The difference was in 1970 and 1970 we had a real chance of winning the cup. The Iceland defeat just showed we weren't anywhere near good enough.

England 1 v Poland 1 actually Jim but it felt like a loss.

She phoned me after todays game. She's 90 with a bad knee and she'd be at Ewood on Tuesday if she could. She said " Double or quits on Tuesday night ? " So I took the bet - 3 points for Rovers then.

I don't think Wycombe or Sheff Wed will catch us, Rotherham might with their two games in hand.

Not really, Italy in '90 was worse than that.

I was up at my mums and I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw the team. She said " I'll bet you a pound Rovers win ". I said " Go on then mum, I'll take Millwall ". She has previous in this - we were watching England v West Germany in the 1970 World Cup in Mexico. At half time England were a goal up and she offered to back West Germany for a £5 bet. I was thinking she knew I was skint and it was a way of giving me a fiver ! I was sitting pretty when Keith Newton made a goal for England to go 2-0 up. Then the Germans came back to win 3-2 ! Not only that but she wanted the fiver !

There are two ways of getting the ball forward from full back. Passing it or running with it. Running with it, if you lose the ball you're out of position. Passing it forward, if the pass goes astray you're still in position.

The new Kevin Keegan ?

Why don't they try out these ideas in full scale training games ?

We've completely lost our way regarding ways of bringing Test standard players through. Building an innings or hanging on in there to wear down the bowlers are lost arts in the new era of tip and run cricket.

Hang on Jim, probably the easiest prediction to make since I predicted Coyle would relegate Rovers on the day we appointed him.

I can't see any point in sending a team to Australia to be honest.

Betting on us to go down after we appointed Coyle was a licence to print money but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. I'm superstitious like that. I backed Germany to win the World Cup in 1966 after I saw them play once in the comp. The final was a win/win game for me. England win the final - great. Germany win the final - I'm in the money.

That's a blow, gives Brentford more recovery time.

It'll be all over by tea tomorrow, if not sooner !

I was on the Riverside that night. I had to leave at the final whistle to catch my last bus home. It still irks me that Mowbray thought scenes like this weren't worth playing for and the title of " Champions " wasn't worth trying for. I knew then he wasn't the man to lead my team into the future.

Chapman's really going great at Shrews but I can't see him coming back, unless we go down that is.

It doesn't help when you sign players with a history of injury problems. We had two centre halves in Lenihan and Williams. Both have a history of missing games. So we sign Ayala, who is basically a sick note. We got really lucky with Wharton coming through. Centre half is a key position and we were nowhere near strong enough in that area and we still aren't. Signing two kids was a ridiculous move when we needed a senior pro. If we do get relegated this season it'll be because we were weak in the centre of defence more than any other single reason.

If he's on payment by results he'll be owing the club money soon.

What's Lord Lucan doing these days ?

Ayala can go now for me. Just make sure he doesn't take " The Vince Grella Award " - a gold plated walking stick, away with him.

I thought he was ok as a third choice centre back. He had more good games than bad when he came in.

He wasn't quick enough on the turn for full back.

" Hey hey we're the Venkies, and we're still hanging around We've backed Tony Mowbray, so don't go putting him down ".

Yeah me too, I'm backing India, how about you ?