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.

Don't know if this has been mentioned yet, but Chelsea have allegedly agreed on a fee with PSV Eindhoven for Mateja Kezman.

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.

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.