Are we surprised? Answers on a post card please.

Glad to hear you aren't socialising. Don't get blood on your hands. Happy New Year to one and all.

I wouldn't fancy Ainsworth. I think his management level is league 1 and below. Besides I think he's too settled living down south with his family and the group he plays in. Pearson for me. I'd like to see Jonno take charge for the rest of the season though.

Who could Venkys employ to give them the best advice as to who to appoint as a new manager? They know nothing about football and have been badly advised by Anderson et al in the past. So many problems. What a pity they didn't trust John Williams for advice when they bought the club.

I thought we played quite well tonight but overall it showed that there is only one problem. The back four. We have a shocking defence. Lenihan blows hot and cold. Unfortunate that Williams is injured. Mowbray buys an injury-prone Ayala from (surprise, surprise) Middlesbrough. Terrible luck for the much improved Wharton who is out for a year. Mowbray brings in Douglas from Leeds on loan and he proves to be pretty useless. Time for Carter to step up. We will never make progress until the defence is sorted and that is a task beyond TM. He has to walk.

Two equally good footballing sides cancelling each other out. Good game so far.

I'm in to the match website. No problem. Not been asked to pay yet.

I'm in to the match website. No probs. Not been asked to pay.

Looks like the chap on the end (our right) is wearing his shirt inside-out.

Reach didn't celebrate his goal against us well enough. I wonder were there any bad vibes behind the scenes.

Howe and his family don't like living in the north west. That's why they moved back to a warmer climate in Bournemouth. Some people are calling for the return of Hughes. Never! If I were a player in the youth team or under 23s and Hughes came back I would look to leave Rovers a.s.a.p. Hughes had no time for bringing youth through. I'll give Mowbray his due in that he has bloodied many youngsters; far more than any previous Rovers manager. If Mowbray resigned I would look towards Pearson or Cook. This ex-dingle thing is ridiculous. I enjoyed ex-dingles Adam Blacklaw and John Connelly playing for Rovers.

Thanks Mattyblue. I emailed them today, got a lovely sympathetic response, and got the refund. Great stuff!

I was made to pay £10 to watch the game today yet I have a season pass. I'm not happy and I cannot find anyone to complain to.

Douglas is the new Murphy😬

Still bloody awful.

Terrible Rovers again. Watching paint dry and then one mistake and 1-0 down.

You can bet Ayala will limp off at some point. Let's hope it's not too early.

I wonder if Dolan has recommended him.

You could be right, Renrag. Memory plays tricks. I have been re-reading Harry Berry, "A Century of Soccer" 1975. He lists the youth cup winning team with Pickering at LEFT back, Mike England at right half and Keith Newton at centre half. Griffith; Wells, Pickering; England, Newton, Leech; Ratcliffe, Bradshaw, Jervis, Daly, Mulvey. He then goes on to say that McEvoy was brought to Rovers as an inside forward. I only remember McEvoy as a wing half deputising for Clayton or McGrath and not being very good. When he was put at inside forward alongside Pickering, Douglas, Harrison and Ferguson he became a brilliant goal poacher. But there are other memories of mine that have been questioned of late. E.g. I distinctly remember Bill Holmes chasing a lost cause towards the Darwen End, stopping the ball and putting it back to the penalty spot for Alex Glover(?) to take ages before scoring. The film of this earlier in the Nostalgia thread showed it to be at the Blackburn End. If it was then maybe my dad had taken me into the riverside stand for the game instead of Nuttall Street. It's horrible when you start questioning your own memories.

Please tell me who is the interviewer, the guy who keeps turning round and the Rovers player who chats for a bit. Is it Nicky Marker?

I hope not. It would be typical Tony if that were to happen. Easy does it. We don't want further long term injuries to him.

Dolan 5-3

4-3

3-3 Chapman

2-2