We had quite a rivalry with PNE during all those years we were at the opposite end of the leagues to your shower. It became pretty intense but never near the levels of the East lancs Classico I've probably said this before but my dad's best friend was a huge Rovers fan and he always said pretty much the same.

They have one game in hand on us but still have to play us at our place - and they have a poorer GD than us. That said I do also think they have the quality that will keep them up.

it’s a division that existed Pre Jack Walker - so not one many Rovers fans will remember 😉 Do you know it was cracking in many ways - but it was a simpler time.

Always torn on this one because on the one hand I'd rather see you lot in Division 4 and well below us but on the other I miss the derbies and would rather be in a League With Rovers, PNE etc than Arsenal, Chelsea etc. I definitely understand why you'd want us down though, it will soon be 12 years since you've beaten us and you'll want the chance to reset that clock as soon as possible 😉

We shall see - I doubt he will want to be a squad player. Maybe a promoted side would take him, bags of experience. If not maybe we can convicne him to stay, stranger things have happened. If we get relegated the outs and ins will be very interesting - - assuming we even keep the manager. We played them more times than I care to remember ... They are hopeful he will be back for the weekend. The manager has said its a bad knock rather than a strain etc, so its sore and has stopped him training but just "needs to settle down". He's not one of the soft ones of the modern game so it must be pretty sore to keep him out. He is a big influence, especially for the defence. I wouldn't want to have a run in without him if we can avoid it.

Mee may well still be there yet. We have Kevin Long, whose ok as fill in but you wouldn't want him as first choice. If Mee leaves we will need to bring in an experienced centre half to play alongside Collins for sure. As with everything which league we are in will impact hugely on which positions we need to add for. Saturday always was vital and, at the risk of sounding like a broken record, our failure to turn up for these types of games this season are why we are where we are. Lets see if we can get a win Saturday and push on. After that we have City - who always seem to score 5 against us - followed by Norwich, assuming they don't slip the Everton game in before hand. Yep - Chelsea were poor first half and had we scored who knows - but they blew us away second half, though we did our best to help them.

Mee was a big miss, Tarkowski was not happy on the left of defence and this seemed to impact the whole left side and also Collins - who is still learning - so we shall see. I stand by my view, if we fail to win on Saturday then it is pretty much game over as we clearly don't have what we need to win the games to stay up. Win it and we fight on. It is our games against Brentford, Norwich, Watford, Everton and Newcastle that will really decide our fate, not the Chelsea's etc. No question it is a big ask.

Not sure on Marsch - had success in the US and Austria I read but flopped in Germany? Don’t know his ‘style’ but it’s a big job to turn Leeds around without Philips. On the six pointers - agreed and I’m worried. In normal seasons I’d relish it, these are the games we win but this season that has not been the case, we haven’t stepped up in the pressure games. I think it’s Norwich, Watford and one other from Us, Leeds and Brentford.

I think the only booking was for Weghorst, for dissent, after a foul was given against him when he had the ball and retained control of it. We had the bizarre sight of a player going through the back of our player just prior to this and being told "he got the ball". Like I say we all feel the ref was against us when we lose - in this case I just thought he was pretty incompetent to be honest, incompetent and inconsistent.

They really haven't you know - still got a game on Watford and Norwich who we are now above plus 1 on Leeds and 2 on Brentford. We also still have games against Brentford, Norwich, Watford and Newcastle and winnable games against Villa and maybe Southampton - plus the game against Everton that is yet to be rearranged. We've a mixture of games coming up - Chelsea on Saturday you'd write off but Brentford the week after looks likely, IMO, to be pivotal, that followed by Southampton at home. Us, Brentford and Leeds have similar run ins in terms of teams at top, middle and bottom. It's real squeaky bum time. He was poor. Leicester are a dirty set of players and the ref gave us very little and gave some very questionable decisions both against and for us. I know we all often feel this way but refereeing standards are pretty poor right now. That said on the blance of play Leicester deserved the win, neither team excelled but they created some decent chances.

Not a chance we’d have received an apology in the same circumstances.

Just seen the incident on MOTD. As clear a handball as you’ll see. The relegation scrap getting interesting. I have to say for me it’s 3 from Norwich, Watford, Us, Leeds and Brentford. I just think Everton’s quality will tell and Newcastle have created space from the bottom and have real momentum behind them.

Haha - cheers mate, though I strongly suspect you’ll be in a minority on here. A part of me enjoys you being a league below but a bigger part would prefer the biannual lunacy of our derbies to recommence - sans the ‘bubble’ nonsense - as long as we never lose 😂 Doubt your owners would go for Dyche, he’s not seen as exotic enough for most teams. Shame as he’s a brilliant manager.

Got Spurs at the weekend so a simple 3 points for them.

Still early to be counting chickens - lots of twists and turns still to come, I still think it more likely than not we get relegated.

We deserved that tonight as well - still a long way to go but if we can play like that most games we’ve got a chance.

I could do with a draw in this one. Brentford do look the most likely to get dragged in but it does require us, Newcastle and Watford to keep winning games and, at the risk of sounding like a broken record, we have managed 2 wins all season and we now need to win around half our remaining games, ideally the "right" ones against all our relegation rivals. I retain a fools hope but the realist in me knows what is coming.

If that happens and we can win on Saturday, Palace will be looking over their shoulders as well! Looking at the midweek fixtures you'd imagine us and Leeds to lose, Watford could win but I think a draw is most likely. I wish I had your confidence.

I don’t know Blue - on the one hand we do have to play all the teams around us but on the other we’ve won just 2 games all season - I’ve seen promising signs in the last 4 games but we have to start scoring regularly and we particularly need to improve our results against those around us in the league.

Well they did try to add Orsic and thought that deal was done. We are a difficult sell at the best of times and when you are in real danger of relegation it adds another layer of challenge. We have a big rebuild job in summer but in which league? As for right now, we needed a striker with Wood gone and we needed a more attacking centre mid regardless, arguably an additional wide player but otherwise we are ok until summer when many are out of contract and any relegation likely to trigger an exodus of the quality players. In summary, it would have been nice to add the midfield quality but we failed to do so, Weghorst has added something to our play and we continue to battle. We still have to play all the teams around us, from Brentford down, so we still have a fighters chance to stay up.

Very happy with him, wish we had managed to get Orsic as well but just wasn't to be. January is rarely a good time to strengthen, unless you have unlmited funds like Newcastle so I'm glad we didn't panic buy but wish we could have identified and attracted more players.

We need to follow up with quite a few wins. Would have been nice if Watford had lost but hey ho. Still keeps me hoping another few weeks.

Not to be today sorry 😀 Or just that we clicked today? It is no easier today than it ever was. I know it might suit the narrative of some to believe otherwise but look at the evidence, most promoted teams don’t prosper.

Hit and miss, didn’t have enough good games for us but couldn’t question his effort. Premier League maybe half a level too high, one of those real top championship players but not quite enough at the level above maybe. Not sure how old he is now but I think they’ve got a decent player if he’s maintained fitness etc - but hardly a world beater.

That is a good point - and if McNeil, Weghorst, Corney leave we will get decent money in. The contract thing really is a result of the previous owners not investing in the squad for 3 or 4 years, the ones out of contract are largely not a great loss and Tarkowski made it clear he wouldn't sign a new one and we decided to allow his contract to run down. But the failure to bring new blood in each season, and I don't mean world beaters, just younger players who can do a job, means we are where we are, heading to the Championship and now with a big debt hung around our necks and a very threadbare squad. If we stay up the job is arguably even bigger because even though we have more income to rely on we also would be looking at bigger fees and wages. Assuming you don't go up I will not be relishing the derby days at all.