Warnock was lined up to take the job. That's a fact.

Yeah I edited the post. I misread it. I hope they do get their money back. Having had the unfortunate pleasure of meeting, and dealing with, Oyston I sincerely hope his world comes crashing down him and he's forced to pay back every penny he's took from the fans & club and any of his other business interests quickly fizzle up and fade out. The man is pure evil.

EDIT: Saw you said fans that were sued. I'm sure if Barton can get his money back so should they, including legal fees. Really, though, there is case for a campaign to bar him from owning a football club and forcing through a sale (maybe to Belekon?) as he clearly isn't "fit and proper" to be running a club. I'm sure someone more clued up on the law can clarify more on this. It's just the way I see it.

Somebody always seem to owe somebody a favour in the notorious "Old Boys Club". The FA & the EFL have been letting down supporters for years. They are never far from controversy. It's just another case to pile onto the already huge pile of evidence that shows neither bodies actually care about the fans. It's all about revenue, balancing them spreadsheets, some nice lavish company expenses and the occasional dinner party invitation to butter them up. I have heard from somebody that works on one of Oyston's estates (I know, another one of them "I know the dog sitters mother" stories..) that Oyston won't sell Blackpool regardless of the pressure because of the amount of money he makes from owning them. This despite all conceived notions they are skint. It will be no different in our case. Business people/entrepreneurs don't hang on to dogs unless there is a benefit to themselves.

I have always liked tattoos. I see them as a form of expressionism and, providing it's done tastefully, think they are a true art form. I resent that tattoo culture is often synonymous with gangs as it has put a real taboo on a form of art that requires great dedication and produces some real awe inspiring pieces. I am 24 and I am booked in to get my right arm and chest done shortly. I will only get tattooed in places that I can cover up easily because of the shame culture that surrounds tattoos. I have even heard my boss look someone up on social media after they have handing in a CV completely dismiss someone purely because "she's covered in tattoos". These tattoos were on her arms and could have been covered. What made this more alarming is that her CV stood out head & shoulders above others. However, and it may be because of this shame culture, I think that even if professional bodies didn't prejudice tattoos I still wouldn't get visible areas tattooed, ie: my neck & face. I think tattoos on hands look good and I probably would get them done if I felt I could still maintain a professional persona with them. I would feel awkward having my face done because, whilst I believe that tattoos add to your identity, I think permanently altering your face (the biggest part of your id) is a step too far. The same goes with the body modification wave that is sweeping the UK right now. Some of the most caring, respectful and loving people I know are covered in tattoos. It's remarkable that in this age of acceptance and social progression people with tattoos are still viewed with such disdain by certain members of our society.

I'd say the general consensus in football is that lower league standards have dramatically increased over the past 10 years due to foreign imports. I wouldn't say our national footballers have suddenly all gone sour, rather they simply aren't given as many chances at top level.

Are either solely to blame? I know who ultimately is to blame for this. Simply put the manager isn't good enough; the players aren't good enough; the coaches aren't good enough; the club isn't good enough. Yet whilst they share a portion of blame to as why we are in the position we are in ultimately they aren't to blame. It isn't their fault they aren't good enough but it is the clubs fault that it has sunk to the levels that we employ mediocrity. We are undoubtedly one of the laughing stocks of English football right now - I know who is to blame for that. I grew up watching Tugay, Duff, Dunn, Friedel and Nelsen. I saw players come and go like Bellamy, Santa Cruz, McCarthy. We had cult heroes like the Axe, Kuqi, Big Andy Todd and co. Before that my dad had Shearer, Garner, Hendry & co. Before that my grandad saw Douglas & Clayton. My younger nephews and brother have seen Stokes, Murphy, Lowe, Hanley and Duffy. I know who is to blame for that. I saw us win the League Cup in Cardiff. I did see us get relegated (prior to Venkys, I've seen three now) but I saw a team that wanted to bounce back. Before that my dad saw us win the league, was there for the famous Full Members Cup day. My younger nephews and brother have seen three relegations and a nearly win vs Liverpool in the cup. I know who is to blame for that. Rovers has been in my family for generations and each generation has something to shout about. We had bad times like anyone but the good times were never out of reach. My family has been on the terraces of Rovers since the Great War. However, my nephews and brother, they have known nothing but bad. It is horrible to not see them have the same love as I had for the club at their age and, whilst it may also be a symptom of a change in attitudes, I can't see them ever sticking with Rovers the way in which I have. And I certainly know who is to blame for that.

This is the biggest factor in it. There isn't anyone that is actually taking the club by the scruff of its neck and trying to turn a corner, regardless of what certain people say. One or two signings followed by the retention of players, which is more or less the minimum a club should do, isn't making amends. When other clubs our size have come down to this level in the past they've seen radical change in the way in which they operate. Not us. We continue to plod along with the same miserable status-quo buoyed by wins against teams we should be beating anyway. The optimism a win brings flatters to deceive in a sense that issues such as this go unrecognised when on a winning streak. The club simply doesn't care about its fans and doesn't feel the need to engage with them. That much has been evident over the years and this is a symptom of that. Until that changes then you can never really expect any different. Everything from our local paper coverage, club press releases (the blatant carbon copy "Owners Statement" we are given at the end of every disappointed season), behind the scenes interviews, match day programs, ticket communication and match day entertainment stinks. As a fan base we are over the moon that we have a manager that actually tells the truth - how sad is that? We should expect that. Rovers is in a rot and will always be until very serious change is made. When that happens is anyone's guess.

I'm not in disagreement with you about that. The content is shocking and has been for some time. Ultimately that needs to change - both in paperback traditional match day programs and the online content. I took umbrage with how instantly dismissed it was by meadows because he disagreed with it - it's a recurring theme in his content that anything he disagrees with is talked down on with disdain, whether it be disturbing, performed by the feeble-minded, joyless wasp suckers or other perverse adjective he throws in to his pretentious little rants. It further alienates younger supporters if we refuse to acknowledge there needs to be an interactive, social-media friendly way in which we deliver match day programmes simply because he likes the smell of a piece of paper from the 60s. I just wanted to highlight how silly his points were - the fact he prefers, and finds easier, the old ways doesn't mean the younger generation will. Then surely you have seen yourself the benefits of the digital age - that children brought up in this digital age can utilise electronic devices far easier than those born before it ever will. An online match day program would be perfect for people of those age, and I can almost guarantee they wouldn't find people reading programs on their phones 'disturbing' in the slightest.

1. To you. Not to the younger generation of football fans it's not. Children brought up in the digital age yearn for interaction like this. All of my nephews are the same - they follow every player on twitter; they sit for hours on FIFA and the older few sit for hours on football manager. Take a look at the rise in debate shows surrounding football, whether that's Carra and Neville on Monday nights or the later shows on Sky Sports. It's an arrogant, rather pretentious, view that you'd consider something like this "disturbing". I'm sure half of those youngsters wouldn't consider trawling through pages of who sponsors what match ball, or chronologically filing old programs entertaining. They have all of that at their finger tips and can access it in a much more efficient way than you could, despite your overwhelming ability to make yourself sound like the fount of all knowledge 2. Again, people like you. My nephew has been to countless gigs and whenever I see him he has albums upon albums all digitally stored - ordered by date and event name that he can easily access with a simply ctrl + F and a keyword. What would have probably took 10 minutes to find the photo album, a few minutes finding which album had which photos, now takes him seconds to open the cloud, find the album and pass over to me to scroll through in high definition. You don't even realise how awfully pretentious you sound. Ridiculing the way in which younger generations prefer to interact with their clubs/heroes. We are all happy that you get such joyful nostalgia when you smell the 1967 programme from a Tuesday night game vs Accy. However that shouldn't be a reason to not attempt to try and digitalise something in order to appeal to the younger generation; especially when that younger generation is being driven away from clubs like us to the bigger clubs which, coincidentally, engage with fans on social media much more than we do. You can still get a photo of your hero signed if you wish - so why would a digital program with interactive features be such a 'disturbing' thing for you? Because it appeals to somebody else and not yourself? How disturbing that others may think or act in a different way to our Blue Eyed Boy.

Not only that but the ability to beat a man and rifle a shot on target in order to make the goalkeeper work is a basic requisite of a footballer, probably centre backs and goalkeepers aside. Although you'd still expect your centre back to be able to hit the target given an opportunity. What you wouldn't do though is judge a defender on how often these outcomes bring success. I haven't seen Doyle or Travis play so couldn't say whether they've had many one-on-ones but I'd say they haven't. Not many full backs do and when they are faced with the prospect of shooting all forms of basic training say "shoot across the keeper". I wouldn't be expecting to see them perform some sort of David Beckham style whip into the top corner every time. 20 goals in a lifetime career. These pair aren't even in the first team squad yet. Let's not judge them on a player like La Saux. On average most of them players scored one goal a season - with the lowest average being a goal every 20 games. It just goes to show that the professional game doesn't judge full backs on their ability to score.

When crosses aren't causing a "positive" I'd expect my midfielders and strikers to take it upon themselves to add more creativity. I certainly wouldn't want my full back marauding into the box in the hope of a screamer. And the reference to him being another La Saux is mind boggling...he was hardly prolific for Rovers was he?

Well done JAL you've exceeded yourself this time. A definite wind up merchant if I've ever saw one. Criticising the young full backs for having to "contribute more goals" because, simply, just "crossing it in" to others isn't enough. Primarily I want my full backs to be able to tackle, head and mark. After that if they can get up and down the wing to provide width I'm happy. Finally, if they can either get in the early cross or beat the opposition full back to the byline and whip one in I'm ecstatic. If they pop up with one or two goals every now and again then it's a bonus but it certainly isn't a benchmark for a good full back. What an absurd suggestion. Let's take an example of some of the best recent full backs to play in England (and yes Bigdoggsteel, if you read this, these stats are from wikipedia before you get on your horse): Ashley Cole: 636 appearances, 18 goals. Gary Neville: 602 appearances, 7 goals. Pablo Zabaleta (only counting apps for Man City): 332 apps, 11 goals. Patrice Evra: 726 appearances, 24 goals. Lee Dixon: 831 appearances, 41 goals. La Saux: 402 apps, 20 goals. I could go on and on and on. It's evident that goals does not make a great full back. It's worth noting that some of the more "free-scoring" full backs have been free kick takers - Irwin, Harte etc. Whilst your players like Ivanovic were incredibly gifted in the air for corners.

It's a shame the King of Ewood's topic has been hijacked by the fraud Lowe and a couple of point scoring idiots. I am in agreement with Butty. Even though I disagreed with Dunnfc and others at the time it's pathetic to come back onto here and bring up 3 month old posts. He gave his opinion on what he thought of the signing - it's what the messageboard is for. Smallwood has been nothing short of a revelation since coming here. He performed well for Rotherham at this level but didn't quite carry that form on into Championship level. It might be a bit early to be thinking that far ahead but I hope he's learnt from that poor showing with them and can carry on at this level when (or if...) we get promoted. If he does I can easily see him becoming another fondly remembered player.

Is there anybody that still thinks Ward is good enough?

Hollytree chip shop is brilliant. Head and shoulders above every other chip shop in Blackburn. If you want to venture out of Blackburn a bit then Clayton Street in Great Harwood is as equally good. You can sit in there too.

I don't think the Ferguson deal was dodgy. He came with a big reputation and we were all excited for him to be here but sadly it just didn't work out. When he realised he wasn't cut out for the Premier league he ducked back to the pub league over the wall. He well and truly damaged his reputation by coming here - likewise Souness tarnished his otherwise brilliant Rovers career by signing him. It was just a bad bit of management exacerbated by how much of a tosser the mistake was. A man with integrity may have gone quietly, resigning himself to the fact he just isn't cut out for the big league, rather than the big hoorah about the Old Firm being better than the East Lancs derby etc etc. It was pathetic.

If you are only after one to muck about with until the new one is out buy 16. A lot of people criticised FM17. I'm one of those FM players that will get the new one religiously no matter the reviews. It is still best part of 40 quid though for 17 whereas I'd assume 16, which was a better game, will be cheaper.

Was the article written by Nixon?

Like the (mostly) part Chaddy ha. He may have played 4 at the back at WBA (I honestly can't remember) but that was back in 06. 3 at the back in England certainly wasn't a popular choice then. He has played with 3 at the back at Celtic, Boro, Coventry and now us. Funny how you've suddenly been banging on about his preferred formation being 4-2-3-1 so much over the past few weeks. Been reading his profile on transfermarkt have you? It may say that but it certainly isn't true. By the way read here http://www.thehardtackle.com/2011/middlesbroughs-corner-how-architect-tony-mowbray-designed-an-unbeaten-boro/ Notice his preferred formation. But you clearly know best

Chaddy seems to think it is 4-2-3-1 that TM will be lining up as. Despite his use of 3 at the back throughout his managerial career of course. I think Nixon may have said something once.

Isn't TM favouring the 3 at the back system?

You are becoming as tedious as Chaddy. You are on a constant crusade just waiting to pick up the next figure to hate. It is a tweet from a young lad made over 5 years ago. Give it a rest will you. All of us have said things we later look back on and regret. The only difference is he put his on social media probably without the realisation someone would scrawl through his entire feed years down the line.

I think most Rotherham fans seem sad to see him leave. What makes you think otherwise?

Hard to believe you are only just entering the 2011/2012 season.... My God what we have had to put up with.