I'm looking for a defender first and foremost at left back, not another " wing back " who hasn't got a clue how to bottle up a winger. We've had enough of those.

I would have expected Mowbray's information on Douglas's current playing ability to be a bit better than yours, or mine.

I don't think he's made the progress he should have done though.

Nor me really but would he be an improvement on Mowbray ?

A bloke once told me - " You can try to fool other people if you like but never try to fool yourself ". Looking at Coyle's " achievements " after he left the Dingle Dome only pointed us in one direction.

Yes, not one example of him going up against a winger in his own half or a contested header etc, I find it more revealing to look at what's not on these videos than what is. Brererton's is a classic example.

Most places in the GM area have some nice places to live amongst the rougher areas Bury is on the Tram line and probably nearer to Manchester centre. Rochdale isn't great at the moment but it's really trying to improve. Of course it's cheaper than other areas because of that. Lots of South Manchester is nice but pricey.

Anybody who was " cautiously optimistic " about the Coyle appointment must have been seriously deluded. I couldn't bring myself to do it but backing Rovers to go down after that would have been " a licence to print money " !

About 45 minutes. The train takes around 20 minutes but that's if a train actually arrives on time and you can get on it. The trams are always there waiting to leave. Plus it takes me 10 minutes to walk from the tram stop in town to the railway station and another 10 minutes from Manchester Victoria to the centre of Manchester.

We have trams now on the route from Rochdale to Manchester. I love them, they're great. They're not as fast as the train but they're every 10 minutes and they take you straight into central Manchester. I never bother getting the train anymore unless I'm in a hurry.

My cut off point was when they appointed Coyle, I knew then we were due for another spell in the old Div 3. I stopped coming on here, didn't go to games, didn't read the match reports in the paper. I just looked for the scores on a Saturday and that was it. I only got interested again when they sacked Coyle and appointed Lambert, Irvine and co.

The Rochdale Corporation buses were just like that only navy blue where the red is on that bus.

You and me might be normal but the Chicken Chokers can't possibly be. That's why it's impossible to predict what they'll do next.

I used to play for a pick up Sunday team when I was about 15. One week a team from Bolton agreed to play us. They turned up in a coach ! We used to go on the bus to away games. It was Bolton's academy team ! We lost 18-2 ! Funnily enough we scored the first and the last goals in the game. The inside forward I was marking scored 5. Not my finest hour. He later made it as a pro at Bolton and a few other clubs. I'll try and remember his name.

We've possibly gone as far forwards as we can Gav, but what worries me is we can still go backwards again under these morons. There's nothing to say next season won't be a relegation struggle and we're not out of the woods yet this season.

There is absolutely no comparison with Rovers in the 1970's and 80's and Rovers today apart from the colour of the shirts. We didn't have a pot to piss in then but you knew everyone behind the scenes was doing their utmost to bring success to the club. It wasn't a play thing then it was the life blood of the town.

It's the same at every club. The players are always right behind the manager - right until the minute he gets fired and then they're right behind the new guy. Pro football, with a few exceptions, is an integrity free zone. Regarding his manner on the touchline I don't care a toss. Most top class rugby league teams have the coach high up in the stand with walkie talkie communication with the bench, that way they get a better view of the whole game and they can still make subs, tactical changes etc. Watch the Rugby Union Internationals, Eddie Jones and his team are up in the gods in a box with proper access to all the modern analytical equipment. They only come down at the end of the game. At least that way the players wouldn't have to look at Mowbray's miserable body language.

My feelings exactly.

Our owners will be sat in Pune watching the cricket - if they've any sense that is.

That's not how remember it Phillip. You're right about which bus stop it was. The route home is as you described but I'm sure the buses were every hour. 244 doesn't ring a bell but it's 50 years ago now !

You are taught to trade space for time but there comes a point when they're getting into shooting range when you have intervene decisively.

That's just how I feel. Who cares who comes in ? What difference will it make ? We need a modern day David Speedie who by sheer force of effort and personality out on the pitch will shame the rest into actually giving a toss. Mowbray wouldn't sign a Speedie, much too difficult to handle.

Nothing worse than a centre half who thinks he's footballer when he isn't. Jackie Charlton, Big Sam, Mick Whatisname, Dyche, etc , they all know how to skin a cat.

So in that case give me one good reason why we should carry on with this charade. If we've given up we may as well go the whole hog and get some houses on the place. 74 -0 on the poll. Chaddy mustn't have voted yet.

That bus stop on the right nearest the camera could be the one I stood in many times on the way back to Rochdale on the Ribble bus. I think it was the No158.