on a balance sheet or completely deranged and based on the other side of the world the damage of these policies won't really concern them. It concerns me and I expect a large number of Rovers fans but we should be used to this sort of thing by now. We'll be the ones dealing with the ramifications down the line.

I suspect they'll play it at Brockhall but we won't find out until after it has happened. Neither side will want to lose a friendly at this stage as 6 is the magic number. Not many teams play less than that. But as you say, playing a side Bury have dragged in off the street, non league Barrow, possibly a knockabout on Brockhall with Rochale, Mansfield of division 4 and Rangers 2nd string isn't exactly impressive or likely to be very testing ahead of an important season.

All part of the plan. Then the Telegraph will be adding them as new signings to try and give the impression of more activity than there is. New signings for the u23s were previously announced as such whereas nowadays it is all about 'initially' with the u23s.

Looks like it's going to be another one of those windows. Defence and midfield 'addressed' with free agents or loans whilst we collect forwards eating up the vast majority of our budget. Dont mind Gallagher provided we use him properly and provided money also finds it's way into the problem areas. I dont expect it will do. It didn't last summer and didn't when Coyle was here either.

Even if it does go ahead is it going to be of any material benefit to Rovers? Other than a few hundred fans helping to fill the Bury coffers I cant see much use to our team of playing a side cobbled together through trialists. Would have been nice to have had a pre season with testing games against decent opposition rather than this shambles. We knew Bury were knackered and Rochdale's pitch was being relaid weeks ago. Could have played other teams but risked it to make life easier and now its mucking up our pre season.

Expect it to be moved to Brockhall or behind closed doors somewhere. Shambles.