Huddersfield look atrocious but Burnley will be very encouraged by the way they are playing. The influence of Bellamy is obvious to see. They look fit, motivated and very, very competitive.

As much as I love Travis for his endeavour and desire, competition for his spot in the team has been pretty thin since Smallwood left. Players thrive on being pushed. Having watched the development of Adam Wharton and Garrett over these last 12 months it is to be hoped that these boys step up successfully. Wharton in particular might just impress a few if given minutes.

Very true. I like to think Simon might have notched a late goal. 8-1 sounds so much better 😁

That's a really interesting point. I'd never thought about Speedie in the prem. I think he scored around 31 goals in our promotion season. He was far too good for the 2nd division so no reason he couldn't have contributed the following season. We got rid of Garner at the same time. It would have been nice to bring him on as sub in a dead rubber. Perhaps Norwich at home

This looks to be a good option and one that I will take up. Although only a sporadic poster, I visit the forum every day (often several times a day). You are all doing a magnificent job, thank you and well done!

Probably right with this. Unfortunately I don't see a team with Pickering and to a slightly lesser extent Hedges challenging for a top 6 spot. I would also like a genuine challenger to Travis to emerge this season.

Yes I'm very concerned by Pickering. Desperately need some real quality there. He is woefully slow for that position. Confidence looks shot to me

Very early days but Brittain looks athletic, strong and confident with a lovely touch

Wow. A fullback who can cross. Lovely ball to Dack

Hayden Carter is resolutely a Centre half and nothing else. His body shape and touch are completely unsuited to right back/ wing back.

There is an awful lot of possession along the back line in the early stages. Reminiscent of the way we played the season before last. Not really my preferred option

Surely Bassey?

Loved watching Jim Branagan, but the thought of him as a modern wing back....

Haha. We got him after merging with St Thomas Aquinas. If I recall correctly we played your lads in the 5th year final at Griffin Park. We came second.

Yes I remember Sean's name and knew Gary very well and also through his association with West End FC in the town centre. Great bloke.

Just missed you. 1982 to 1987 (went to the Full Members Cup final instead of revising for my upcoming GCEs) 😁

You sound like a St Edmund Arrowsmith old boy like myself.

The genius of JRC there. Booked before touching the ball

Agreed. Judging by that 1st half we need to get Nyambe back. Definitely need a Championship standard left back too as we don't presently have one of those either.

Reading the above makes me fearful of another Lambert situation. I can all too easily forsee a situation at some point in the season where Broughton and JDT simply walk out due to the sheer incompetence and bloody mindedness of their bosses. Please God, can't they pull themselves together just once?

I love watching these games from the late 80s. This was the time when I joined the Away Travel and went all over the country having left school, got a job and had money in my pocket for the first time. The main thing to strike me when looking back at these videos is the close link between the singing element of the Blackburn End and the players themselves. During the warm up at least half the team have a song or chant sung about them, and they wave and applaud the fans. Gennoe, Scott Sellars, Colin Hendry, Howard Gayle, Andy Kennedy, Simon Garner: All these players had an individual song, instantly easy to bring to mind when looking back . This doesn't happen quite the same now. The exciting players will still be sung about of course (Dack, Breo etc) but I don't believe that the sense of camaraderie between us and them is quite the same. The link isn't as strong and they don't seem to belong to us quite the same. It might be because the players no longer live in the town or drink in the pubs but I think it's something else too. Players in bygone times felt like our representatives somehow. They were part of our community and it felt like we were all vesting in a common goal. The modern relationship seems somehow to have lost its way sadly.

Perhaps they count fingers through the turnstiles?

That's brilliant. I've never seen that advert before. £15.50 was a good price for a projector in the 1970s, albeit a silent projector. I am a collector of these things. I have a 400 foot reel of the1966 World cup final with Wolstenholme commentary which is great to watch. some of the films in this advert occasionally come up for sale on Ebay.

Good luck JDT. The first Rovers manager in history to be born after me. Reading up on his style of play, I'm not sure Dack will find it easy to be a regular. This is the only Venkys appointment with any real thought and structure behind it other than the Lambert one. I'm actually excited for next season now for the first time in years!

Just been and renewed for my Dad, my son and myself. Didn't dare leave it until tomorrow in case I forgot. Club shop practically deserted. Onwards and upwards....