den

At 18, he's proved he's different class to Shearer?! The other one's got bells on it mate. Shearer, top club player as he is, didn't really do it at the highest level. Scored the odd goal for England, but you'd never look at an England side with Shearer in it and think "That's the man who's going to win us the game." During the latter half of his England career, Shearer's reputation-based selection tended to draw groans of disappointment. Anyway, I'm not here to disrespect the best player Blackburn ever had. Just wanted to say Shearer = reliable goalscorer in the Vieri mould. Rooney, however, looks like a Zidane-style once-in-a-generation super talent, something English football has probably never produced in the past. I think you might get a reply or two, to that post. Odd goal or two?

Nice story Mick. Memories

Quality, Tris.

Djorkeaff likely to play on Saturday. L.E.T.

Whoa, Brownie, don't be so sure. Colin Hendry isn't the best centre half to have played for rovers and I'll tell you why in the next few days. Youre probably correct Den, my point was CH will win by a country mile, and he will. Probably.

Rooney's three goals were good, but, for quality, come 3rd, 4th and fifth behind Shearers double on his debut against crystal palace. Seriously, Rooney's gonna be a great player. Gutted he's gone to O.T. though.

one other point. Both players went to other clubs. Mike England became a top player in one of England's best ever club teams - The mighty Spurs. Colin Hendry went to ....... Manchester City.

I saw both Colin Hendry and Mike England. Colin was the talisman behind the premiership win, everyone knows about Colin. Braveheart was exactly what he was. He lead by example, that was his main attribute. Also scored the winning goal from centre forward, in the full members cup final, so he was versatile as well. Nobody overestimates his contribution to the biggest domestic prize, he was superb. however, he wasn't the best centre half that rovers have ever had. Mike England was a far better player. Take a look at This article on the PFA football legends website. As a footballer, he would outshine Hendry every time. He could play anywhere - centre half, centre forward or midfield. Hendry could never have done that. When I first saw him, he played, as an 18 year old right half, the equivalent of todays midfielder. He could have played there all his career, he was that good. The things that I remember about him were the way he used to ease across the pitch, slide into the tackle and take the ball away cleanly - sheer class. I saw him score two goals, playing centre forward at Turf Moor, against a good burnley side, playing for a relegation bound rovers team, he was superb. He moved to centre half soon in his career. From there he really made his name as the best centre half in Britain. Proof of how highly he was regarded, was when he was sold to Spurs for £95,000. A British record for a defender. Hendry was never regarded that highly. He was the regular captain of Wales. Hendry only captained Scotland on a few occassions. As it says on the PFA legends website, Mike England was world class. Hendry wasn't that. He went on to manage Wales. It's difficult to get over to people who have never seen him, exactly how good he was. However, take notice of the posters on here, who HAVE seen him. They will have seen both Hendry and England, I bet they go for England every time. Two words stick out about Mike England - "WORLD CLASS"

Unless someone comes forward wanting 3-5-2 we'll stick with 4-4-2 then. No-one has yet.

The poll isn't up yet. Watch this space for Mike England profile.

demographic: "relating to the dynamic balance of a population especially with regard to density and capacity for expansion or decline" Pardon?

Pardon?

I take it you mean the formation? I'm only being receptive to suggestions.

Whoa, Brownie, don't be so sure. Colin Hendry isn't the best centre half to have played for rovers and I'll tell you why in the next few days.

4-4-2 or 3-5-2? We might need a poll to decide. Let me explain the thinking behind me wanting to go 3-5-2: 3-5-2 is the nearest formation that would allow all the older players a chance of selection. It is very similar to the old "W" midfield formation of the 60's. Most of rovers best players come from the 60's or 90's. It evens out the chances. Nor is it biased towards the older players, as it is a formation played today in modern football. The obvious drawback is that it is a formation not often used by rovers nowadays. Now, look at this list of central midfielders midfielders: Ronnie Clayton, Tim Sherwood, Tugay, Barry Hole, David Batty, Ken Knighton, Super Atko, Roy Vernon. Stuart Metcalfe, DuncanMcKenzie, Howard Kendal, Tony Parkes, Eddie Quigley, Eamonn Rogers, Healess, forrest, bradshaw, Mickey speight, simon barker. Mick McGrath, Gordon Cowans. Peter Dobing. There are probably more. After all those, we have to find room for two wingers. Playing just one C.H. would allow three of these top midfielders into the side. Playing two centre halves would mean keeping only two of them. As Jim pointed, 4-4-2 could mean the loss of one of the GREAT midfielders, or result in Clayton or Douglas for example missing out, and let's be honest, attacking midfielders are far more popular than centre halves. The attacking/defensive balance of these teams never works out, I reckon we need a team of players that fans will pay good money to watch - midfielders/ forwards, which means 3-5-2. I'm serious, we might need a poll to decide. As for now let's just vote the first centre half in and then we will decide.

The results of the vote for the Left Back position finished as this: Graeme Le Saux 73 votes [48%] Bill Eckersley 56 votes[36%] Keith Newton 11 votes[7%] Therefore Le Saux joins Brad Friedel and Bob Crompton in the greatest ever team. Now to move onto the centre half. No-one objected to the suggestion that the team played in a 3-5-2 formation, in which place we require only one central defender. I've got together a short list of the following players: Mike England Colin Hendry Matt Woods David May Glenn Keeley Derek Fazackerley Graham Hawkins Kevin moran Stephane Henchoz John McNamee Tony gale Henning Berg More than likely some quality centre halves aren't on that list. Please let me know if anyone else should be there. We can use a few days to browse over the topic and maybe someone will come forward with a few thoughts about their own favourite.

John Connelly, a member of England's World Cup-winning squad in 1966, joined Rovers from ManU in 1968 (I think). John Connelly interview, just for Jim.

Don't know Ricky.

Baggio?

Over to you guys and gals.

We need any help we can get.

Sky sports now report Djorkaef is in talks with rovers. Confirmed by his agent Willie McKay.

Our fans were invited to do their own preview, in any fashion they liked. I thought rover6 did well. Give it a go yourselves. I'll be asking for volunteers soon.

If you watch the replay of the pen, when Emerton releases the ball, the defender put his right leg out, moves his body/arm towards the ball. Not ball to hand, but body to ball.

I reckon that's a pretty good preview rover6. Well done and thank you.