Tyrone Shoelaces

Just before my time at Burnley but I saw him play at all his subsequent clubs, Bolton, Bury and Barrow. He was a top player in his day at a time when every team had two good wingers. RIP.

Me too.

I've been away from the board for the last few days and I haven't really got time to go back through 8 pages. Just one question for attendees - was the signings of Brererton and Gallagher discussed ?

I think his form at Chesterfield previously had got him in the public eye.

Given the injury situation in attacking midfield/strikers area of the pitch he would have probably got a game or two now.

It probably was Metcalfe, he could fight fire with fire when it was required.

You or him ?

Somebody mentioned Bill Eckersley was a bit of a practical joker. There's a photo on the internet of Rovers training before the 1960 Cup Final. The lads are doing sprint training on the track between the pitch and the main stand. Dougan is just breasting the tape that a couple of the players are holding. The rest of the players are sat on the wall watching. Bill is sat there with the leg of his shorts pulled up, quite clearly exposing himself. Meat and two veg on display. I've got exactly the same photo in a Rovers history book and the offending organ has been coloured in to match the colour of his shorts but the internet photo is un censored.

I got the feeling with Holtby that he wasn't a stranger to the treatment room and to expect him to play every week was being a bit optimistic.

I think Butterworth would have been knocking on the door at this point - if he hadn't also got what I heard was a season ending injury. Change of formation now I think, at least until Rothwell is fit again. 4-4-2 with Armstrong and Gallager up front and Downing, Travis, Johnson, Rankin-Costello across the midfield. Holtby hasn't been a success story has he ? I can't recall a season when so many players have sustained long term injuries. Has the game got more demanding on players physiques or are we signing players with less than robust bodies ?

I go back as far as Fred Else and none of the subsequent goalkeepers, and we've had some great ones, come close to Brad in my opinion. He was worth a goal start. Sad to see that Jim Fryatt suffered from altzheimers also. He was up there with Rudy Gestede in heading ability.

Just looking at the bottom end eight clubs in that list - how many have we failed to beat ?

Having a striker up front who's natural movement is away from the ball like Armstrong dictates that we play in a different manner to when we had a striker who's natural movement was towards the ball like Graham. Just saying.

No Smallwood either.

We could always pretend they were brain surgeons, ---- well maybe not

I thought Gallagher was signed to replace Brererton out on the right wing.

It's where he wants to play. When you're playing as a lone striker you need good service to thrive. If you're also a small lone striker the service has got to be excellent otherwise you just get out muscled.

I'm bearing that in mind. It always helps when you get to play where you want to play.

I see the other Brighton loan goalkeeper, Roberto Sanchez at Rochdale, has made the team of the week for that division. I knew he was tall but I didn't release he's 6' 6". Two young Bolton players are in the team also Dennis Politic and Ethan Hamilton. Hamilton is very highly rated by Keith Hill. They are both ex Man Utd Youth. Politic is a wide player and Hamilton is central midfield. Worth a look ?

Armstrong's usually " excellent " for about 5 weeks a season. Let's not get carried away.

It'll be a poor do if that lot can't put in a performance !

If he turns out to be half as good as King Keith he won't be here long.

You need as many ways of playing as you can get out of the squad. 'Boro going long ball at the end to Gestede should have won them the game.

It never ceases to amaze me that you can get a person coming on here saying X,Y or Z was awful on Saturday and another person coming on saying they were excellent when they both watched exactly the same game. They can't both be right. I think sometimes people let their prejudices influence their opinions. I try and leave my blue and white glasses at home when I watch Rovers play. I also try not to let my prejudices, which we all have, influence how I rate a player.

Tony was Blackburn Rovers through and through both on and off the pitch. He always gave 100 % to the club without much reward I suppose. Good luck for the future Tony. Maybe a benefit match would be the best way to contribute to his future treatment. Possibly the last promotion team against the current lot.