Tony Mowbray delivers encouraging Ellis Simms update

Regardless of acquiring Maupay or not, and instead of coming off the bench weekly, playing heavy, pressure-cooked minutes in front of big crowds (that crowd at the Stadium of Light is no slouch) weekly is absolutely the right move for Simms's development.

I have always been an Ellis Simms fan, and monitored the lad's progress.

To say we would have been better keeping him rather than buy Neil Maupay, is a hypothetical argument, as they are two different types of front man. Besides, I'm sure if they thought Ellis was ready, they would have kept him.

He has scored goals everywhere he has been on loan, and arguably got Blackpool into the play-offs. Ironically, not participating in them, because of an injury.

I think next year will be decision time for both the Club and Ellis, about the future but it does also seem to not make sense that Rondon is still here, and Ellis is at Sunderland, again though more experience for him, and possibly us too.

Unfortunately, he refused a loan move in the summer and, like much of the deadwood we have signed previously, we are effectively stuck with him until his contract expires.

Interested too to read some of the discussion on Dobbin's performance for Derby County on another thread. My mate is a Derby fan and hasn't been particularly enthusiastic after I bigged him up when he signed on loan. I suspect neither will make it to the first team but hope I am wrong. It's so hard for these lads.

I love the way he's improved a wee bit every season, gradually adding a bit more to his game. It is hard to see him becoming a Premier League starter for us, but who knows, he could become a decent squad player.

I've often said he's a “slow burner”, maybe a year or two behind Gordon who's a similar age. I think some time in the future he's going to put it all together over a season and score a bagful of goals, although that's more likely to be in the Championship than with us.