Bone healing depends on blood flow. There isn't that much in the foot so it could take a while. The femur (thigh bone) actually heals pretty quickly as there is muscle all aorund it. 6 weeks is the industry standard for bone breaks some are longer some are shorter. I've no doubt that Rooney will be drinking his milk, popping osteoporosis pills and sleeping in oxygen tents to get him ready for Sweden. I agree with the boot theory. Blades are dangerous not only for their knife like qualities but for having a knack of not letting you turn quickly. I got my first pair at the begining of the season and am glad that they are now ripping as I'm not getting any more. The sole of these new boots offers no protection. When you put on a pair of shoes the sole covers the foot, the lightweight boots don't have this thick protection and the foot is basically balancing on top of the blades, so when you turn your ankle the foot bends too much and; crack!

How many did we concede before the floodgates closed after Hughes took charge? He lost his first 2 by 4 goals, after that we conceded a lot less than this year. So I would vote for Bellamy, he is a class above. Nelsen is good, but the defence hasn't played up to last year's stinginess. I do remember Batty winning the player of the year one time ahead of Shearer so it's not always about goalscoring.

I voted for Tugay but forgot about MGP's volley. I'd have that every time.

Just refreshed after the weekend's fixtures and I too am in wonderment at where Newcastle have come from. As Tucker says though we have 3 more points, a game in hand and better goal difference than them. One more win should see them off but we need at least two to be certain. Brum should be a fantastic game; them fighting for their lives, us trying to get to Europe. What happens if Arsenal win the Champs League? Do Spurs get bu66ered?

Why doesn't BRFC or Sky have a "Pub Patrol" or have a wall of shame each Friday in the LET. Every home game they have a van with a couple of heavies driving around in it finding places with dodgy TV being on. They could do their research during the week. It would be easy; come on here and ask where they can watch the game. They'd get 10 answers and would be able to pay the landlords a visit. They can be independent contractors paid in cash through a middleman with no connection to the club or Sky. I think the dodgy TV watching is appealing just on the fact that it is illegal. I know people who could care less about watching football but as soon as their local or nearby boozer gets a satellite they are down there every week to 'watch the match'. The social aspect appeals to many. Landlords should bear the brunt of this, but they are apathetic to anything that involves them being responsible; they run a business that encourages drunkeness. I still believe that all games should be on TV for access. Sky can sell them domestic only and have different packages for foreign TV. The growth of the game is happening abroad as I said earlier. The consistent ticket price/game saturation arguments are testament to that. I feel that the biggest growth markets are China with its billion people and the USA with its $ billions. Only this week Beckham was trumping himself by saying that he would love to play in America, probably to watch his bank balance skyrocket. He never harps on about playing back in England does he? Dan, I apologise for getting your age wrong. Your posts did appear to be from a schoolie though.

Dan's responses are typical of today's younger fan. Going to the game isn't enough entertainment, a skin full before and a skin full after is also needed. To alot of young fans a game without a p!ss up is like fish without chips. Arguing over semantics of pricing is hardly convincing when the actual game figure is dwarfed by drinking spends. I don't think any of us would disagree with the fact that the game needs changing and Rovers don't want to get shafted as a result. We cry into our pints over a few hundred (maybe) lost to foregin football. Imagine United? They can't build stands quickly enough to fit them in. How many black market fans watch their games?

If Sky took over the TV rather than having Norway TV do it, what Modes98 says is right. The club's Sky revenue should increase as they get more game revenue. One solution for this is to have equal revenue sharing of TV money. That way every Prem team gets the same amount from the pot. More games being shown means a greater exposure elsewhere (cue Peter Kenyon and David Gill). Den, the gates in this country are going down due to numerous factors. The Premier League's biggest growth market is abroad; TV satisfies that need. Increased TV revenue plus a level revenue sharing plan would help our club more than most as you can never rely on the local public to bail Blackburn out. There aren't many Jack Walkier's waiting in the wings for us. Jan, are fans only fans when they go to watch games in the stadium? Do they owe the club or the game a living?

I reckon we'd sell roughly the same. The people who want to go will go and have been going for years. The disaffected lager swilling youth would rather go to the pub and complain than pay to get cold.

Yes Lee they are. I've only seen it a couple of times "live" as I don't live in an area with a pro sports team. What happens is that if the crowd is a certain size the game is shown, if the crowd doesn't meet the limit you get a black screen on your TV if you live in that city. But I think there are exceptions. American might know more.

I'm leaning toward those who support the ruling. People who want to go to games will do so, the casual fan who would prefer to spend their money in the boozer instead of the ground would probably not go anyway. Football is now more social for some; they can feel proud to watch a game in the pub on dodgy TV as it gives them some kudos. I have reason to believe that showing all games live at 3pm would help matters. Sky could still get their Sunday game as midweek European nights have a lag or they could be allowed 1 promotional fixture a week to be billed as such. As usual on TV matters I'll defer to the NFL; Sky's model for making as much cash as possible. American Football clubs make oodles from TV who show all games at the same time (there's two times actually to account for time zones - not a UK problem). Depending on where you live determines the game you see. There is one game late on Sunday for TV and one on Monday night; that's it. Stadiums are full up every week too. Why don't Sky show 9 games on Saturday at 3pm, one per Sky channel set aside for it, then they build up the Sunday game. There are enough cup competitions/midweek/ football league games to keep Sky ticking over before the weekend starts again. I also like the idea that home game is blacked out within home areas but that could cause problems. If BRFC are at home anyone within a, say, 20 mile radius of the ground has their Sky box shut off for the channel showing the game. When they are away the box will show the game. What would happen in cities with more than 1 prem team though (eg. Manchester)? Also, would the Football League kick up a fuss? Could they get a bit extra from the Sky money to keep them happy? Something has just struck me. The Premier League started in 1992. Since then Sky has bombarded us with football match after football match. People who are 18-22 (the new drinkers/fans who can go on their own) grew up with live football all the time on TV. I'm not much older than them but can remember the days where there was only the odd game on a Sunday. It started to change when Elton Welsby fronted "The Match" on ITV. The new fans that clubs are trying to attract have had a far greater access to TV football their whole lives. Anyone 30 and over grew up with not as much football and as such went to stadiums to see a game. This is not the norm nor is it thought about by the up and comers. In order to keep the game alive TV needs to take over, evetually fans will start going back if it is promoted well enough and priced properly.

This day was probably one of the greatest I've had so far. Played football and won in the morning. Saw an absolutely fantastic game in the afternoon, and was still drinking at 5am the next morning. Great. The buzz around the ground was fantastic. I remember no Nuttall Street stand and all the Rovers subs standing there gettig cold. I was in the BB upper right behind the goal.

I'm having a boring Friday and am reminiscing about this board over the previous two campaigns. Relegation worries, panic stations and the sheer relief of that 4-3 Fulham win have been replaced with Champs Leauge optimism. It is an amazing turnaround, and looks to be here to stay for a while. But crowds are gonig down.

Ozzie, good article. Not for the correctness of it but for showing the stupidity of the woman. I agree that Shearer made a ba!!s up when he went home to play. But at the time Newcastle were on the up, with Keegan signing anybody and everybody. But as we all know it went pear shaped for him trophy wise. He should have joined Man U, he would have played less, scored more and may have still had another year in him. Although I'm not a Man U fan, I enjoy watching them play, especially when they were winning everything in the late 90's. Shearer scored bundles with Ripley and Wilcox providing the ammo, I shudder to think what Beckham would have done for him week in week out. If this would have happened though he would not be remembered by us as the legend that he is but as a traitor who left us for the red scum. Going to Newcastle and winning bugger all helped cement his status with our fans, snubbing Man U helps him with the Geordies. Shearer did have an ability to batter defenders and get free kicks, and I do wonder what the FA was thinking when they let him off for booting that Leicester player in the head, but overall the man was absolutely fantastic and I had the pleasure of watching him in his prime regardless of what the Geordies think.

Joe

Not the best Rovers performance, certainly nowhere near the game at the JJB. I can see why Wigan are good away from home, they are very compact and organized, and wasted as much time as they could. De Zeeuw played very well. We never looked like scoring, the got an equalliser and could have won it. Neill had a dodgy game, Dickov was non-existent, Kuqi isn't up to it but does a good job as a battering ram in the air. If we never pass to his feet he will be a world beater. The attempted cross from the left was his funniest moment.

Ray-Von and Exiled; I don't quite understand why "tossers at club level" mean that you can't cheer for your country. The Rovers interest is also a bit strange too. It is your country you should stick up for them whoever plays. I'll wager that 2 short years ago Craig Bellamy and Robbie Savage were two of the league's biggest "tossers" in your eyes. Maybe because I live abroad I have an enhanced sense of patriotism toward my country but your views confuse me.

If you are not English I understand it, if you are English WTF?

Just had a quick look at the remaining fixtures for us, Arsenal, Spurs, and Bolton. We have by far the easiest run-in with Bolton having the hardest. Our unfortunates are two away days at relegation battling Pompey and Brum. Spurs have to play Arsenal and Bolton so points dropped there for someone. It could be very good for us. I hope WBA can keep it up.

I think the odd relegation haunted player will do us good. There are good players playing down there even though their team'soverall standard is not up to it. Pennant is a good player but the lad is a complete head the ball. He doesn't have all his marbles and is liable to go bananas if he ever ends up in East Lancs: too much of a fishbowl for him. I'm afraid he will go down as one of many who had great potential but couldn't cope with it. I seem to remember after his drink drive case that Steve Bruce was pulling at the public's heartstrings saying that he (Pennant not Bruce) grew up in a broken home and can barely read. This type of upbringing added to a pot of hero worship and money can only have disasterous results. We don't need Upson, even though he isn't bad. Haskey is a carthorse these days. 5 years ago we should have snatched him, but not now. Pompey is full of cast offs, maybe's, contract wanting players, and the odd home grown player who could do a job; Davis and the bloke who scored the free kick against us in January. Ellington could be Dickov's replacement if he is cheap enough. But if the rumours are true and Neill is going to AC Milan in a mega money move we could snap up Albrectson (sic?) from West Brom. When I have seen him he has been great. As for the misfit Euro league players; No chance. Rovers got their fingers well and truly burnt with "Junior" Grabbi, the bad taste is still there from De Pedro, and Gresko will wind a few up too. Lecce strikers? Balkan Players? Please.

Plase enlighten us as to why.

I too view the FA cup with suspicion. It started a few years ago when I was regailed with tales of officials putting balls in the microwave before the draw to ensure top notch ties. Since the time media types starting writing that the FA cup "has lost some of its lustre" these dodgy draws have become commonplace. Everyone on here was not surprised last year when we got Arsenal in the semi. I was not surprised to see us playing Burnley also after they won a few. I know that during the latter stages the good teams will still be there and as such the probability of them playing each other will increase but Man U Burton smells. If I had longer I would recant more dodgy draws. Chelsea playing Man U every round guarantees the FA money and exposure; a 5th round tie of Colchester v. Hull does not, but they have to be played so they make sure every round has a super tie to keep interest.

I have also been waiting for a while for G14 to get some stick. It is in international interest to shut these clubs up. Yes, they are the most wealthy, but thay have gotten that way by beating the rest over the years. UEFA is the governing body and they are finally doing something that was needed a long time ago. Let the big clubs make their money in our league, if they want to make more let them go and be greedy, but ban them from anything worthwhile.

Don't forget the Super Sunday drinking because of the Bank Holiday. Nice weather will mean that the pubs will be full of people drinking it up watching the game

Ste, I'm in the US and they always show the 5:15pm game live. The Sky Super Sunday game is per per view so I may lose out.

A bit of a ba!!s up if you ask me. Reduced prices for Rovers fans would give them a lift, but most, if not all will have already been bought. From my perspective I just hope that it is on TV still as I had my saturday lunchtime organized around it. We'll get short shrift in the media too no doubt.