BLACKBURN ROVERS

Last season was a disappointment. So much promise, plenty of exciting signings, but it all fell apart due to an impractical playing style and very familiar, manager- driven failings. The big talking point among the fans is the unlikely fairytale that is ( Stoke- born) Ben Brereton tearing it up at the Copa America with Chile.

This season will be different to last because our capacity to spend has greatly diminished.

I’ve really missed taking my very keen seven- year- old to games and seeing the excitement on his face. It won’t be too long before cynicism becomes his default setting...

I won’t be happy unless Rovers finally address our stagnation off the pitch. We seemed to be pulling away from years of Venky’s bungles, but entrenched mediocrity is very real. Our most underrated player is

Darragh Lenihan. He’s struggled at times, but we’re far better with him at the heart of the defence. The player I’d happily drive to another club is Sam Gallagher. Nice bloke, runs himself into the ground, but his goal record doesn’t stack up.

The one change I’d make would be to make more of an effort to bring back the supporters who are leaving, rather than draining the cash from those of us who are left.

Save the date for Blackpool away in October, which should be a belter. Welcome back to the Tangerines. Other clubs’ fans don’t know that Simon Garner is our all- time record goalscorer. No, it’s not Alan Shearer!

Our key player will be striker Adam Armstrong, if he’s still around. If not, it’s our Belgian goalkeeper Thomas Kaminski. Our best in years. The fans’ opinion of the gaffer is diminishing by the minute, sadly. Tony Mowbray [ below] had a really positive effect for so long, but in the past 12 months a lot of that work has unravelled. The general consensus is that his time is up. If he left, he should be replaced by Chris Wilder, ideally. In a more realistic universe, an aspiring boss from lower down the pyramid.

We’ll finish 17th.