Not so sure the level of football you'd have been playing at was exactly the same as the Premiership....

I personally think the FA should have a 'tax' on gate receipts. All 92 league clubs could pay 1% of their gate revenue to the FA. This is then redistributed as 1% of the total collected to the clubs (92%), and the other 8% is used by the FA to support grass roots football etc (except the 1% that comes to me for coming up with the idea). True the 'big' clubs would lose out, but there would be a marginally more even playing field in the Premiership, and a number of lower league teams could be saved from extinction by the input.

You really should get into management - football or any other type. Your clear grasp of how to motivate people would see you progress a long way.

And after about 2 matches we'd be complaining we don't have a left footed midfielder. Decent ones aren't exactly common. Or do you think Peter can be expected to shoulder that responsibility every week?

I certainly find it's offensive that he's on the pitch.

Just seen the very same article in the hard copy of the Telegraph. Were we aware that Rovers received £1.65m for Souness' transfer? His departure paid for Nelsen & The Axe!

It seems a fine document in principle, however, on reading it I got the impression it was written by a committee (not sure if this is correct or not). Why I say this is that the style seems to change everyso often from factual business like presentation, to value judgements, to relaxed social converstaional writing. Did the same person really write the indepth analytical bits as the "that's the moaning out of the way" line? Whilst I might be barking up the wrong tree with the authorship, I do think the clash of styles and/or tone of the document undermines a degree of professionalism in the document. At points to me it reads as a transcribe of a round the table discussion and not a unified piece. Another potential flaw are some of the contradictions in the piece. One page complains about the drummer and other ideas being geared up to the younger audience, another grudingly acknowledges that Taylor has helped increase child attendances, and a third says we should have Quid a Kid every week. Are the three comments consistent? I appreciate that preparing a document to cover the breadth of BRISAs agenda is nigh on impossible, especially the various members own views - for example, I'm surprised to learn that as a BRISA member I fully support StandUpSitDown, which was news to me as I thought I didn't - but maybe a little more internal consistency is required in proposals going to the club? Sorry for being appearing overtly critical, but as I say the fundamental elements of the document seem fine, it's just that certain things seem to jar to me.

Or how close thethe club was to being crippled before he came? What Souness convinced me was the 'Italian' mentality of the need to change managers every 3 seasons or so for all but the most exceptional of talents. Sunderland suffered by staying with Peter Reid for too long, and the latest case in the Premiership seems to be McClaren at Boro. Rovers and Souness parted company at just about the last feasible point.

Submitted by a member. **************** Former Rovers apprentice Gareth Ainsworth, couldn’t believe it when his father phoned him to tell him that QPR had been drawn against Rovers in the FA Cup. In fact Ainsworth is reported to have burst into tears for the second time because of Rovers and is being quoted as saying. “I was out while my dad was watching the FA Cup draw at home in Lancashire,” “When QPR were drawn out he phoned to tell me and said ’What would be your dream game?’ “I said ’Blackburn away’ and he said ’That’s who you’ve got!’ I couldn’t believe it, it was an amazing feeling and there were tears in my eyes. The QPR winger and his parents are big Rovers supporters and Ainsworth was a season-ticket holder at Rovers in the pre-Jack Walker days of Simon Garner and Scott Sellars. After a period as an apprentice with the club, he was moved to tears when he was released by then manager Don Mackay on his 18th birthday on the May 10, 1991. After leaving Rovers his parents, from Blackburn, have watched nearly all of his 345 professional games, over the last 14 years, at Preston, Lincoln and Port Vale before he became a £2m player in 1998 when he signed for Wimbledon. Ainsworth has never played at Ewood Park since being released and missed out whilst at Wimbledon due to injuries. Tomorrow he gets his chance to play at Ewood and is quoted as saying. “I was so pleased for my mum and dad because they’ve watched so many of my games and travelled so far for me over the years. “And for once they will be able to see me on their doorstep. It will be the shortest journey they have ever made to see me. “I thought I’d missed my chance because after 14 years you kind of think some things are not meant to happen. But this is the FA Cup!” Ainsworth, who is Rangers’ top scorer this season with five goals, warmed up nicely for the Third Round tie with the equaliser in Monday’s draw against the Dingles, and is quoted as saying after Monday nights game. “I still love Blackburn and I hate Burnley. I scored a lovely header against them and it sets me up nicely for this one. “I had so many great times at Ewood both as an apprentice and as a fan. For that reason I never bore any resentment towards them. “I remember going down to Anfield on the coach with all the apprentices when the first team took them to a replay in the FA Cup in 1991. “My dad first took me there when I was eight and I had a season-ticket soon after. I remember them building the WalkerSteel stand and thinking it was brilliant! “Now after all the development it’s the smallest one of the four stands and looks a bit out of place! “When I was released my dad made me write to loads of clubs. I quite fancied going into music. I have my own band now and my mum sang on the club scene in Manchester. She was offered a contract by EMI but married my dad instead! “I ended up at Preston and everything took off from there. I’ve loved it at QPR over the last two years. We definitely have a chance of getting a result and in spite of everything, I’ll be trying my best to make sure we do.”

Peter Jackson has confirmed he's interested in Matty. Huddersfield Examiner

I seem to remember Blake almost get sent off for taking his shirt off against Liverpool in the FA Cup when he scored the winner, and Graham Poll had a quiet word in his ear instead. Probably only sensible piece of refereeing from Poll ever.

Did you not try the old stand by of "do you not know who I am?" or maybe you could have tried telling the person in the ticket office they were a useless jobsworth and a dolt. Both approaches would no doubt have worked a treat.

Or perhaps the fact they didn't even suggest that there was any sort of issue, or the fact that they didn't say there was a pitch inspection, or the fact that not everyone relies on sky sports, or as SAR says don't have it in their cars, is the issue? Oh but sorry, I'm daft and not a loyal supporter in your mind.

Well thank you for doubting my loyalty to the club. Cretin.

Would those telling others to "stop bleating", "get behind the club" or to "get over it" be as forgiving if they'd had to travel to another ground for this to happen? Of course not. Whilst the fact the undersoil heating didn't work as well as should have been the case is indeed "one of those things" the *quality* of communication from the club is something that needs addressing. As well as the reports of being told for definite the game was going ahead - surely at least some hint of a problem was known less than an hour before it was postponed? - how on earth can the club be taken seriously when the TO is still selling after Sky Sports has reported it's off?! (See sausagemandog's comments). It's all very good for Mattyblue to try to rally the floating supporters, but I feel they are more likely to float off to the nearest local than Ewood.

BBC3 1900 New Years Day.

Yep, there is always a risk that the undersoil heating packs in. (Didn't we have the opposite problem a couple of years ago when they couldn't switch it off and the Darwen end goal mouth was parched in middle of winter?) However, you can't legislate for the club being so daft as to give assurances there wasn't a problem. Martin - as I've already mentioned - had just arrived at Ewood from Scunthorpe after being told there wasn't a problem. A real good 200 mile round trip for him. I'd only done 20 miles or so before finding out that it had called off, but it was again a 40 mile round trip that needn't have been made if they hadn't stated everything was fine.

And the fault of that is? Yep, the club.

So why the chuff did they tell someone at 1705 who had said they were travelling from Halifax that the game was definitely on? No mention of a possible postponement, let alone an imminent pitch inspection. If there was an element of doubt they should have said so. Inexcusable.

After hearing the Bolton match had been called off, I texted my mate to check with the club that we would still playing. Afterall, travelling from Halifax for no reason wouldn't be fun. He spoke to the club around 1700 and they said it will definitely be on. We duly set off at 1730, only to hear on 5 Live that a pitch inspection was being undertaken at 1800. Ten mins later I get a phone call saying the game was off. We were over half way to Ewood. How could the club go from a categoric yes to speaking to the ref and getting the game postponed in about 60 mins? I quickly called Martin who I knew was travelling from Scunthorpe, and he'd just arrived at the ground. He too had been advised the game was definitely on. Huge own goal for Rovers.

Thought I'd regenerate this thread. I am even more convinced that David Tennant is the Doctor. Any casual viewers or recent converts this year like to pass comment?

It's not Sky Sports making Rovers the outsiders, it's bookies. There's not one major bookmaker that hasn't got Rovers as the highest odds. Oddschecker

No, if the winners of the League Cup qualify for Europe via another route, the UEFA cup slot for the competition reverts to the league finishing positions.

United have announced their tickets prices for home fans - united webpage From what I can understand, these aren't any different than their normal prices.

Hughesy, I've said it before and I'll say it again, you are an absolute genius.