Great stuff! You really have to give the Big Club's fans 7 out of 10 for sense of humour

Assuming you are right in the above summation, that leaves 5 teams fighting for 4 places in Europe and Rovers are one of them. Good odds or what?

Maybe so in the short to medium term but eventually things would settle down and pan out along the lines I outined above. The armchair fans would still be watching TV and "the big clubs" so whatever turns you on! BUT the REAL football fans would be doing what they always have done and watching their favorite teams down at the ground, the only place to be for real atmosphere and feelings of belonging. This idea would gradually catch on by virtue of the real fans constantly enthusing to their friends , relations , workmates etc about what they see on SATURDAY AFTERNOONS (OH HEAVEN). Hence attendances and Saturdays would return to what they used to be.

Who's missing the point? The point I was making is that if you assume the departure of Man U, Chelsea, Arsenal and any others that are or can get membership of the G14, then you have a free hand to re-arrange English football along the lines it used to be i.e. 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th divisions or whatever you want to call them. There will be no super-rich clubs and the new league could legislate for no more takeovers by billionaires. THEN we would all be able to get on with watching and supporting the clubs we love and all would have at least a reasonable chance over time of winning things. I am also assuming in all this that the TV channels will have followed the G14 lot to wherever and with them will go the Armchair Fans. The real supporters can then get on with doing what I have always done and go and support their favorite team or their nearest team whatever.

Or the media see NOTLOB as much bigger club than por old "sruffy little town and no support" Rovers!!

I know it would be a hard and bitter pill to swallow for the vast majority of football clubs that would not and never could be a part of the G14 setup, but if it happens and you think about it rationally, would it be such a bad thing for the left out clubs? This same scenario has been the case (obviously on a very much smaller scale) in Scottish football for so many years that few can remember when it was any better. I am of course alluding to the "old firm" setup. But here in Scotland there is an ever increasing feeling that has now become an avalanche; and this is to the effect that most Scottish football fans outside of the old firm (and quite a few within the old firm ) are now of the opinion that the best solution for Scottish football as a whole would be for Rangers and Celtic to just go away and join some other league at wherever will have them. Then the rest of the clubs can really compete on a level playing field for the first time in at least 50 years. Surely the same would apply in England if the English G14 members were to just beatle off?

I certainly get the feeling that Mark Hughes is a man of his word and whatever he starts he will finish. Which means that he wont leave Rovers in the lurch as long as they are making progress along the path that he (MH) has set for them. Or until the day comes when he decides he has taken them as far as he can having regard to all the circumstances applying at the time, and especially the amount of support he feels he is getting from the board, the players, and the fans.

1) We frequently get beaten by teams with 10 men. 2) We won with 10 men. 1) + 2) = Play with 10 men always = keep winning, and save on wages!

Very, very well said DP. That is probably the most sensible post I have seen on this subject. And well done also to Rovers for having the dignity and good taste to do it. However, I still think that after this year it would be a very opportune time for the Liverpool fans and club to consider what their future arrangements should be.

I do not mean to imply any sort of disrespect to the memory of the Hillsborough victims, but I really do think it is time to move on. Ok let the people of Liverpool remember in their own way and in their own time, but for the rest it is time to get on with their own lives. As the post above quotes, how many expect this sort of respect to the memory of Heysell or Bradford? And further how many people today are even aware of the tradgedy of the Ibrox and Burnden Park disasters shortly after WW2? Both of those disasters involved far more death and injury than Hillsborough.

Parlez vous Francais? Sprechen Zie Deutch? Parliano Italiano? Do you speak English?

Now there IS dedication for you. They are still getting home gates of over 30,000 and they have not won a single match at home as yet!!

I have to agree with you on this occasion, but although Todd has had a number of less than good games recently I still think he is a good man to have available for the right occasions. Following this theme; what has happened to Zurab? Why is he not even on the bench recently?

I know that Rovers agreed instantly to the change of time for the kick-off when requested to do so by Liverpool F.C. Unfortunately I cant remember exactly where I read it, but it was certainly not just on this MB. Could well have been the Rovers official website. Can anyone else help out?

I fully agree with this. My choice would be either: 1) Beattie 2) Ashton

I would not be too surprised if Spurs were to win at Chelski or at least draw. Based on the current form of both teams, injuries and suspensions etc. To say nothing of Rovers luck!

I really can't understand why so many people seem keen for Rovers to sign Pennant. I know he has bags of ability and talent and is still very young, but if you look into his record off the pitch with both Arsenal and Brum you can see that he is to put it mildly"something of a wild child". I suspect that he is another example of the type of player that can't handle the life style of a top professional footballer and is already heading down the same road as players like Best and Gazza and will simply throw away all the chances and opportunities that come his way. I would not take the risk if it were down to me.

Well said Sir. I have been trying for some time to convey the sentiments you express so eloquently to a number of wooden headed numpties that regularly throw their rattles out of the pram on this MB.

The history books show that we lost at Parkhead too Jim, in spite of playing them off the park for almost 90 minutes.

Sneak into Europe? Don't you mean march in?

No, I am asking you to apply simple basic logic and to be consistent in your reasoning. If you are complaining about the legality of either of Spuds goals, then you must also cocede the illegality of the Rovers "goal" at Newcastle.

Absolutely right Arcturus. Everyone is entitled to their opinions, but some of them show a pitifull level of understanding of the beautiful game. Still, it's a free country as they say.

Isn't it strange Eddie how some people see things as they really are and dont expect miracles every single week, and others see things through the eyes of spoilt children. They wont give credit where it is due simply because things have not gone their way

Pederson's "Goal" at Newcastle was handball too. It gave us 3 points. Are you complaining about that too?

For some time now I have been wondering why various posters on this MB seem to like having a go at you JimMk2. Now I know! You really are a miserable old git! and it's people like you that give us older generation a bad press. Get yourself some better glasses or a bigger telly, or whatever it takes. Better still, stop being such a sore loser and pessimistic old F**T!