Colt Seavers

I suppose it makes sense to build a team which is less reliant on DacK and Graham as I wouldn't expect either of them to be here next season.

I was telling my son about Kevin the other night at the Bury game. Chris Taylor was warming up right in front of us and I remarked that I always called him Kevin Stonehouse as I thought they looked alike. I think he scored in the dreaded away game at Bristol Rovers on the day we just missed out on the first division. A penalty I think but not sure. The clip above against Watford brings back very happy memories of my formative years standing up on the wall on the Riverside peering through the red bars. RIP Kevin.

I likened him to Simon Barker last night but you are more accurate (and up to date) with the Cairney comparison. He doesn't have quite the same street smarts as a Cairney type yet but is a little quicker all round and can be the better player in time. I saw lots of him at Leyland last year and he always stood out. He is fantastic at receiving the ball deep from the defence and turning his man to create space. No other player at the club does this better. He showed last night that he is equally comfortable playing much further forward. Although unusually slight, he has strong legs and I haven't seen him knocked off the ball yet. Contrast that with Magloire for example who really needs to work on his strength when physically competing man to man. I would hate Buckley to go out on loan. I believe he is better here, coming up against the likes of the truly terrifying sight of Bradley Johnson smashing him around in training every day.

Johnson definitely did the back four defensive line drills but I think Lowe took the rest. Hopefully he will have some influence over the manager this season. He seems far more dynamic and positive, and Mowbray needs a bit of that I think. Sometimes older managers in every walk of life carry the scars of past failures around with them and can benefit from the fearlessness of a younger person without the same baggage. I think they can potentially be terrific together.

It was heartening to see Chris Taylor get a huge round of applause from our fans tonight. He seemed to really appreciate it. Classy touch, Taylor was a limited but honest pro for us.

It's a good question Mike. I think Buckley will probably play a little deeper than Dack and Rothwell in time but for now it would be a little risky I think to give him a holding midfield role. His lack of physicality and experience might catch him out there. He played high up today (went off at half time) and had more margin for error which suits him at this age. I don't see him as a starter at the moment but I definitely wouldn't be loaning him out either. He is such an intelligent player and holds the ball so well. His probing passes are excellent.

Half time. Hart looks like a hamstring pull rather than anything more serious. He was up quickly and didn't look too bad. Really enjoyable half, no poor performers. Gallagher looks quick over the turf and Johnson is solidly controlling things. JRC looks much better going forward than defending where he was done a couple of times early on. Grayson showing lovely long distribution with his left foot. Rothwell is his usual dangerous self but special mention must go to Buckley who is absolutely bossing the game. He is a joy to watch. He has the identical look and body shape of the young, pre 'El -Beatle' George Best and plays exactly the same as Simon Barker in his early days. I have to say I much prefer watching this young side to the stalwarts.

I would think Brereton and Rothwell wide with Buckley in the Dack role off Gallagher. But am probably way off!

Enjoying a bit of fast food outside the ground. Just seen the team news. Looking forward to seeing the young full backs play, as well as Rothwell, Buckley, Gallagher and Brereton . Absolutely beautiful evening!

Thought you meant Kenny Sansom there for a minute. Now he was a good left back! I thought Hart looked really promising yesterday. I wouldn't have known him as the same player from his first spell here. He can easily make that shirt his own this year. Really hope he does, as that would solve a massive problem. On similar lines, I can't help thinking that right back is a more natural position for Magloire than in the middle. With his pace and youth as well as his natural defending nous he must be a better fit there than Bennett. These two young lads at full back would really give us a whole new dimension.

Danny Graham looked a big unit on my wide screen TV

I eventually agreed to stump up the 12 quid yesterday to watch on Tv. I endorse pretty much everything already stated above; clearly a different animal with the introduction of youth late on. In fact the last twenty minutes or so was strongly reminiscent of the type of high pressing, high intensity game played under Johnson in the Academy matches I watched last year. I presume he was there yesterday? We certainly ended up more "Jonty" than "Mogga" in the closing stages. I was alarmed to see the size and general ineffectiveness of Danny Graham. It might be that the new kit doesn't suit him, but he reminded me of Elvis in Vegas towards the end. Straggly unkempt hair, rotund of belly and moob and running on autopilot. I can't see him making the end of August either. Gallagher and Brereton need to be ready to step up sooner rather than....

Maybe those dingle defenders had too many fingers in ears.

I know. Please God it's Evans, Smallwood or Bennett.

Horrible sinking feeling it might be Rothwell. Please no.

So that's why they called him Groundskeeper Willie.

Sounds nasty!

Yes. I'm afraid the letter 'a' was misprinted as the letter 'c'

That reminds me of the episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm titled 'My Beloved Aunt'

I think most would agree that Peter Beardsley is a vastly superior human being to Craig Bellamy.

Yes he is apparently.

Very cold, wet nIght. Good comeback and a really excellent finish from Chapman. He was matched for pace by the full back so wasn't hugely effective overall. Buckley and Butterworth were confident and Davenport tidy. Don't know who our left back was but he really impressed me.

Yes but what if John loses his Stones?

Fair points, but Garner always seemed to score in cup ties against 1st Division sides so I am confident that he could have stepped up. I don't see contemporaries such as Cottee or Adrian Heath as significant upgrades on Simon and I think he would have scored plenty at the higher level.

He's certainly been rinsed a few times this season!