The key is going to be the loanees we get from Premier League clubs. No way would Villa be going up without Tammy Abrahams.

https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2019/05/29/how-english-clubs-re-conquered-european-football?cid1=cust/dailypicks/n/bl/n/20190530n/owned/n/n/dailypicks/n/n/uk/247665/n

Wait until next March and even then it could be hidden by accrual accounting.

I forgot Everton too. Financial muscle has to come together behind the scenes and on the football field. The Premier League makes all its players multi-millionaires so where does a player want to be? On the park at Molyneux or occasionally making the bench at the Etihad? Signs of Wolves, Leicester, Everton having got their act together at a time when there are clear fundamental issues at Arsenal and Man U while Spurs and Chelsea were hardly invulnerable. Spurs lost 13 games last season- almost one in every three played. West Ham are third in the average attendance rankings by the way.

of European football actually. Quite possibly the likes of Wolves, Leicester and West Ham could begin bridging the gap next season.

That was a brilliant demolition job by Chelsea and Sarri sorted them to cut out their vulnerability to Arsenal getting round them at the back. In the end a good advert for the strength of the Premier League top 6.

I thought this Chelsea v Arsenal game would be sterile and it is.

I spent a lot of money on booze, birds and fast cars. The rest I just squandered. In 1969 I gave up women and alcohol - it was the worst 20 minutes of my life. I used to go missing a lot... Miss Canada, Miss United Kingdom, Miss World. The wit and wisdom of George Best

Downing can still cross a ball. Not my first choice by any means. However, I'd be surprised if Mowbray thinks his presence would bring something to a young squad if he is not looking. Had we had brfcs.com back in the day there would have been "past it" comments about Cowans, Wagstaffe, Gordon Taylor and so on before they arrived... Having said that, it is silly season and we are third in the rule of three so doubt there is anything much in it. The Rangers and Sunderland approaches do seem to have legs. 650 career appearances and 60 goals. Was an ever present in his two seasons at Liverpool and didn't play much at Boro this season over issues with Pulis and his contract.

A promotion squad needs four if not five central defenders in it. Mulgrew easily good enough to be in the squad. So Lenihan, New big gobbed big beast, Williams 1st reserve, Mulgrew 2nd reserve, Magliore 3rd reserve....

Derby's defensive weaknesses exposed. One less "big club" to worry about with Villa promoted. They have some players who are Premier League quality from which to build around.

Talk about supporters' lack of imagination while playing Championship Manager...

Just assumed that was what they'd been drinking.

Laugh at Ed Woodward, not me.

Yes the frightening thing- the status quo without transfer "investment" lands us in FFP bother. This is why Waggott is so focused on gate and commercial income. In football terms, these are small numbers.

Nick Harris' estimate of what clubs actually made through winning the play-off final depending on whether they stayed up or not.

I guess Bauer to Rovers extremely unlikely after that. Quietly effective today after his no show against Doncaster.

There is a guy at Charlton called Phillips who is a wizz with back passes.

It has been crap for decades but now it has improved. Sorry if I am the only one to have noticed.

Good sign- Mowbray and Rovers keeping things close to their chest so Press simply speculate based on TM's past pastures Bad sign- Rovers' scouting is so under developed that this is all he can do. Truth probably in between.

I am talking about the workings of the State, how the Royal family interact with the power structures and how decisions to invest are taken.

or not...

You can also read United are close to signing James and Longstaff... You can think it absurd but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist.

https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/football/rovers/news/17664143.what-we-can-learn-from-the-stats-around-rovers-right-back/ The discussion about the right back position is on the appropriate thread but just a shout out for Rich Sharpe and the LT. This sort of analysis article is exactly the sort of quality journalism that keeps local papers alive. I find myself clicking onto the LT for news and views about Rovers increasingly. Great stuff- long may it continue.

If he had done that the reaction would have been that he was forcing Conway out. I have no doubt it was all discussed with the player about how to handle it. Plenty of criticism has grounds but no way can Mowbray ever be accused of not talking things over or disrespecting players. Big thanks to Craig Conway for his service to the club and being a steadying influence in turbulent times. Top man.