The Rovers Return

A lack of a home-based internet connection has led to the site going unupdated for quite some time. Updates will continue to be infrequent as this is unlikely to be resolved soon. I do intend to get back up and running as soon as possible.

It’s official, Rovers’ best young prospect – and probably the best thing to come from the youth setup at Ewood since David Dunn – has gone.

In a few years time, when Jones is captain of England, captain of Manchester United and unable to speak without some Daily Mirror journalist twisting his words and turning them into scandal, £16.5-million will seem one hell of a bargain.

Look at the comments on the Telegraph website, and some of the nasty things being said to the youngster on Twitter, and people have already made up their minds about who is to blame for this.

Some say the club have messed up, putting that clause in the contract, setting it too low, not doing enough to try to hang on to him. The club is not to blame.

The club will have been forced to put that clause in or a deal would not have been signed. Venky’s also apparently offered to make Jones the best paid player at the club.

Others say Jones is a traitor, a one-season wonder who owes his hometown club a debt of gratitude and a bit more respect. In some ways I would agree with this point of view.

Jones has been taught everything he knows by Blackburn Rovers. He was given a chance, took it, and became a star. However, he has played only one season in the first team and the club deserves more for giving this young chap the career he wishes to pursue. Surely Alex Ferguson would have still wanted to sign him next season?

Look at it from Jones’s point of view, though. Manchester United, I don’t care how you look at it or how much you hate them, are the biggest club in the world. They are the champions of England and almost champions of Europe. When you see terrorists or rebel forces across the world jumping around with AK47s on BBC News, at least one of them is wearing a Manchester United shirt. That’s how big they are. This is a fact.

If you want to blame anyone for Rovers losing their hottest prospect in years, blame football. This corporate money-obsessed sport has taken the Chorley lad who finally got his dream of playing for his favourite club away from us and given him to one with more wonga.

Thirty years ago, Jones would have played for us all his career. It would be his dream. Local lads wanted to play for their local sides. But who can turn down £50,000 a week? I know I couldn’t …

All the best, Phil, just remember your roots.