Watching rugby of either code just illuminates how pathetic modern day footballers are. The rugby lads take hits that would put me in bed for a week as though they are nothing.

I didn’t watch the game but according to the stats in my paper there was the grand total of 3 shots on goal. In a final, really ?

Knowing what you know now would you have signed him when we did ? Also, would you give him a new contract this year ?

Rugby Union has improved as a spectacle over the last 15 years or so. Previously it was pretty dull lots of the time with too much kicking and not enough running with the ball. We in League didn’t call it “ kick and clap” for nothing. Since it went pro the standard has gone up massively. Some times I see a bit of a game on the news and I can’t immediately tell if it’s league or union. It sounds like we could do with a bit of advice on the commercial side from Sale. You can still have two teams, I have Rovers and Hornets. I care deeply for both. It makes for a bad weekend if they both lose though.

Yes, I read the full match report in today’s Guardian. It sounds like De Klerk’s understudy made the difference when he came on. “ Defence wins games “. You’ll be getting hooked on rugby if you’re not careful. I played football exclusively when I was younger but after watching one game of League I was hooked for life. It’s just more exciting and honest than modern football. The half time score reminds me of a game I took a new girl friend to. It was a Friday night match against our deadly rivals Oldham. It was a cold and foggy Friday night and the game was a borefest. Same score at half time, 0-0. The girl was in my ear right from the off, “ I’m cold, my feet are hurting, I can’t see, I’m bored “. So at half time I gave in and we went to the nearest pub for a beer. After an hour my chums came bursting in all excited, laughing and joking. I said “ What was final score “ ? They said ” 24-0 to Hornets “ ! I think that was the beginning of the end for our new relationship.

Sounds like a thriller.

If somebody would have been marshalling the stats when Andy McEvoy was starting out at Rovers they would have come to the conclusion he was a pretty average reserve grade midfield player. It was only when we shoved him up front in a crisis mid way through his career that we discovered he was a goal scoring machine.

Successful teams have a recognisable shape and a coherent, understandable, way of playing. I don’t see that at Rovers. We look like a team that doesn’t spend enough time working on a way of playing.

Ings and Bamford are decent Premier League players but they’re not International standard strikers.

Yes, the most un Brazilian striker I’ve ever seen. Gallagher is better and that tells you all you need to know.

The Brazil team of Falcoa, Socrates, Cerezoa, Eder, Junior, Zico etc had a worse centre forward than Sam. Probably why they didn’t win it that year.

Palace ? I saw an article were Appleton was being linked with WBA job.

Shouldn’t Newhouse be Casaneuva ?

He could take it around the keeper if he had to. He needs to show Armstrong how to do that.

I remember watching his team in Italy. He had Javier Zanetti, Ince, another top international, could have been Djorkaeff and Aaron Winter in midfield and they were awful to watch.

We could see if they’ll take Evans in a straight swap.

I only wear old shirts anyway, the new shirts have been crap for years.

My mate went his son who’d be about 10 or 11 at the time. The lad was terrified. Neither of them ever set foot in t’ Turf again.

My mate reckoned the Celtic fans broke the iron railings up and were throwing them like javelins ! I don’t know if that’s true or not.

For one reason or another he’s not been a regular starter for Shrewsbury although when he’s played he’s usually done something. From what bit’s I’ve seen he’s not been playing as a winger but more in the Dack style of position. I think the injuries he’s had have robbed him of that explosive pace he once had. To be honest I think Shrewsbury is his level now.

I remember travelling up to Scotland one Saturday morning. We lost count of the Rangers coaches going up to Glasgow on the motorway. Most of them seemed to be from Merseyside.

A pal of mine who was a bit of a floating football fan was at that game, he never went on’t Turf again.

You know and I know that players who can carry the ball from inside your own half to the last third beating people on the way are priceless. They’re murder to play against if you’re a defender. Rothwell can do that, he just doesn’t do it often enough. I don’t know the lad but it strikes me as though that’s just the way he is.

What do you think we’d get for him this summer ? For me he doesn’t impose himself on the game enough.

Who’s going to pay big bucks for “ 1 good game in 5 “ Joe Rothwell ? Blow Johnson and Bennett out if they want to fund a big pay rise for Armstrong.