TO STAND OR NOT? Better late than never but here is an excellent Article for thus pro or anti standing.. Rememebr its about having areas of choice which can be controlled and not total standing. Interesting that again Rovers are absent with their own comments, and choose to sit on the fence.

Tend to agree on that Alan, and personally think the annoying thing is more how we actually fell for the same sucker punch as what we did at Ewood - a bit flat footed - which is what most of the goals we have conceded have been like this season. As for people saying we had to attack, it was a bit of the old a little too late for me and bar Emerton's decent shot and Reid's header I can't remember anything of worthy note attacking wise in the 2nd half. This is the thing that annoys me more as I feel we could have given them alot more to think about in a defensive role rather than making us look amateur and brutish.

Don't know if its just me but was nobody else just a tad disappointed at the way we played? Although the style of play we would adopt was predictable, I thought we could have shown a bit more guile in our attacking options and think Hughes should take some criticism (esepcially the timing of the subs) for this as it was after all a semi final , yet bar the first 20 mins we didn't even bother to attempt to attack with any sense of determination - 1 header and a shot from a freekick was from memory our only real threat which IMO is very disappointing. As everybody else on here feels, I also don't think we deserve all the stick and criticism we have had thus far in the media, and as for the numpties on the phone ins (especially the Liverpool fan as already mentioned -best player they have had for ages and he slags him off) just goes to show what sort of idiots they had calling in However, enjoyed the day although (again is it just me?) it didn't feel like a semi final more like the Charity Shield. As many have said the Rovers fans where as excellent in making it a day as the Arsenal fans where in their strange absence before and after the match. Didn't feel to disappointed about the result as I feel Arsenal showed their class in the end - but what a set of whingeing tossers. At the end of the day for most us at least we have been to a FA Cup semi final and we will be back, albeit at the New Rip Off Wembley (built for Arsenal) Benefit Stadium

Make sure the lights are out OJ

Nervoud - think you are already there Stuw

One to drag up for Saturday me thinks No Nay Another one for the oldies " You're going home in a St Johns Ambulance...!!"

Possibly DuffM and we don't know the full ins and outs but.. - If its nothing to do with the TV why is it being televised? If the Police are that bothered why have they allowed both ties on the same weekend? ie. they said it was all decided last September and everybody was aware of this - correct ; however, there was no mention of any kicking off at 12 fecking 15 and you are not telling me it has taken them 6 months before anybody has realised the problems before. In addition, as already discussed, why delay naming who plays whilst they wait for the Newcastle European game - why couldn't they just have said the Newcastle game would be on the Sunday? REASON - Because they wanted to show ManU on the Saturday game, and if us or Arsenal had been playing them, the game would have been a 5-15 pm ko without a doubt. Just shows that all the crap that has been coming out of the FA in their replies and comments has been lies and begs the question - why the feck do we have the FA? Its been an absolute COCK UP

On the nail. I couldn't agree more. Our game lacks any sort of real competition, is quietly dieing on its feet and by the time the PL and the FA wake up to the problem it will be too late. Just watch the season tickets and attendances drop again next year. Over-priced, over-hyped and over-exposed but as long as the sponsors keep pouring in the cash nothing will change. If you can chaps, get hold of a copy of the Sunday Mirror from yesterday - there's a good article along the same lines. In addition there's another small snippett about the FA getting egg on their faces next week re the S/F and a half empty stadium for our game.

0 V 0

Something else I also mentioned last week about after the horse has bolted. - IDIOTS

I don't see how the club could have done anything different. As you can see Arsenal have sold out and they will now be given the whole West Stand so if we had already sold those tickets against the specific instructions of the FA we could have been in line for all kinds of punishment. Mb - See Ewood Sparks post and think about it

Sorry Stuw - I think it is To me the club must have been aware of this before the tickets went on sale but the information was lacking in it numbers re 'limited tickets' Yet again they have been very quiet on the subject - whether they could have done something or not about is another thing which I think you are trying to say. It's like going into a shop for a new tv and there are two on the shelf - 1 at say £100 the other at £150 - the one at £100 has a damaged box (ie nothing at all wrong with the TV) but they will not sell it to you until the other one is sold - would you then buy the £150 TV? Stu, we disagree, That we do agree on Still think the club could have done more for the benefit of the fans against the regulations though - this won't be the end of it now from the FA though - get away with it once they will continue. The Club can't have any argument about now about fans not attending , but as others have said I honestly don't give a monkeys how many we take. I will be there, like your good self and others on here at least we tried to get something done about it and asked questions and raised worries - but this won't be the last of it. I still say we take 20k

No what the town doesn't need is comments like that from people like you

yes but do rovers have £25 and £35 tickets in there possesion And for the three hundreth time, it isnt relevant - and they have probably been sent back with a copy of John Williams latest interview and a note that says "stupid kick off, stupid venue" The club can ONLY sell the tickets in the order specified by the FA, its rule 26 b of the challenge cup rules. Sorry Stuw - I think it is To me the club must have been aware of this before the tickets went on sale but the information was lacking in it numbers re 'limited tickets' Yet again they have been very quiet on the subject - whether they could have done something or not about is another thing which I think you are trying to say. It's like going into a shop for a new tv and there are two on the shelf - 1 at say £100 the other at £150 - the one at £100 has a damaged box (ie nothing at all wrong with the TV) but they will not sell it to you until the other one is sold - would you then buy the £150 TV?

It's one of the best posts on this board ever. Agreed bar the bit about it being Arsenal and we will get beat anyway - I am always pessimistic about Rovers but always expect a win even though I don't believe it. Don't know what you are meaning there JAL, but if its against fellow Rovers fans IMO you are bang out of order - as some of those not going are of the committed people who where around and followed the club through the 'dark days' of old and where as committed as you can get , and not just for some over glorified SF that has now had its 'special' occasion taken away from it as well as impacting on the glamour and uniquity of the final.

The challenge cuo committe dont make operational decisions, they are a strategic body, they deal with rules and admission criteria etc. If the club had said know one of the tacks the FA would probably have used would be -selling the tickets directly (what a cock up that would be) - letting the club do what they want, but charging them £45 for each of the "extra" £25 tickets in the West Stand. -or of course, removing us from the competition, which they can do at a stroke for failing to follow competition rules. Unfortunately the club are not in the best of positions to dictate to the FA, if only they were..... Maybe not make them Stuw but they can certainly challenge them - hence their name. Still don't think the FA would have done this as it would set a bad precedent - maybe charge all tickets at £45 but then the club could make this known but theyn wouldn't be able to do it with one club and not any of the others - in fact there must be something in this that the Rovers could challenge as Newcastle and Man U fans will certainly be getting tickets for these stands. remove us - don't think so - there would be a major outcry The best would be possibly fine us - but then again what would the club have done wrong - from a legal point of view, unless of course there is a binding contract somewhere that had to be signed.

But really the club is not at fault though, can only blame the FA for another cockup! Directly maybe not - but indirectly yes they are What would the FA have done if the club had said no? I have said previously on here - Rob Coar is on the FA challenge committee, if he couldn't have said/done something then WTF is he doing there - in fact WTF is the Dingle doing at our club>? Its all a complete and UTTER COCK UP or maybe a well planned (or so they think) FA money making scheme.

i'm sorry about that but i would have waited till tomorrow,or the next day,or the next these £25 tickets are there If the case is as Waggy says and the club is not doing anything todo something about it - then they are doing their damn hardest to alienate fans even more therefore increasing the limelihood of even more dwindling crowd numbers. What was it again about the effect on the club after previous cup final ticket fiasco? I just hope my gut feeling that tickets going on general sale will take us past the 20k mark.

Not quite JAN - Its is a load of Bollux really So if we get there next year and are charged £60 next year it will be alright then? I have been to the ends of the earth watching Rovers , 4 days on a coach to Sweden, stood in the pouring rain and cold numerous times mid week, drove all day and night to wherever and back, been arrested , punched, abused , ejected, run into by a horse, been to court, spent a fortune etc following Rovers and would not have missed this for the world - YET I still had reservations - but I am going Not everybody can afford to go or justify it anyway nowadays, regardless of who we are or how long it has been since we where last in a SF This I do agree with and its an absolute shambles completely and IMO shows just how much the FA think its for the fans - we are being conned so if people want to be continually ripped off then let them - some of us won't though and it would appear many others if ticket sales are to go by. I still think we will take 20k + but my opinion is people are justified if they say they are not going. Our martyr - and our Chauffeur - forget the Bristol Willy Wagon ... All aboard the Accy Love Bus

The drummer(s) can go and run and jump for all I care Anyway - extended it for full version WHEN THE DAY IS DAWNING ON A BLACKBURN SATURDAY MORNING WONT’ BE LONG ‘TIL WE’RE THERE AT THE MILLENIUM ARENA IN THE CARDIFF CITY IS WHERE IT’S AT THE LADS WILL SING A DITTY “WE ARE HAVING THAT” IS THIS THE WAY TO CARDIFF MI LADDIO THE BLUE N WHITE ARE ON THEIR WAYO… DREAMING DREAMS WE’RE GONNA WINNO THE FA CUP IT WAITS FOR US SHOW US THE WAY TO CARDIFF OH SPARKYO WE’VE BEEN DREAMING ALL OF OUR LIVES ..SO MAKE IT TRUE AND LET EM ALL KNOW THE FA CUP IT WAITS FOR US SHA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA … ROVERS!! SHA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA … ROVERS!! SHA LA LA LA LA LA LA LA THE FA CUP IT WAITS FOR US THERES A SOUND A RINGING ALL THE LADS AND LASSIES ARE SINGING ON THEIR WAY TO BE THERE AT THE CARDIFF MILLENIUM ARENA DOWN THE HILLS AND HIGHWAYS LIKE THEIR INSANE THEY’LL KEEP ON GOING THROUGH THE SUN, WIND AND THE RAIN SHA LA LA ETC

We will get around 20,000 or so tickets for the final (IF we get there) meaning that they wont need to put any restrictions on S/T holders as every S/T holder will be guaranteed a seat. Correct Ben2000 but from memory and from what I have heardpreviously it will be less than that - more like 18k for normal sale. Therefore if we do get through there would still be enough to cover our S/t - circa 14k This is where priority would probably have to kick in - S/T holders who regularly buy additional tickets /S/T Holders who want additional tickets or regulars who buy on a match by match basis?

Don't know how the hell this would work However, I think the thing about this proposal is 'how cheap' - because if say the home fans are paying £40/50 ala Chelski and away fans pay £30 for example - that is still not cheap in my book. Add to that the likelihood of home fans trying to get away tickets because they are cheaper. However, as you say Scotty it would appear it is case of after the horse has bolted and the damage is already done.

IMO Stu , they should have refused - what would the FA have done? What difference does it make - if the tickets are available they should be available for purchase. I suspect TV have a say in the order the tickets are sold. Sky or the BBC don't want swathes of empty seats on view. Hence, they sell The BT Stand first which is opposite the television gantry. Doesn't make it right of course. If that was the case SS -how do they go on with league games? Its all a con because they know fans will buy the tickets.

IMO Stu , they should have refused - what would the FA have done? What difference does it make - if the tickets are available they should be available for purchase. If this is the case then the fans have everyright to vent their anger and also stick the v's up and not go - and nobody can have any complaints. It just adds another lie to the FA's bow about it all being for the fans - MY ARSE. Maybe some of the Rovers fans calling others for not going , inc some on here may just realise now, that we are being well and truly ripped off as football fans and the FA are just a set of TOSSERS!!!!

Come next weekend Waggy and you may find that this has already begun