The two lads from Eire that were first team players when I first started watching - Mick McGrath, who is still alive I believe. Andy McEvoy was the other one. We also had Joe Haverty then but he didn’t stay long at Ewood. Andy died at quite a young age back in Ireland and I think Joe died a few years ago. Mick was a really hard working wing half ( defensive midfield player ) who was a lot better footballer than some people gave him credit for. He was a main stay of the team along with Ronnie Clayton and Matt Woods for at least 6 or 7 seasons. Andy was a tremendous goal scorer once he’d been converted from a pretty ordinary midfield player. Again he was more than just a finisher, he could set goals up for other people as well. His partnership with Fred Pickering made the two of them into a goal scoring machine. He was up there with two of the best goal scorers I’ve ever seen in Denis Law and Jimmy Greaves. Joe was a tiny ( 5ft 3ins ) left winger that had been a star and a crowd favourite at Arsenal but never really settled at Rovers and he moved on after one season.

I wouldn’t be totally shocked.

Nice try but not as good as Sandy Brown’s diving header for Liverpool against Everton.

Nice for Dahlin.

He’ll be there Chaddy. Don’t get your hopes up.

And then the chicken chokers will say “ How much ? No way ! Have another look and stick to the lower divisions this time. “.

But that was obvious at the time for those with eyes that see. The owners were clueless, we knew that because they told us so, what chance was there of them getting anything right ? They should have got their feet under the table and at least seen out the season before making any decisions regarding the manager.

What you are leaving out of the equation is even at that point it was obvious that the owners were completely clueless about professional football. They thought you couldn’t get relegated, they thought that £5 Million would easily get us into Europe. Why would they go for a Guardiola when they had Steve Kean. How smart do you have to be to count chickens ? That’s what they thought about managers.

When they’ve sold the guys who want to stay in the Prem they’ll still have a few bob to spend. Maybe they’ll do a swap with Vydra.

Yeah I much preferred the shite Kean served up when we got relegated.

He’ll probably still be the best player in training !

Yes, I promise that’s my last word on the subject but the comparison was hard to avoid.

You’d behave like that and I would. That’s what logical owners or boards of directors do. When faith in the manager has been lost he has to go. We’re talking about the Chokers here though, nothing they do is logical.

Other teams further up the food chain are already looking at him. I heard the dingles were interested.

To be honest with you, previously I would have turned the tap off on Mowbray signing new players as well. He got more wrong than he got right. I just wouldn’t have done it last January with the club sitting in 2nd place and desperate for a striker. Having said that looking at the 5 players he did bring in maybe the Chokers had a point ! That’s all water under the bridge now. The new guy will need to be allowed to spend some money given we’ve lost half a team. Most of them being our better paid players

I’m resigned to never getting back to the top level. It’s an almost task with this lot in charge. We’ve as much chance of being relegated as being promoted.

One of our best ever performances spoiled only by John Filan breaking his arm.

To play cultured football you need cultured footballers. If they aren’t prepared to get the cheque book out he could be in for a disappointment. The three teams that went up this season played cultured football most of the time. After that it was the likes of Luton with no money playing ale house football. If you have no money playing in a more direct style is your only hope.

Yes but can we sign relatively unknown players from Scandinavia ? The well known ones are unlikely to come to Rovers and the lesser well known ones won’t meet the most recent criteria.

Who just happened to be a complete one off and the best player I ever saw.

That’s always “ the elephant in the room “ at Rovers. When we have to send the carrier pigeon off to Pune because they’re run out of paper clips in the office. Chokers out.

Yes he was a great player in his day. Top class.

I’ve had my criticisms of him but as you say he has several good points going for him. I’m pretty sure we won’t get a replacement as good without paying a fee unless we’re very lucky. Are there no Colin Hendry’s knocking about in lower level Scottish football any more ?

That really grated with me. Mowbray sees Mahrez coming in off the right wing onto his left foot and thinks” Who have we got who could do that ? I know, that left back we’ve got on loan from Wolves “.

To the tune of “ ABC “ by The Jackson Five I presume ?