21st October 2014: My wife was rushed into hospital for an emergency C-section due to a potentially dangerous placental abrasion. After a crazy few hours, I was dumped in a room with a newborn baby girl in my arms while the medics stitched her up. Dazed and confused, I sat there wondering how I was gonna look after this wrinkly alien, and then a thought popped in my head - We're playing tonight! Cradling the alien in one arm like a rugby ball, I shifted in my seat and fished into my pocket for my phone. It's HT, 0-0 against Birmingham. A midwife came in to check on things, scowled at me pissing about on my phone, and promptly left in silent disapproval. Within minutes, everything started going our way. Ben Marshall scored, Brum had a player sent off, and we went on to win the game 1-0 (by which time my wife had been wheeled in like a drugged up zombie from the epidural). I looked down at my newborn and thought - You're a good luck charm you! Bear in mind we'd kept 2 clean sheets in 14 before that day. And it was 9 matches following before we kept another. Since then we've had 2 more matches on 21st October, 0-0 Derby 2015, 3-0 Portsmouth 2017. So the overall record for my good luck charm reads played 3 matches, Rovers 4 goals, opponents 0. Which is fairly impressive considering the teams defensive abilities over that period. If the run continues, hopefully we win tomorrow, and we win to nil. The last time we beat Watford away? Which was to nil too (0-1). Feb 2001, the season we got promoted to the Premier League. Summary: Win tomorrow and I will be hopeful of us getting promoted. Win to nil tomorrow and I will be 100% convinced we're getting promoted. Lose tomorrow and my daughter is immediately getting booted out the house as she will no longer be of any use to me........

Amazed and appalled that an employee is taking up his rights under UK employment law to take paternity leave?

Just finished listening to this, and it reaffirms to me exactly why I won't be kissing Venky's feet after a few good years under Mowbray. The fact Coyle was even appointed, let alone kept on for so long is an absolute disgrace, and just shows to me that we are always one decision away from everything collapsing again.

Wanking.

Amen. Anyone putting in Gallagher at RW needs their head checking (sorry Chaddy!).

more chance of brereton winning the ballon d`oer

He has already got kudos from me for referring to us as 'Rovers' and not 'Blackburn'. A good start!

Might not be a popular opinion and don’t get me wrong I do like the guy. He gave me his shirt in Austria before he didn’t pay the taxi driver and ended up in the nick but he did come across as a bit of a man child. We’re about the same age but he didn’t seem very professional. Him and dacky might have enjoyed nights out but I wasn’t enjoying working overtime and travelling for hours to watch his lethargic overweight ass struggle as Southend battered us. The night in Manchester after we got promoted he talked like the season was done . There was a league title at stake plus other little comments and his attitude confirmed the holiday mentality with the we best do abit. He was a good player for us as is Dack and I’m sure they arnt the only ones but it just annoys me when they have all summer to have fun with there massive bank balances and can’t be 100 % committed during the season. The start to the league one campaign was abysmal and there coming in with the same body fat as me and playing with hangovers. I didnt think he came across well at all

Now that has a familiar ring to it!

It's not about who's the best teams in Europe being invited,it's more whos the teams with the biggest revenues that could be generated,thats why 6 English teams are invited as they are supported worldwide.even if United had been bad for the last 20 years they'll always be one of the first teams invited into one of these competitions.

We shouldnt be signing Downing at all. Time to move on

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-8859255/Harvey-Elliott-reveals-meticulous-briefing-Liverpool-ahead-Blackburn-loan.html

It's almost like if you get the defence right the rest follows. Build from the back might be a cliché but it's also very true.

Gallagher doesn't have the attributes to play as a wide forward. He either needs to be played as a target man or not at all. If SG does play then we'd be better off having Arma in the wide forward role - at least he has pace and the ability to cut in with a great shot from outside the box.

??

Graham deserved to be dropped at the start of the league 1 campaign, he was ridiculously out of shape and not interested when on the pitch. Credit probably goes to mowbray for his attitude shift.

Not sure he is an upgrade. Looked to me like his legs were gone towards the end of the season. Would rather Buckley get further opportunities.

I like this, but I am also somewhat sympathetic to Bell. He’s playing awfully well, maybe start him, and give Douglas a half. JR-C I might pencil in, & give Trybull a runout in the 2nd half. If guys are doing well, leave ‘em alone, & change at 66’. I still like Dolan, but I would bring him off the bench in this one. I will optimistically say 1-1. I was worried about this fixture when they dropped down from PL.

Good boy Danny, but maybe not so great on self-reflection. First he tells on being hard done by Mowbray in League One, where he started 2 games, and then was out of the squad untill November. Shortly after he tells about him and Dacky going out on the piss all the time and getting called into the gaffer's office 3 times before October. Might seem related

Good podcast with Danny Graham here. Mentions his time at Rovers towards the end of it, describes his relationship with Mowbray as "love-hate" and mentioned him being unfairly punished and made an example of for being late after getting stuck on the motorway due to a car accident. Also mentions going vegan, his relationship with Mulgrew and Dack, Coyle being a laughing stock and his time with Lambert too.

I've been to Millwall plenty of times - they are a fucking nasty lot.

#teamsky

Might turn out to be our key player. Even more so than Armstrong or Dack in isolation.

We've had all these arguments over the last 2 seasons. What you say is of course correct but another way of looking at it is we're 3 points off it after ONLY 5 games. Extrapolate that over 46 games and....... We're also 3 points off 18th. Massive improvement needed on performance levels shown in the last 2 games. I'd say we need 4 points minimum from Watford and Coventry.

Goals scored in last two games = 0. They'll be shitting it.

Holtby isn't even taking up his full legal rights-I understand he is already back in the UK. He could have missed the next two games as well.

For those saying Armstrong wasnt comfortable out wide. I'd say that was only true when he played in the 4-4-1-1. When he plays in a front 3 then he definitely can play left. Take Bristol city last season at home when he came on playing off the left. I and probably he would prefer to play through the middle but if it isnt working for him I dont see why we cant shift him to the left or right to get him in the game more. Depends where the space is. I always thought that if he was pushed up on the fullback getting in behind then he works as a inside forward. His greatest attribute is his pace and when he cant get in behind I'd rather shift him wide to get him inbetween their rb and cb to the byline then have him dropping deep into midfield.

Speedie showing Armstrong that you don't have to be a giant to lead the line.

Venkys will not have trusted mowbray and co to bring in these signings to just improve on last season, a victory against a strong Watford tomorrow night will send a clear message and give us a big boost and for sure make things very rosey at ewood, we need to go to Watford all guns glazing, i would put a couple new lads straight in cause Watford won't be prepared, my team would be this, the pace will cause Watford serious problems Kaminski Nyambe lenihan ayala douglas Johnson holtby rothwell Dolan Armstrong elliot Subs: pears, Williams bell, trybul, buckley, brereton, Gallagher

Im not sure on the second bit, not if he was stuck on the motorway because of an accident. If there was no reason or it kept happening then fair enough

Finished 3-3 Barrow have been in good positions and just can’t buy a win!

LT says JR-C trained today. If he’s ready, put him in. i agree on Dolan, good hustle vs a worn down D.

on Ifollow. You can watch the games the day after if you subscribed to Rovers Ifollow where you watched pre match interviews with players and matches plus new signings interviews.

Login to IFollow. Go to Matches-First Team Results-(select game)-Match Report-Videos (select replay or highlights) and Play

Even with the latest plans, the "big six" won't leave the English league, they want a European super league to go alongside it replacing the champions league. I'd rather they left the English league altogether to be honest and leave us with a good competitive top flight, but that will never happen.

Disgusting appointment. No respect. I knew it at the time and everything I have heard merely confirms that judgement..

I lived in London for about 30 years and the only place I never went to watch Rovers at was Millwall.

Kaminski Nyambe Lenihan Ayala Douglas Holtby Trybull Rothwell Elliott Brereton Armstrong

My thoughts exactly. Dolan and JRC play brilliantly together. Nyambe doesn't suit playing with Dolan. Watford to win this easily, unfortunately.

Trybull would of been better than any of the three that started Saturday and regarding Liverpool , thats because there Liverpool. The best team in the world . If you can’t get into the 18 in the best team in the world at 17 then your not good enough for rovers . Behave. The fact he’s played in that team means he’s more than capable of holding down a shirt at ewood. If they don’t want him back he will sign for a better team than us, fact

This game for me, I'd be dropping: Johnson, Evans and Brereton. Johnson and Evans weren't up to it and after a bad performance should be dropped. I'd bring in Holtby, Trybull for those 2. Think having those 2 will suit Buckley more. Whilst bringing in Elliott for Brereton, who looks much worse than Dolan. We CANNOT play Gallagher out wide, it baffled me how Tony is still yet to learn.

David Bowie - Lady Stardust

He changed the formation from the start of the second half. Went from a 4-3-3 to a 4-2-1-3. Evans was moved inside as a sitter with Johnson, and Buckley was pushed forward off the striker. Which was the same position that Chapman replaced him in. Not sure if you watched it on IFollow, but the commentators also mentioned the change.

Exactly. We only have one centre forward who is capable of scoring regularly, and he's not going to be winning the ball in the air. That is something that was not addressed during the transfer window.

Do you not see Rovers as top 6 candidates then Chaddy? Only Cardiff are far more likely to be competing for the top 6 than Preston.

And David batty has never been seen since ??

So true Andy. In 1969 the big FA Cup match against Man City was called off several times. Before one of the postponements Rovers put a call out for volunteers to help clear the snow off the pitch. Along with a few mates I went down, was given a broom and shovel and pointed to an area of the pitch to start clearing. There were wheelbarrows being filled and emptied at the side of the pitch. The problem was it was solid underneath and unplayable. To recognise the huge effort it was announced that the players were coming down and putting on a training session as a way of thanking us. We were allowed to stand pitch side and almost touch the players. To be so close to your heroes and hear them was something I never forgot. Quid pro quo and lots of happy schoolkids.

Is that you Tony ? Give my regards to Mrs Mowbray.

If and when people are allowed back in and thinking of “entertaining” clients what impressions will that give. Thanks for your business I’ve taken you to the largest rubbish dump in Lancashire. Perhaps could make a feature of it on the ground tours. This plate is what we were awarded for 3 consecutive fa cups. Now follow me to the pile of beer cans and discarded vehicle parts. Or directions for away fans. Join the M65 and exit at junction 4, join the A666 and head towards Blackburn. If you hit the pile of pushchairs you’ve gone too far.