A very enjoyable series. The factual inaccuracies are there to sharpen the Interpersonal and inner conflicts which drive all drama. Each character is conflicted by some element of the football story presented: Toffs vs factory lads; amateurs vs pros (between and within teams); Blackburn vs Darwen. The football story was changed (and had to be imo) to sharpen those conflicts. Olympic was the first working class team to win the cup but had no pros. Rovers had pros and dominated the game but were stacked with public schoolboys. It would’ve been far too confusing, and detrimental to the drama, to stick to reality.

It's a long haul. May's finals postponed, looking like the Olympic Games are going. we are in lockdown for a minimum three weeks. Folk aren't taking it seriously enough. I'm a key worker, though not in the NHS, I'm extremely concerned working in the court system where you will not believe how lax the Government's advice is not being followed, and you can imagine the criminals in society don't have hand sanitation at the top of their daily list. I don't expect nor have any expectation of sympathy, but the police are still locking up vulnerable members of society, who are entitled to representation. I'm not sure we will get any football soon.I'm shit scared, my partner is in a vulnerable group, and I cannot see her for a minimum of three weeks, and I suspect a lot longer, as we don't live together. Sport has to take a back seat. Very difficult times. I wish everybody well, and be sensible.

Bohinen was good in midfield for a while. I liked Santa Cruz and Benny but Bellamy was in a different class for me.

Friedel (USA) Salgado (Spain) Hendry (Scotland) Nelson (New Zealand) Le Saux (France) Emerton (Australia) Tugay (Turkey) Duff (Republic of Ireland) Villanueva (Chile) Shearer (England) Bellamy (Wales) Most is quite straightforward but it gets difficult in CM - hence the youtube sensation himself getting in. Le Saux sounds french so that will do. Either him or Bjornabe.

This is why the tournament being played for these 3 causes Over 8k people was watching this on twitch tv. People clearly missing the game

It’s all new to me... I love it, many thanks!

Cracking win for Rovers v Stoke in the #UltimateQuaranTeamCup 4-3 thriller away from home. Dacky had far more chances than their player. Just shows that I’d enjoy watching Rovers win at a game of Gim Rummy!

I’d take Brotherston ahead of the bookies’ favourite.

Berg and Lucas Neill (if you dropped the loyal and overall fairly average Emerton) are alternative choices at right back. Givet could go at left back or alternatively Bjornebye. Samba an alternative at centre back and of course McCarthy and Santa Cruz amongst the alternatives up front. Midfield is more tricky. Gillespie could be a shout for the right wing. Nzonzi has been mentioned but whilst his first season was decent under Allardyce, overall I found him underwhelming and in his last season, in an admittedly difficult time, some of his "performances" were bordering on unforgivable, I particularly remember one at Swansea away where youd struggle to find a better example of a player that couldnt be arsed. Obviously has talent hence his CV but certainly not a favourite of mine.

Good luck. For a while, it seemed I used to spend half my working life, mingling in the juvenile court throng!

The Beatles - Strawberry Fields Forever

Savage ? Not fit to lace Batty's boots, or Flitty's for that matter.

Tbis is the one. Maybe Savage for Batty but the best players in every position.

Best of luck mate - however crap we might all feel this is ive got huge sympathy with your situation . i hope you get through the stress of it ok between you and that you all emerge healthy . Keep well fella

Archibald? Windy Miller John Millar

Right now i'd take a striker on the wing, a midfielder at full back and a full back as centre forward. Anything just to see some sort of football !!!

This team would take some beating! Friedel Berg Samba Hendry Le Saux Bentley Tugay Batty Duff Bellamy Shearer

It feels like it needs a hiatus, some indie shows continued in America at weekend and some of the fans now confirmed as infected. Seems easy for wrestlers to pass on to each other. Need to check out Dark side of the ring, does Blackburn get a mention? After all we are in Wrestling infamy https://prowrestlingstories.com/pro-wrestling-stories/sid-vicious-arn-anderson-fight/

I know they were all good players but they'd be better still with one more player !

Andy was a true great, he made his name as an assassin in the penalty but he was a really good all around footballer. We were playing Arsenal in a top the table clash. When I got to the ground the word was Bryan Douglas was injured ! " Bloody Hell, we're stuck now " I thought. Anyway when the teams were announced Andy was playing in Dougie's place as a playmaker with a young kid in Andy's place. I shouldn't have worried, Dougie was hardly missed because Andy was great in that position and he still managed to get on the score sheet in a 4-1 win. For those interested big Fred Pickering got the other three.

I think obviously the 94-95 will make up the core of the side, I have tried to add a few players in that I think would have been upgrades to what we had at the time. Friedel Berg Hendry Nelson Le Saux Ripley Tugay Sherwood Duff Shearer Santa Cruz

Agree with this with two minor quibbles 1) I don't think realistically Dunn and Tugay could play together in the middle. They were exact contempories at Rovers and virtually never did as there's not a tackle between them. So I would argue you would have to pick an enforcer alongside Tugay - probably I would go for Savage. 2) Hard to drop Nelsen who was absolutely superb. But then both Samba and Hendry were great. It's interesting that most people pick more players from the 2000s rather than the 90s. But I agree that the Hughes team was largely better than the Dalgliesh team, Shearer apart who was absolutely phenomenal.

Friedel Hendry Nelsen Tugay Jansen Roque Shearer Sutton McCarthy Bellamy

friedel neill hendry samba mikey gray ripley tugay dunn duff shearer jansen i cannot believe someone has put amaruso in?he was ok apart from the fact that my grandad was probably quicker and he lost a leg in the war

Thanks for all the responses right then, take 2: Keeper: Shay Given, Defence: Jeff Kenna, Kevin Moran, Shane Duffy, Jim Beglin Midfield: Damien Duff, Eamon Rogers, Mick McGrath, Steven Reid, Strikers: Frank Stapleton, Andy McEvoy how about that for a team then?

This is fantastic! Really stoked for this! I wonder if the footballer they're following is Fergus Suter, the first professional, given the mention of moving towns and a focus on Darwen FC too. Unofficially he was probably the first professional when he was at Darwen, though it was illegal at the time and he claimed to be a stonemason. He then moved to Rovers and officially became the first professional when it was allowed. I've always been fascinated by the early history of both clubs. As a would-be writer, I've considered whether there was a good story to be told about Darwen's early history, particularly the incredible comeback against Old Etonians in the FA Cup (semi final I think it was) where they came from 5-0 down to draw 5-5 and earn a replay. If I remember rightly they didn't score til about 15 minutes from time! Has to be the greatest comeback ever, against the team who were the top dogs at the time. Back then the replays had to take place at the same ground, so Darwen had to travel down to London for it. At the time that cost a hell of a lot for a football club, and it nearly bankrupted them. Locals gathered funds for them, only for them to draw the replay and have to do it again! No extra time or penalties back then. Think the replay was 0-0. Another whip round was done, they went down and got pasted this time. Excuse my memory if it errs, but I believe it was a big factor in replays taking place at the other ground. Not sure when extra time etc came in. Lot of football's early history at Darwen, it was a shame they got wound up over such a small bill (a few grand I think it was?) and weren't saved by Rovers or local fundraising. Rovers have helped save other clubs in the region before, like Accy. In the AFC format it's basically the same, but technically that history isn't theirs now.