Debs def because she's a girl and because she could have been a Wednesday fan. The fact that you've been lots of times Gav means you should let Debs have a go.

Well, I'm going to be the voice of doom. 1-0 to Burnley and a broken leg. They're going to be very dirty indeed.

For anyone who was a student in the 80s, read Andrew Collins' book "Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now" - it's wonderful. I've just finished it and it brought back loads of memories.

I think we should play Jemal Johnson. I thought he scored a fine goal against Colchester and I know they didn't play particularly well, but I think he could cause Norwich problems (and help us).

Likewise, Paul, likewise.

I wonder if the ground will sell out if there's a replay at Ewood...?

1-0, Tugay sent off. Dickov to score. Early goal, nervous game - no fingernails left by the end of it...

No, Birmingham just think they should finish above Villa, and selling Savage probably means they can't now do that. Shame.

You're bang on there - Rangers haven't known what to do since they lost Boumsong (funnily enough to Souness' Newcastle) and see Ferguson as the solution to their problems.

I can't get excited either way about Ferguson now because it dragged on for so long, but I thought you'd all like to see what a Rangers supporting friend had to say:

"Delighted to have Barry back. I spent time when I should have been preparing a lecture monitoring the Rangers fans bulletin board last night with loads of rumours and updates flying about. Quite amusing! There was over 1000 people on the board all following this story - by far the most there has ever been. There was absolute jubilation when the news came through that the medical was going ahead. At least the happenings have made half of Glasgow very happy. I actually think he is one of these players who plays at his best for the club he supports as his passion and commitment really come through then. I suspect that was half the problem at Blackburn."

Gav's right - they're confident, and they're very, very happy about the gate money and tv - they reckon they'll get about £200k. They think we're infinitely beatable. Take note Rovers!

Yikes! We absolutely have to sin this one! (I meant win..., but if we have to sin to get the win, so be it.)

Savage is eligible, Bellamy is not and Ferguson's groin is playing him up again

Has to be a very close to full strength side. Would like to see Nissa and Nelsen start and give Jansen a run alongside Dickov.

Dangerous game for us- Lawrenson has gone for Rovers 2 Colchester 0. I think I'll join him as the dingles have got the "I can't see where the goals are going to come from" soubriquet this week.

No, Lawrenson was right about Bolton so he's got to start being wrong again. A hard fought, nervous 3-2, just like Cardiff, with us nicking it at the end.

I fourth that. Brad's the main man and would do a good job.

To be fair, G & J are only 3 and 1, so their education has yet to begin. That said, both have had Rovers babygros and bibs, and G learned to say Blackburn Rovers not long after learning her first few words. When J can be bothered to talk, no doubt the same will be expected of him. They'll be indoctrinated early on, but we'll not take them to busy games until they're quite a bit older. G was at Simon Garner's testimonial match and at the Worthington cup final, so it has started. I still think I wouldn't get to see any part of the game if I took them both at the moment.

AESF, I was also one of Souness's biggest supporters, but in the end had to accept that the wheels had fallen off somewhere and it would seem that the buck stops with the manager so if he was deciding on training/fitness tactics, then the fault lies with him.

I must say I've been superbly impressed with Hughes since he started. Not only for the way he manages the players but for the way in which he conducts himself publicly - he comes across as intelligent.

My Rangers supporting mate tells me it's "D" day for Rangers re: Ferguson so I told him Barry had been training and would probably play tonight. He took that to mean that Rangers are giving up as he doesn't reckon they'll stump up the necessary fee. No doubt we shall see...

If he does play and our fans get on his back, more fool them because we need to win tonight before the onset of some quite scarey fixtures! Just because we have a nice cushion at the moment doesn't mean it'll feel the same in two games time if S'ton win again and we've lost a couple.

Likewise - I remember taking Izzie when she was 6ish and all she could do was wriggle in her seat and go on about players hairstyles. I can't imagine taking the other two for at least another 4 years.

Thanks for that Scotty - great stuff!

I think Bolton will have been lulled into a false sense of security with their win over Arsenal (who were shocking), so 2-0 to us with Savage and MGP scoring.

Watch the gate increase because folk will presumably expect a win over Colchester, sending us forward into the next round and a potential clash with the Clampets. Presumably ticket stubs and so on will be called in to play as we progress through the competition which, I would have thought, will have an effect on the attendance from this game forward.

Well he had to say something didn't he so he's spun some @#/? to make himself feel better. My heart bleeds.

I hope the board are reading your posts Philipl and Tris (amongst some others) if they need any convincing to play this hard, which I doubt. Respect is due (but not to our Barry I'm afraid).

I will be disappointed if we don't get at least our £6.5m back.

Why? Do you honestly believe he is worth that?

Whether or not he's worth that is immaterial - the club are in a strong bargaining position and if Rangers want him that badly, they'll find the money (if indeed it's Rangers that Barry's wanting to go to and not Newcastle...).

I do not want a player playing for us if he doesnt want to and has handed in a transfer request. We therfore whould sell him as close to his REAL value. No matter how badly Rangers may want him they will not be as stupid as we were and really overpay for him.

We are not in a strong bargaining position as we have a player who wants to leave. That means we have to consider it. It will harm the team otherwise.

I I also dont care where he wants to go to. I just want shot of the vastly overated prat of a Scottish Captain.

I didn't say we didn't have to consider his transfer request. Nor do I want a player on our books who wants to leave but we can still hold out for the highest price. We shouldn't just bow to Rangers (or whoever) because he wants to leave for pity's sake!

There may yet be a bidding war. Expect at least a week of speculation before anything is agreed.

So, when the Savage thing and this is done, what will we all talk about?

An under-performing player (or at least a "deemed to be" under-performing player) will be unearthed and picked out for criticism and defence depending on which side of the fence you sit...

Anyway, there's two weeks of transfer speculation to go yet, so we could start pinpointing someone else at another club to disrupt / unsettle etc.

I will be disappointed if we don't get at least our £6.5m back.

Why? Do you honestly believe he is worth that?

Whether or not he's worth that is immaterial - the club are in a strong bargaining position and if Rangers want him that badly, they'll find the money (if indeed it's Rangers that Barry's wanting to go to and not Newcastle...).