Sometimes players who aren’t quite as skilful have the abilities to fit into the game plan better. A bit like Alf Ramsey playing Roger Hunt when there were better strikers around but not with Hunt’s work rate. Szmodics fits into the current game plan to JDT’s satisfaction. He’s more mobile than Dack and probably more of a pain to play against. He looks to be an irritating opponent. Nothing wrong with that. Dack will get his chance when he’s fit again but there’s no need to rush him back.

When Spurs won the old European Cup Winners Cup Rovers played them shortly afterwards. We gave them a guard of honour and allowed them to parade the trophy around the ground. I was there and I saw it. Then our young team played them off the park and cruised to a 3-0 win.

When we were going for promotion back in those days there wasn’t much incentive for players to leave clubs. With the ” Maximum Wage “ wages were the same everywhere. So that meant the likes of up and coming international players like Clayton, Douglas, Vernon, and Dobing could be kept at the club for seasons on end. Today all of those would have been lured away after a season or so. Look at Brentford and all the players they’ve had lured away. The difference is they have been smart enough to find replacements every bit as good.

The Eagles - New Kid In Town

Not Mowbray.

Markanday didn’t get on again today. A complete waste of time him going there so far.

The Beatles - I Call Your Name

If they didn’t see it, they didn’t see it. Buckley mouthing off won’t improve their eyesight.

They’ll have to beat us first. I can see how Sheff Utd battered them after watching todays game. They’re an extremely physical team who play on the edge all the time.

That’s a red card all day long.

Matty Platt and Derbyshire are there as well.

HIs temperament lets him down. He gets a red card today and he’s out of the team having just established himself again. He seems to be a slow learner. I never saw any point in mouthing off to the officials, you just turn them against you.

Mm, you forced me to do this- Slade - Squeeze Me, Pleaze Me

What a week we’ve had. Two totally committed performances on the bounce. Beating Leicester was one thing - they let you play football. Today was a different story altogether - this was a minor war. For once Rovers stood up to all the nonsense going on and never took a backward step. We played our football when we could but when we couldn’t we put a foot in and fought fire with fire. I’m beyond thrilled with the players today. Pears - cool and calm, a ball magnet today. JRC - didn’t get forward as much as previously but did a steady job apart from when he tried to play too much football when they had their last attack of the game. Pickering - I’ve knocked this lad in the past but he was faultless today. Plus he got well forward to score a great goal. Along with Travis my MOM. Carter and Hyam - brilliant today, withstood everything a really physical team could throw at them. Travis - carried on from where he left off at Leicester. A real captains game. Put himself about without doing anything silly for once. I think he’s learning. Buckley - did more than enough to keep his place. Passed the ball nicely at times. Should have done much better with that shot in the second half Szmodics - busy as always but occasionally gave the ball away cheaply. Unlucky with the shot onto the cross bar. Thomas - only in the game in flashes but he worked hard enough. We need to get him on the ball more. He’s got really good pace off the mark. Dolan - another one that carried on from midweek. A thorn in their flesh all afternoon. Nice pass for the goal. You could see they’d targeted him. Gallagher - more like what I expect from a big strapping centre forward. He’s obviously worked on his heading. He got loads of flick ons today. Not many of them went anywhere but it meant Sheffield had to deal with them deep in their half. The subs weren’t on long enough to contribute much but they bought into the work ethic of the other players. More of the same next time Rovers.

Reading that the people who worked with him everywhere he played are falling over themselves to praise the lad. Mowbray thought otherwise and basically gave him away. I bet Brentford couldn’t believe their luck.

Brittain was less than impressive against Leicester. He spent 20 minutes chasing shadows.

Elvis Costello - Pump It Up

We need to get the team selection right today. JDT has lots of options, let’s hope he makes the right choices. I’d have Thomas in for Hedges, Gally up the middle. Dolan out left. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Morton play again. I also wouldn’t be surprised to see Pickering playing and Brittain on the bench. If JRC pulls up again we have a ready made replacement in a Brittain.

If he does move that’ll be the sort of sum they’ll be talking about.

The Beatles - She’s A Woman

Next season Dolan will take BBD’s place. If he goes that is. If I was the Spanish scout that recommended him I’d be getting worried at the moment.

Staying fourth definitely would be.

Anthony Modeste seems to have done ok as has Kalinic

There weren’t many players that you could watch and say “ He hasn’t got a weakness “ but Keith was one. He was fast, great in the tackle, good on the ball, strong in the air, calm under pressure and completely two footed to the degree he could play either left or right back equally well. He was good enough on the ball that we played him in midfield from time to time.

Ruby And The Romantics - When You’re Young And In Love