As i said right at the start of this thread I think Gally is potentially the best striker we've got by a fair way. His movement into space was excellent yesterday and when he's in possession and facing the opposition goalmouth I get the impression he has the skill and guile to play a decent throughball - something which we sorely lack.

lol, It's good to know that tomorrow our club will try to be tarnished by every national newspaper going, and when opposition fans come on here to read this thread for a sensible and rational debate on the issue they'll find nothing better than a good old fashioned member catfight. Not that I don't find it quite amusing from the outside looking in. Maybe its just not the right place.

If you'd care to look back at Dunn's performances in the season we went up and the following year you'd see he was the driving force of the team. In total he scored 30 goals in 130 appearances which is just over 1 in 4. Pretty good for a midfielder who didn't put any effort in. IMO Yorke never approached his time on the pitch at Ewood with the same attitude or zest that he did for Villa or Man U. His touch and skill remain but his effort on the pitch was lacking. It may have been possible to stroll around at Man U with 10 superstars behind you but at Ewood we need every player putting in 100%. Otherwise we will end up in the trouble we were for a lot of last year and most of this season. I'm pretty sure Souness drummed this into his players time and time again but when Yorke went over the line he just didn't take heed. This was happening long before Souness nobbled him in training. He also had a habbit of throwing a strop when he was substituted despite the fact he had been ineffective (away at newcastle and Southampton in recent years spring to mind). Regardless of whether he was on 10k or 60k a week players should at the very least put the effort in unless they are good enough to be carried as a luxury. Yorke wasn't and let himself down and those of us who paid his wages. Yes I booed. However the racist chanting (which is what we should really be bothered about IF it happened) is diabolical.

To be fair Patrick Anderson never got a chance. He didn't settle well and hardly got a game. When he did finally get a start it was at Centre-Back against a bang-in-form Paul Warhurst who absolutely shredded him. You have to remember Warhurst looked the part back then before his tragic leg-break at Swindon. However Andersson was promptly moved into midfield for the 2nd leg, scored and was never seen at Ewood again. 4 years later he pops up as one of the best center halves in Europe!!!! If I remember rightly Berg also ad one of his first starts in that game and also looked out of place. Fortunately we stuck with Henning.

Don't be daft. He wasn't particularly good by any stretch of the imagination and had a fair podge of a stomach when he played for us but 6 goals in 16 starts isn't that bad. Anyone remember that poor scandanavian we fielded against Sheff Wednesday in the League Cup Semi Final. He was bloomin awful. Paddy Andersson or something he was called. I bet he never did anything after leaving us.

I think Rovers fans are some of the most patient fans in the league. Despite being a £7million unknown Grabbi was given tremendous support by the Rovers fans every time he was on the pitch considering his actual contributions. Unfortunately for us after 18 months and several 'fresh starts' he still proved to be pants. I've only read the last few pages on this thread (since our new Norwegian friend threw his toys out of the pram) but IMO Pedersen will have to wait his turn. At the moment I dont feel we are in a position to be risking players who may well turn out to not cut the mustard at PL level. We need to scrap our way out of the bottom 3 and lift confidence any way we can and if that means forsaking flair and fancy football for sheer graft then Reid / Douglas / Thommo are probably better bets than MGP. However I'm sure if things go to plan and Pedersen keeps working hard behind the scenes he'll get a chance to show us theres more to his game than a fancy overhead clearance and a goal against Bournemouth.

Just returned home from the COMS and out of the plummeting temperatures in time to rewatch the game on Footy First. My main reaction is similar to everyone else who attended. In the first half although City had marginally more possesion they only had their goal as an attempt on target apart from 3 or 4 identically positioned free-kicks. We were unlucky to be behind at half time but the general feeling in my group was that given the scoreline we'd take a point at any costs. Second half and we dominated. The only shot I can recall Brad dealing with was the once he nearly made a right mess of and luckily spawned it wide of his far post (thats how it looked from the other side of the ground). Apart from that it was all Rovers without creating too much. Their left back should have been second yellow carded about 10 mins into the second half for a late high tackle that stopped a good Rovers break but got let off. The penalty had to be given but I think every Rovers fan waited with baited breath during the 0.5 seconds it took the ref to give it. The celebrations for the award of the kick itself were as loud and jubilant as for the subsequent kicks conversion. The next 10 mins I felt sure that 3 points were on the way back to Ewood and was disappointed this was not to be. At least we left the ground with the newly found optimism on the pitch still intact.

Sherwood was a very important cog in an effective machine in the mid-90's but he was far from the greatest midfielder. I don't think people are knocking his contribution to Rovers but just that if he is the best (or 2nd best) we've got then we've had a bad bunch for 125+ years. Viera, Keane and Gerrard are world class midfielders. Clayton was a world class midfielder. Sherwood was not. Besides, in 94 when Batty won player of the year he performed to a level that IMO Sherwood never achieved.

I've just snapped up all of the 11/1 about Stead on Betfair as first goalscorer. Come on Big bad John!!!

Hughesy, what is the point in replacing an 'a' with an '@' when they looked the same and read on screen exactly the same. If the board mods wanted the word to be used they wouldnt filter it in the first place. Personally it doesn't really bother me too much what language is used. The thread about the songs doesn't really bother me. HOWEVER as I quite clearly explained this board was considered 'unsuitable viewing' by my work because I once left it on my screen on a thread where certain well known four letter words were used with the odd * replacing a vowel. My boss saw it and subsequently got the site 'blocked' by IT. And in answer to your question - no I dont want any topics moved. I never asked for this topic to be moved. I just want to be able to enjoy reading the board during the day.

If Hughesy and TrueBlue concede defeat we wont need to wait for Ohio.

Should this poll not be on the ICBINF board ?

A word of caution to all. At my previous place of work our IT banned us from viewing this site due to the use of foul and offensive language. Misspelt words like tw@t etc.. were deemed this way. Same company, different location and I'm allowed to view the site again. If you must post vulgarities or use foul language to make your point at least do it on the ICBINF board (or even the songs board ) I quite like viewing the site during the day again. Rant Over

It wouldnt be very original now would it. United have sung it for about 3 years. (This might be moved very quickly to the Songs forum!)

Sorry to bring one glimpse of negativity to the thread but 26,500 with 8,000 scousers on. You do the maths. (posted at 13.03 ?? Someone turn the messageboard clocks back!)

Too drunk to read all thats gone before but special well dones go to:- NEJ, McEveley, Emerton and the crowd. If, and knowing Rovers its a big IF, we produce a performance like that at Norwich and against other medoicre clubs then we have a decent fighting chance of survival.

As I posted elsewhere - bottom of the league and a club in turmoil. Same time of year. There's a lot of similarities between our predicament now and back in 1996. Match Report Still get beat 3-1 though. What price on Lucas Neill completing the hat-trick of scouse sending off's?

Thanks for posting that Glenn. It makes interesting reading and does make you think what it would be like to be in the Stewards shoes. I'm sure that a lot of the stewards are just following orders and are decent people. However it still doesn't really explain why some of the stewards have an attitude that stinks not just to the alcohol fuelled yobs but also to the everyday supporter. And as for the away fans, lets all stand up at the Reebok this year and count the seconds before we start getting whizzed out there. When Ive been away other clubs don't seem to care about chucking away fans out for standing and, despite causing considerable bad feeling, the away fans then generally sit down. Everton away a couple of years ago (when Lucas got sent off again!) is a game that springs to mind.

We're D O O M E D Eh Flopsy

Scotty, I agree with every point you say to some degree. However :- 1) That MUST surely apply to the away fans also. Yes Rovers fans should sit but you can't have the stewards and police being heavy handed in the BB end and nothing in the Darwen End else it's double standards. If away fans continue to stand it is OUR GROUND that according to the safety guidelines will have areas closed - not that of the away fans. 2)They still shouldnt have done it but if they were mouthing off it was due to the very bad atmosphere in that area caused by Stewarding / Standing / Point 3. Their arrest was for public order offences but caused by the root of this problem. 3) Yes its childinsh but unfortunately it's the way of the world that some people take the bait. Rovers are far better off preventing the 5 or 6 away fans in the box from 'taunting' than trying to control the 100+ unhappy home fans underneath. 4) 100% agre Another quick point on the Buzz factor. As some people might be aware I have two real passions - Rovers and Horse Racing. I'm a ST holder and I've missed about 10 home games in the last 3 years to go to various big race meeting. Prior to then I'd never missed any. Why? I don't know but something is missing.

That may well be the case behind closed doors Drog but when he's appeared for the first team you can't fault the lad. Numerous times in the last few months of last season he came on as sub and looked very good although I admit in the games he started he wasn't as effective. Against Newcastle / Man U he should take as much credit as Stead for his part in the equaliser / winner. He should also have earned us a valuable equaliser against MoneyBags Chelsea ( felt good typing that!). Even against Bournemouth this year he came on as a sub and I thought he looked the most likely striker all night. IMO he's the best prospect weve got. Forgetting sentiment I feel he's more of a blue and white future that Jansen has. With the strikers we've got I don't feel were blessed with natural talent and surely over the next few months he needs a run in the team if fitness levels are OK .

How many months ago was it when Keith Lard was first introduced as a sort of cult (yes cult) figure on this board. I may be wrong as i sit too far to the left of the area to know exactly what is going on but it's been clear that tension has been brewing for a few games now in that area due to the stewarding with regards to standing (and their attidute in general). Had this tension not existed and the fan / steward relationship been fine then the reaction to the taunting Boro fans taunting would not have been as major as it was last Saturday and the 2 fans would probably have never been arrested. Brownie - Every time there's a topic I'm not arsed about (such as Scotland squads) I don't go on it and start telling people. I just don't read it anymore. Besiedes this issue has brought about 2 statements from the club in 2 days and a double page LET spread.

Certain board members meet to discuss their response to the latest 'attract more support to Ewood' thread. (It's a joke, all stay calm!)

1) The away fans get letters and posters. The home fans get heavy handed stewarding and policing. I appreciate the club are showing they are trying to combat the problem but it's double standards. 2) Unless the club do more than what they are doing in point 1 away fans will stand in the DE and BRFC will be in breach of the safety certificate ..... 3) ... therefore they will inevitably have their alloctation cut and the club will lose £££££££'s. However for some reason they turn a blind eye to the away fans. The fact is it's easy for the stewards and police to wade into the home fans but they do not want the effort / trouble to deal with the away fans despite the fact that they are breaching the same rule. Just read the Tom Finn statement from den's link and he seems to be passing the book on the away fans as 'not our problem'. I'll remember this when I'm getting thrown out at the Reebok by their stewards for trying to go to the loo.

How bad actually is the standing problem. I'm in the BBurn end near the middle and when Rovers are on the attack people end up stood up but very rarely do the stewards bother. In the area where the trouble is are people actually standing for long periods or only when Rovers get near towards the goal? My Dad takes a young family member in the top tier of the BBurn End and says that a few blokes got ejected for standing on the back row of the top tier for christ sakes. One of them apparantly threw his season ticket at the stewards as he was being led away. Anyway the 3 issues that grate me are:- 1) The corporate boxes. Don't forget the boxes are probably owned by local companies who 'invite' away fans in so it's not like its every game, hence the reason they are behind the home fans. If the away team scores and the fans jump up then fine. Live with it like Colin says. However the problem which has happened a few times over the years near me is when the away fans start deliberately banging on the windows at the home fans and making gestures. Now some of you may well say don't rise to the bait. Unfortunately in a crowd of 1000's some people will rise, start standing or trying to obscure the window view with a flag (which is always quite funny) hence the stewards get involved, everyone gets wound up and you've got a problem. Surely the action of the away fans in this instance is some form of incitement to start a commotion or some crappy law like that. Warn the companies how people are expected to behave and warn the 'guests' beforehand that they can celebrate but not to bang on the glass. If they do either throw them out or move them behing 'the curtain'. The boxes might cost £25,000 per year but if 75 season ticket holders get the hump over this and dont renew (unlikely I know) they'll lose that money anyway. As I said earlier though the majority of away fans in there aren't a problem. 2) If it's a safety issue to stop standing and the ground is in danger of being closed then it MUST apply to the Darwen End. The club have to be seen to at least be trying to stop the problem. Sunderland once reduced the Mancs ticket allocation because they stood but they knew they could probably fill it with home fans anyway. We can't so therefore we do nothing. A fan standing in the Blackburn End is as unsafe as a fan stood in the Darwen End. If Blackburn Council are really bothered about this issue then unless we get a grip of the away fans surely our ground will surely be closed. No, I don't think so either. 3) In the infamous end of season City game the stewards lined the Darwen End to stop a pitch invasion which was inevitable. There were hardly any stewards in the Blackburn End. City fans, who hadn't paid and had stormed over the gates, did the conga at the front of the Blackburn End. Home fans got the hump and traded punches. It was the most unsafe time in the Blackburn End since redevelopment. The stewards did nothing. Didn't even try to stop them. Didn't say a word. They could have called half of the other stewards and/or police from their pointless task at the Darwen End over to us to sort the issue out but didn't. The one time we had a crisis when they were really needed they failed us.