We have done well at the Dell, I'm predicting a win, 2-0. Sturrock is in hot water down there and his lack of confidence is rubbing off on his players. Beattie won't get any change out of old man Short and swarthy Amoruso. Mind you, that little git Phillips might. But I'll stick with the result, knowing that in all my years the only defeat I ever predict is Leeds away.

Didn't see the game, or the mass of highlights due to living abroad. I'll get them about Tuesday, when everything has died down. But from what I have read on the match from papers and the web it seems to me like West Brom did exactly what I thought they would do, and will do for 37 more games: defend like mad and try and get a lucky goal on the break. They'll furstrate better teams than us this year. Megson was in the Prem 2 years ago, he is a very good manager and is learning, he knows they've no money and are favourites to go down so he's adopted a system of frustration and block defending to maybe give them 2 seasons up this time. When they do go back down, and they will, they will have plenty of cash to buy up the best talent in the Coca-Cola Leagues and make for a swift return to the land of the plenty, albeit for a brief spell. If you're a WBA fan you've got to love it, one year spent watching the best in the land try and socre past 10 defenders with no football being played at all, followed by a season of rehearsal playing great football and scoring freely. No wonder they get good gates. Now back to the Blues, and the comments on this site. We've played one game against the most negative team in the league. They went one up and played to cash in thier chips, it nearly paid off for them but luckily for us we got a draw. Not getting beat in your first game is always priority, we did that. BRFC not playing flowing football with 6 goals doesn't pose any problem for me. If some posters on this board were to be believed we've had it and will be lucky to win a game. What are Charlton fans thinking? Especially if they have the attitude alot on here do. They're doomed. Getting battered of relegation specialists Bolton after spending all that money. Please start looking at this differently, we will be OK, not world beaters but OK. We'll beat teams who are supposed to beat us and lose to the ones who should get hammered every week. The league is a slog, it takes plenty of fine tuning and changing to find a formula that works. Rovers have some very good footballers, opposition managers know that so when they come to Ewood they try to not let us play. The good teams don't need that so they play a more open game, giving us a better chance to play. Our away form will be better than most teams because of this. Most of all, I know negativism is popular in East Lancashire, it's where I'm from, but some of the posters please try to look into what you are commenting on before going ape. It has a habit of catching and before you know it there are thousands of disgruntled fans. We have a lot to look forward to, just think of the position Burnley are in; it could easily be us. On a separate note, I like those blue shorts.

If I remember rightly, thoe whole reason we signed Brett "worth 10 million" Emerton is because Souness assured him that he'd play right wing, not right back, or wing back where he played at Feyenoord. Now if Souness has told him "Look mate you were crap last season, certainly not worth the money people were talking about paying for you, but Neill was worse, take his place or you'll not get a new contract" I think he'd play, and now with Thompson fit he has competition for his place unlike last year, well not counting "two nobs" Flitcroft.

An easy Rovers victory 3-0. Yorke, Gresko and Emerton. We have to be optimistic here. West Brom will come to defend, and they can't score to save their lives. We will exploit them wth De Pedro shining for an hour before his lack of fitness gives way to Gresko, who tormets the Baggies late on.

Serves him right. Yet another arrogant footballer who has got his comuppance. If he'd had 2 whisky's why did he run? Will he learn though?

I've been re-reading the posts to catch up and the one mention of Andy Kennedy deserves more attention. Maverick Scottish striker with Italian looks, well apart from the jawline. He entertained the Blackburn end and I seem to remember him being a big hit with the local ladies. Remembering him made me smile.

My era is 1985 onward so I can't go back from there. We've never had many flair players, mostly workmanlike types, so pick 3 from this lot. David Speedie - the day he came out for the warm up wearing that curly wig and everyone asking who was this new player we'd signed was priceless, plus all of his goals. Simon Garner - great player but had that extra bit of pizazz from his smoking, drinking, and jail antics. Terry Gennoe - his massive arms and ability to make silly saves look easy endeared himself to the Blackburn End. Mark Atkins - Super Atko has to be in, his pre-Dalglish awfulness and his post 1992 David Batty impressions. Jason Wilcox - I've never heard so many moan about a player who we'd have killed for last season, a genuine winger who gave balance to the team. We'd have won the title at a canter if he didn't do his knee against Crystal Palace just before the run in. Colin Hendry - Nine years, a title and full members cup winner, spokesman for that window firm, why did he always show his arse? Kevin Davies - He sold more replica shirts than anyone else the season he came. Steve Livingstone - kept us up one year with his 9 in 9.

I'm sorry I don't agree with that. Davis and Grabbi were wastes, Cole was not. He was a good player, kept us up when we first bought him, and although many here disagree, his partnership with Stead was a big reason why we stayed up last year. Yes, Stead got all the plaudits but Cole worked his socks off for us. £7 million kept TV money flowing, if we'd have gone down, it would have been a return to the days of 8,000 fans and mediocre teams.

Strage one this. Cole gone, recevied nothing back for him, paid him some severance payment probably 7 figures, and left with unproven strikeforce. His wages have gone and if the Telegraph's 55 grand a week was right, it's better off he's gone, Rovers cannot support that amount. Once we get rid of Yorke we'll be able to bring in someone else; hopefully.

Hillsborough was a terrible disaster, the subsequent inquiry didn't give many Liverpool fans justice, then the Sun laid into them. Liverpool fans were already suffering from the recriminations of the Heysel tragedy and many blamed them as it was easy to label it as a repeat occurrence, which it was not. The Taylor report had its conclusions that have helped football immensely. Ticketing, policing, and stadia are far better today than in the 1980's, even the fans have changed. Solace from that is not enough for many that lost relatives, I didn't and therefore cannot understand their grief, I knew people at the game and saw the images but I'm sure it doesn't come close. Having said that I feel that it is of little benefit for the people of Liverpool to constantly have a go at The Sun. Newspapers sell with sensationalism, they had some, they felt that it would sell, it did, they got hammered for it. To pick sides on newpapers is an exercise in futility, all the tabloids are useless and although I read them, albeit online as I'm away from Blighty, I certainly do not believe what is written or take seriously any of their crusades. Good luck for the Justice committee, but don't blame Rooney for any of it, he's 18, a scouser making his way, and like all of us he wants peole to like him and make lots of cash.

As a newcomer to messageboards, and Rovers fan sites, this place has been a breath of fresh air. I'm yet another ex-pat living in the States. I only make it home for a few weeks a year and get to see only one or two games at Ewood. I get plenty of premier league coverage over here, I'm sure that others living in America will agree with me in saying that Fox Sports World has been a godsend as I get highlight shows, and at least 4 games a week. But what you don't get living abroad is "the man on the street talk". I laugh whenever someone posts with inside info from - their neighbour's brother who works with the chairman's cleaner's sister - stories of who were signing next as it doesn't happen here, neither does the general humour of the site, it reminds me of home. The messageboard may have quality issues, I'm not experienced enough to know. Yet, with any site dedicated to opinions you will get some different ones, good and bad. That is the beauty of football, the ability to completely disagree but like the same thing. Some posts are downright ridiculous, but it helps me decipher what type of fan I'm reading: Is it the fervent idiot who sleeps in Rovers pyjamas? The away fan nut who's been to every ground in Britain? The ex-pat? The uninformed, but keen, foreigner? Disgruntled ex-Nuttall Street old-timer? Part time clown? Mr. singing is more important than winning? Women! Overall I like it the way it is. The regulars do have their own jokes, but these folks actually see each other and have more in common. Please keep it going, I like it.

It is a major debate between fans, particularly within local team circles, as to who has the most loyal support. It seems that when teams are in different divisions the way to compare teams is through fan support not results. As we are currently the cream of the crop within East Lancs we come in line for more grief than others because of other fans' jealousy. Preston and Burnley fans serve up the most, and our usual rebuke is to look at the support as a percentage of population. I'd prefer to laugh at them and remind them that they have to suffer lower league football, not the good stuff we get, and stay clear of the fan argument as it does cause some Rovers fans problems. Rovers support has never been the greatest, and never will be, we are a backwoods team with fickle fans who got very lucky with a benefactor who wanted to put us on the map. Jack Walker did this and his legacy was to keep us there. His money is not what it was and we now need ticket sales to, quite rightly, cover operating budgets. But we won't get the required numbers unless we win the league, play Man U and Liverpool every week, or charge not enough to break even. Our cup and European crowds are downright awful. It is not something to get angry about, it comes down to the product. If the team serves up good football and is doing well our gates will increase, giving us more money later on in the season. Rovers is a business and has to forecast cashflows, it is easier for them to do so if they get more money upfront, but they won't argue if larger sums come it at later dates. Finally, my view is that because of the ease of buying matchday tickets these days many good Rovers fans can choose their games easily and go on the day. This way they are able to pick up the tickets to get into the 'big' games, but don't have to fork out when they don't want to watch, have to work, are ill, and have other commitments taking place. For many, a season ticket can be a bit of an albatross, some feel forced to use it as they've fronted the best part of £400 for something they have give up quite a few hours of leisure time for.

He's signed. I'm with with most on this one. Why would he? Money! I heard a lot about Kezman a few years ago from a mate of mine from Belgrade. He used to say he was ace but couldn't score to save his life. The more intruiging issue for me is that why do English teams keep buying players from the Balkans? Not one who ever came here has done well; Milosevic -Villa no hoper, Acimovic - Spurs misfit, Suker- Arsenal, West Ham useless git, Stanic -Chelsea one goal hero, Balaban - Villa (again!) one appearance waste, Jokanovic - another Chelsea 2 game player who came for his pension money. I'm sure the list goes on but can't think of any more right now. They don't like the physical side of the game, but like the money. They are the international version of scousers, great when it goes well for them but if it goes wrong they argue like mad and give up. They play a lot better in Spain and Italy where it's warmer and slower.

Some of the comments here border on the ridiculous. If you are English, football fan or not, you get behind your team because of national pride. Rarely do the English have this chance. It makes people feel good. Rovers and England are two separate entities. The idiots saying that fans should be more reserved for England need to have a sit down and think about how their brains work. I remember the moderate clamour in the late 80's to have England games moved away from Wembley because Northern based players, John Barnes springs to mind, were getting booed by their own fans, mostly jealous champoinship starved Southerners. This was utterly stupid and I feel that some commentators on this site would do the same. We should unify when it comes to the national team. Rovers play every week, and the media attention that garners this frenzy does not apply. Please folks start thinking sensibly.

A player at a discount who is: an international, played all his career in the premiership, gives his all, got 5 good years left in him, won't have to move house, speaks english, knows the manager. Snap him up I say.

LET article

What it all comes down to is the social group a person is a member of. Something is deemed offensive to a person if the person having a go at them doesn't belong to the group they are having a go at. You can call a Spaniard a "lazy Spaniard" if you are one, but not if you aren't. Likewise if you are black you can refer to other black people in the derogatory. It works for all socal groups and taboos. Jewish people can have a pop at other Jews but non-jews are frowned upon for doing so. Does this make sense?

Big Ron was was one of the funniest commentators on TV. He and Clive were a good double act; they, together, will be missed by many. I think his comment was inappropriate, should not have been said and he deserved to go. However, the bigotry still lies within football, not just Big Ron. It is a very secluded business where players and coaches speak to only players and coaches, who are in turn looked after by club admin staff. The real world is a long way away from these people, yet they are adored my thousands each week. The recent spate of football indiscretions should highlight the perverse culture they belong to; and I'm not talking about Beckham, plenty of people cheat on their spouses. I love football and always will but I think it's better for the game that players do speak like pre-programmed robots, becasue as long as they are involved in football they can be very stupid individuals. But get them on their own and most of them are nice blokes. Sorry to digress. I do, though, think that Ron's legacy to commentating will be his final faux pas. I'll never forget what he said to an interviewer when he was manager of WBA after a European tie. When asked to comment on the standard of refereeing, his reply was: "It's not my policy to comment on referees, and I'm certainly not making an exception for this idiot." Priceless.