This has to be an impossible task. Over the history of the game there has to be thousands of absolutely first rate players which of course many will not have seen. For example my experience of Puskas is about thirty seconds of highlights. A more managable proposition would be the best 50 players of the Premiership. At least you would have a vague idea that people had actually seen a reasonable amount of the players they were talking about and so aable to have their own opinion rather than regurgitating and assessing from journalistic sources.

Wellwe aint likely to get an inform player in Jan as they will be extraordinarily expensive, but your exactly right about the pace. McCarthy, Ooijer and Roberts are the only players we laid money down on so far, and we are likely to get a little bit of cash for Neill. Another striker may not be too much to ask, as Nonda could be returned to sender without loss, while Gallagher looks like he is in line for selling. Earnshaw, while hardly ideal, may well be better than what we have. We need speed!

First part may be true. THe second part is absolute nonsense! Nelsen is a world class defender. Todd is a brick out house.

If Sparky had any faith he would havebeen on the bench today. The only striker there was Derbyshire and Hughes usually likes to have 2 forwards avaiable to come on. For whatever reason i don't think Gally is going to play a real part this season. Derbyshire and Peter might get a shot though.

I dunno, I think it's a fair enough point. There was no need for savage to say what he did, even if City's antics were a big melodramatice when he left. I'm sure Sav won't care though, water off a duck's back.

And injuries to Zurab and Nelsen. But he has played well, so far! I fancy him to keep his place even once Zurab and Henchoz return. Don't know why, but I think him and Ooijer could be a good combination.

Todd has made an amazing comeback for the second time into the Rovers side! After falling out with Hughes and signings relegating him to 5th choice behind Nelsen, Ooijer, Zurab and Henchoz, our former captain seems back from the dead.

Three big things have changed since last season. a) We have lost Bellamy Nelsen and Reid, two of out best players (Nelsen arguably THE best) have been injured for the long term. c) We have played six games in the UEFA cup. All of those things are outside Hughes control. What is within Hughes' control is who he brought in, and I would say that broadly speaking he has done a good job on the money available, which is not much. Jeffers, Henchoz and Nonda were free, while Roberts and Benni seem worth their low fees. The one serious accusation that we can level is he did not bring in a quality central midfielder. Virtually everybody on the board was suprised by that. A player with a real engine in the middle and some passing ability to compliment Savage would have been a real advantage. If we lose today, which we almost certainly will, then Hughes will for the first time start feeling some pressure.

Well it all depends how much money we have in the pot. Which I guess is not a huge amount. While we certianly don't have the same amount of money as the city clubs we are in the same financial bracket as the Bolton's, the Wigan's, the Reading's of this world. Just because we don't have huge amounts of money does not necessarily mean we are going down, although it is more likely. Just like any one we have to live within our means, which are unfortunately pretty small in the post Jack era. There is no reason why the Walkers are obliged to bail us out. And I feel there is a thread of panic at the moment which is unwarrented. We have a good side in terms of players. The only significant loss we have suffered is Bellamy. That said a cash injection would be warmly welcomed.

We are not going down you numptys. We have decent players, money to spend in January, and two first rate players in Nelsen and Reid coming back from injury. Sparky is an excellent manager. Pull yourelves together! UEFA cup and 10th would do me. Or going out in thenext round and finishing 6-7th with an impression in the FA cup.

Academy products: Gallagher, Peter, Tiny Taylor, Douglas, Danns, Dunn, Beattie, Duff (sort of), Damien Johnson (sort of). I think there are a couple more I may have missed playing in the top two leagues.

Nonda should be dropped but I certainly think Benni has something to offer. Clearly the best striker we have at the moment and his strike rate compares favourably to Cole, Jansen, Dickov, anyone really in recent rovers history apart from Bellamy. He has scored 8 in 21 games. While the performance at Charlton was inexcusable we are a long longlong way from being down. Currently we are 9 points off sixth with a game in hand.

Mokoena was consistently good pretty much all through the latter half of the 2004/2005 season. Honestly. Not me looking back with rose tinted spectacles. He was excellent at breaking up the play and played a major part in us staying up. I'm quite prepared to be accept I have misremembered things if people don't back me up, but I think they will.

I don't suppose you ever saw the Sheffield Wednesday kit with the Chupa Chops logo on it... Love shirt 3 away. 3&3 for me.

How does it feel being one of the four teams to have won the Prem? Brilliant and sort of permanent as it is unlikely really to be surpassed by a club of a similar size to us. People bang on about us buying the title, but it is forgotten that Jack loved the club and was not actually spending much more money than Man Utd at the time. Shearer's transfer to Newcastle for 15 million (we got him for 3.5), who failed to win the title, puts the achievement in perspective. It ain't all money. What do you think of Mark Hughes? Was a period at the end of last season where I really thought we had a Wenger standard manager on our hands. Outstanding buys on a low budget, enetertaining football, real determination. A poor start to the season has tempered that a little, but still easily the best manager at Ewood since Kenny. UEFA Cup – Heaven or Hell? Heaven. You might laugh but we could win it. We are a better side than Boro who got to the final last year. Why has your season started so indifferently? We lost our two best players - Bellamy to Liverpool and Nelsen to injury - along with Reid who is excellent and Roberts who wasn't doing much to be honest. Our squad is simply too thin to cope with the rigours of a heavy schedule in the Premiership and Europe at the same time really. Especially when your heart and soul - Tugay - is 36. Who has performed above expectations for your team? And who not? Bentley. Looks like he could actually one day play for England, if perhaps only in a sort of Jemaine Jenas sort of way. Emerton is one of the best right backs in the premiership. I cannot believe we played him as a winger for 3 years... Gamst has been poor at absolute best going forward. He does his work defensively though which I guess is why Hughes perseveres. He could have been displaced by Peter by the time we play you. Why do you not sell out the ground? Heavy competition in the area (Wigan, Bolton, Preston, Burnley, United, City...) over really too few fans to go round in a climate where it seems attendances are declining across the board. It's a shame because we are the cheapest team to watch in the Premiership I think. And we have a very good side. What do you think of Reading? Good club who are looking to make a real fist of Premiership life. Nice to see a South East club outside of london for once. Score Prediction?1-1 Any finally - tell me some Interesting fact about your club?Um. Oh apparently we are the only club allowed to put Crests on out corner flags. Although this is up for debate roughly every six to nine months on the messageboard...

That's good point that, you would think all the London clubs must get better away attendance than pretty much any other clubs in the country due to exiles.

Top work Bob. Writing these things must be a pain, I know, but your public needs you and your words of humorous folkish wimsy. And the dutch porn jokes too, obviously! You should never stop. Ever.

Hmmm.... If Henchz doesn't make it I reckon the team will be: ---------Nonda-----McCarthy Peter Savage Tugay Bentley --Gray Ooijer Neill Emerton ----------------Freidal Although MH has persisted with MGP through thick and thin perhaps today represents a fine opportunity to give Peter a start. I just have a feeling he might do it.

I am a bit confused. BRISA is not an attack on the club. It is an organiztion of fans who try to work with the club, and represent their interest to the club. It is actually quite a useful tool for JW and the like to work out what the club can do to attract fans. You seem to suggest it is harmful in some way to the clubs interests, but I cannot see how that is the case.

Certianly a fantastic signing! Free. Scored a number of crucial goals. Cheap wages i'm sure. Sold for 2.5 million. I'm not sure how that can be anything other than fantastic value. As for the Nonda/kuqi debate clearly Nonda is the better all round footballer, but he seems to lack the Finn's energy, enthusiasm and ability to physically pressure (scare?!) the opponents defence. Maybe Hughes could show Chris some videos of Shefki's work ethic?

I think Hughes would probably take the job if it was offered to him with a decent transfer budget to make an impression, nothing really suprising there. Liverpool are one of only four clubs with the resources to win the title. However i can't see Benitez being sacked, and even if he was I am not really sure Hughes tops the que for the job. Arguably Moyes and Allerdyce both have as good records as Hughes, and of course Liverpool have been looking abroad for top managers in recent years. His ex united profile has to count against him too. Has a scouse ever managed Man U, or a Manc Liverpool? And Hughes would very much prefer to manage Man Utd if it was avilable, I'm sure, so would make a decision on lfc dependent on the situation at OT. What i do think is that Gerrard will be off if Liverpool don't dramatically improve in the latter half of this season.

I do find mokoena a bit pointless as we don't play 451 ever, even when we were crippled with injuries and playing high quality attacking sides likw man U. Hughes clearly does not rate him as a defender- hence purchase of Henchoz - and he is our last choice central midfielder. However i suppose we have to realise that mokoena is one of only three fit proper central midifelders (maybe 4 with Bentley). Until we get someone better we need to hold onto him.

I'm not sure that's true. I think most people would much rather watch a premiership game than a championship all things being equal, simply due to the much higher standard of play.

Interesting to hear that Bentley played so well in the centre and Emerton on the right. Bit of a headache when Tugay returns for Nancy. Great result. McCarthy sounds like he was excellent, Nonda was not quite so convincing. Gallagher has to be on his way out unfortunately. Not even used as a sub with no first team players fit ahead of him in the pecking order.

Can't see Tottenham selling for less than 6-8million. bit too much for us I reckon. Nugent could move for around 4 million, but it would be a big gamble.