Tris

No way BB!! Was in Seville for work for a couple of days in late August 1997, and watched a Rovers game in the very same bar. They opened the back room specially for me! The score at the end of an enjoyable night was Rovers 7 - Sheffield Wednesday 2. The locals couldn't believe the exhilerating football they were watching, more and more folk came through from the main bar to the TV room as Rovers racked up the goals. They all said they'd support Rovers as their "English team" after that game!! So there may be a few Rovers converts around!!! COME ON LADS 7-2 WOULD DO JUST NICELY TONIGHT!!

here wish I still was ....

On first viewing, this looks to be a brilliant document. It's well researched, very well presented, and doesn't miss anything. Great kudos to Scotty and whoever else has been involved in putting it together. This bit is a comment, not a criticism. There are a number of suggestions in there which the club will have already tried and / or discussed. Some of the suggestions are clearly not practical - or at best are aspirational. What is important is that JW and TF have to reply to every proposal in this document, and they know they have to reply openly and honestly. Ewood Blues, North Lancs, and all the other existing organisations serve a purpose for Rovers fans whether they are members or not, but it's mainly travel and quiz nights. I think that through this initiative and this document, BRISA is making a really important footprint, is doing something that none of the existing groups do, and for the first time BRFC are legitimately and openly being required to provide answers to the questions we all want to ask. Can't wait to see the results - well done guys.

I feel duty bound to contradict you there Janice, with a bit of a stroll down memory lane. As I'm sure you recall, a strange twist of fate meant that my seats were next to your seats in the top tier at White Hart Lane on that sunny Saturday in May 2003 when we trounced Spurs 4-0 to reach Europe. Which meant that we shared that euphoric moment, and the five of us celebrated and revelled in the fabulous achievement .... and as the Spurs season tickets rained down onto the pitch away to our right, you agreed that Souness was the man and had done bloody well!!! I'll have a look for the photos if you like ...

If MGP would stop trying to flippin score direct from corners, his contributions in that area might actually be useful. There were more decent corners for Rovers in his absence on Saturday than he's taken all season to date.

Unfortunately though, AinUK, noone who has seen the TV pics will care what Savage has said in the press since Wednesday. Those pictures stick in the mind. His reactions on the pitch at the Riverside were almost a carbon copy of his reactions on the pitch at Highbury. So the pictures stick in the mind even more, because we see it from him too often. Rovers have been portrayed very badly in recent times by a highly biased press. Savage is simply giving them more bullets to shoot us with - and he really doesn't need to do that. He's (finally) beginning to show what a valuable player he can be in the centre of midfield, but he's spoiling it by play acting - it's just wrong. It's cheating. When we see that sort of thing against us - or as neutrals - we deplore it. Savage is adding to the bad press which means that we're now seen as a team for neutrals to hate rather than a team for neutrals to get behind. At lunch today, opinion around the table was that the ideal CC final would be Wigan v Man Utd. Because of the "dirty Rovers" tag and because of Robbie Savage. The same people a couple of years back loved Rovers to bits - we played great football against big sides (Arsenal, Celtic - in the same week), and beat Spurs to this same cup. We'll never get those opinions back until Savage sticks to the football and keeps his head down, and that would also help Rovers to shed the "dirty" image because one of the main supposed culprits would be less in the limelight.

Can't disagree with a single word Simon Garner has to say on the subject of Robbie Savage - it's what a few of us have been saying since he signed. Concentrate on the actual football on the pitch and cut out the crap!! Garns in the LET

There are two stations - Wigan Wallgate is pretty much at ground level but Wigan North Western is quite elevated and looks down on Wallgate from above - perhaps it's on stilts or something.

I enjoy reading your contributions because they bring valuable challenges and balance to the discussion. In turn, I have to challenge what appears to be a constant theme in what you post - namely that John Williams and Tom Finn are not doing good jobs. I can guarantee that they are doing remarkably good jobs in highly challenging circumstances. To keep quoting their earning figures is disingenuous for a start. Like it or not, businesses - in any sector - pay those salaries, often much much more, for their CEOs and MDs. Our "business management team" cannot be held responsible for the greater ills of football or the size and makeup of the Blackburn population. If you could hear them air their views on those outside factors, and how they work passionately to balance steering the best route for Rovers against the challenges they are faced with, you would certainly stop posting the sort of comments you have been. In fact I'd urge you to seek an audience with the targets of your criticism next time you're over here - they make time to meet and speak one-to-one with people from BB1, so if you pop over from Toronto you'd probably get a free ground tour and a cup of tea thrown in too.

I saw some evidence of very poor customer service in there on Saturday whilst paying for some football boots (which were a total bargain it has to be said). A guy came up to the counter and asked a bored looking assistant about some Rovers merchandise (badges I think). The assistant didn't even bother to unfold his arms, or turn towards the customer, or move from his slouched position leaning against a till, but just said "no we don't". The customer made some comment about what a shame that was which didn't even get an acknowledgement. He was there with two youngsters, and they were clearly infrequent visitors to Ewood - perhaps looking to spend a bit of money just before Christmas, but I was left with the impression that the assistant saw him as yet another freak saddo who supports a football team. A matchday visit to the club shop is a must for people who only get to Ewood Park once in a while and it used to be a pleasure to browse all the Rovers stuff and spend a bit of cash on some unplanned item with the club crest on it. Now it's just like walking into any other branch of Sports World, with the ignorant and rude staff to match. Whoever at Rovers manages the contract with SWI needs to sort this out fast, and get a clearly defined section of that shop put aside for Rovers bits and bobs - and insist that they employ staff who actually care.

I don't think anyone should be concerned - and infighting is far too strong a word to cover what is an open and necessary discussion. BRISA has got off to a fantastic start - way better than was hoped - and that is thanks to the efforts that everyone has put in, and also thanks to the principles which define how BRISA works. BRISA absolutely has to stick to those principles of being open and democratic. For me, it is not democratic for the committee to be nominating individuals to represent the membership on a national body at this early stage. Does BRISA even have a defined agenda on national issues yet? It's that simple. Before deciding who goes to FSF meetings (which according to the summary of Thursday's meeting quoted above has already happened), let's ensure that the membership ( a ) has approved any agenda or position, and ( b ) has mandated the individuals concerned to represent them. For what it's worth, I think Scott will get that mandate when the time comes and will do a decent job, but just now we're trying to run before we can walk.

Apologies for dragging this from the BRISA forum into here, but as the BRISA forum only has 55 registered members I'm sure we can all agree that it's best for BRISA to discuss everything as openly as possible. The BRISA committee is currently an unelected group of volunteers, who have all done fantastically well to get BRISA to where it is today. I chaired the very first meetings of the BRISA committee, so I have a vested interest in saying that. I'm also one of the paid up members, and I've also paid over and above that first fiver as have the others who were involved early on. There is absolutely no way that anyone (especially Scott) is going to represent my views (as a paid up BRISA member) to the wider football audience ... unless they are elected and mandated to do so. None of the committee has that mandate until elections have taken place. You guys can't just swan up to the Waters Edge and decide who represents BRISA to the FSF. There is absolutely no way anyone can represent BRISA at that level until there is a clear mandate from the paid up membership. On a more general matter, I think the BRISA committee should reconsider the whole status of the BRISA forum and the input it has into matters for discussion. That forum has 55 members. This forum has over 3000. There's no argument about where the most representative view will come from - whether a fiver has been paid or not. At the second BRISA meeting (back in March??) we had the mechanics in place to have a BRISA phone number so we could embrace those who don't have internet access? What's happened to that? Why can't I see the number anywhere - or has BRISA gone internet only??? Having been excluded (at the specific request of a BRISA committee member) from the forums where the development of BRISA is discussed, perhaps all that is in hand and I just don't know. Let's hope so, because if not BRISA is already dead in the water. But what is absolutely certain is that nobody has a mandate to swan off to represent my / our views to anyone, whatever you've minuted in the Waters Edge last Thursday. I'm amazed that it was even discussed at this stage.

Eddie - you haven't offended me in any way. I just chose to point out a couple of inconsistencies. When you're back in Guildford, and if you're not getting much footy, you might want to consider playing for the London Branch 11 a side team. We're looking for a bit of quality right now. The club are good enough to supply us with a full kit each season, and the league is a supporters league and very good natured (today we played Plymouth). Look forward to meeting you at Charlton.

Yeah, it's really tricky. If you manage to get past all the Revolting Frenchmen who are ripping up your country of residence, you'll have to choose between 5 international airports and a Eurostar Terminal. Once you've made it that far, you'll find that Charlton play in London, which (amazingly) is flush with public transport opportunities - you can choose between overland rail (recommended for this one), bus, taxi, tube and even riverboat. None of these options are currently being incinerated by the locals. If all that fails, you can walk from London City Airport - about 45 mins via a tunnel under the Thames. Eddie, for one of such wealth and intelligence, I struggle to understand why you even asked the question. Surely you can just get your driver to drop you off? And even if you can't, surely the question you asked is utterly stupid and needless for anyone who can read a map and use google. I've been reading this site for 9 years, and you are the biggest load of bullsh!t ever to visit. What happened to the place at the Sorbonne? The university course in the USA? Cricket scholarship in the West Indies? Playing footy with / against PSG players? Lance Armstrong wristbands for several site members? Wanting to play in the 5-a-side tournament in Blackburn (final game of last season)? Have you made it to Guildford Uni for the law course yet?? With all those offers and accolades, you don't really need to be asking us lot for directions to Charlton's ground. However, I'll be the first person to buy you a pint in the Antigallican (what an appropriate name in the circumstances) if you do show up. It would be a small triumph for diplomacy, and I'd get your autograph for thenodrog.

6 games gone, and with the position we're in, they're not really over-reactions. 3 goals in 9 hours of football, and we haven't even played a decent team yet. Carry on at this rate of scoring and we'll end the season having bagged 19 goals in the league. There's plenty of time to fix it, but with Man U, Liverpool and Chelsea on the horizon next month, the fixtures against West Brom and Birmingham are already must win games. And if Hughes sends the team out with the same system and mentality as the last two games, then Rovers will really struggle to take any points against anyone.

Suspect what you want. It's unfortunate that after a whole year people like you are still referring back to Souness. If anything it only highlights how bad Hughes has been, and how bad his team is to watch. As for being "worked up" ... this is even more unfortunate. I made the trip up for the Spurs game, which was quite an effort and an expense - for a pile of crap 0-0. Since then I've watched the results without emotion. Maybe it's the Ashes, maybe it's summat else, but Rovers have become a waste of my time and money. I couldn't be less worked up about anything.

Probably one of the reasons why this messageboard is so quiet tonight. The popular scapegoats (Emerton and Matteo) were not to blame. The players who are meant to be our new heroes (Bellamy and Savage) failed to perform. Our former employees - two of whom have been the subject of constant ridiculous, pathetic and idiotic abuse - got their own back on the pitch where it matters. Shearer for the final time, Souness for the first time. I guess Given doesn't really count. Our incumbent manager doesn't appear to know how to play expansive or attacking football. He has more central midfielders on the books than Souness ever had, and plays more of them than Souness ever did. Rovers have never been this crap to watch. What sort of lies was Hughes coming out with when he said we'd be more attacking this season and going for a top 6 finish?? What a load of absolute bollucks. Those two goal of the month contenders v Fulham have papered over the cracks in spectacular fashion - the plain facts are that this team will only score from a set piece or via outrageous individual skill. But for those two special goals, we'd be losing touch with the rest of the strugglers already.

Not at all - I mean that if we lose there's **** all to look forward to until the draw for the FA Cup 3rd Round. If we win, then the draw for the next round of the League Cup will be very exciting.

One year in and I'm increasingly concerned about Mark Hughes' tenure at Rovers. Sure, the honeymoon period kept us in the Prem last season, with a trip to Cardiff to boot (albeit by beating the easiest possible opponents in the cup run). Sure, he can organise a defence (or he could). What is worrying me is that I have yet to experience any thrill or excitement watching Rovers under Mark Hughes. Other than the Burnley games - and Ian Duncan Smith could be managing and those fixtures would still be exciting. Souness was slagged off for surrounding himself with "yes men". So just who - out of Bowen, Eddie N, Hitchcock, Hodges and UTC is going to challenge the man who dished them out their jobs for the boys?? Souness was slagged off because the players "weren't fit". So how the **** did a Souness team reduced to 10 men beat a super fit Mark Hughes team with 3 late goals today?? Souness was blamed when refs got harsh on Rovers because of his touchline antics. Now, under Hughes, Rovers have been tarred with a far nastier brush, but within 2 minutes of kick off today, Neill has gone through an opponent as if determined to get booked. What the hell did Hughes say in the dressing room before they went out - hey lads, make sure we keep up the reputation??? Souness was slagged off for stating the obvious every season - survival in the PL is the primary objective. But he got us into Europe twice. Mark Hughes brazenly told us all we'd be going for Europe this season but is sending out teams and employing tactics which will get us relegated - even against the dregs of the league like Bolton and Newcastle. One year in - this is Hughes's Blackburn team, these are his players now. These are his crap tactics which are driving the fans away. These are his results, and he's moulded the entire backroom set up as he wants it. And to be brutally honest - it's an absolute pile of crap. Welcome back to the relegation zone. The Huddersfield game has taken on a scary significance.

Won the London Branch footy team golden boot the season before last, and it was presented by big Amo at the annual dinner in the Directors Lounge at Ewood. Top bloke, Amo went out of his way to spend time talking to people. As did Martin Andresen (?who) - he was also there. In 1999 before pre-season tours got trendy, Gav Debs myself and about 4 other Rovers turned up somewhere in Germany - we basically met all the players but three stick in the mind. Duff told us to get p!ssed on German beer and sort out some German birds, Jansen asked for a bite of my sausage (and got one), and McAteer emerged last from the dressing rooms after the game, and despite the fact there was only one other building within 3 miles, asked "did you see where the lads went?" In 1994 I was working in the south of France and went to a couple of games in the Toulon U21 tournament. England sent a strong team that summer, and Venables had just taken over and didn't miss the chance to do a bit of designer shopping in the sun. In a tiny ground with no seats (just concrete steps to sit on) and a crowd of maybe 50 French and us 3 English teachers, Venables came and sat behind us, and talked to us all game. The likes of Sol Campbell and Robbie Fowler were on the pitch - didn't meet them but met Jamie (and Harry) Redknapp, Dominic Matteo and a few extras like Ray Wilkins. Happy days.

"He makes intellectual passes"

What a series, and what a final day. The hour and a half we spent at Edgbaston that famous Sunday morning will live long in my memory, as will the stolen moments in front of the plasma screen and the internet at work, the moments on trains and buses when I relied on texts (cheers Claire ) and WAP to keep up with the never ending swings through each test match and the series as a whole. In a summer which began with the farce of the Bangladesh test series, the enjoyable but plastic Twenty20 game and a seeming never ending torrent of one day matches, this extraordinary Ashes series has surpassed all expectations and put test cricket right back where it always belonged - at the pinnacle of sport, with the Football World Cup and the Olympic games - but for the first time I can remember, it's really caught the imagination of the entire public. Finally, massive respect to the Australian players, especially to Brett Lee. Whilst Warne and McGrath clearly deserve the spotlight, Brett Lee has played this series with his heart on his sleeve and with aggression and passion, but as a proper sportsman. He hugged the victorious England players at the end of today as hard as he bowled at them, even in the final session when all was already lost. It's been a fantastic couple of months, and I'm absolutely gutted it's all over. Where's the fun in watching this negative Rovers side in this crap league after living through that?!

Which is all fine Den, but if that's what he's there for then someone needs to ban him from taking free kicks and corners, and tell him not to accumulate needless bookings for backchatting the ref for 40 minutes, when he can perfectly well pick up yellows for going through opponents (sorry - closing them down) and maybe putting them out of the game.

Can't fault his work rate today, but then can anyone ever? His delivery at set pieces remains - at best - inconsistent, and his booking for being a gobsh!te is inexcusable. If he feels it absolutely necessary to get booked in every single game, then he should at least make sure it's for a trademark injury-inducing lunge rather than for whining at Graham Poll.

It is actually very dark here in London - almost pitch black in fact. Can't even see accross the road. Shame. In fact now it's raining too. Should probably abandon the match right now and take the convicts straight to Heathrow for the evening flight home.