I don't know about stripes or whether earning enters into things but here goes anyway. As an eight year old, watching Dennis Westcott - yes I can remember him, just. Following, via radio and newspapers, no TV highlights then, Rovers progress to the '51 semi-final. Paying 1s/3d (8p) addmission to the old Riverside. Seeing Rovers wallop Middlesbourgh 9-0 and latter that season,Tommy Briggs score his seven goals. Standing behind the goal as Peter Dobing put Rovers ahead in the '58 semi. Being part of a 53,000 crowd at Ewood, more than once. Queing for three hours on a freezing monday evening for a ticket to see a sixth round tie with Liverpool.
The other side of that coin is the twenty year gulf from '72 to '92 when Rovers dropped off my radar screen. Outside forums like this I know nothing of Keely, Genoe or Garner.
It's great to see the club in such good shape after the mess it got into a few years ago. I was one who doubted the wisdom of appointing Souness; it's nice to be wrong sometimes.