Sorry Den but I have to disagree with your choice of Rovers best 5 man forward line. Your choice was very good, but for me a better line was Douglas, Dobing, Dougan, Vernon, McLeod. That was very good indeed, as was Mooney,Crossan, Briggs, Quigley, Langton. Fabulous!!

No it's not a silly question at all. Unfortunately to answer it properly would take chapter in a decent sized book. However I will attempt a very brief summary of the situation in general because there were many attempts by managers to apply tactical variations according to what they saw as the main threats from the opposition. As I said in general the idea was for the two full backs to mark the opponents two wingers, the wing halves would mark the opponents two inside forwards, and the centre half would mark the opposing centre forward. That was the main strategy but in addition it was usual for the wing halves when their team was attacking to pick up the ball in the midfield areas and to supply both long and short passes to set up the forwards in an advantageous position much the same as we now expect our AMF players to do for the strikers. As well as this the two inside forwards would often make runs to draw defenders or drop back into advanced midfield positions in order to either lure defenders out or to pick up the ball and use it creatively, The CF would usually be a fairly big guy with good heading ability and good shooting skills and would act much as a target man does today. He would also look to the Inside forwards to make runs into space in the area for him to lay the ball off to them and for them to strike for goal. The wingers were same as today; get down the wing and provide accurate crosses for the other forwards or attacking wing halves to benefit from. I know that is an extremely condensed version of the general tactics and strategy as used in the "old days" but it is the best I can do at this time in the morning and my cocoa is getting cold.

Now dont get cheeky young man! By the way isn't it past your bedtime? HINT: If you lookat my first post on this topic ( near the top of this very page) you will see that I have actually listed all the team positions along with their corresponding numbers, in the formation that was always used for line-up at kickoff's. However just to make it a little clearer: Teams always played in a 1; 2; 3; 5. formation, viz: Goalkeeper (1) Right Back.(2) Left Back(3) Right Half (4) Centre Half (5) Left Half (6) Outside Right (7) Inside Right (8) Centre Forward (9) Inside Left (10) Outside Left (11) This type of lineup was used by all teams and of course gave a much greater emphasis on attack rather than defence, That is why football was more exciting to watch in those days and why there were far more high scoring matches than you get today. EDIT: When I wrote all this stuff it was laid out symetrically and centre justified as the line-up actually looked. Unfortunately this so & so word processor won't allow it when you submit it and insists on left justifying every line. Sorry folks!

OK you're on! I will give it a go. I know that Mike Jackman has summarised this momentous occasion in his Essential History Of Blackburn Rovers, but I will try to give you my personal impressions and feelings starting from the approach to the match in London, the build-up before, the feelings during the match, and all the rest of it, including the celebrations up the West End afterwards.Just give me a day or so to get it together and I will post it in the Heaven section as you suggested.

I hope you indicated to TF and JW the approx percentage of Rovers fans holding this negative view ( estimated statistically from the number of posters on here with that view).

I cant remember exactly when Duggie changed from playing OR to IL but I was around at the time it happened which makes it post-55 ( when I left the Navy). I have a feeling it was early 60's because he was still OR when we won promotion at Charlton in 1958 (that was the most exciting match I have EVER witnessed) so I would guess it was about 1960 when he was initially tried out at IL to cover a crisis when Vernon was not available and was an immediate success in that position also. He continued as OR both for Rovers and England probably until Vernon left for Everton in 1960. Sorry I cant be more specific; perhaps another old timer can fill in the gaps in my memory. Or better still why not ask the man himself. He and Ronnie still attend every Rovers home match and have seats in the JW Central.

Clayton had No. 4 as usual for a Right Half, and Duggie had No. 7 when he was playing Outside Right, and No. 10 when he played Inside Left. In those days players did not have squad numbers as they do today. The number on the shirt was fixed by the position they were playing. Goalkeepers were nominally No. 1, but usually had no number on their shirt. Right Back was No.2, Left Back No.3. Right Half No. 4, Centre Half No. 5, Left Half No. 6 Outside Right No.7, Inside Right No. 8, Centre Forward No. 9, Inside Left No. 10, Outside Left No.11. Apologies to those who already know all this, but you did ask.

In that case we should get a very high scoring match. Pompey 15 - Rovers 20 anyone?

Oh go on then! I will break the habit of a lifetime and actually TRY a futile prediction. Pompey 1 - Rovers 3 Benni, Roberts, and JEFFERS (in stoppage time. I wish).

Nah! it's aluminium!

Here are a number of changes you might want to consider: 1) All signing-on fees should be banned (both to players and their agents) 2) All agents fees should be paid by their clients i.e. the player, and never the club. 3) All players at every club in the EPL should get exactly the same BASIC salary with a contractually agreed bonus and other performance related rewards scheme on top. 4) No severance payments to any player who requests a transfer. Only payable when there is mutual agreement or the club wants to get rid. 5) Any club found guilty of "tapping-up" another club's player should suffer automatic points deduction, and in repeated cases relegation. 6) Any agent found guilty of "tapping-up" or unsettling any club's player should be struck-off and banned from practicing as an agent for an agreed period. There is a nice little list of things that would IMO hugely improve our beloved game. Good luck with your project.

From the narrow perspective that there are only 3 or 4 likely championship contenders. Yes! Otherwiswe a resounding NO WAY!!!

A typical condescending Southern Pillocks view of "poor little Blackburn's much above their station" performance and prospects. At least we are real people, unlike Essex Man and his "peeounds"!!!

You've just sent Sparky to O. T. Bob!!

I don't intend to do a prediction of final placings, but would just like to make another prediction. Which is that if Man. U. don't finish in the top two this season, AND Rovers finish anywhere in the top five, it will be goodye to RFW at O.T. and goodbye to MH at Ewood!! So it's "get your prayer mats out" time folks!

Just as a matter of interest, who would you pick as England's first choice RB? STRICKERS! STRICKERS! STRICKERS! STRICKERS! STRICKERS! (Disappears down Scotland's secret bunker)

Theno: Is it the same ball as used in the WC this Summer?

That is exactly what Tom Finney used to do. He was well known to be equally good with either foot, and he used to place the ball with the utmost precision in a place of his own choice; usually JUST inside one of the posts barely missing the post. Keepers had no chance, especially as in those days Refs were red hot on the the rule that keepers must stand with both feet flat on the line and not be allowed to move at all until the ball was struck.

Having read the various posts on this subject since the verdicts were first published, I cannot help but feel that not only has justice not been done, but also that the various "players" in this tragi/farce have never had any real intention that it should be done. It appears that plenty of posturing and noise has followed the original verdicts, but actually all that has happened is that there have been lots of appeals and back-tracking on verdicts and punishments. And at the end of the day I do not believe there has been any real intention by the majority of the Italian and European football powers to actually tackle the problem "root and branch" for the obvious reason that once again "Big Money Rules, OK!" In other words, there has been a much publicised song and dance as though everyone was scandalised and horror stricken at the situation and much hand wringing and posturing gone on. BUT in reality nothing more than a "re-arrangement of the chairs in the room" has actually happened and that has been the intention all along! So much for justice!!

It is not quite as simple as that unless you live within fairly close proximity to Ewood (say within 50 miles). when I lived in the Blackburn area I had a S.T. for years. Now I live in Scotland each visit to Ewood is hugely expensive regardless of the cost of a match ticket, hence I can only afford to come down about 4 times a season. Train fare (with a rail card) = £47. Bus fares in Blackburn = £3. Bed & Breakfast = £30. Evening meal and couple of pints in B'Burn = £20. Total = £100. Then there is the cost of the match ticket plus booking fee!

Sincere apologies FLB if I have offended your fragile sensibilities (just joking). The truth is that for far more than long enough I have suffered in silence (well, almost) as poster after poster has used the word "of" in place of "have" and it quite simply drives me mad. Sadly, you were just the unfortunate recipient of my pent-up feelings as I reached the end of my tether in that respect. I too had a spell early in my career when I was asked to teach English to first year students at College, although I had an engineering degree. Not a very uplifting experience! And later in my career as a senior manager of degree qualified engineers (some of them Ph.D's) I was often appalled by the poor grammar and spelling used in their reports to me. So I hope you will understand and forgive me for picking the wrong target.

Sorry but just cannot stand it any longer, although I DO realise it is not just you that is guilty of this appalling error. The word you are looking for is HAVE, not OF. Probably caused by the lazy way of speaking down East Lancs way, but that is NOT an excuse. RANT OVER!!!

I guess Eddie Hapgood (who was Rovers manager when I first started watching them) has passed on into the next world by now. As have a few other Rovers ex-managers such as Will Scott, Jackie Bruton, Eddie Quigley, Johnny Carey, and Dally Duncan? (not sure about him). Looking in Mike Jackman's book I was surprised to find that I have Watched Rovers through the "reign" of 24 managers (Incl Carey twice) and not including any of Tony Parkes temp stints.

Well a good compromise might be let them bang their drums from the top of Corporation Park

Well you have won me over Shillito, and that is no mean feat. I too would hate to see Nelsen go, but if the scenario you painted above were to happen, then it would be a much better situation for Rovers to find themselves in both from a footballing and financial point of view. Plus it would definitely strengthen the team and the club in all respects. Players, pundits and Joe Public would all begin to see the Rovers in the same sort of light that at present only applies to the "Big Clubs". I am already half-hoping that it will happen, although I would suggest that the same sort of thinking could be applied to a lesser degree, but proportionately effective, if other "want away" players are sold for good fees.