Hilarious. One side has a good result, 10 men battling for a draw away from home. Other have an extra 2 points down the drain. Not getting beat away, showing resilience to come back with 10 men. I think we are on the up. Plenty of time left but we do need a few wins. Shame Brum won, and WBA-Soton was a draw in some repsects.

Neill is past it, sorry never had it, but I don't know about Douglas for right back. There and central mid are completely different positions, could he adapt, do a reverse Super Atko? As for Dickov, he should be dropped; toil, hard work, and effort doesn't add up to goals. Yes, he is a complete pain for defenders but if he can't score it's pointless having him. City and Leicester didn't do that well with him. He is a good player but I would have Stead and Bothroyd up there, both tall but different players, Bothroyd can dribble and Stead can do the donkey work. If it's not working bring on Dickov for 20 minutes to run around and annoy defenders. Bothroyd has a chequered past but he has genuine quality, he needs special treatment and if Hughes manages to bring out his good side, we are going to have a good striker. Intersting to see that Souness is after Huth and Dawson, two players talked about regularly on here. Both would be good for us, but we are left with Matteo the lump. I like Amoruso, maybe with a pacy player next to him he'd do better.

Norwich haven't won all season, they're looking at Swindon's record of 15 games. Rovers haven't won, or got a point away all season. Rovers are coming back off a spirited performance against a good team. Looks to me like Norwich's first win; but I'd love to be proven wrong.

Commentators here (Tony Dorigo and Ian Darke) said Amoruso is out for a few months with an ankle operation and Matteo has a bad Achilles which didn't perform well in a fitness test before the game. From this it would seem that he would have played if fit. Does Amoruso not like the cold weather? It will be his second winter out. In the 1970's playboy footballers used to get themselves sent off close to Christmas so they'd miss the extensive Christmas program and could concentrate on most people's favourite pastime: Christmas drinking. Does he have a penchant for December Mediterranean sun?

I'm in line with everyone else here I think. A very good performance which should have been 3 points yet were also lucky to get one, if Kewell's last second cross shot touched anyone we'd have lost. We were inventive, looked good going forward created chances, but still need defensive replacements. I've been saying it for years, Lucas Neill is not up to it. He proved it again today. The first goal, he had no idea Riise was behind him, therefore had to chase. If he stood flat instead of turned toward the ball he can see both the man out wide and the ball, but his back was facing Riise meaning his eyes could not see. WE NEED A NEW RIGHT BACK. Emerton, Bothroyd, Ferguson, Johansson we our best performers. McEveley would be on the list if it was not for his pass for their second. Was very assured and can defend. Second tier has Short, Reid, Tugay, and Dickov. I'm not convinced about Dickov, works very hard, but is not a goal threat, we need a poacher alongside him. Brad could have been better but made two very good saves. Neill was p*ss poor, should be dropped immediately. But do we have anyone who can play there now. Stead looked OK, silly booking but if he gets the proper teaching I think he could well be as good as Chris Sutton (was Sutton the same age as Stead when we signed him in 1994?). Sorry about Cisse, no football fan likes to see that. It looked very innocuous, but those who have watched the replay tell a different story. Shins bending; Eugh. I for one will not try and see it, I broke my leg a few years back and seeing things like that doesn't sit well.

Good memories. I do remember Bob's mate shouting for the Animal Reid every game. I was only young but always looked what Reidy would do afterwards. It normally involved him battering someone. A mate of mine went to Millwall one year in the playoffs, we tubbed them 4-1 and he says that Reidy was left on the pitch at the end of the game with only his jock strap on as the fans had taken souvenirs. He was club captain the year Dalglish took over. Lee Makel also could have made it. "the next Gazza" was signed from Newcastle and played for years in the reserves. Played one game our first season up and got man of the match, never played again. I'm still with Clayton and a toss up between Latheron and Batty.

It's looking like Clayton with Atko and Sherwood in a tussle for second. I'm either going with Latheron or Batty for my second. Latheron for the heart and Batty because he was class. I find the sideways pass comments about him a bit naive. Not all players become great from launching 50 yard balls all day. He was great at keeping possession, something this current team cannot do. 42 England caps, 10 as a sub. Has anyone else mentioned Lee Richardson? The most one footed player I've ever seen.

Colin, Atko did a very good job for us, but he is not one of the greatest players we've ever had. I liked him as a player but you cannot put him ahead of an established interantional in Batty, a capped player in Sherwood and a genuine hero in Latheron. Wilcox was very similar to Aktins, was around before the glory and did a lot to help us gain it, but he won't get a sniff in the left wing vote. Atko played alot during the promotion season but Gordan Cowans was far more influential. Atkins was to Cowans what Deschamps was to Zidane. We're not trying to give an award for the ones who tried the hardest, we want the greatest. Club service doesn't warrant automatic selection. Derek Fazackerley has nearly 600 appearances for BRFC, did a great job for the club, is still in the game wherever Keegan goes, and did not get anywhere near the central defender spot, which was opened up to two after the Hendry-England debate. See the light and keep away from him. We've already lost one spot to Le Saux.

I'll jump in on the Batty/Sherwood/Atkins debate. Hopefully Ronnie Clayton has one spot sewn up already. There should be no discussion as to why he should not be in the side. End of story. When it comes to the other one it's looking like a four horse race between the aforementioned 3, and many wanting pre-WWI hero Latheron. Nobody knows anything about him so peope are going with the next best lot; our title winning bunch. Sherwood was a very good player for us. He ran the midfield during our meteoric rise, and jumped ship during the latter days of our decline. He could see passes that many other players could not, he'd open up the pitch for us and give players tremendous amounts of time and space with his vision. Fans used to moan now and again when one went wayward into the Riverside but when they came off they were great. He could put a tackle in, wasn't afraid of the rough stuff, but could not shoot straight, he always just put them over the bar. Overall a good one who was maybe worthy of a better England chance on his club performances but didn't have international class or consistency. His leaving was controversial, as was many of the glory team. I first saw Batty when he played for Leeds, we tubbed them 3-1 at Ewood in our first season up. It was the game when Shearer did his knee. Wilcox ran Mel Sterland ragged. I remember then watching him and thinking what class he had, simple but very effective. Allegedly Dalglish went to Leeds asking for McCallister, they said no, so he asked for Batty instead. He won player of the year in his first season with us, ahead of Shearer and his 30 goals. He did everything simple, kept the ball well and broke up attacks well. He was brilliant, far better than Sherwood, and also never scored, but injuries and his Le Saux fight marred him. Won plenty of England caps, missed a penalty in 1998. Atkins is different, a lowly Don Mackay signing came as a bad fullback (Super Atko started as a mick take nickname) whose pre-Dalglish days most famous moment was a last minute own goal against Liverpool in the FA Cup. It robbed us of a great win, as they lumped us 3-0 at Anfield. Jimmy Hill blamed the ball girl for giving it to Liverpool too quickly - I blamed Atko. Anyway, once Dalglish started buying, Atkins managed to convert himself into a ball winning midfielder. He must have watched Batty alot in training as when he was injured Atko came in and played like him - I've never seen a footballer do that. He was big and had good stamina, but should not be in the "greatest ever team". We also got over a million for him from Wolves. What still does me in is that Le Saux made the team. Good player but left in acrimonious circumstances, Woy was going to let him rot in the reserves, but money came calling. Clayton is a certainty with either Latheron or Batty - I'm an undecided here.

Ronnie Clayton is a must in my book. He and Douglas were genuine class. As for the other position I've no idea yet. I've seen Simon Barker onwards so I can vouch for them. I remember Scott Sellars as a left winger, really tricky but then got a terrible groin injury and was never the same again. I honeslty believe that if that never happened he would have played for England, but that is for the left wing debate. Old Latheron pulls at the heartstrings, but no-one will have any idea how he played. How many of todays millionaire footballers would go to war? He will get a lot of sympathy votes. Atko was never the greatest, don't forget his pre-Dalglish awfulness. Sherwood and Batty were both very good with Batty getting the nod. Batty had a bad injury that kept him out for over a year, something which hindered him. Can Paul Warhurst be added? He won't win, but when he first signed he was ace, then he broke his leg. Nicky Marker deserves a mention as does Nicky "the animal" Reid.

This thread reeks of 6 months ago when we were struggling and the Souness out thread was over 100 pages. Same arguments, different manager. But how you can compare the two is beyond me. Thankfully most posts are ridiculing the suggestion. Hughes has had 5 games, yes, we've not played well and are off the back of two hammerings but give him time. It is not his fault that we have some complete dross playing for us. Souness, the board and the players' themselves are to blame. Souness is the main culprit and many fans will never forgive him for it, especially if we go down, but if the no commitment comments are to be true, that is very worrying. Give Hughes until after Christmas to install his own philosophy, weigh up his squad and bring in a defence (hopefully). If results do not improve by then, maybe we should start sweating, but I wouldn't get rid even if we go down as I feel we've got a good man who will do the club well over the long term. As someone pointed out, after Saturday we will have played Chelsea, Arsenal and Newcastle away, Man U and Liverpool at home; arguably the upper echelon of the league where most teams in our position get very few points. It will get better, we will start playing a bit.

Some of you need your heads looking at. I had a long post but somehow managed to delete it. The upshot of it was that at least we are this bad now, we have a chance to bring in new personnel in January, and there are at least 6 teams as bad as us so any type of form change will vault us up the league.

Just voted for Douglas. He has twice as many as Ripley, which is understandable. The old fellas may complain about the number of votes he has but lots of fans remember him and not Douglas. Ripley did a great job for Dalglish and Harford's teams, it required very hardworking wingers who put crosses in, he and Wilcox did that. He is a very good player who we would love to have today but not in the same league as Douglas. The Bob Mortimer endorsement for a crap Ripley is a good one; a comedian's opinion is now gospel. Tripe. What I can't understand is the people who voted for Emerton, Thompson, and Donis. Are these people taking the mick? If so it undermines the vote. Maybe in 10 years if Emerton stays and becomes a world wonder he may have a chance but not now. Thompson has been on crutches for the majority of his Ewood career and Donis scored a wonder goal then cleared off.

I said that we should give Souness 10 games during the summer before action needs tobe taken, he went and we are 9 games in, in exactly the same place with Hughes we would have been with Souness - looking back at his few games. We are a bad side right now, no confidence and a shoddy back line, something I've been harping on about for years. In 5 years Souness neglected the back four, now we are paying for it. It would be a different story for Hughes if we didn't have the transfer window, he could ship out now and bring in replacements. An unfortunate part of this is that due to the nature of our club we have to intice players with higher wages, making it difficult for us to offload them if they are not up to it as other teams won't want to fork out and our players are reluctant to leave because of the windfall they are getting. I thought we would come back after the international break fitter and better but due to a sending off we were denied that. Sometimes at premier league level 10 men makes a massive difference, Boro proved that. When you go down to 10 the idea is to get men behind the ball and play on the break, it makes the defence work that much harder and our inefficiencies were highlighted by this display. I don't think we should write off the season based on a heavy loss with 10 men. We are not a good side, but we will not go down. We will be again scrapping for 13th to 17th spot.

My age and experience makes me remember Ripley, an excellent player for BRFC. Knew his role did it very well, never stopped running and provided plenty of goals. But for a great player it has to be Brian Douglas, my dad and grandad go on about him, some of the plauydits already on here say a lot about him. Le Saux made it on to this team on the strength of the younger vote (of which I am one - yonger poster, not a Le Saux voter) and Douglas doesn't, serious questions need to be asked. With the regular pining by some that people sell out for leaving clubs to move on, Douglas' achievements should ring truer with them.

I don't think that much of what Rooney does is his fault. He is still young, ambitious and proved that he can be one of the best on the world stage already. Unfortunately due to his cash cow status he will constantly have hanger's on, family, friends and unscrupulous folks trying to get what they can out of him for their own gain. Stretford proved this and no doubt others will follow. Footballers tend to invite this upon themselves by having everything done for them to begin with making it easy for exploitation. As for turning his back on his own people by signing for Man U I find this argument lame. By Everton getting £25 million for someone who cost nothing represents a huge investment in a club that is in dire financial straits. If anything his transfer money has gone some way to strengthening Everton's long term stability therefore helping the club. Now and again I get the impression that some on this board have underlying feelings of complacency and resentment toward success. People should not have ambition, move upward or better themsleves. Rooney shouldn't leave Everton because it's his home town club. Rubbish. If he is to fulfill his potential he cannot spend his career at Everton, they do not challenge for top honours or play in Europe every year. It will make him a better player.

I agree with you Al, this is a good thread, it gets people talking about the team and may give some insight into past Rovers teams to young fans who have grown up with Premier League football. It also gives people a chance to reminisce of games/players/seasons of yore. However the bad side is that the team will probably be 1992 onward for the mostpart due to the fan base onth si forum. There's nothing wrong with that per se as they were some of the best Rovers teams we've had, but the Le Saux inclusion does grate me a little. He was a good player but left under very acrimonious circumstances after criticizing the club. Are we going to vote for the manager?

?! I trust the LET for accurate information. They are not into the sensationalism that the national dailies thrive on. If they report stories I'll take them far more seriously than the Sun, Mirror and the rest.

More Speculation. This time Liverpool. It's from the LET so there's some truth to it. Ferguson linked to Liverpool

I'm not suggesting it, I'm just wondering how people would react to it. You, obviously, don't like it. Does the FA's "bringing the game into disrepute" charge carry only financial penalties? Could it not be argued that an idiot footballer convicted of a criminal offence is bringing the game into disrepute?

This is the only place I will put this one as I don't want to start a topic on it. Cole, an old boy (hence this thread), has just been banned another 3 games for fighting on the pitch. Fabrice Fernandes has also been convicted of dangerous driving and got 100 hours or so community service. Should Fernandes also get banned for a few games to teach him a lesson? Role model and all that. Cole got an extra hammering for what could be seen as transgressing the laws of the land, why not Fernandes? Or all footballers who fall foul of the law? Would it make a difference?

Theno, I completely forgot about his City adventures. He didn't do much there either, he should never have left, but £750,000 was a pot of gold for the club back then. Most fans thought that he was going to a better club, as City were 1st Division and we were still languishing in the second therefore everyone wished him well. He did come back far more accomplished though. I do agree that he was washed up when he left so maybe it was better for him doing the old comedian's trick of leaving the audience wanting more, helping preserve the good memories of him. I disagree about Amoruso, I think he's good enough, get someone next to him with pace and he will really shine. Craig Moore would have been good as he is fast. Then we could have got rid of Neill becasue he is crap and also due to an unsubstantiated rumour that the club can only have 2 Aussie's on staff at any one time.

Whose decision was it to adopt a 3-5-2? I'm leaning toward the 4-4-2 brigade. I've never seen a Rovers team play anything less. This is not because of the current Mike England/Colin Hendry face off, the same thing happened with the left back debate, and will do throughout the side. I've not decided on my vote yet. Hendry was great, a crowd pleaser who played with his heart, he had to, his skill level wasn't up to much. Mike England from all accounts was a class act centre half who could play. Both internationals. Two completely contrasting styles, both fantastic players for BRFC. England left for Spurs for more money, Hendry left for Rangers for more money. I'll vouch that more fans were fed up with Hendry's departure because of the way he did it, but we got £4 million for a 34 year old, we'd faint if that happened today. It's a tough one.

Historically we have done well against Villa, we seem to have their number. But I was at the game last Christmas and dire doesn't describe how we played, yet we beat them away. Villa let teams play, hopefully this will help us. A decent crowd would be nice, they'll bring a good few. I'm not making a score prediction, I always get them wrong. I'm thinking a win though.

Ronnie Johnsen or Youri Djorkaeff? I'm in the Djorkaeff camp. World Cup winner, adds some flair to the team and has signed for us. The nay sayers: he's on a 3 month deal. If he's crap we'll off him at Christmas. It's in his best interests to be fit and ready. His age has no bearing on what he does, he can still play he just got greedy at Bolton.