Right, I've just got back from the match (by way of every pub in Baxenden and several of Accy's finest watering holes), and my thoughts on the game were as follows: Nissa just isn't very good. Full stop, end of arguement. He's just rubbish. Andy Todd is actually a pretty good defender. We should play him more often. Jay Bothroyd is awful. He is slow and clumsy and seems totally out of synch with every other player on the pitch. If he is our third best striker we are in deep trouble. On the whole, we were terrible. Spurs were the worst team I have seen at Ewood all season (apart from Blackburn), and for them to come away with three points is a testament to how bad we are right now. I can almost hear their team talk before the match, "Just go out there, sit back until half time and then see if we can nick it on the break. Blackburn could shoot on goal (if they could find someone willing to have a crack) until next week and still not score, so don't worry about conceding. it'll never happen." From what I saw tonight I am convinced that it will take a miracle for us not to go down. It's not just that we can't defend, or attack, or retain the ball for any length of time, or create problems for the opposing team, we simply don't have the ability to compete at this level. Every Rovers attack today seemed to be trapped in aspic. Slow, ponderous, two steps forward followed by one step back. What is worse is that I don't see there being enough money available to Hughes in January to rectify the situation. We need a top quality defender and a top quality striker. We can barely afford one (if reports are to be believed), let alone both. I won't say we are doomed yet, but our Premiership survival is resting on there being three worse teams in the league, and we seem to be doing everything possible to make that a difficult task right now. In terms of plus points from today, not many. Reid looked okay, always trying. Todd must play every single match from now until the end of the season. Thommo must start in front of Tugay. That's about it really. p.s Haven't read the previous 7 pages, waaaaay too drunk, so if I have repeated the thoughts of others, my bad.

In return ask yourself why he hasn't played? Hughes is under enormous pressure to succeed, both from the fans and the board (who won't be happy that a significant investment isn't even making the team). We are at the foot of the league and scrapping for every point. If Hughes thought there was any realistic chance that MGP could sway a game in our favour why wouldn't he play him? The appearance fee "theory" is shaky to say the least; from the way you paint it it sounds like if Pedersen plays exactly 6 3/4 games for us, we have to pay Tromso an extra squillion pounds or something. The reality is that any appearance fee which would kick in after a given number of games (usually a minimum of 40-50) would be as nothing next to the mathematics of relegation, so the theory just doesn't hold water. Pedersen isn't playing because he isn't ready yet. I am still waiting to see what sort of effect Hughes will have on his development; if he benefits from the increased fitness levels other players have described he may yet get his chance.

Only because you so obviously and pompously consider your vote and opinion to be worth more than that of other members of the electorate. A dangerous cocktail should enough people of similar persuasion ever acede to positions of power. So what you are saying (if I understand you correctly, which I frequently don't), is that I, as a private citizen with absolutely no power over anyone else and no influence over the electoral process other than my vote, should avoid voicing my opinion on political matters...because it might set a bad example? Is this your approach? If so did I just imagine every single politically oriented post you've ever put on here, or just the ones "pompously" belittling those that disagree with you?

Thank you for that baaree, your contributions to this thread have been near Swiftian in their rapier-like subtlety. You are without doubt the finest mind of your generation, keep up the good work.

Because they are morons, and gullible, easily led morons at that. If that seems like a sweeping generalisation, well it probably is, but if you vote for the BNP you are a cretin of the highest order. Simple as. Strange how the most 'liberal' often seem to object most to the workings of a democracy. How does my entirely personal and subjective opinion regarding the mental state of the average BNP supporter constitute an attack on the foundations of democracy TNR? If you think for a second that someone might be swayed from voting BNP (or anyone else) for fear of incurring the "Wrath of Morph", then you are holding me in rather higher regard than you ought to.

Genius That one...well, fair enough

Phil, if you have never voted for the BNP, then I am not calling you a moron. That seems pretty straight forward to me. To be perfectly honest I don't really care what you think of me or my political opinions, they are my own and I'm not about to change them. What does strike me as ever so slightly ironic is that you would take me to task for belittling the political beliefs of BNP supporters, and in the same breath belittle my own opinions on the matter by calling me an ape* (at least I think that's what I could discern from your bizarre ramblings). Funny how you ignored the rest of my post though. Anyway, I must dash, I can hear a commotion in the kitchen. I think the pot must be calling the kettle black again (go on, you know you are dying to twist that into some quasi racial nonsense, you'll feel better once you do). *Don't worry, I won't report you to the chief constable.

I think you'll find that white people are usually referred to as 'white caucasian'. Aryans are summert else entirely, and are the true Iranians. Go here and read it but read (7) in particular. If I am wrong with the above let me know cos I'd hate to die in ignorance. http://www.geocities.com/aryannews/aryantruth.htm Anyway whatever I do find your comments in the last sentence odd to say the least. Why should you take offence because of what you are? You cannot help your origins, is this a new and unique kind of self-racism? Maybe a Michael Jackson reverse operation may serve to sooth your rather warped conscience / misplaced sense of guilt.= I was very specific with the phrasing of the comment, thenodrog. If you read it slowly, or get someone else to read it slowly to you if your mypoia is playing up again, you will see that I used the phrase "some people choose to define themselves as aryan". I never said they used the term correctly, in fact I made no mention of the origins of the word at all. Do you deny that some white people call themselves aryan (correctly or not), or are you just having difficulty with the intricacies of the English language?

Because they are morons, and gullible, easily led morons at that. If that seems like a sweeping generalisation, well it probably is, but if you vote for the BNP you are a cretin of the highest order. Simple as. Because this "notion" runs contrary to the experience of 99% of the white people living in Britain. Outside of the pages of the Scum and the heads of mindless racists, very very few white people in this country are, or ever will be, hard done by due to the colour of their skin. The idea that they are is a fantasy. The first part of your statement I agree with, but not the second. Whilst I accept that PC culture may actively be contributing to the growth of racism in this country by re-inforcing the idea of an "us and them" society, I still feel the main causes of growing antagonism between different ethnic groups are organisations such as the BNP and right wing rags like the Scum and Mail, who care less about the effects their racist invective will have than they do about circulation figures. Racial harmony never sold an extra newspaper, racial tension does. Where are they saying that? Could you provide a link, as I am pretty sure that positive discrimination is illegal in this country. No, we need to get rid of racism, and the people who stir it up to further their own interests. We need to address the issues which enable racism to flourish (such as poverty, education, urban regeneration, a greater understanding of each others cultures, and the promotion of a shared sense of cultural identity, be it at local or national level). Finally we need to stop looking for someone else on whom we can blame all our ills, or at the very least start blaming those who are ultimately responsible - our elected leaders, rather than the poor sod next door, who is in exactly the same boat as us whatever the colour of his skin.

Almost as amusing as your own "hilarious" racially provocative one liners. Black day for white people? Pass the needle and thread nurse, I think my sides have split. p.s. AESF is well used to copping a bit of flak for his opinions (as are we all), and is perfectly capable of defending himself when he isn't in Daily Mail mode.

Oh come on AESF, I know you are given to the occasional bout of hyperbole, but do you really think that we, the white male working class, are that put upon? I moved back up to Lancashire four years ago, after living in London for several years, and my experience of living side by side with the asian community in Accrington has been entirely a positive one. At work, at home, out on the town, not a single problem in four years. Asians have made me welcome in their homes, invited me to celebrate Eid with them, helped me intergate myself into this community when I first moved up here and didn't know anyone. The gulf between my own experience of living up here and the nonsense posted on this and many other threads is huge. If some of you have a problem with people of other ethnic backgrounds, have you ever considered that the fault may lie within you, rather than them?

If you don't want people to address you directly then surely the best plan would be either to stick to your username or not post such ridiculous nonsense. I vote for the former. Much as I may disagree with Tris on many things, there is no call for threats of physical violence against members of this board. If you don't want people to challenge your opinions, don't post. If you can't respond to those challenges without descending into childishness, don't come back.

Yeah, America is a magical fairy land where racism has just gone away isn't it? The LA riots in '92 and the Cincinnati riots of 2001 never actually happened then? I respect the point you are trying to make Drakefyre, but to pretend the issue of race isn't just as problematic in modern America as it is in the rest of the world is blinkered to say the least.

It's like Thenodrog and Blue Phil fell in love and had a baby...that could type...and so forth. p.s. No offence to all concerned, I'm just messin with ya. The board has been way too heavy of late.

Well, I never got to see Alfredo Di Stefano or Ferenc Puskas play, does that mean they weren't great players? Of course it doesn't. Could they hack it in todays game? Who knows, but that's really not the point. We've been asked to vote for the greatest ever Rovers XI - not the best in the modern era alone. Thus far I have voted for several players I never personally had the pleasure of witnessing in blue and white - some due to the testimonies of people who have been watching Rovers a hell of a lot longer than you or I, some (as in the case of Forrest) on the basis of their contribution to the club, and their help in forging the heritage for which Blackburn Rovers is so rightly famed. Jimmy Forrest was a local hero who won the FA cup 5 times, and one of five players who featured in every match of the longest unbeaten run in the history of the competition (24 matches) - records which stand to this day. If nothing else that would be good enough for me. p.s. Lighten up, it's only a bit of fun.

But playing Devils advocate here........surely banning white people from doing something that black people are freely allowed to do simply because they are white is racist in itself? I sort of see where you are coming from TNR, and to an extent I would agree with you, but only insofar as saying that anyone using racial epithets against someone of a different ethnic background should be judged by the same yardstick, regardless of their colour. With regard to the use of the word "nigga" (or any other word used to define a specific group of people based on their race, creed, sexuality or familiarity with the Linux operating system*) I think it has to be judged in terms of both the context in which the word was used, and the intent behind that useage. Some members of the black community have appropriated the word "nigga" and turned it round to be a positive thing. Doubtless other members of said community still find the word distasteful and would never use it in any context, either in reference to themselves or others. The closest corollary I can think of (although it is by no means an exact one) is the way in which certain white people choose to define themselves as "aryan", despite the negative connotations carried by the word due to the weight of history. If someone of a different skin colour (actually, make that any skin colour) described me as aryan I would probably be pretty offended by it, but to some people the term is a source of pride. The pen can indeed sometimes be mightier than the sword, but it often depends on who is holding it as to which way it cuts. *You know to whom I refer geek boy (I claim the right to use the word because I'm still sulking over the fact that I didn't get into WoW European Beta )

lets have it right what do these black rappers call one another.... my nigga!!!!!!s so its ok for them to call it themselves but not for us to call them what they call themselves...the mind boggles. Yes Abbey, I reckon it is. Much like the gay community appropriating previously derogatory terms such as "queer", the black community have appropriated the term "nigga", and in so doing have, in effect, turned a word previously loaded with negative overtones into a badge of honour. Despite the "sticks and stones" arguement put forward by some in the wake of recent events, racism is essentially a conceptual thing, dependant in large part on language for its transmission. By adopting a previously racist epithet as a term of respect, you nulify the potency of that word, and in part the potency of the concept which underpinned its original intent. Doesn't mean we can use the term though.

or Br*t to refer to somebody British The word "brit" contains none of the overtly racist (as opposed to racial) connotations contained in "p*ki" or "n*gger", therefore to try and compare them is disingenuous. It was largely coined by the British, and is a simple contraction of the same (as is "p*ki", but the negative connotations which have come to be associated with that contraction are what makes the word offensive, and the fact that it is a term which originated from the white majority to describe an ethnic minority)

Hughsey's "girlfriend" does a spot of modelling:

Terrible times indeed. What is this country coming to when you can't even racially abuse someone in front of 20,000 witnesses and the national media without fear of prosecution? Berk.

The point being that under English law there is a presumption of innocence until the state prove otherwise, at least in theory. The two in question have submitted themselves to the police, now it is for the courts to decide. Should they be found guilty I don't think there will be many tears shed for these two numpties, and I would hope (and fully expect) them to receive lifetime bans from Ewood, but until a verdict is returned one way or the other it's a bit early to be heating the tar and plucking the chickens, so to speak.

Dukla wear claret and gold, Sparta wear maroon with white trim (and Slavia wear red and white, so they are off the hook).

Period? Never heard of them. Sound like a feminist rock band to me. Led Zeppelin are great though. "Squeeze me baby, till the juice runs down my leg. The way you squeeze my lemon, I'm gonna fall right out of bed." Classic.

Abhorent as racism is, there ought to be a degree of "innocent until proved guilty" in this case, and we certainly shouldn't be lynching anyone on the basis of comments passed by the opposition manager or a player whose relationship with the fans was strained even when he played for Rovers. The accusation of racism is a very easy stick to beat fans with at the moment, and Bruce was very quick to pick it up in this instance. I wasn't at the match today as I am working nights this week, so can't comment with certainty either way, but if there was racism involved, then the matter should be investigated by the club in conjunction with the police, and action should be taken accordingly. The club have already acted to eject one fan (although whether it was for racism or the making of "offensive gestures" seems to be in dispute), and given the harsh glare of bad publicity that Bruce is doing his level best to stir up, I have no doubt that the matter will be looked into thoroughly. Yes, two instances of racism from Rovers fans would be two too many, but the fact that this "news" item is top of the sporting headlines on the BBC website (and doubtless splashed accross the back pages of every paper tomorrow), shows how blown out of proportion this issue has become. In the rush to claim the moral highground following the England - Spain match, any sense of perspective seems to have been left a long way behind.

Were also after Craig Moore not so long ago (until we found out his leg was falling off, or something).