What a superb idea! play Dunn on the LW in place of MGP for a few games (assuming we can actually get two or more consecutive games out of Dunn) and after that nobody will ever again slag MGP off! Brilliant!!!

Joey you still have not understood what I am saying; and to be honest I would not expect you to (as a young person). The few over 60's amongst us will, but that I am afraid is all. The situation is that right up to 1953 when the Hungarians came to Wembley the England team had been virtually invincible against foreign opposition, and the only serious competition they ever had was against the home nations. Then in 1953 the Hungarians came to Wembley to play England and gave us a right thrashing. You simply cant imagine the sheer shock that match caused in the English footballing world (to say nothing of the delight in Scotland). Up to that time England were the top nation in European football having beaten all the western Europe nations that they played quite comprehensively including Portugal 10-0 away, Holland 8-0, Italy 4-0 in Turin, etc. This was no fluke; at that time the only nations on Earth that could compare to the Western Europe nations were the South American nations. Nothing was known about about the Iron Curtain nations abilities because there was no contact with them for obvious reasons, so the meeting with Hungary at Wembley was a major break through in football diplomacy and was much looked forward to by all fans in Europe. Came the big day and England's finest were humbled 3-6 by the completely unknown Hungarian side. Hungary played a style of football that was completely unknown in the western world, and this is what was adopted and adapted by the western nations to eventually evolve into the modern game that you all know and love and us oldies hate. At the time it was known colloquially as "push and run" and was effectively the modern sit deep and hit them on the break approach, with hardly any running with the ball but using quick passing and movement. We in England had never seen anything like it before and obviously did not know how to handle it. As time went on it slowly became absorbed into our game bit by bit until that style had completely replaced the more skilfull but ponderous approach that had been the game up to that time. the change of styles was evolved over a period of about 10 to 12 years being more or less complete by the late 60's. So there you have it in a much condensed version. Hope this helps.

Yes I agree entirely with that statement. Although I would be equally happy with Savage or Tugay. Nothing at all against Brad but I really don't think a 'keeper should be captain.

If we repeat that performance at Reading the only thing we will get is a damned good thrashing!

No it isn't just you. That was the most disgraceful and deliberate anti-Blackburn commentary team I have ever heard, and the two twits in the Ewood studio were no better. Tim Sherwood and Tony Cascarino. Throughout the whole match they (the commentary team) were making snide remarks about Rovers play and Hughes anti-ref campaign (so called). They actually implied Rovers are suffering from paranoia on the subject of refs and officials. And the obvious disappointment in their voices when Lucas scored! Unbelievable. :ph34r: :ph34r: :ph34r:

Yes I can see what you mean too FLB. Where we live now is just a large but modern village. It is also beautifully designed and laid out with very large open park like areas all over in amongst the housing. There are also large stretches of natural forest and cliff top walks in amongst the housing areas, and the Fife coastal path runs right through and around the bay. It makes you feel good just to be here.

Hey! that could be it Colin. You might just have hit the nail on the head there. When I moved up to Scotland in 1979 things were still ok on the matieness scene around Blackburn. And where we live in Scotland absolutely everybody you meet just walking down the street either says "good morning" or "hello" or maybe just nods in your direction, and of course you do the same with all those you meet. It is the "done thing" round these parts. Now you come to mention it I HAVE noticed the diffference when we have been down to East Lancs in recent times. The wife and I have actually remarked on the change in "atmosphere" and as you say it is definitely the under 50's that seem to just rush about with heads down and sit silent in the buses etc. Why? what has changed with the once very friendly Lancashire folk? Some truth in that Theno! If you treat people like animals they will behave like animals.

I wish!!

Once again Aggy you are spot on in all you just said. Today's game is much faster than in my day. The players are physically much fitter, bigger, and stronger, and the game today inolves a lot of hard running and tackling and lots of quick passing and movement that the old game did not favour very much. But when you consider things like ability to kick with either foot, long and accurate passing, dribbling with the ball and ability to change pace very rapidly, crossing accurately, heading ability, ability to beat not just one but several opponents in a short space and get in an accurate cross or shot then I'm afraid I have to say there are no players anywhere that I can think of today that can come close to a whole pack of players I could name from the 40's 50's and there were still a few (but diminshing numbers) in the 60's. Since then it is all change as todays heavily overcoached players and tactics took over the natural game that we played. Most of you will quite naturally think that today's game is better and more skilfull because you have never seen the football of 50 or 60 years ago, but I can assure you that if you had you would not consider todays game better in terms of entertainment. In a lot of ways it is more boring now because you hardly ever see anything that stands out. Goals like Tugay's recent efforts are about as good as it gets these days.

Congratulations Aggy! You are the only one apparently that has spotted the real situation as far as I am concerned. I don't yearn for the restoration of the old ground as it was from a physical point of view. I fully appreciate the new Ewood's modern facilities and comforts (except perhaps the hugely excessive noise of the tannoy system). No, for me the problem with the new ground is difficult to define precisely; lack of atmosphere comes closest but does not fully cover it. I will attempt to talk it through to see if I can actually put a finger on it. Just going back in time for sake of comparison. I would awake on a Saturday morning and as soon as I realised it was "Rovers Day" a fantastic feeling of anticipation would come over me and would gradually increase in intensity as the time to leave for Ewood drew nearer. Then all the way to the ground the sense of excitement and anticipation, rather like a child's anticipation of Christmas takes over, until eventually you are in through the turnstile and installed in your favourite place on the BBE or Riverside whatever. There you could confidentally expect to find a selection of people who you regularly met and could talk over the coming match prospects and the team etc. Also there would be (pre-1970's) a fair smattering of the opposition fans to talk to as well and it was good to hear their views on the coming match; all very good natured in those days. Then of course the match itself and the constant exchange of views and comments on what you saw on the pitch, including getting very excited or angry even and having an exchange of views with the opposition fans about this as well, but all without any malice or aggro on either side. Now looking at the same thing when I go to Ewood these days. There is still the same sense of anticipation and pleasure at the prospect. Then as I walk down to the ground and arrive down at Ewood there is the same excitement rising as you present your ticket to the electronic gates and pass through. Then you have the climb up two or three flights of stairs to get to the JW upper concourse; still OK. You get on to the concourse and look around; lot's of people hanging around watching screens and drinking out of plastic "glasses". Not my scene so continue to my seat, and THIS is where it all goes flat for me. I arrive in my seat usually on the front row somewhere and sit down. What do I find? Nobody to talk to! The next nearest person is about 35 seats away in any direction. Never mind it will fill up there is still 25 mins to kick-off. Get's to 5 mins before kick-off teams are coming out. Now I cant see what is happening on the pitch for people pushing past me all the time as they make for their own seats. This continues until the match has kicked-off, and then there is still no exchange of conversation because you don't know anybody at all. The whole scene from there on becomes much more clinical as you sit there in your own little space and watch the match with nothing but your own private thoughts about it. Eventually it is full-time and off you all go home again with no exchange of views, NOTHING!

If it's not intended to be racist, why use the word "black" at all?

Well you can scoff at the old times as much as you like Theno, but we who have lived them know where the greater sense of values lay. It was back then in spite of all its lack of modern "comforts" and "improvements" at least people had a proper sense of morality and true values which is more than can be claimed by a very large number of people today. People who worship money over happiness, and are incapable of tell ing the difference. And people who deride others as "losers" just because they don't share their own warped sense of values.

I can assure you Bucky (hand on heart) that there is absolutely no romanticising involved. It is the plain unvarnished truth that footballers today have not got the basic skills that were once classed as essential for any body to have even a hope of getting a trial to become a professional player. As Tyrone says above people like him and myself were once hopefuls only to be rejected. In my case it was none other than Dally Duncan (later to become Rovers manager) that gave me the bad news after a weeks trial at Luton Town in 1958. I was at the time an amateur right winger playing for Letchworth Town in the Isthmian League, and was recommended to Luton by Taff Beynan. Duncan told me that as I was 22 at the time it was unlikely that I would develop much more and would be struggling to displace his No.7 Billy Bingham the N. I. international, but to keep on playing as I had a lot of ability. Less than one year after that my footballing days were finished for ever by a recurring muscle injury in my left calf that would not respond to treatment.

If you think the decades that you have quoted were good ( and I am not saying they weren't) you should have seen the 40's, 50's and 60's. I dont know if any of you can remember seeing the outwards bulge in the old Kidder St. wall (Blackburn End). I was once standing in the massively long queue extending all the length of Kidder St, and happened to remark on the bulge. One guy next to me told me it was due to the huge crowd that they got in the cup-tie against Bolton before the war. There were so many in the ground that day that the BBE retaining wall began to bulge outwards. Well so he said anyway.

Yes you are right Herbergheehh. Today's football IS incomparable.That's probably why us oldies are hardly interested in today's apology for football; all passing and getting rid of the ball like it's carrying the plague. To say nothing of the cheating and diving. Add the high prices and over paid players and you get boredom and disinterest. The net result gives a feeling of "I am being taken for a right mug here" and eventually you think back to when to football was truly exiciting and entertaining and the players played very good skilfull football and you were absolutely guaranteed to go home with plenty to keep you talking about the match with your mates for the whole week until the next match. Does this happen now? Certainly not for me!

Ah! but were you up to the same kind of malpractice as Abbs when you did it?

If you want to know why we no longer produce loads of local talent and are wondering where they have all gone. read my post 1 place above yours. All the team you quoted are more or less my generation.

That's because he's been sat on it for far too long recently!! :ph34r:

Playing in a cobbled street or an un-even flagged school yard with a tennis ball is good for ball retention. This was something that all small boys of my generation did; and it worked!

What colours would you have Lancs U. play in Theno?

No mention at all of the assault on MGP. Oh well it's only a Blackburn Rovers player so that doesn't matter does it?

Thank you Den. I didn't know you could do that. Oh dear wrong again! And I know you can't see it but my hand is being held up now.

Have to point out though that next year is going to be the cause of hyper-inflation in the EPL. It will be the same as if, in the real world, every single worker gets the same massive pay rise. What happens then? The costs of everything (goods, services, interest rates etc) all go shooting up in a massive hike, and absolutely nobody is any better off than they were before. In the EPL it will be transfer costs, players wages, etc.

Hmmmm... That could be an interesting scenario; winning the Eufa Cup and getting relegated. Would that mean we would still be able to partake in the Eufa Cup next season although we would be in the Championship by then? But for me there can only be one answer to the original question. Prem survival at all costs: just imagine how you would feel if we had the Eufa Cup in the trophy room for a season, but had to put up with the Dingles playing in the Prem and probably "big club" as well!! AAAARRRRRRRGGHHHH. :ph34r:

No, but there could well have been a chance of them losing a lot of confidence ahead of Saturday's game. Now of course we will probably see the opposite effect.