Old Darwen Blue
Prediction Champion 2021, 2022 & 2023
That article refers to the team as Whitefield Primary or Whitechurch Primary, are either in Blackburn?
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There's a Whitefield Primary in Penwortham. 
Can't rem how this works now but when my lad was in the top class at Feniscowles Primary they won a local competition which lead to them representing BRFC in the regional finals at Brockhall and representing the rovers and playing in the blue and white halves. They played a knock out with the winning school from the rest of (old) Lancashire (PNE / Bury / Bolton / Everton etc etc and were eventually knocked out by a team from Liverpool representing Everton (oddly I don't think there was a team from Man Utd involved). I rem a little lad playing the Bradley Dack role for them who was ironically signed on for Liverpool at that time. I understand his parents received 10k pa 'expenses' for allowing him to sign and for taking him to training with the reds. This was almost 20 years ago and these kids would be top twenties now and whilst he's prob kicking a ball around somewhere he's never turned out for Livvie to the best of my knowledge.
Can't rem how this works now but when my lad was in the top class at Feniscowles Primary they won a local competition which lead to them representing BRFC in the regional finals at Brockhall and representing the rovers and playing in the blue and white halves. They played a knock out with the winning school from the rest of (old) Lancashire (PNE / Bury / Bolton / Everton etc etc and were eventually knocked out by a team from Liverpool representing Everton (oddly I don't think there was a team from Man Utd involved). I rem a little lad playing the Bradley Dack role for them who was ironically signed on for Liverpool at that time. I understand his parents received 10k pa 'expenses' for allowing him to sign and for taking him to training with the reds. This was almost 20 years ago and these kids would be top twenties now and whilst he's prob kicking a ball around somewhere he's never turned out for Livvie to the best of my knowledge.
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AllRoverAsia
Senior Member
Rovers are poor at proofreading their site. Much nearer Preston that Blackburn.
https://www.whitefield-pri.lancs.sch.uk/news/2019-05-21-wembley-here-we-come
Barmitzvah Boy
Global winner of the 2021 Christmas Quiz 👊🤩🤩
Given all the leading folk in the Rovers Community Trust are big PNE fans (CEO, Hd of Comms, Hd of Diversity and others) I am not at all surprised that this is a Preston based school.
Community Trust? They have a lot of staff earning a crust that's for sure. Many 'Heads' and 'Senior' titles too. https://www.brfctrust.co.uk/Community/staff
I think most of the funding is from the Prem League and the EFL but there are lots of other contributers.
I recall that the Police played a part in organising the event back then. Good but given there was no police representation at Brockhall and the point wasn't put across was it worthwhile?
I think most of the funding is from the Prem League and the EFL but there are lots of other contributers.
I recall that the Police played a part in organising the event back then. Good but given there was no police representation at Brockhall and the point wasn't put across was it worthwhile?
Wilpshire Blue
Senior Member
Waggott on the budget talks with Venkys.
It appears we will have a similar amount to spend as last year.
https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co....executive-on-budget-talks-with-owners-venkys/
It appears we will have a similar amount to spend as last year.
https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co....executive-on-budget-talks-with-owners-venkys/
steve w
Senior Member
Again Waggott sounds realistic and honest
Not wishing to dig up the past yet again, but it does puzzle me as to why they are doing the basics right now, and got it so horribly wrong in the beginning?
Just makes the whole roller coaster ride more difficult to fathom
Wilpshire Blue
Senior Member
I suppose we have to look at the "Venky's put their trust in the hands of the wrong 'uns" theory.
Whilst I would like that to be the answer - and I have no evidence to the contrary - it seems strange to me that the Venky's (who own many companies) wouldn't put in place some checks and balances.
Why did it go on for so long?
That's a mystery to me too WB. I am left to assume that sacking Allardyce and then Williams and his entire team was a result of Dastardly and Muttley dripping poison in their ears but why it took them so long to realise that they had been had I don't know, It was only after Singh trapped up that Kean was binned off. Whether it was down to the alleged Indian pride prevented them from admitting their stupidity and getting rid of the evil plonkers sooner I can only speculate.
Wilpshire Blue
Senior Member
I agree with that Steve, although things like the massive fee for Brereton bring back ghosts of suspicions past.
It's 7m isn't it? Or at least the 5m-7m bracket. Bad stench about the Grabbi deal for certain and just as odious was the tale of homesick wee sweaty Barry Ferguson who couldn't stand England and then went on to spend years in Brum, Blackpool and Fleetwood. I'm pretty sure that he'd have scammed us sooner but for hurting his knee and having the better part of a season out! They were both vastly overpriced.
Another bad smell hanging around the departure of Andy Cole only for us to end up giving him away on a free transfer to Fulham! I have many suspicions about the tenure of Graeme Souness thats for sure.
The only 7m that was OK was Kevin Davies... his time here was awful but he turned out to be an exceptional player for Bolton and rated by John Terry as his most difficult opponent, totally ruined for us by a clueless manager.
Have I missed any 5-7m flops? Christian Dailly was a bad buy for sure and 5.5m was way ott.
Another bad smell hanging around the departure of Andy Cole only for us to end up giving him away on a free transfer to Fulham! I have many suspicions about the tenure of Graeme Souness thats for sure.
The only 7m that was OK was Kevin Davies... his time here was awful but he turned out to be an exceptional player for Bolton and rated by John Terry as his most difficult opponent, totally ruined for us by a clueless manager.
Have I missed any 5-7m flops? Christian Dailly was a bad buy for sure and 5.5m was way ott.
Wilpshire Blue
Senior Member
Waggott on Rovers and FFP.
I have to say, I hadn't realised that we haven't received a fee for a player since Jason Steele in 2017.
Anyway, it would appear that we have things relatively under control at the moment.
https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co....ers-are-faring-with-ffp-ahead-of-efl-meeting/
I have to say, I hadn't realised that we haven't received a fee for a player since Jason Steele in 2017.
Anyway, it would appear that we have things relatively under control at the moment.
https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co....ers-are-faring-with-ffp-ahead-of-efl-meeting/
It's beyong me steve. Football simply does not follow business rules does it?
Just as an aside I was in protracted contact with both BRFC and the EFL in May 2017 re: Birmingham and Huddersfield's disregard for the exisiting rules and the spirit of the game. We were relegated not only because we were crap over the season BUT imo as a direct result of Huddersfield gifting Arry's Brum 3 points by making 10 changes after they'd become a play off candidate in mid week. The issue was to be discussed at the annual EFL conference in Portugal too where they changed the rules on the basis that it's not for the EFL to judge what constitutes a Manager's best team. I believe the issue was that it could not stand up in a court of law, but I can't be certain tbh. Seems they like their annual bean feast in the Algarve though.
https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sp...ew-efl-rules-huddersfield-birmingham-14326130
Just as an aside I was in protracted contact with both BRFC and the EFL in May 2017 re: Birmingham and Huddersfield's disregard for the exisiting rules and the spirit of the game. We were relegated not only because we were crap over the season BUT imo as a direct result of Huddersfield gifting Arry's Brum 3 points by making 10 changes after they'd become a play off candidate in mid week. The issue was to be discussed at the annual EFL conference in Portugal too where they changed the rules on the basis that it's not for the EFL to judge what constitutes a Manager's best team. I believe the issue was that it could not stand up in a court of law, but I can't be certain tbh. Seems they like their annual bean feast in the Algarve though.
https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/sp...ew-efl-rules-huddersfield-birmingham-14326130
steve w
Senior Member
Well we have disagreed on this point before, I still feel Huddersfield had earned the right to do what they did (and it ultimately worked out for them) and if Rovers had been in the same position, I would have been advocating doing the same
The fact that it cost us relegation is just how the cookie crumbles IMO
The fact that it cost us relegation is just how the cookie crumbles IMO
This was NOT a weakened team... this was effectively their reserves or 2nd team! And what if it were the other way around and we'd fielded a weakened team against one of the other play off candidates steve? Or what would Arry and Brum have said if it had been us playing Huddersfield reserves at Ewood?
It didn't help us of course but it seems here that the EFL is admitting that they had closed the stable door after the horse had bolted.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/footbal...-new-rules-stop-teams-playing-weakened-sides/
It didn't help us of course but it seems here that the EFL is admitting that they had closed the stable door after the horse had bolted.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/footbal...-new-rules-stop-teams-playing-weakened-sides/
steve w
Senior Member
I get your point but think each team has the right to field the best team for their aims - it's not nice or in the spirit of fair play but the ends justified the means.
I think the rule change is fair(er) way of doing things and I do admire you taking such a strong stand on something you feel/felt so passionately about, but......if it hadn't affected us.....would you still have been as passionate?
I suspect Sam. A man we both admired (or Mark Hughes) would have done exactly the same to ensure we had a fit and well rested team for the play offs?
I think the rule change is fair(er) way of doing things and I do admire you taking such a strong stand on something you feel/felt so passionately about, but......if it hadn't affected us.....would you still have been as passionate?
I suspect Sam. A man we both admired (or Mark Hughes) would have done exactly the same to ensure we had a fit and well rested team for the play offs?
We'll never know that though will we?
Huddersfield broke the rules as they were at the time steve. Unfortunately it appears that the EFL lawyers advised the rule was not water tight and that any attempt to enforce them would end in a lengthy court battle which they would probably lose. Better to just let BRFC get relegated.
btw It's all done and dusted now of course but I found the relevant thread link here. http://roversfans.com/index.php?threads/your-club-needs-you.190/
Huddersfield broke the rules as they were at the time steve. Unfortunately it appears that the EFL lawyers advised the rule was not water tight and that any attempt to enforce them would end in a lengthy court battle which they would probably lose. Better to just let BRFC get relegated.
btw It's all done and dusted now of course but I found the relevant thread link here. http://roversfans.com/index.php?threads/your-club-needs-you.190/
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Wilpshire Blue
Senior Member
Perhaps we will get the opportunity to return the favour next season?