Probably right but I wonder if Mowbray might want a more defensive midfield: Kaminski Nyambe Lenihan Carter Pickering Travis Davenport Rothwell Buckley Gallagher Brereton-Diaz

Just been down to move our season ticket seats for the season. I was surprised to get three together in the Jack Walker Upper, fairly central. In previous years these seats would have been taken. This surely suggests an historically low number sold unfortunately. The shop is open but only one staff member is serving in the Ticket office with a large queue forming. They are still on paper tickets for season ticket holders this weekend.

I think, in his heart of hearts, Mowbray would like to start with five at the back with Travis and Davenport sitting; keep it nice and tight and don't lose the game. The Leeds game showed some promise but that was spectacularly unpicked at Bolton. It would be a brave manager to start that again, particularly if Ayala is missing and Magloire is needed. I think he will find a compromise with a 433 type formation with both Travis and Davenport alongside Rothwell, and Buckley missing out. I'm certain Dolan will also miss out with Gallagher starting. Mowbray must feel under enormous pressure not to lose this game because the excitement in the crowd post pandemic could turn very ugly very quickly if we take a battering.

Five at the back was disastrous at Bolton. Really dreadful. Still leaky but no threat going forward. Very hard to win like that. By dropping the 3rd centre half (Magloire) and bringing Rothwell into a midfield three (for Travis or Davenport)with Gallagher in a front three we look much better to me.

If we set up like that on the opening day of the season, at home to Swansea, we are asking to be relegated. Over to you Tony...

I've just been down and renewed for me, my dad and my son. I didn't get a season ticket last year but I am to use the card from the previous year. For the Swansea game, they printed a match ticket for us to use as the season ticket system may not be set up in time for Saturday. There was quite a steady number of people there to renew.

Carter isn't ready for Championship football just yet. He needs more time to remove the rawness. Ideally a loan would be good but we don't have enough depth for that so he will just have to learn on the job. Magloire is even less polished and is nowhere near the required standard. He looked way out of his depth in the first half. This five at the back malarkey has to stop now. We still concede goals and don't score them with that formation. The 4 3 3 in the second half was better in every respect. As a basic 11, that team should survive in the division but the inevitable injuries will test us massively. Rothwell and Buckley were excellent and must start next week. Gallagher too played well and keeping him fit is going to be crucial.

Set up far too defensively against poor opposition. Davenport our best player so far so I would replace Travis with Buckley. Need some creativity.

My son and I went down to renew last week. We want to move seats slightly but have to wait until after deadline day before seats free up. We will go down again early on the day after deadline day and hopefully get the seats we want. I got the impression that seats were selling ok in the Jack Walker upper tier. My decision to renew is purely based on it being a habit, a desire to get back to some sort of normal life and also that deceased family members followed Rovers through thick and thin for decades and I like keeping that tradition. Sadly, I think we will find ourselves in the bottom five very quickly.

My brother and I were at this game. We were aged 12 and 13. It was crowded in that side terrace and we couldn't see, so we went down to the front and clambered up to cling to the perimeter fence, as lots of young lads did in those days. At half time, the lagered up Rovers lads found they couldn't get to the gents due to the congestion, so they came down to the front and relieved themselves directly below us. We spent the second half marooned on the fence, with the stench from the river of urine making us gag. Eventually we no choice but to make a leap of faith. My brother, being older, easily cleared the huge puddle but I landed in it and had to wade, ankle deep to safety. Happy days!

Dack wasn't banned for doing 68 in a 60 per se. He was banned under the totting up procedure. Typically, 11 points is the maximum allowed, and 12 points generally tips a motorist into a period of disqualification. Dack was on 14 points prior to his latest episode, which means that he seemingly avoided being banned on a previous occasion, probably by using a clever lawyer, lots of mitigation and a promise to be a good boy from now on etc. He is now theoretically on a whopping 17 points and a ban is entirely warranted. I assume your "rozzers" comment was a somewhat light hearted, stereotypical anti police comment. Road users everywhere can breathe a sigh of relief that the menace that is Bradley Dack behind a wheel will be chauffeur driven for a while. Oh, the rozzers did catch a criminal a few years ago when Dack attacked one of them and was convicted of assault and criminal damage. I yield to no one in my admiration of Dack as a footballer, but come on!

Think he was frozen out of the squad over a contract dispute lasting several months.

I don't know if we are remembering the same incident, but Watford turned up about an hour late in the 1st leg of the semi final play off game in 88/89. They were stuck in traffic but played in their own kit which they changed into whilst on the coach. I think they were allowed a few minutes to stretch before we kicked off.

Probably around the neck.

Buckley is a similar size, weight and age to Phil Foden. From what I have heard, he performs like Foden in training which is why he is so highly rated and has been tied down. He has yet to show this level in matches other than in flashes. I have seen him play many times in the Under 23s and I can see why there is a buzz around him. Ultimately I think he plays too within himself, for want of a better description. He keeps it nice and tidy and safe the way Jason Lowe tried to. He needs a major shot of confidence instilling. He is a timid looking lad and is probably intimidated by the likes of Dack and other big personalities. He needs to find the required swagger and be much less risk averse if he is to become a big player at this level.

In all honesty, this looks to be our strongest line-up to me. Nicely worked out. I'm really disappointed with Rothwell lately. He has so much talent but plays far too within himself. A potential matchwinner on his day though. I expect us to win this 2-0

Some time around 1989 I was at The Blackburn Northern Cricket Club on a Saturday night with a couple of mates. We spotted ex Rover David Hamilton at the bar and got chatting to him. He was turning our for Chester City by this time if memory serves. We mentioned that our Sunday League team was playing a pre season friendly the following morning on the astro turf at Witton Park. kick off 10am. Astonishingly, he showed some interest in playing, and we kind of went along with it in a disbelieving way. Bugger me if he didn't turn up the next morning and play the full game. Great bloke and easily man of the match. I didn't think he was technically vastly superior to some of our lads but his fitness was far greater and he verbally bossed the game the way that pro footballers always do when playing with amateurs.

Yes Reid I think. I actually forgot Souness' promoted team when I made the lower league comparison. That team wasn't too shabby...

Edit

Mickey Droy too. Martin Chivers at one time maybe?

I remember watching the replay too. I was 8. Also too young to travel. Jim Arnold Branagan, Keeley, Fazackerley, Rathbone. Brotherston, Kendall, Parkes McKenzie Crawford, Garner. The above team must be the finest we ever fielded outside the top flight, and certainly in the third tier. Possibly rivalled by the 87/88 team Gennoe Price Hendry Mail Sulley Gayle Barker Ardiles Sellars Archibald Garner

I have loved watching this for a few months now. ITV have obviously transferred their dusty old tapes to a shiny new digital format with excellent picture and sound. I am curious,as to how long this will run for. It is the 74/75 season at the moment. Does anyone here remember if Rovers featured at all on The Big Match that year? It was a couple of years before I started watching. I know we were promoted that year. Here's hoping!

I reckon this lad might have scored a few for us if Howard Kendall hadn't sold him to Halifax. 😀

"Men with heads filled up with sand" That rings true!

I like Dolan a lot but he is deceptive. He is actually slower than he looks. His foot speed lulls you into thinking he is a quick runner but he isn't. He has a good initial burst over the first couple of yards which will stand him in good stead, but he isn't outright fast over twenty or thirty yards like a Rothwell or an Armstrong. I believe that this is why he has developed the step overs as he can't simply push the ball and run.