Any keeper going the right way, would have saved that penalty. Still think England deserved the win because the french were feeding on scraps all night. No doubting though, that on pure footballing ability, the french are streets ahead. We will struggle to qualify now.

Not exactly on topic, but near enough. An article from the Yorkshire post confirming that wolves will sign Michael Duberry on a free transfer and while Wolves will pay him £7000 a week, Leeds will pay him £16000 a week. What a mad mad world Leeds have got themselves into. Yorkshire post

PNE are reporting sales to be up by 20%. Free season tickets to the under 8's is thought to be the over-riding factor. Even so, 20% up after the poor season they've had. They will be matching our gates in the championship.

Only two reservations on this one. 1 He's basically a defender who likes to play OFF another C.H. He picks up the second ball. Much as Tiny and Todd used to do. I prefer to have two C.H.s that attack the first ball, as Short and Amo do. 2 Injuries. No doubting though that he was a quality player at Liverpool and apparently he did well for Leeds last season. So, it will be difficult to bring in anyone better at this time.

Leeds have given rovers permission to talk to Dominic Matteo. BBC sport

The "good influence" bit, was relating to Dickov's training as though it were his last training session ever, and the way he closes defenders down during the game. Gives 'em no time to play the intelligent ball out of defence. I reckon Cole will be here next season, Rev. Souey could have helped a bit more in dispelling these rumours, though.

I can't see how Andressen can complain about the training at Ewood, he looked the most unfit among all of them.

That interview was on roversworld, whereby he was trying to say that Dickov would be a good role model for his younger players. He did include Cole shortly after.

Thanks again Herbegeeh. Direct - meaning club to club, as against possibly agent to club.

The comments from John Williams are old news. They were reported days ago.

So - what you are saying is that because we are a premier league club, that is situated in a small town, we can only sign players from the bottom end of the market. I think that's where we came in, isn't it? i.e. we can't really aim above the Dickov, bargain basement player.

Ah! There's a world of difference between small town club, and small club.

Preston and Burnley? Since the mid sixties, 28 years ago to be precise, we have, with the exception of an odd season, been in a higher league than both of them. No comparison there. Small club, big club, it's all a matter of mentallity. Maybe Souey and John Williams are getting some of us into that mentality.

You could, but you'd be wrong. Why? because we only get 23/24000 gates? JW's money sees to the difference between us and other better supported sides. Apart from that, why are we a small club?

You could say we're a big club who's fans have a small club mentallity.

A blip?

How do you know that Philipl? Can't see anything on the web and they don't deliver the LET to Malta, do they?

But, we can't afford to start the season off without a L.M. Along with problems elsewhere in the team, not having any balance in the side cost us dearly. We can't approach the new season in no better shape than last.

Another thing that bothers me, are the suggestions that the guy will need time. Well, of course he's only young and probably wont be able to come in and do a job straight away. The only problem with that is, that we can't afford to start next season without a left sided midfielder. We need someone to come in from the first game and put in some performances. I mean we've had over a year to sort this out, it's vital that this guy is up to it, from the kick off, if he isn't, we shouldn't have bothered.

We can't afford someone with real pedigree like Rothen or Van der Meyde - unless their clubs agree to loan them out. We either go for the older player who's probably past his prime - e.g Overmars. Or, as I think we are right to do, go for an up and coming player who has a chance of becoming a top player. If Tromso reject our overtures for MGP, we should look to the English football league and try and pick up another young player who can make an impact, like Stead. Nah, if all we can afford is either an unknown youngster, or an over the hill veteran, we're finished. Prem sides are regularly bringing quality players in, one way or another.

It would be a bigger secret if he didn't support Man U.

Fair enough Herbegeeh, you've no doubt have seen him play, I haven't. It would be lovely for us to sign him, and for him to be the dog's bojangles, I still have this nagging doubt, based on instinct I suppose, backed by our recent foray's into the foreign market. As for Souey watching him, well we had Baggio on trial at Ewood and still got it wrong. Find someone with a known pedigree I say.

Can't say I'd be upset if it did fall through - too much of a gamble for me. Having said that, we must have someone else lined up. I mean we've known since the beginning of LAST season that we needed a left sided player. So with 12 months to work at it,and with our global scouting system, I wonder how the name Morten Gamst Pedersen was at the top of the wish list. Is there not a better bet anywhere?

14000 at the season's start.

Today's the 3rd June - 16 days off and still no S.T. pack. Anyone on holiday could miss getting their own seat. All a bit tight, isn't it?