Plus what GHR has posted. This is information that you and your daughter will enjoy learning, I'm sure. But there's another part of being a fan of a club. And it's having a rival who are, ipso facto, inferior to the club you follow. So, when you're giving serious consideration to following Lancashire's Most Historic Football Club, can I gently enquire about the team you considered as your rivals when you were a Shaker? Whoever they are - Bolton Wanderers, maybe? - will you 'keep' them? Or will you join the majority of us on here in gently but firmly - for the majority of us on here - reminding our Championship neighbours to the east of Accrington that: it isn't that long ago that they were within 5 minutes of dropping out of the basement of the Football League; and there are still - at least two trophies: one for winning the Premier League; the other for winning the Football League Cup, which have graced our Boardroom but have never been seen in theirs?

I can't help wondering if/hoping that, the new coaching regime at Brockhall has helped him improve. He may still mainly be coached by Benson; but I remember seeing something on the Rovers' website just before Christmas about a new coaching regime at the club. Perhaps people higher up the current coaching system - Remy Reijnierse? ‐ now oversee the work of the likes of Benson more closely than the coaching squad was overseen in the Mowbray era?

Still vague; but sounding atrocious for Northern England for Thursday & Friday, esp. over higher ground. Which, presumably, visiting fans' cars & coaches ‐ and the team coach, obvs - will have to use to get to the 365 Stadium. Hope Sod's Law doesn't lead to another game having to be rearranged.

Dear me, haven't we cheered on some dross in blue and white over recent years?! The names I've expunged from my memory bank!

That's brilliant, @smiller14!! That's a really good situation to be in. Guess you'll be getting wed during the close season?

Which raises the question in my mind; "Which is better: i) owners who seem to have no plan, other than to keep sacking managers because those managers don't immediately get to, and keep, their team in the Promotion Zone; or ii) owners who seem - of late - to have no plan other than to let their team "pootle on" in the upper half of the table with no particular interest whether they succeed, or not." Sorry; but I'm at a very loose end tonight!

Ah, apologies; I didn't realise that when posting earlier. (Memo to self: "Be in possession of all the facts before shooting your mouth off.")

Me. But only when the alternative was "signing on".😉😂

Nowadays, thank goodness, JDT's attitude means that there's less chance of an "Us & Them" attitude between the "First team squad" and the U-21s. Younger players - eg, JRC - are getting a fairer chance of developing, hence becoming valued members of the pool of first traders. It must be good for their self-confidence.

But, having supported the Shakers, you'll be used to them! I used to work in, and live a short bus journey from Bury; and went to what turned out to be your last-ever game. The scenes of elation before the game as you and your fellow-Shakers celebrated promotion to League One were to be bitter memories as the tragedy unfolded. A lesson, God forbid, of what might happen to us if our owners got tired of owning us.

That stint made him look like someone who can "talk a good game" but not bring one about.

In the sense that I've highlighted, they're like every football club, then, @Gordon Ottershaw. As I've mentioned - probably too often for some people on here!😉 - I have a former schoolmate who's as deeply a member of the Burnleh persuasion as I am of ours. He's loved That Lot for as long and as much, as I've loved Lancashire's Most Historic Football Club. In our weekly WhatsApp chats, there's regular banter about the two clubs and I know from my visits to him and his family in NZ that, when we're not separated by 12,000 miles, we can still keep our discussions sensible. However, another factor that enters this issue - and I don't know what the answer to this is - is the policing of events like this. As I've also mentioned on a number of occasions, I was born in Blackpool; and growing up there, I got to know that the 'Manchester' was a pub to be avoided in the height of the season and when there was a big football match at Bloomfield Road. I know we can't close all town centre pubs when there's a big match on in town and, obviously - I wasn't in the locality of the 'Manchester' before last Saturday's match - I don't know how great was the police presence was in the area of that particular pub then. But, when there's a big match on, there's surely a case for a big police presence to act as a deterrent to troublemakers??

Well, @JohnD , I've just WhatsApp'd it to my Burnleh-supporting old schoolmate in NZ, pointing out that it appears to pre-date His Lot getting within 5 minutes of dropping out of the entire Football League!

I agree with you, there, @davulsukur I hate the Bet365 Stadium marginally less than the I used to hate the Victoria Ground. They're a funny - in the sense of "awkward" - team, too! Although they're down in 16th place at present, I think they could well be one of those stumbling blocks who we'll do well to beat. And, as I think they'll be on a 'high' after last weekend, I think we'll have to be on the top of our game to come home with the three points to make a statement to the other teams who play later over the weekend. Who knows, we might have to hope that Mr. Lemon-Drizzlecake's got his lads psyched up to beat Norwich on Sunday!

Are you sure about that, @philipl? Are you Waggott in disguise?!! Shouldn't you have written, "There should be two ..."

You may be right, technically @rigger; but to all intents and purposes, our season could end at the end of Luton Town game at Ewood at the end of next month. Assuming that, from now on, we get crowds of similar size to the home game at the end of our last promotion season, it would surely be completely and totally remiss - or, in plain English, "a sackable offence" - for Waggott not to have application forms for 2023-2024 Season tickets to be attached to all applications for, at least, a ticket for each and every home game in April.

Thanks, @arbitro. Totally agree with your final sentence; can't imagine there wouldn't be. 🤞

While I totally agree with your first sentence, @sympatheticclaret ‐ which right-minded person couldn't? - I think I heard - I wasn't paying full attention - on the BBC TV NW News at 1.30 that he's now been bailed.

Bit like Waggott, then?!😉

Sweet!!

You and me both, these days @Tyrone Shoelaces! That's why I've now swapped to an aisle seat. Meanwhile, back on track of the missing season ticket-holders, I have one for the Riverside, but at my age and increasing infirmity, I sometimes get ready to go to a game but find that my normal pace is so slow these days that I can't do as much as I used to be able to do. E.g. last Saturday morning, I set off to go to town, then Ewood with three jobs to do: return a book to the central library; pay a cheque into my bank; then turn up at Ewood. I left home about 10.45 a.m. but found my walking pace between the first two jobs ‐ coupled with waiting to be served at the library and the bank - took me so long that I didn't emerge from the bank until 12.05! (Rather than the 11.30 I could have managed a couple of years ago. And thought I still could!) By then, I decided that traffic "going down the Bolton Road" would then have been so heavy that by the time I got to Ewood, I'd have missed most of the first half. So I called it a day and got a taxi - my usual mode of transport these days - back home and followed the game on Radio Lancs and - obvs! 😉 - here! I guess that the fact that I have a season ticket means that I would have been included in the attendance figure, even though I wasn't there. My season ticket works as much these days - together with my membership of the 1875 Club (another "Wraggott Wrip-off🤔?) - works as much as a kind of insurance policy premium, getting me first dibs for tickets at away grounds I've not seen us play on, as guaranteeing me that aisle seat.

I remember seeing an interview with Raya last season on a BBC "Football Focus". Listening to him in that interview, you wouldn't have realised he was ever on our books. He gave a lot of credit for his development to the people connected with Southport FC; I don't remember him saying much about his time as a Rovers.

For non-drivers, there are also buses!

I agree with this. Time was, 50+ years ago, when I worked in the city; and I'm still in contact with quite a few of "the lads" I worked with back then. Most of them were "Reds" and I was the first Rovers' fan they'd ever met socially. Those Reds were adamant; that Klopp was, is, and (pretty well for as long as he wants to be) will be the manager for them.

Time was when I'd have put, "Let's hope it isn't an omen for Friday." in reply to that, @chaddyrovers. I don't feel the need to be so superstitious under the current regime.