How many people have Sky Chaddy ? I haven't. My wife won't have it for political reasons regarding Murdoch. I won't have it because I waste enough time in front of screens as it is. When Channel 4 had the Ashes series on in 2005 the whole nation was drawn in. Nearly every TV screen you saw as you were walking down the street was tuned to the cricket. I've never known anything like it. People who in April had never watched a game of cricket became fanatics in a few months. It was on everybody's lips at work. Radios were secretly tuned under desks. Maybe it's before your time ?

I agree. Biggest mistake the English Cricket Authorities made was selling out to Sky. The country went absolutely cricket daft in the Summer of 2005. I've never seen as many kids playing cricket on the common facing my house and now you never see any. They just threw it all away for the Murdoch shilling

Not a good night for Wigan supporting Tories was it ? I know Wigan are struggling for some reason but Leigh are doing much better than I thought. How safe is Shaun Wane at the moment ?

I've not seen much of any of those players especially Rankin-Costello but from what I have seen I like Tomlinson and Doyle. I'd expect both of them to feature next season especially Tomlinson. Doyle looks the part but he's strictly a left back as far as I can see and Williams has the left back shirt at the moment. Maybe a short term loan would do him good if nothing else changes.

Excellent work but depressing reading. Keep up the good work though, it's essential that this period in the club's history is thoroughly documented.

Yeah I'd have liked to boot a few of them.

At least future generations will be able to read this and find out the truth behind our collapse.

A much needed and excellent summary of the initial stages of the disaster. Well Done.

Pickering was the first one for me. We spent more than the the fee we got for him trying to replace him over the years with not much success. George Jones, Martin Britt, Alan Gilliver, Frank Lord, Jim Fryatt, then even Fred himself at the end. Don Martin was the only one who did well for us.

I was as sure as sure could be we'd go down and I said so on this site the day we appointed Coyle. It looked like money in the bank but I could never back against us though.

Una cerveza grande por favour .

I'd be really sorry if he left but there must be other managers at this level that could do a good job. Last time we hadn't got a pot to @#/? in we made some good managerial appointments that got us going in the right direction. Ken Furphy, Gordon Lee, Jim Smith, Howard Kendall. The difference between then and now is then we were run by football people who knew the score.

Would you want to work for these dickheads ?

Rejecting Warnock was really stupid - but rejecting him for Coyle borders on complete madness.

He's not my favourite but he'd be favourite to take us down again.

What does Mercerman think ? Just back the opposite you won't go far wrong.

They'll tell him one thing and do another.

What he expects and what he gets are two entirely separate things.

He will have enhanced his reputation some what in his time at Rovers. After all he came within an ace of pulling off a miracle. He'd get another job at some point next season.

Appointing Coyle was suicidal. A blind man on a galloping horse could see that. Give him a chance ? He'd had his chances at Bolton, Wigan and whatever club he managed in the US !

I hope not. He's done his best with the hand he was given.

I like your first sentence Athlete. " Private Eye " has a column for stuff like that.

Lower league is the market we are in. Some of these successful managers must have the potential to operate at a higher level.

I think on reflection it may be time for another change. We need somebody who's used to winning not somebody who's used to losing.

I agree, I was quite surprised Johnno was by passed in the recent re-shuffle.