Err, not always, plenty go backwards. As the two ex-Rovers that have just signed for Chorley will bear witness.

The idea should be all about having an acknowledged way of playing and squad members to come in that are used to that way of playing. For instance when Douglas came off we had another left back to come on in Bell. Not the greatest I know, but a recognised left back. If Elliot has to come off we have Dolan, Holtby we have Buckley, Johnson for Trybull etc.

It was a season too far for him. Once you're in your early 30's you can " go " at any time.

Yeah, if only he'd something to be smug about.

Speedie was inspirational. A few more good balls fired in by our fullbacks. Hendry unlucky to get on the end of that one from Brown that just went wide.

The first five or six seasons I was watching Rovers they were capable of beating any opposition in the country and frequently did. Ask anyone who was watching then - that team was without a doubt the best team to watch we've had in living memory and that includes the team that won the Prem. So as far as I'm concerned we should be up there with the big boys.

I've had a lot more good times than bad with Rovers but this last ten years has been hard going.

What do you get for 60 ?

Could be worse, you could have had it as a tattoo.

Obviously having more subs this season has made that more evident.

This one were you have a big washer in your earlobe has got me puzzled, what's that all about ? At least with ripped jeans you can wear them for creosoting your fence when the fashion is over.

Mm, if we bring our A game and they bring their B game it could be very interesting. If they bring their A game we'd need a goal start.

Football is becoming like Rugby League were the strength of your bench can dictate the outcome of the game.

Pompey got lucky with that last goal but if you get on the front foot the ball will run for you. We should get Richard Brown back in to show a few of our defenders how to cross a ball. That was perfect for the Speedie header !

If you've got a real understanding of how Blackburn Rovers work under the Chicken Chokers you're probably in a minority of one.

I believe Douglas has had his fair share of injuries previously.

What's the latest on Ayala and Williams ?

That's a great post CLB, it sums up perfectly what Rugby League is all about. Possibly before your time but I remember the great Alex Murphy doing the same thing, hitting the post with a shot at goal but following up to score a try, on more than one occasion. One of the most titanic games I ever saw ended 7-2

Yes, I'd forgotten how good Mike Newall was.

" A successful method " and painless then.

Years ago I used to see a young lad from Manchester on the train coming over to Blackburn. He was a real Manc and all his family were City fans. However he was a real Rovers fanatic and he had the club crest tattooed on his shoulder. I hadn't seen him on the train for a while and I thought " maybe he's got a car ". Then my son bumped into him and now he was a City fan. This was the season we got back in the Prem with Souness and I'm sure City had been relegated !

I've watched that TV programme were expert tattooists put right cock ups or other tattooists really inferior work. I must admit I'm really impressed by their designs and how they incorporate the cock ups into a nice design. I still wouldn't want one though. If you want to become really rich in the future come up with a successful method of removing tattoos, you'll make a fortune.

I'm not keen myself. All of the guys I know in my age group that have had them done fervently wish they hadn't. It's a style thing and that's ok but just look at what some people were wearing back in the 1970's and how their houses were decorated ! Things can go out of style pretty dramatically. They could be the dado rail of body decoration.

He needs balls he can run on to, not balls were he has to control them under pressure.

Play him in that old " inside right " role and give him some decent service and he'll be a threat. He needs the ball early and he doesn't want to be out on the touch line.