If you look back to when I first started watching there were lots players at Rovers, and other clubs, who were playing 40,41 and 42 out of 42 games. You don’t see that today. The only conclusion I can draw from that is the modern game is more demanding on the bodies of players. The more games, the greater the demand on the body, the more injuries.

That just made Sunday a lot harder.

We better not give any penalties away.

I was at the 5-3 Merc. We played really well that day. Fergie ran them ragged out on the wing. They had a left back that the big clubs were looking at, they weren’t looking at him after that. Sat Nov 13th 1967 Team Blacklaw Newton, Clayton, Coddington, Wilson Rogers, Hole Ferguson, Gilliver, Darling, Connelly sub not used Scorers - Hole 2, Darling, Gilliver, Ferguson ( pen ) Att 20,039. I can still see the Gilliver goal, a bullet header Gestede style from a Fergie cross to open the scoring after about 15 minutes. Happy trip back home to Rochdale on several buses.

The Crystals - He’s A Rebel

He seems to have vanished as a player. He was top class at Hudds.

How much Gestede has had to do with the start I don’t know. However I’m prepared to give him the credit for the upsurge in the sensible approach to signings and the feel good factor around the club at the moment. I was in the same camp, he wasn’t an appointment I could get enthusiastic about. We weren’t on our own in that respect, as I recall it only Parson was really in Gestede’s camp, fair play to him. He was right and we were wrong. On the other hand I was in the Eustace camp from quite early on. I had a gut feeling that he was the sort of level headed manager/coach we needed to calm down all the madness that was going on at the time.

Jerry Jeff Walker - Mister Bojangles

That was John Bray’s nickname. Our right back in that great early 1960’s team. He was built like one. Andy Morrison was a look a like for Bray.

Matt Jansen was in a similar style as was Brian Little who preceded Shaw at Villa.

Being honest, the defending for that third goal was terrible. They were like dummies out of “ Burton’s “ window.

For “ projects “ to succeed everybody at the club has to buy into it. You need pro-active hands on management running the show. We never had that.

Anybody who can make a success story out of the shambles that is Rovers under the current ownership will be in demand by other clubs.

Marv Johnson - I’ll Pick A Rose For My Rose

Hedges isn’t a starting 11 player for me. OK off the bench.

Strange move, Norwich are hardly flying at the moment.

Do you remember “ The Tank “ ?

That must have been a big game. That area between the Riverside Stand and the Darwen End was always sparsely populated normally. Maybe the wind blew through there ?

If they’re all fully fit I’d expect that to be our starting line up.

Interesting. I like to see two strikers up front and as you say it did the trick for Luton previously. I’d definitely be giving that a go in training and seeing how it worked out. On another point we’re in a position now when everybody is fit were even our second eleven looks decent.

I don’t think Cantwell is anywhere starting yet. I initially read that earlier post as being “ Cantwell’s hair could be the difference in a game like this “ “ instead of “ Cantwell’s flair “. I must remember to clean my reading glasses. We need a team of 100 percenters out there in a derby, players who aren’t fully up to speed stay on the bench.

They are definitely “ gig “ shoes.

“ Bulldozer “ ? Never in this world.

I’m not sure that’d work. I don’t see us playing with two up front and I don’t see Yuki playing in a deeper role. He’s a striker. If we’re only playing with one striker we’ll probably start with Guyere and bring Yuki on later. Unless we are chasing the game it’ll be one or the other.

With the weather in Greater Manchester ? How long would they stay like that. Nice though.