I'm not a defeatist and I'd kick my granny to win a game but with this lot at Ewood we're as good as dead. This league is far from over and a team in our position could easily pull clear. It won't be us though. We haven't got any of the ingredients required to pull clear unfortunately.

It tells you all you need to know about modern football when you realise he was selected for England at junior level.

Yeah, Santa Cruz was up there with the really good headers of a ball we've had.

Martin Britt was an awesome player as a youth player at West Ham. He either came injured or he was injured soon after he arrived. We never saw him at his best.

I've got to agree there. He'd be no 1 for me. Fred Pickering became another good header of the ball.

Shearer was a great header of the ball for his height but Fryatt and Gestede were outstandingly good. Just my opinion of course.

Gestede was up there with Jim Fryatt for heading ability. Frank Lord, Les Chappell were terrible signings. They were at least a division above their ability levels. John Aston had been a decent player at Utd, in fact he was probably the man of the match in their European Cup Final win. He broke his leg shortly after that though and when he came to Rovers he was well past his best.

That Patrick Valery was a bit of a plodder. He must be the only pro footballer I've ever seen that couldn't actually jump off the ground. Royboy signed some real puddings alright. In fact it's hard to name a really good signing he made apart from Stephane Henchoz.

I remember dashing home from work to watch the Glenchirbigli away game on TV. I'd just missed the the line ups so I spent the first five minutes figuring out what the team was. I got ten players almost right away but I couldn't figure out who was the eleventh. After half an hour Baggio actually touched the ball and I realised he was playing !

Mattel was a decent player in his rightful position - centre half of defensive midfield player. We played him at full back because we were struggling. He wasn't a full back in a million years. Too slow and predominently right footed out on the left hand side. Barry Ferguson was outstanding up in Scotland. Head and shoulders above everybody else. He reminded me of a young Graham Souness in some aspects of his play. He was just starting to look the part at Ewood when he smashed his knee cap against Newcastle. After that he was always heading back home again.

Was it De Pedro Or Del Pedro ?

Trying to predict what our " owners " are going to do next in any given situation is a certain road to madness. Think what action will harm the Club the most and that's probably what they'll do. Even what seemed to be a step forward in the appointment of Lambert served to weaken the fans base further. When they allowed him to walk lots of diehards like myself threw the towel in.

In my experience good teams score goals at the death, bad teams concede goals. It's not just about physical fitness it's about mental toughness.

Things are looking up Al, last two games we've keep the opposition scoreless in the second half. Long may it continue.

Good point Al. We'd have a few more points if games only lasted 85 minutes.

Thanks for that. The worry is the " management " of the club don't seem to be bothered one way or another.

As long as I've got breath in my body I'll be a Rover Stuart. I'm not lost, I'm just temporarily missing.

Self imposed exile Jim. Rovers were my first real love. That's before I got into music, cricket, beer, women etc. I've had plenty of ups and downs over the nearly sixty years since I first got interested in my home town club. Blackburn Rovers have been the one constant in my life in that time, win, lose or draw. The last few years have been really painful for me, to see our great club destroyed in such a wanton, needless fashion was hard to bear. The inexplicable appointment of the latest manager was the final straw for me. For the sake of my mental health I decided to withdraw from active support of the club. As you can see I was drawn back like a moth to the flame. I'll always be a Rover but until this lot F off and die I'll be staying away.

We've been set up to fail and unfortunately that's exactly what we'll do. If, and it's a big if, they do sack Coyle it'll only happen when we're already down.

Mm, sounds like a Tory MP in the making.

Yeah from the point were the armed escort started shooting the place up it was just plain silly. Why did they need an armed guard ? How did the armed guard get himself allocated to that duty ? Why after a pre planned operation did they have to run for miles when they escaped from the building ? Why did the Range Rover go round and round the block after the escape ? Would somebody risk a long range shot like the woman copper did ? Would they hit the target with one shot ? Who was the driver who shot " Dot " Cotton ? I was really disappointed. The rest of the series was great.

Final episode of " Line Of Duty " tonight.

I remember Roy Vernon playing for Everton, he'd left Rovers when I first got interested. He was a striker and he captained Everton for a few seasons. He was one of the best penalty takers I ever saw. Every one driven with the laces straight into either bottom corner. Practically un stoppable. I never saw him miss one anyway. I never thought he was a particularly rough player but a former England star whose name I've forgotten had him in his " All Time 11 Dirtiest Players. " list. Terry Paine, Johnny Giles, Peter Osgood and Johnny Morrisey were the other forwards. He died quite young but by all accounts he was a very heavy smoker.

If it's what went through my family a week or so ago they'll feel like crap for a few days. As you say, early days yet but something must be happening at Wakefield. I just hope it's not more Aussies over here.

Mm, what position does he play ?