Well, as I sit here composing more nonsense to hopefully educate and entertain, Sir Bradley of Dack has put us 2-0 up against WBA. I hope by the time I've finished WBA will not have scored 3! (Now 2-1!). The FA Cup, the oldest cup competition in the whole of the World, is perhaps not all it used to be, and isn't perhaps always taken seriously by the Lords at the PL top table, but fair play to Newcastle they have priced this very attractively to us, and an initial allocation of 3,000 may well sell out at £10 tops. Head to head: As far as I can work out, we have surprisingly only faced each other eight times (not including replays,) in the Cup's history. The first time was in 1910, at their place, where we lost 3-1, in front of nearly 55,000. Our overall record against Newcastle is: W 56 D 29 L 58 Pretty even. In the Cup it isn't so good: W 2 L 6 The last game was 7th January 2012 at St James Park, a 2-1 defeat, where Finetodger scored for the Rovers. You have to go back to February 1993 for a Rovers win, when Roy Wegerle scored the only goal of the game at Ewood, in front of just under 20,000. Both clubs have a cracking history in the cup: Rovers: Winners 6 times, Runners-up twice Newcastle: Winners 6 times, R-U 7 Recent common players: Andy Cole Keith Gellespie David Batty Darren Peacock Craig Bellamy Kevin Gallagher Leon Best Danny Simpson Howard Gayle Danny Guthrie Shefki Kuqi Zurab Khizanishvili Grant Hanley Damien Duff I'm sure there's another......it will come to me, give me time. Random facts about Newcastle: 1849's Robert Stephenson's high level bridge was the first road/rail bridge in the entire World......our Wainwright bridge to nowhere, can't even carry chuff-chuffs! The Town Moor is bigger than Hyde Park and Hampstead Heath together, and the freemen of Newcastle can graze their cattle on it. Corporation Park has a reet fine duck pond! One of my favourite films, Get Carter (1971) was filmed in the city, and that bloke who went on to be a publican in Corry was thrown off a multi-storey by that professional cockerney, Micky Caine. Britt Ekland took her top off, just saying. Part of Trainspotting 2 was filmed in Blackburn.....Scotland, although I think George Formby once trapped up in the borough to film summut old and in black and white, which was the colour of BwD before colour was invented in the 60's. The Grainger Market in Newcastle, was their first covered market, in 1835. Blackburn's indoor market is okay. The Newcastle Metro Centre is in the 10 biggest in Europe. The Mall is in the top 10 biggest in Lancashire. Newcastle Brown Ale is very well known, It tastes like liquified excrement. Thwaites still brew some palatable ales, although now in the suburbs, and elsewhere. Lucozade was invented in the city. John Noel Nichols, a Blackburnian invented Vimto. Vimto every time. Greggs was launched in Gosforth in 1951. Not a fan. There's a couple in the Mall if you need to? A Toon fan thought of the windscreen wiper in 1908 on the way back from a match in a storm, I swear by them. My lad is at Durham Uni. He insisted we go to the big city last I visited in November, as "there's bugger all to do in Durham". My own observation is that the folk of the City are very hardy, On a Saturday night they wear very few clothes. I had four layers on, and I'm no shrinking violet, but it was bloody cold! Alas, I was driving, but as I like a pint, there appear to be any number of fine watering holes in and around the stadium. I wish all those attending a safe and successful trip, with a few pints thrown in! Let's hope we are in the hat for the 4th Round. A good cup run is always fun. Tony, play a decent team, please? Oh, and phew, 3-points, who doesn't like a happy ending........(so Carry On!). Alan, oh, it will annoy me when it's pointed out.....played for us for four seasons, and I recall he was the best striker to ever play for the club, sorry Simon!

We are all passionate about our club, but I am in your camp. I look on here daily, watch when I can, and my first hand view of the Norwich game seemed to confirm TM has a very limited grasp of his buys, selection and substitutions. I think he is struggling in this league when there are better teams and more savvy managers.

I am a longstanding colleague of your dad, he will know who I am! Whilst I accept your points, Jack didn't take the step when he could have done. The promised land (if that's what it is) seems a long way off. I don't know why the Loons would see this as a viable option, or if there is a company out there willing to finance it, all well and good. It could be mothballed at the present time IMO, and perhaps a simpler solution to remove the roof and redesign the current arrangement, removing the pillars etc. We rarely had sell outs in the PL. I would love the stand to be replaced with the original design however....it would have made a great stadium! As for others, Bournemouth have done nowt, and a capacity of 11,000, and don't get me started on the cricket field stand at the Turd......makes the RS state of the art!

Stuart, I don't understand why? We have average crowds of less than 15,000, the capacity of the ground is 24,000 without the RS, so why spend money we need elsewhere? Wingers, LB's, CB's, another striker........the new Loon stand makes no sense to me unless they get us back to where we came from?

Whilst I totally agree that the Riverside is awful, I'm finding it hard to believe that there is talk of replacing it! It could be shut down completely, and a sensible pricing policy put in place, so that all could be re-housed elsewhere. And before any Riversider's shout at me, my seat in the BE upper was taken away without consultation. At the present time, would it not be better having the whole of the BE open, busy JW stand, and half a DE for home supporters? We can't fill half of the ground as it is! Money would be better spent on the squad (if this is in the offing).....surely?

Over to you Tony, take responsibility?

If Tony really is "honest" then, Smallwood getting himself sent off, and my errors in substitutions, should be right up there as comments to the press!

As was said earlier, TM's subs have an impact, a completely negative one. This is a real problem, and opposing managers will all have one thing to say to their teams, keep it 0-0 till 60 minutes and we will win.

Folk were in the main positive about today's team selection. We seemed to have held our own, they were down to 10 men. It seems Smallwood, and woeful substitutions (again), have done for us. I went to the Norwich game, first game I've been to this season. I was not impressed. Fitness seems a real problem, that and changes are down to the manager. He had a decent squad, and got us up. He appears ill equipped for life in this division.

But that's the issue. The Loons will see the demise, say they have given seven million for a striker that never scores, and go back to making millions from feathered slaughter. then forget about their baby for another twelve months. They obviously have an accounting genius in India.

I agree. After watching the Norwich game, today's debacle, and countless other capitulations, we will do well to finish above the bottom three.

We are now in a self fulfilling phophecy. Owners who haven't got a clue. Place their faith in whoever the latest bloke (Waggott) suggests, if it doesn't work, get someone else in cheap. It's the total lack of any direction from those that own us that kills us! If they actually spoke of their ambition.....but they can't, as I don't think they have any. In the words of the famous Accringtonian, they bumble along. We are a rudderless ship.

Whilst I can't stand Duffy after his conduct, he is the type of player we need.

Loons, anywhere after that is a bonus.

A shocker, TM has real problems in his tactics. Still ten points in advance of Bolton, but the team is in free fall at present. Fifty points seem a long way away.

Yes.

You can tell I'm bored watching Wolves v Liverpool, I'll commit to Toon in the FA Cup, and Villa away, which is way off , but I did the home game and my only friend can give me an update on their fortunes!

Like a certain man in history, he is under orders?

Do they have those binoculars behind the seat in front for two quid, that made it worse?

Chicken and egg, did the club choose the Category after the fixtures were announced, I presume so? So Waggott gets out his calculator after thinking with his attractive ST prices, he will have a few big pay days, but it hasn't happened. Surely the arrangements are fluid, as has been said, the club can alter arrangements for certain games, so why couldn't they make WBH £20 both clubs, all areas? 20,000 on minimum?

The offer tomorrow for me is good. I want to sit in the JW upper with my 18-year old. It's £28. WBH in the same seats, £53. Almost double. It's not attractive, and we won't be there, even if we beat Norwich and Leeds. Christmas is expensive enough. The club has missed a massive opportunity for a bumper gate on NY day.

I love a vocabulary spat!

I've never really liked Leeds as a team. Growing up in the late 60's, early 70's, Chelsea were always more glamorous. Rovers were in the Wilderness. Their "style" of football under Revie was at times brutal. A bit like their stadium and (without generalising) their horrible fans. I've been to Elland Road a number of times, and have always felt intimidated and unwanted, as we always seemed to be in that bleak corner. Ahead of our match against Norwich, and Leeds at Villa on Sunday, they currently sit top of the (Christmas) tree, with 45 points, whilst we are becalmed in mid-table, 14 points adrift, it won't be plain sailing.......okay, enough of the watery references. Head to head: Leeds were late developers, only really coming to life in 1919, the mighty Rovers having already won the FA Cup five times. However we haven't done that well against them. The full results (all competitions) are Rovers won 32, drawn 23, lost 44. The first competitive league game was the 25th October 1924, in which they triumphed at Ewood 3-2, the last at their place in the league was a 2-1 defeat on the 13th September 2016, where 19,009 saw Leeds win 2-1, Marvin Emnes scored - where is he now? We have current bragging rights though? Recent players in common: Robbo - he was alreet. Matteo Kilgallon Grayson Wilcox - legend! Batty - oh, you and Le Saux! Fowler - well he did play a few games for us. El Hadji Diouf - expectorate extraordinaire. Graham - please score. Achievements: FA Cup: Rovers 6, Leeds 1 League Cup 1 x 1 League 1 2 x 3 PL 1 x 0 Fairs Cup (Does anyone even care?) Populations: Leeds is apparently (behind Londinium and Brum) the third largest Metropolitan borough in the country, with an estimated current population of 750,000, as opposed to BwDBC at just under 150,000. So soak that up you arrogant Yorkies.....or Loiners, as the folk of the city are known. We are undoubtedly THE BEST TOWN TEAM IN ENGLAND! For such a large city, their ground holds 37,890, but is rarely full. They average just under 32,500 this season. Oh, and they charge too much to away fans, robbing basta*ds! Leeds, the facts: M&S sort of started there, we have one too, so what? Leeds purloined Real Madrid's strip in the 60's, our strip is far superior. The mouse trap, the Little Nipper, was invented there. What about animal rights? There are quite a lot of rats living behind my office in Blackburn though........ Keith Lemon......twat.....need I say more? Jelly tots......never liked them. The last flat cap manufacturer closed their doors in 2000. I never trust a driver in head wear........why, because you have a roof silly, although I accept open top cars might be exempt. Things in common: Since Jack......sh*t owners? The game: I applaud the Rovers who will pay the extortionate prices and attend regardless, probably worse for wear after Christmas Day. I will return on Saturday, as I've promised my son an early present (and it's £28 for both of us in the JW stand, take note Maggot?). I won't comment further as I leave that to others about the game itself. Just a general overview of the past. 23rd October 1993, my mother-in-law had just passed after a battle against cancer. The family were all massive Evertonians. I had a ticket, and they said go, as there was nothing else I could do, I did. Alan nearly beat them single handedly in front of over 37,000. Footy eh? Whilst no longer married, I will always thank them for their blessing! Whilst I sit and type this watching the League Cup, football is something that binds us all on this message board. We should all agree that the members of this forum, whilst not always in agreement, are first and foremost ROVERS through and through. May I wish you all a fantastic Christmas, and let's hope we have an exciting New Year and transfer window! WE ARE ROVERS!

I would have to read it.....if it came from the heart......I'm 55, so probably not in my lifetime!

Bit late IMO, but a pinch of humility, a soupcon of acknowledgment, a dash of information........no I'll always despise them. Read the Guardian article. They lied, and we have had years of misery and financial impropriety to mull over.