Paul Weller - Broken Stones

The Magic Numbers - Mornings Eleven

Sam Cooke - A Change Is Gonna Come

Brilliant den. The kids inside the boundary rope blocking off the Gloucester fielder made me chuckle too - they were great days watching Lancashire in the one day competitions.

Thunderclap Newman - Something In The Air

RIP Mike Hendrick, ex England fast bowler, who has died of cancer at the age of 72. Good seam bowler was Mike.

I was lucky enough to work with him for a while on a homeless project in Motherwell and he was a brilliant guy. He did enjoy a drink by all accounts but I don't know whether the 'long battle with illness' relates to that or not.

Yeah there's a thread been started in the football section mate. Ally was a terrific guy who did a lot for the homeless up here in his spare time.

Status Quo - Living On An Island

Yeah I meant on covid grounds mate - crikey when you think how long the players were away from their families in the old days this lot don't know they are born.

Alice Coltrane - A Love Supreme

They should delay the Ashes for at least a year mate.

I think the white collar looks great tbh. It’s my favourite away kit since the Time sponsored black and red striped one of the Souness promotion season.

I believe ex Rover Ally Dawson passed away today at the tender age of 63. We never really saw the best of him after he suffered a horrendous head injury while playing for Rangers but I still have fond memories of his time playing under the Don. RIP Ally

I think Barks might have beaten Paddy to it to be honest but they were obviously contemporaries and there wouldn’t have been much in it. They were great pals back in the day and as far as I know still are.

Mid 80s. He broke into the first team at a very young age but didn’t feature much once the Don arrived. Edit- he didn’t feature much once Scottie Sellars arrived.

For anyone who can’t access the launch video or can’t be arsed watching it, here’s a fairly clear pic of the ace away shirt.

Paul Weller - Dust and Rocks

Ha ha yep, spot on Tony. Quite a few Darwen blokes get a mention, Steve Eggy most frequently (not surprisingly)

Ha ha - he names him in the book Tony!! Are you thinking JD?

I did help to edit it Tony, as well as helping him out with a few names and childhood memories/escapades, so I am lucky enough to have already read it. I can guarantee that Rovers fans and especially as you say - Darreners of a certain age - will love it. His description of Blacksnape and the Darwen League is absolutely bang on the money 🥶

I went to Burnden Park a few times in the 70s and 80s with Mark Patterson (before he played for Rovers, we would have been about 12 - 16 years old). It was easily the most scared I was as a young Rovers fan, Manchester Road was brutal and the 225 Ribble bus always got bricked a few times as well between Bolton and Darwen on the way back. Patty mentions it in his forthcoming book (called 'Old School') which is published in October and available here https://www.brownsbfs.co.uk/Product/Patterson-Mark/Old-School--The-Mark-Patterson-Story/9781908847256# Much of the book is devoted to Howard Kendall and Bob Saxton's time at the club, with a little bit of the Don Mackay era thrown in too. I always found it funny that he ended up playing for both teams, including captaining Bolton in that famous victory over us when we were the reigning champions.

Lou Rawls - You'll Never Find Another Love Like Mine

David McWilliams - Days of Pearly Spencer

I’m worried too mate but despite today’s scoreline to describe that starting eleven as a league 2 team is hyperbolic.