It was a must win for them. I’d say a mustn’t lose for Burnley.

Decision time now. We need the Chicken Chokers to get the cheque book out and find us another Berkovic. Somebody who can direct the traffic when we need a bit of inspiration.

Burns has gone out on loan.

If we are going to sign a player we need somebody who will go straight into the first team, much as Berkovic did the last time we were in this position. Now isn’t the time for rehabilitation style projects.

Newcastle need a nailed on proven top level goal scorer. They would be foolish to gamble on Ben. That’s not to say they won’t. I’m not impressed with the management set up there.

You mean how good he was. How good he is now remains to be seen. I wouldn’t expect too much too soon. Let him recover at his own pace.

He must have never seen the real Pele then.

I can’t see Dack doing the pressing that Buckley does when he’s just coming back from a serious injury. If Ayala can’t walk back into the team I don’t see why Dack should.

Like most big lanky guys he’s not quick over 10 yards but once he gets moving he’s not easy to catch. For me he doesn’t make the most of his physical attributes. Who would you rather play against Gally or say David Speedie or Dickov ? No contest for me.

It certainly felt like it.

“ The Hardest Working Man In Show business “ ? That’s what they called him on “ Live At The Apollo “.

Yes, once bitten and all that.

BB can run with the ball, SG can only run after the ball.

He alway looked like he was running in treacle.

Putting in 100% should be a minimum requirement at Ewood.

Plus stand in right back.

Me too.

Yeah , that’s when we had drawing boards. Now it’s all CAD/CAM and done on screens.

Sorry Mike, just shows it’s a true story.

I did that once at work. I slipped off the joist I was walking along. We’d had a burst above the drawing office ceiling so a load of dirty water followed my foot and leg downwards. It wouldn’t have been too bad but the cascade of dirty water went all over a drawing the Chief Draughtsman had just finished after two weeks work !

What more than Burnley !

Did you turn the bookies over ?

Yes it was Derby. I knew Bryan Clough was involved. The point is still valid though. Having to accommodate the talents of Rodney Marsh destabilised City.

Stephane Henchoz - Roy Boy’s only good signing.

We need to exercise a bit of caution here. Sign the wrong player and we could start going backwards . I remember Man City playing really well and leading the old First Division going into the run in. For some reason they decided they needed “ the last piece of the jigsaw “ so they put the boat out to sign Rodney Marsh. Although Marsh was a class act it took them a few weeks to fit him into the jigsaw. By the time they had fitted him in they’d slipped off the top and Notts Forest pipped them to the title.