Patrick Collins was just as bad last week. We got the same treatment this week probably because so many fans e-mailed him after his appalling article re Cardiff that he didnt put his e-mail address at the end. He did try to appease the fans by calling us a "grand old club" who couldnt sell our tickets because of the team`s poor performances but couldnt stand the thought that Todd had got off when he alone knew he was guilty. He is a frustrated news reporter who instead of comenting on world events has to settle for the sporting world and thinks he is infallible. The man is self-opinionated and few people escape his scorn.

Just had this posted to me. The records of Hughes, Souness and Bruce at their clubs since September 2004. Hughes; Played 28, Won 9, Drawn 10, Lost 9, For 25, Against 26, Points 37, GOal Difference -1. Souness;Played 26,Won7,Drawn9,Lost 10,For35,Against 42,Points 30,GD-7. Bruce;Played 32,Won8,Drawn11,Lost13,For34,Against40,Points 35,GD-6 So that would be Rovers with games won, fewer defeats, fewer goals conceded, more points and a better goal difference!!!

I also want Todd to regain his selfrespect and get some form of apology to the slanderous comments he has received. Apparently Andy Neild in the LET last night told the story of 2 journalists who had missed the incident after the 3rd goal and wrote vicious lies about it the following day. He did not name them but said they worked for reputable Sunday newspapers. I hope they are first in the queue for sueing.

I find the use of the term "charged" very disquieting. To be charged with an offence implies that you have to prove your own innocence in the matter. "Accused " seems a less emotive word. I cannot for the life of me see how anyone can prove that Toddy assaulted the arsenal player from the video evidence. Only Todd can say what really happened. I hope he can put this behind him for tomorrow. Am I right in thinking that Arsenal have a representative on the FA panel as well as someone from Palace? Surely they have to biased in all this?

Does anyone else think that the club make some sort of counterattack to all the nonsense that has been spoken since Sunday? I read Reid`s comments today and the players are very angry and upset by it. Lets hope that Palace suffer tomorrow.

I have just finished watching the whole match on video from sky. I watched it knowing all the anti-Rovers bias from the press and from other supporters and even my own views on the game as an eyewitness and from people on this messageboard. I wanted to watch as unbiased as I could on a Sunday afternoon. Having seen it again I have to change my opinion on the performance. It was much better than I had thought!! The first 20 minutes we played really well with no hint of malice or thuggery. Tyler and Gray were full of praise with the way Rovers set their stall out. Flitty was booked on 20 minutes for a bad foul but it wasnt as bad as I had thought at the time. Viera was up and about. Thompson had a bad tackle on Viera and was rightly booked although he could have been sent off in the second half. Dickov was clearly onside when he hit the post and could have steadied himself for a goal. After 51 minutes Hughesy changed to a 4-4-2 when Emerton came on and I have to say it was a better game than the one this afternoon. It was open play and we gave as good as we got. Arsenal put 45 passes together but later on we had 70% of the play as we responded to that which Andy Gray picked up on. Only a brilliant goal from Van Persie settled it. The Todd incident is very inconclusive and he will not be suspended. The fans were even better than I thought and the team do not deserve all the rubbish that "experts" are giving them. Roll on Wednesday when this fan will be cheering a little louder than normal.

We had great seats in the lower section by the corner flag. I must say that I enjoyed watching Rovers put in a strong defensive performance for about 75 minutes and then it all fell apart. I know attacking play is good to watch but I think that defensive organisation and pressing the opposition are just as compelling. Arsenal had no time on the ball and the team deserve to be praised for that instead of being criticised. Only Flitcroft and Thompson were guilty of bad tackles but the others were not thuggish. Todd`s incident was accidental in our opinion. I am taken aback by all the negative press but perhaps we could use it to our advantage as other teams will be wary of us and adapt their style of play. Palace and City will be great to watch now.

Thanks for that Stu. makes sense.

Can anyone else confirm that the ticket prices for Rovers are more expensive than the prices for United fans at the Millennium? In last weeks programme at OT it says that the ticket prices are from £21 - £29. The FA maintains that we are undersubscribed and so are charged more. I find this particular rumour very hard to believe but if true is scandalous.Rovers fans want to go but are being priced out.

I was one who was critical when Souness left and Hughes took over but I have been so impressed with the coaching and organization of the team since he came that I have to acknowledge what a great job he is doing. That was the most satisfying performance for 2 seasons and a great sendoff before next week. I am so pleased for my 2 personal favourites in Neill and Emerton who had good games but the real stars are the 2 signings Nelsen and Mokeona; where on earth have they been for the last 3 seasons? More displays like that and the crowds will come back.

Good post Capt.K Didnt we have the same debate for the Burnley game? Came right in the end. Cant agree with our Claret friend. No way would Burnley sell 30,000 in these economic times. Football has changed massively in the last few years. Rovers will have a good and vociferous following and we`ll all enjoy the day.

Is there any possibility of a travel page being set up where fans wanting a lift or fans offering lifts could get in touch? Thereby ensuring more support on the day. I am now the only one going on the day of the game probably on the 5am coach from ewood but would much prefer to join a car group who had a spare seat either from St Helens (unlikely!) or Leyland.

It will not make us a laughing stock if we only take 15000 fans down. Other supporters will join with us in condemning this stupid decision. It appears now that the Uefa Cup has more clout than the FA Cup and Newcastle "have to play on Sunday". 12.15 kickoffs are a turn off at the best of times; why play a semi then? I will be there hopefully with my son but he does have an evening job and may not wish to travel now. We left Ewood on the last coach out for the Carling Final at 8a.m. so if its a seven hour journey then we are looking at a 5 a.m. start. This will not attract the casual fan.

My brother has booked for Friday night and Saturday night at a hotel in cardiff. The landlady said quite openly that the cost for a double room is normally £40 but she is charging £130 per night and a single is £100. This is outrageous and has made my mind up about not staying in Cardiff. The whole thing is a total rip-off and should be challenged. I shall go to the game on the day by a Rovers organised coach.

I am so angry this evening . We are getting some fearful stick from supporters of other teams on Century and talksport tonight about our right to be at Cardiff as well our pathetic support. I have tried to get on but was too late on both occasions. Rovers have a poor reputation at the moment and people are saying things about our club which are not based on fact e.g. on Legends phone-in our average gate is 15000 which is wrong and then some prat from London says that we have no right to be at the semis as only 8000 go to watch us anyway. Please can I ask you to ring in and set the record straight about our history and fan base . It is spoiling what should be a great occasion for the town and the club.

Superb performance Rovers. I`ve always liked Reid as he has power , pace and a good shot at set pieces. My Man of the Match. Everybody played well today and we matched Everton all the way. Did anyone else notice that Ferguson "did" Mokeona in the second half? Absolute moron. Great goal by Stead and Thompson could have matched it later on. Surely we are safe. Highest league place this season.

Wil the Manxman be opened on Tuesday?

Does anyone know the cost of a 08701 call per minute? I`m sure the club will get a nice litle bonus from the company that supplies 0870 numbers which could go on employing extra staff. I got to Ewood at 4.15pm to be told by a steward that the queue was about 100 minutes so I left and will try again tomorrow but you cant help feeling that only the committed fan would go through all this aggro in poor weather for a chance to see their team. The casual fan stands no chance of seeing a game like this. I can still vividly recall the scenes in 1960 outside the ground at the Blackburn End with queues six men deep trying to get into the ground. I have never been so frightened as I was that night at a football match and I was 12 at the time.

I think Burnley`s mini has had a respray but we`ve traded in the Ferrari for a People- Carrier. Gallagher and Tugay were not in the game at all. I never thought we would lose this one but I`m already dreaming of a penalty shootout at Ewood. Johnson is not the answer yet and I do feel Stead has to given a chance. The highlights for me were at half-time when Jack Straw and Campbell were having a sparring match as to who was the better and more knowledgeable fan whilst thinking of the next election and the panel of Hansen, Moyes and Schmeicel who couldnt think of any highlights to discuss! At least we are in the hat for the next round.

But its not just the fans who are slating us but the so called professional media people such as journalists and radio pundits which makes me a little uneasy.

I dont know how many of you listen to Talksport but what has emerged recently is the very negative press Rovers are getting from the media. Just the examples I have heard are that Rovers should have been charged by the FA for their brutal tactics against Chelsea; in the same game Mourinho has claimed that we over watered the pitch before the game and created what he called a "micro-climate" to our advantage. Patrick Collins was dismissive of Hughes`s rant against Mourinho because he picks Savage and Dickov every week so he`s lost the moral high ground. Lawrenson reckoned that the signing of Savage was "much ado about nothing" with refernce to his Stratford connection: the constant reference to our gates being low and finally our bookings record which has now reached 50 cards the worst in the league. We always were regarded as a pleasant , homely club who amazingly won the league but have now found their true level. I have some sympathy with that view but when I hear others giving us stick I get very protective of my club and town. Has anyone else noticed this wind change and is Hughes responsible for our aggressive style?

According to the Mail we were in for him but he preferred to go to Soton.

As I posted when Souness left that Ferguson would leave in the January window. He only came here to play for Souey in the first place. I remember Ferguson commenting that he watched an Old Firm game last season just before his first appearance for us and he felt very homesick and wondered why he had left. It seems those feelings never really left him and that we have never seen the best of him. He is a very good player but I cant help feeling that hes done his career no good at all by going back to an inferior league when many of the world`s top players want to try out the premiership.

I heard from Mr Gold himself on SSN that there is a clause in his contract to say that Savage will NOT be allowed to play at St.Andrews on April 30th as he doesnt want Savage to score the goal that sends Birmingham down!! Confident or what??

I dont know if this point has already been made but the Cardiff replay was the first of 4 games at home in succession. It is also in the middle of the Christmas Visa bills dropping throuigh the letter box as well as the cost of christmas football games. Graeme Sharpe was very scathing about the attendance of 9,140 but I couldnt get on the radio phone-in to make this point. Football is a very expensive pastime now and families have to prioritise the spending. I didnt go on wednesday for the first time ever missing a cuptie but I felt that we would win so I could go against Colchester. Still felt rotten missing a game although I did listen on Radio Rovers and Radio Lancashire.