Here is a round-up of Rovers-related news.

 

MOLA RETURNS

Clinton Mola has returned to Stuttgart, bringing an end to his Rovers loan spell.

Mola made just six first-team appearances for Rovers after joining on a season-long loan last summer, and only made one matchday squad in 2023.

His sole Championship start came at Burnley in November, and more recently he has been featuring for Rovers Under-21s.

He played 11 times for Mike Sheron’s side, helping them secure safety in Premier League 2 and also reaching the Premier League Cup final.

However, he wasn’t involved in Friday’s Lancashire Senior Cup defeat at Burnley and won’t feature against Brentford B on Tuesday.

That comes after the 21-year-old return to the German side with Rovers opting against taking up the option in the deal that could have seen it made permanent.

He has now returned to Stuttgart where he has a year left remaining on his contract.

 

BOWYER AND BARR CELEBRATE

Gary Bowyer hailed the resilience of his Dundee players after they sealed a return to the cinch Premiership with a 5-3 win over Owen Coyle’s Queen's Park in Friday night's Championship title shootout.

Former Rovers boss Bowyer and Billy Barr, previously Under-21s manager, made the move to Den’s Park last summer and guided the club back to the top-flight at the first time of asking.

"It was a magnificent effort from the players tonight," Bowyer told BBC Scotland. "They deserve it, they've been brilliant all season.

"We only signed one permanent player and we've brought lads in on loan but the way they've stuck together and the resilience they have shown has been fantastic.

"Everybody said Dundee are favourites, Dundee should do this, Dundee should do that, but you've got to go out and do it. These lads went out and did it and I'm delighted for them."

They sealed promotion with a 5-3 win at Coyle’s Queen’s Park side who will now go into the play-offs.

 

EFL TV DEAL

EFL clubs have unanimously voted to accept a new £935m deal with Sky Sports which will see more than 1,000 matches a season being broadcast, but which keeps the Saturday blackout in place.

The five-year deal, made up of guaranteed payments of £895m and £40m in marketing rights, will begin in 2024/25 and run to the end of the 2028/29 season.

It represents a 50 per cent increase on the league's current deal with Sky which expires at the end of next season.

Altogether 1,059 league, EFL Cup and EFL Trophy matches will be shown live either on a Sky main channel or via a Sky streaming platform, replacing the iFollow service for domestic viewers.

Streaming platform DAZN had been keen to acquire the rights to screen all EFL matches and bring an end to the Saturday blackout period between 2.45pm and 5.15pm.

The blackout stays in place in the Sky deal, but more matches are available to stream, with six games across the Championship, League One and League Two now set to kick off at 12.30pm each Saturday.

The deal means 26 out of 36 matches will still kick off at Saturday 3pm - seven Championship matches plus 19 across Leagues One and Two.

It is understood that based on the EFL's distribution formula, Championship clubs will earn 46 per cent more in guaranteed broadcast income, with Sky having been named as preferred bidder last month.

The deal means 10 league matches will be shown live each weekend, including six in the 12.30pm Saturday slot.

Every match in the EFL Cup will be shown live, plus every game in the EFL Trophy.

All opening round and final day matches will be shown live, as will all games played on Bank Holidays including Easter, Boxing Day and New Year's Day alongside the matches played in Sky Bet League One and Two during international breaks.

The deal also promises greater parity in the number of times clubs are selected for TV coverage is also guaranteed.

 

WHAT’S LEFT TO PLAY FOR?

Who seals the last two play-off spots is the only thing left to decide on the Championship’s final day.

It comes after Huddersfield Town’s win over Sheffield United on Thursday night meant that Reading will join Blackpool and Wigan Athletic in League One next season.

Rotherham United secured survival on Monday, with the Terriers joining them, completing a remarkable turnaround under Neil Warnock, with another victory.

That came against a Sheffield United side who secured the second automatic promotion spot last week, with Burnley having made sure of the Championship title.

With Luton Town and Middlesbrough certain of third and fourth spots, the only thing left to decide is which two of Coventry City, Millwall, Sunderland, West Bromwich Albion and Rovers will join them.

There is no jeopardy on any of the other sides in the division going into the final day, with all game to take place at 3pm on Monday, with Reading’s relegation confirmed.

 

CARDIFF HOLD HARRIS HOPE

Cardiff City boss Sabri Lamouchi says the club have held talks with Mark Harris over a new contract.

Rovers were linked with a move for the forward in the January window and his contract is due to expire this summer.

Harris, who has scored three goals in 38 games this season, would be available on a free agent should he not renew his contract, but Lamouchi is keen to keep him.

He told Wales Online: “I talked yesterday with Mark Harris, because we would like to do something with him.

“He knows absolutely what I’m thinking about him. He can leave, because it’s he end of his contract, but he knows I like him. I didn’t have too much time to work with him and in a different context I’m sure we can do something better for him. Better for him, better for the club, for everyone.”