Hope they are announced soon, that prices are similar and that they continue to sell unreserved in the Darwen End. Strike while the iron is hot.

If I recall correctly, regular reserve goers on here suggested he was hardly consistently impressive in the under 23s.

Thats clearly a ploy from the manager, even last season we had Sam Gallagher wide over Mahoney.

To be fair, Samuel has rarely played wide, and Antonsson had a real purple patch in front of goal that Mahoney showed no evidence of being able to match. If we was to sign him back especially on loan, id feel it was done purely on sentiment. He showed very little really in terms of end product and struggled to make the squad at the end when we improved.

Would he have played much here though? Feel like a lot of the excitement comes from him being a local lad. When in fact he did very little and seemed to drift further and further from the team.

Even in arguably our weakest position, Mahoney wouldnt have gotten into our team. Absence makes the heart grow fonder with Rovers former players at times I feel. Easy to forget he ended the last season out of the 18.

I saw him v both Peterborough and Doncaster looking like hed been through the wars towards the end. But thats all part of being a centre back, his physicality is actually a side of his game that is at times underestimated in my opinion. You touched on the fact that contrary belief, I do agree that it will be more demanding and more difficult in the Championship, in terms of ability. I just think that you cant argue with the number of games hes played this season and theres nothing to suggest hes about to hit any sort of sharp decline based on recent history. @DE. as you touched on, Marshall I would go as far as saying hed walk into our team, hes been superb for Millwall and key to their promotion push. All hatred aside Duffy would walk in to our team, a consistent Premier League defender. So much crap in that side aside from them.

But neither have shown obvious signs of physical decline, quite the opposite towards the end of the season.

With Conway, id totally agree, his legs are clearly going, he doesnt affect games anymore. Mulgrew on the other hand, his intelligence and ability have never been in question, just his fitness and Im not sure what more he could have done this season, albeit I admit its a weaker league, to suggest he can cope physically. Hes got a year left on his contract anyway I think, so im sure he will stay.

As much as we do need strengthening, its critical not to totally discard the heart of the side whose incredible consistency has got us promoted in the first place. Mulgrew has played alot of games and avoided injury in the main, and provides us with leadership and know how that we would sorely lack. Graham also gives us that, and the pair of them get the best out of Lenihan and Dack alongside them. For me, the way that theyve both ended the season shows that theres no evidence that they are no longer of massive use to a side promoted to the Championship. Mulgrew, Lenihan, Bennett, Smallwood, Dack, Graham, need to build around that. Then beyond that, Raya, Williams, Nyambe, Bell, Whittingham and Evans will all be able to play a part in my opinion, to varying degrees. Agreed on Lowe though, in fact ive seen us linked with a few ex players on here, Gallagher, Mahoney, we need to look forward, for the first time in a while we have something strong to build on.

No no, Gladwin is terrible and lazy, and a donkey. Not Downing. Im sure they played with him and Holmes wide, Morris central, but the point is, if you want a right wing back, get a right wing back, not a winger.

I do agree that Adelukan could be a really good signing. Unless hes signed a new deal I get the feeling his contract will expire soon too. I do agree that Mowbray might try 3 at the back, more likely with 1 central striker and 2 playing off him. I hope he sticks with the formation that has served us so well and for me gets the best out of our 2 main partnerships, Mulgrew and Lenihan, and Dack and Graham. No but I cant see a massive queue of teams wanting them. No but both of them did well for us practicaly from the start. I am not the only one who feels that after seeing him play a few times earlier this season, hes not only terrible but his attitude seemed likewise. Mowbray might have done a good job but you cant polish a turd. Again though, a difficult one to offload. Re Adelakun, so you are suggesting we sign a right winger and shoehorn him into an unfamiliar position? Surely just sign an actual right wing back. For a striker, I feel that we need someone with legs for when Graham needs a rest/rotating. What Samuel should have done and has failed at.

Might be mistaken, but I think he signed a 2 year deal yeah.

Where would a winger like Adelakun fit in a 3-5-2 though?

One thing I will say, people are suggesting Caddis and Whittingham (who id keep around) should go, whose going to buy them off us, both are under contract, and I imagine the latter is on a decent contract. Same with Gladwin to be fair, one who Id look to get rid of straight away. Really hope we dont recruit towards a 3 at the back. I know it can be a good system and a couple of our players, notably Bell would potentially benefit but theres alot that wouldnt. When we played it last time we had Mulgrew stepping out from the left, last time we used it it looked all wrong because Mulgrew was in the middle to accomodate Williams. Nyambe is seemingly a big part of our defence, hes a defensive full back hes certainly never a right wing back. And if you play that formation it would break up the Dack and Graham partnership, most likely leaving Dack as one of 2 number 10s, reducing his influence. Hopefully Mowbray wont see fit to change a winning system. Just add to it. And @chaddyrovers why do you see a player that has got nowhere near the Sheffield United team to be a good potential signing? Yes we were linked last season but hes literally not played all year. And Gladwins a donkey ive seen that with my own eyes and if he never plays again for us itll be too soon.

Mulgrew and Lenihan need new deals too. Agree with all of that.

What is your Gladwin hope based on? He was lazy and generally awful when he played early in the season, and has since had serious injuries. He also came with ridicule from QPR fans so theres nothing to suggest he could do anything in the Championship. Henegan would be a strange one, not played a game all season. Morris isnt the type of winger to put you on the front foot, and Chapman is too injury prone. Nolan would be a good signing if he was obtainable.

Definitely feel that the wings for me need to be number 1 priority. Once the loans of the players weve played there expire, who arent even wingers, as well as Conways contract expiry, then we have a bug gap there. Graham and Dacks partnership needs to be maintained for as long as possible, although we need a better alternative than Samuel, but we need at least 2 wingers with pace to come in around that, as well as Armstrong. Think we need another central midfielder too, but wide has to be priority. Conway and Samuel, weve disagreed on, but on what grounds would you keep Ben Gladwin?! Hes a donkey. Not necessarily what id do, but what makes you suggest that Bell will come in as number 1 left back next year? Cant see Williams being dropped. Also, a lot of suggestions ive seen for players that used to play of us, even players like Gallagher and Mahoney who didnt do very much. I also feel that Chapman may be partially sentimental due to his injuries, Id like to think that Mowbray will cast the net further rather than go for old players.

The thing that people seem to lose track of when suggesting that we need more of our very successful academy team in the first team, is that the first team itself has been successful enough to seal promotion with 2 games to spare. So for me its a bit unfair to suggest that its only Mowbrays reluctance and lack of trust, more a case of the first team doing very well itself.

Think the point was more that no one is exempt from being sellable.

No i know im just saying I think compared to McCarthy it would be a massive downgrade.

That would be a terrible appointment.

Im the first to get annoyed when people try to deride others by taking their criticisms out of context as some kind of attempt at spreading an agenda or whatever. But I personally think, and seemingly others echo this, that in a season and at a time where know how, consistency and mental strength is key, experience tends to trump youth. I think this is unfair. Whittingham for 1 example, hasnt played a minute i dont think even since hes been fit, hes obviously a good player but for various reasons hes not hit the form of previous heights and seemingly Evans has over taken him. I dont rate Samuel but both him and Nuttall for me have been equally ineffective when theyve played, so not sure if Nuttall can feel that hard done by. To be fair to Caddis hes a steady eddie and has never let us down. His experience of these situations for other clubs may give him the nod over a promising defender last seen showing indiscipline. Theres no rush and im sure he will play a bigger part next year.

Personally think you are being slightly overcritical there. Using phrases like "unceremoniously dumped" is perhaps a bit melodramatic in my opinion. You mention his unwillingness at times to play youngsters but would they have been able to guarantee the consistency of results that the experienced players have provided? Is it 1 loss in 29(?), and 26 points from the last 10 games. To be fair, a point you have gone onto acknowledge. You mention moving Bennett aswell, Bennett has been very good at right back and I feel Evans has justified his selection alongside Smallwood so for me theres little scope to suggest that Travis in either position would have been better. Regarding the individuals, i felt that Nuttall broke onto the scene, 2 goals in what was primarily a first team and youth team hybrid tournament really, plus 2 goals off the bench which he deserves credit for. Following that though, I felt that both in his starts and his sub appearances, he didnt do anything of note and at times (like Samuel to be fair) looked slightly disinterested. Travis' lack of discipline could have cost us, that said you learn from your mistakes but nows not the time to throw in the kids. Its a time for experience and know how. Both have gained valuable experience this season and are prospects going forward. I understand the desire to get the youngsters into the team, especially considering their success for the u23s, but on this I side with Mowbray; i feel that our results have truly vindicated his choice of plumping for experience. Theres no rush either, id like to see Travis and Nuttall perhaps really involved in pre season, ahead of Caddis and Samuel regardless of division really.

That as maybe, but whats the rush to get a practically untested into the side/squad, in the last 6 pressure cooker games of a promotion push, when the team is winning games? Surely let him finish what hes doing for the u23s, then integrate him over pre season.