The BBC have Lens in third on goal difference

All ticket info for the Feyenoord match appears to have been removed from the official site today, seems a little odd...

Rovers Co UK

I don't think it ever was on that page, it was a news item - now in the archive

Feyenoord ticket notice

Unbelievable. Incredible. Fantastic!

Can't understand why any English football fan wouldn't want an English team to win. I even wanted ManUre to win a few years back.

If Preston are promoted 40% of the teams in the Premier League will be from what used to be Lancashire (forget "Greater Manchester" and "Merseyside"!)

I think that's fantastic!

I agree, the more local derbies the better!

I'm sorry, I haven't had time to find out if anyone's posted this already, but the "Ford Football Special" on Sky Sports 1 at 10pm until 11pm tonight is showing highlights of West Brom v Rovers.

Ginger-can i just ask who was the reporter who gave the reply?

it is quite important if anyone remembers as Im in the middle of a debate with Tim Williams and i just want to know if he was the guy to send the reply as i think it was him. Because he's changed his story since that reply

I can put it back on here now as John Richardson has given his permission. This is the email my sister sent. Jim Holden wrote one article and she cc'd in John Richardson who wrote another one. (Unfortunately I can't include a link to the articles as you have to register for the online versions. They were very similar to many others since Saturday!) The reply came from John Richardson, chief football correspondent at the Express.

To: jim.holden@express.co.uk

Cc: john.richardson@express.co.uk

Subject: A question of loyalty

Returning from Cardiff on Sunday 17th April, I stopped at some motorway services and bought an Express.

I read yours and John Richardson's articles on page 111 and laughed out loud.

To suggest the "stark truth was revealed" (the source of which was what?) - that Rovers fans "would rather not witness such hateful soccer" made me guffaw.

As a 44 year old mother of two, I feel I'm capable of looking beyond "tribal loyalty".  The "great swathes of empty seats in the areas reserved for blackburn supporters" were perhaps more due to Blackburn's small population (137,000)in relation to the population Arsenal can draw from (obviously the club cannot compete on a corporate basis to London either) than that they "would rather not witness such hateful soccer". 

An average Blackburn home gate draws in an attendance of 1:6, which compares favourably with other 'bigger' clubs. However, with the FA bowing to the lure of money and Sky meaning either a set off time of between 5-5.30 a.m. or an overnight stay to see the game - this proved too much for the pocket of some fans, when added to the expensive tickets.  I think this is more likely to be the "stark truth".  I sincerely hope by your comments you did not intend to belittle the fans who may not be able to afford the cost of taking the whole family to Cardiff.

Reading further to "the team.....went far beyond the acceptable limits of physical intimidation and cynical fouling" I really was chuckling. Where have you been for the last 6 or 7 years?  Vieira who was "singled out for particular pain" has been hacking down players for as long as my Grandma can remember. Indeed, to quote Paul Weaver from the Guardian (27.6.01), "red cards litter Vieira's otherwise brilliant career like fairground bunting. But this time he has produced much the worst of his over-the-top tackles". As far as physical intimidation goes, you must have missed THE Man United/Arsenal game with the Arsenal mob's disgraceful treatment of Ruud Van Nistlerooy at the end.

Perhaps you feel the Blackburn players should have laid a red carpet down for Arsenal all the way to the net.  Blackburn were there to compete, as Arsenal are used to competing.  Arsenal can give it out but cannot take it.

I took a "hard look" at myself and tried to visualise how I would feel if an opposing team assualted my side in such fashion, for example, the likes of Vieira, Bergstamp, Terry, Campbell, Smith, Keane and decided it would be.....a normal game in the Premiership.

I would rather be a "'loyal' one-eyed" Rovers supporter than a jump on Mourinho's bandwagon sycophant.

I threw your "brutal dross" where it belonged....

The reply

I have read your email with interest and to be honest I found myself agreeing with a lot of it especially the reference to Vieira and Keane.

But even though I am a big Mark Hughes fan and enjoy a good working relationship with him I felt that your side did overstep the physical mark on Saturday.

I also covered the Ewood Park Premiership game against Arsenal in which Blackburn in my opinion ruffled Arsenal's feathers but within the rules of the game.

I felt Saturday was different. I don't expect teams to roll out the red carpet for Arsenal - far from it. Bolton didn't at the Reebok and won although Arsene Wenger moaned about the Bolton tactics.

I know that some people from within the Blackburn boardroom were embarrassed by some of what went on and actually apologised to their Arsenal counterparts.

Hopefully it was a one off. But as a Blackburn supporter I can see your point.

At least unlike me you didn't have to sit through the torture of the following afternoon when the Newcastle team I support didn't even have it in them to kick anyone!

Anyway in future don't throw the Sunday Express away. It could make useful toilet paper.

All the best,

John Richardson.

My sis has now signed up the the MB, I'm sure she'll introduce herself at some point!

Sorry folks, I've removed my post - second thoughts about putting it on here.

PS - the reply to my sister's email was genuine but we probably shouldn't have put it on here. Apologies to the subsequent posters who've referred to it.

My sister sent this email to Jim Holden and John Richardson at the Express

Returning from Cardiff on Sunday 17th April, I stopped at some motorway services and bought an Express.

I read yours and John Richardson's articles on page 111 and laughed out loud.

To suggest the "stark truth was revealed" (the source of which was what?) - that Rovers fans "would rather not witness such hateful soccer" made me guffaw.

As a 44 year old mother of two, I feel I'm capable of looking beyond "tribal loyalty".  The "great swathes of empty seats in the areas reserved for Blackburn supporters" were perhaps more due to Blackburn's small population (137,000)in relation to the population Arsenal can draw from (obviously the club cannot compete on a corporate basis to London either) than that they "would rather not witness such hateful soccer". 

An average Blackburn home gate draws in an attendance of 1:6, which compares favourably with other 'bigger' clubs. However, with the FA bowing to the lure of money and Sky meaning either a set off time of between 5-5.30 a.m. or an overnight stay to see the game - this proved too much for the pocket of some fans, when added to the expensive tickets.  I think this is more likely to be the "stark truth".  I sincerely hope by your comments you did not intend to belittle the fans who may not be able to afford the cost of taking the whole family to Cardiff.

Reading further to "the team.....went far beyond the acceptable limits of physical intimidation and cynical fouling" I really was chuckling.  Where have you been for the last 6 or 7 years?  Vieira who was "singled out for particular pain" has been hacking down players for as long as my Grandma can remember.

Indeed, to quote Paul Weaver from the Guardian (27.6.01), "red cards litter Vieira's otherwise brilliant career like fairground bunting. But this time he has produced much the worst of his over-the-top tackles".  As far as physical intimidation goes, you must have missed THE Man United/Arsenal game with the Arsenal mob's disgraceful treatment of Ruud Van Nistlerooy at the end.

Perhaps you feel the Blackburn players should have laid a red carpet down for Arsenal all the way to the net.  Blackburn were there to compete, as Arsenal are used to competing.  Arsenal can give it out but cannot take it.

I took a "hard look" at myself and tried to visualise how I would feel if an opposing team assualted my side in such fashion, for example, the likes of Vieira, Bergstamp, Terry, Campbell, Smith, Keane and decided it would be.....a normal game in the Premiership.

I would rather be a "'loyal' one-eyed" Rovers supporter than a jump on Mourinho's bandwagon sycophant.

I threw your "brutal dross" where it belonged.......

If he wants to go that badly and Rangers are not willing to pay our valuation, perhaps he could make up the difference from his own pocket?

Whilst the Savage and Ferguson situations are very similar, the main difference being the realism of the bids made, at least Rovers have handled both cases with credit. Both Birmigham and Rangers have acted deplorably throughout. It makes me sick.

I hope the following doesn't mean we'll give in too cheaply - from Skysports:

"Hughes admits he may have to prepare for life without Ferguson.

"We will look at the likes of Robbie Savage, David Thompson and Garry Flitcroft," continued the Rovers boss.

"So I have good options."

Grrr.

If we let him go for anything less than 6m (as well as spending 3m+ on Savage) I will seriously consider whether I want to keep on spending my hard earned cash on season tickets when they just keep flushing it down the drain. The whole thing sickens me.

And the comment from Rangers...

Rangers chairman David Murray insists they will not be increasing their £3m bid for the 27-year-old.

The Ibrox club clearly believe Ferguson can force Blackburn to sell him.

"All the managers are in the same boat these days. If a player digs his heels in it can become difficult because of undermining the squad morale," manager Alex McLeish said on Friday.

"Also, you might not get the top performances out of the player that you would expect.

"Managers are definitely caught between a rock and a hard place these days in a situation like that."

... seems to me to be totally unethical. It's like they're publically encouraging him to start a rebellion.

It's official - breaking news on BBC news 24

At least she's smiling for the camera!

His lifestyle is beyond reproach, he was again our top scorer, he shone once we had a system that used his strength of running onto through balls, he is clearly good for Stead's development.

Our team and our results will not be improved by Cole leaving.

If Souness is to learn from this season as his fans seem convinved he will, then learning to reach an accomodation with Cole that saves face for both parties would be a good start.

Hear hear!

No! She wasn't asleep, she just tripped over...

Thank you, we'll be there.

I know there was some discussion earlier about where messageboard members will be drinking before, and indeed after, the match - but I'm not sure what, if any, decision was arrived at.  Me 'n my sis are going to the match and would like to find somewhere where other fans will be. Can anyone let me know?

Anyone???

I know there was some discussion earlier about where messageboard members will be drinking before, and indeed after, the match - but I'm not sure what, if any, decision was arrived at. Me 'n my sis are going to the match and would like to find somewhere where other fans will be. Can anyone let me know?

I'm really looking forward to the spectacle of hundreds, nay thousands, of inflatables!