I can see Middlesbrough potting Woodgate very soon and perhaps parachuting Warnock in until the summer to keep them up.

It's also a nonsense to keep harking on about how 'dominant' we are. Dominance to me is not having the majority of possession at home but producing nothing with it. Teams like Stoke will be more than happy for our midfielders and defenders to keep passing it around in circles before sending it back to the keeper whilst their banks organise and nullify our few threats. Dominance is actually making things happen and creating proper goalscoring opportunities, not being limited to a handful of mainly long range shots that the keeper deals with comfortably.

A completely predictable performance, game and result. I think all of us knew, deep down, that Stoke would be resilient and hard to break down and this team wouldn't have an answer for it. We simply don't have that extra string to our bow of being able to grind out the wins when teams make it tough for us. Lets not pretend that it is a result of injuries, lack of options or just that Stoke offered something unexpected. We had the same way back against Luton and Charlton and even going back to League One v Wimbledon and co. at Ewood. The reason that Preston are on course for the play-offs and us a mid-table finish is that they have snatched wins from these sort of games by finding a way to finish teams off at home - even if that means going direct, bullying teams or cheating. We don't do any of that, we just persist with the same slow build up play hoping that sooner or later it drops for us. It does irritate me to see people 'taking the point' or claiming there's no harm done because other results were favourable this week. I think those people need to realise that we have a chunk of points to make up to those in the top 6 and we aren't going to do that if we celebrate not losing ground on them. Next news is we'll be quaking at the prospect of tough sides in Swansea and Derby. My regular mention for the laughable Darren Bond and his performance tonight. I challenge anyone to explain to me how he could arrive at 3 minutes injury time after that second half, and sadly was all too happy to allow Stoke to slow the game down at every opportunity. Just a shame we didn't get such luxuries at Brentford when the referee was on to Walton at every goal kick to get moving. Lenihan's upcoming absence surely means Mulgrew has to at least be on the bench, yet I suspect there's more to this particular scenario than people believe. It seems the Telegraph are assisting with the propaganda that Mowbray has 'moved on' from Mulgrew but with our options he simply has to be called upon. A refusal to do so gets me thinking if there are non-footballing issues in play here, again.

It may well be tough but the sides that achieve things find ways to win when the pressure is on and there's a carrot dangling to close that gap and make a statement. Truth is that if tonight at home is the sort of fixture that causes panic and apprehension against a poor struggling albeit improved side then we are going to have a rough end to the season. The next two, Swansea and Derby, are more difficult fixtures yet we need a decent chunk of points from. Failure to win tonight puts huge pressure on those. I'd rather not be going to Derby under pressure to win, nor indeed v Leeds or WBA

Pretty sure Huddersfield (home - draw) and Sheffield Wednesday (home - win) are the only times we have come from behind to take points from a game. So 4 points.

Bristol are a bit like us in that they seem to alternate between really good patches and then terrible patches. They're on a bad one now with 3 straight defeats but to be fair they've just had Leeds away and WBA at home, prior to a tricky away game at Huddersfield so probably not crisis stations just yet for them. What i like about the table most at this moment in time is our goal difference. I can't remember the last time we were in positive double figures at this level and we are comfortably better in that department than anyone outside the top 6. It looks like a top 6 goal difference. If we can find a way to make up the 5 point shortfall we currently have that GD could count for a lot. Ever since Bowyer's days at this level we've always hovered around the 0 GD mark or been in negatives. Lovely to see a +10 at this point.

Draw ideally, failing that a Swansea win then Fulham beat Nobbers on Saturday and we beat Swansea, gaining points on everyone.

As with Hull a few weeks ago you simply won't get more than a couple of hundred turning up on the day in dreadful weather to pay £25+ to watch the game. That isnt just Rovers. Looking at games on tv tonight some terrible attendances. It was never great but Red button and expensive tickets are killing midweek games.

About 600 as of the weekend I was told.

Loads of businesses based at Whitebirk, Shadsworth and Darwen. Must be countless people who need somewhere to stay on business trips. Clearly the focus would be on attracting fans, players and delegates before and after games and if we were to get promoted we would be looking at double our footfall with the usual tourists turning up from all over the place to watch the big clubs here. Our USP would be staying at a historic football ground, close access to the motorway and town centre, good parking, pitch views, include gym, fitness centre etc. Bolton have done well out of their hotel in their ground when there's nothing around there to do other than go shopping and plenty of other hotels down the road in Manchester. In the last 5-10 years we've seen a Travelodge at Darwen services, 2x Premier Inn, Hilton at Whitebirk, Marstons at Guide and Wetherspoons all open hotels and they keep coming. I feel we are missing out.

I'm more concerned about finishing above Cardiff than Forest. Forest will be top 6.

The club has already missed the boat on the hotel front by sitting around talking about it for years whilst all over Blackburn hotels catering for different types of clientele have sprung up left right and centre. 'No demand for that' is just another excuse to do nothing when we need to be proactive. Massive Hilton being built over at Whitebirk. Them lads at Euro Garages know a thing about business and can see a demand yet the world famous historic Blackburn Rovers couldnt run a hotel with 15,000 folk minimum coming through the doors every other Saturday. Pull the other one.

Can't see much happening to the Cricket Field end there unless it has to. Capacity wise there isn't the demand for extra, and even if there was the options are very limited with the footprint available. The only way that changes is by buying the cricket pitch and building back but again is all that hassle worth it for a couple of thousand extra? Very limited as to options with the space available. With the size of the existing concourse I can't see how that can realistically change.

I worry more about the games at Barnsley and Wigan than the others. Those will be real battles. Away games at Millwall, Derby and Cardiff very tough also against sides not far off us in the table.

Assuming we don't go up then It's only an achievement if we harness the momentum and build on it, learning from mistakes and doing everything we can to go one better next season. I'd hate people to equate top 6 as promotion, when it isnt. I'd hate people to think it was job done and no need to do any more. We would need to move quickly to strengthen and go again next year aiming to get to the top 2.

We don't need the boxes. Seats in the Riverside, particularly those near the half way line, should be premium seats and the most sought after in the stadium. Sadly because of obstructed views, lack of proper facilities and no shelter for the first 8-10 rows this takes out a huge chunk of seats that in a modern stand could be filled every week.

This will require a different side to our game than that shown at Brentford, Charlton and Fulham. They are going to be hard to break down and will probably be happy with a point. These are the ones If the play offs are a serious possibility we need to win. No ifs or buts. I keep hearing about our remaining fixtures and this lot at home are just about as kind as they get.

I'll bet now that immediately upon safe standing being legalised in the top 2 divisions the majority of clubs will take steps to install it at their grounds. Some have already started to do so and others have said that they will. The reason is that there is a large number of people who prefer it and an acceptance that it improves atmosphere. Do nothing Rovers will be one of the last to get around to it.

The topic was up for discussion some 25 years ago when Jack Walker was spending and he went as far as to have proper plans and models made. At the time the Riverside wasn't in need of replacement as it was still relatively new but it was obviously something that was being looked at. We are now 35 years or more on from when the Riverside was done last and like it or not the standards, requirements of modern day stadia have changed massively since then. It was also put together relatively cheaply at a time when the club was struggling to make ends meet and had to put something up to replace crumbling older stands. This isnt an old stand like at Highbury or Craven Cottage oozing tradition or history. It looks and feels poor. One of the biggest issues is the lack of a concourse and lack of cover for all seats. If nothing else those two things are an embarrassment and make the stand a problem that needs addressing. It's all well and good saying we should wait until promotion before doing anything. But then try to start work when in the Premier League and there is a demand for those premium view seats and we face the prospect of 12-18 months of no Riverside stand and a reduced capacity when the big boys come to town. Logistically it makes more sense to do it asap with a view to it being used in the Premier League. Like how Fulham are doing with their new stand or Bristol City. If we got up now I am almost certain our facilities would need upgrades for modern media and disabled requirements. No way would the Riverside be able to house broadcasters in its current state and I also suspect the studio in the Jack Walker might be insufficient size. In terms of disabled facilities we would be facing a deadline to provide covered raised viewing points and without a new Riverside incorporating these we would either have to rip hundreds of seats out elsewhere or build some horrible platforms in the corners like Burnley have done. The new Riverside has some essential requirements. It needs to be built about 15 meters nearer the pitch without the walkway along the front. It needs spacious concourses offering shelter. It needs to be fully covered without any obstructing columns. It needs to ensure it has adequate disabled and media facilities to meet PL requirements. As part of the job the old floodlights need removing and putting in the roof of the new stand. The old TV screen needs removing. A new one needs to be put either in the roof of the new stand or one each in the corners. The ground would feel much more enclosed without the floodlights and large distance between the current stands. Ideally it needs to be done in a matching style to the other 3 stands, admittedly that might be difficult/expensive. It should include non matchday income streams. Hotels are going up all over Blackburn so there is clearly demand and pitch views of Ewood would be better than overlooking McDonalds at Darwen services. Capacity wise it needs to be at least 4000. We don't need much more than that but any less and it would look silly. Cost wise - FFP exempt so not part of that discussion, other than income from it would count towards Ffp compliance. Billionaire owners who care about their club and never say no to a cheque? Why can't it happen? In reality I suspect we will see nothing until the Riverside becomes a hazard or we are forced into it, then we will get some half baked refurb of the existing structure.

Mixed feelings after yesterday. Would have taken a draw beforehand and with 10 minutes to go as we were hanging on. In the end it is a tough away game gone and a point out of it. In terms of other results we have come through relatively unscathed with Fulham, Brentford, Bristol City, Forest, Cardiff and Millwall all dropping points. Preston cheating again to win another penalty to turn their game around against Hull is disappointing but we need to make up ground this week with our home games. The question of whether yesterday was a good point or two dropped will become apparent this week. Do the business in our home games and we will be looking good. Drop points at home and it becomes too much to allow and too much work to do down the line.

Not sure how or why you would reduce the capacity. Whilst Ewood is too big for us at this level the club should have plans for the Premier League and growing attendances when there. Nobody actively reduces capacity. Millwall have just released plans to build a new 30,000 ground. They've never been in the Premier League and don't get close to filling their existing 20,000 ground but have plans to grow and progress. Brentford don't usually sell out Griffin Park at 12,000 capacity so in some ways a 50% increase is a lot to cover. To reduce Ewood's capacity a new Riverside would need less than the current 4,500. That would look ridiculous and would be completely out of keeping with the rest of the stadium. For me there is more to it than just bums on seats though. We need a 21st century stadium fit for the top flight and plans to have that ready for then. In an era of FFP and the implications of trying to comply with that we need more strings to our bow. We aren't going to get 25000 per week turning up and there's nothing wrong with that. But like Brentford we need to generate off the pitch and non matchday income. Hotel, gym, events, flats, offices need incorporating. Nobody can say that there isn't the demand because all those things are being built nearby. I don't think the owners have ever seen facilities and infrastructure as areas requiring anything beyond bare minimum expense and by god it shows around Ewood these days.

It isn't outside their control to have a ground in their own city. Everyone else manages it including non League clubs who would love to swap positions.

Coventry's owners are suing Wasps/Ricoh owners and have taken it to the European courts. They claim that the ground was unfairly sold to Wasps at a low price. Wasps won't allow them to play there until they drop all legal action around it. If the court action succeeds it could potentially bankrupt Wasps who could be ordered to pay millions more for the ground. The Football League were clear after the Northampton farce that Coventry had to play in the City or within a few miles of it. Quite how they're allowed to play in Birmingham I am not sure. They also supposedly had to progress building a new ground if the Ricoh wasnt viable. Hasn't happened. As ever with the League their bark is worse than their bite. They'll come with these threats on their we website but when challenged or threatened will back down, as we will see with Ffp breaking clubs who still haven't been punished. Why should Coventry be allowed in the Championship when many, many non League clubs are refused promotion for daft things like numbers of seats or size of toilets?

Coventry looking set for promotion but should be refused unless they have an adequate stadium in Coventry to play in.

Barton will hopefully be banned from football at the end of the season when his long awaited trial takes place. Convenient of course that he can carry on through to the end of the season before standing trial for assault. If I go to a football ground and assault someone I will almost certainly receive a banning order within a short period of time, even if it is my first offence. Barton is still working in football almost a year after the alleged incident took place, still hasn't stood trial and has had no restrictions imposed. Double standards.