thenodrog "You really must have a tiny intellect if you really believe all that shyte. 1. BRFC and Neill have both conducted their business superbly. We were not ready to let him go in summer as we had no replacement. He was contracted until next summer so we played him every game and he responded well and in a mature and responsible manner..... No histrionics, no tantrums, no training ground sh1t stirring just solid professional performances from him. 2. btw Neill IS a professional player i.e. he plays for hire or reward! And like 99% of all professionals will sign for the club that rewards him most. Can you manage to get your head around that concept Oscar? How else do you think we signed him in the first place from Millwall or has that never even crossed your mind? Now that his contract is coming to an end we have been able to negotiate a profit from the original deal...compare that to the behaviour and morality of Barry Fergusuon! Furthermore why are ANY of the players at BRFC? .... and I include Dunn in that! Do you think that we are paying less than Bolton offered him? If you do then dream on. " It's not often that thenodrog is quoteworthy, but he hits the nail right on the head here - leave Neill alone and remember the good service he has given the club over a fair amount of time. He even gave notice that he would be leaving. I sometimes wonder what it is that causes us to throw our sense of perspective out of the window when a player dares to suggest he may wish to ply his trade elsewhere - it's not dissimilar to the hullabaloo and backbiting when someone hands their notice in at work and suddenly become the bete noir. Or maybe it's more akin to a divorce for those to whom BRFC has perhaps taken on too much significance in their lives?

"Am I on my own here? The local pie shops must be rubbing their hands in glee as must the assorted club owners and victuallers. Dunny is not fit enough to play premiership football because he is not disciplined enough to look after himself - the last man to try telling him this was Graeme Souness - who knows a bit about what it takes to compete at the top level as a midfielder - and look how Dunny reacted, throwing his toys out instead of rolling his immature neck in, listening to good advice and getting on with becoming a regular England squad member. We all love how Tugay has performed this season at the age of 36/37 - he can because he is so professional in every aspect of his approach to the game on and off the pitch. Can we say the same for Dunny? It really hurts me to say it but if we buy Dunny back, it will just be another addition to the treatment room for at least half of the season uness he's grown up a bit. Now, please let me be wrong." 15/01/07 22:37 Well, let's hope us sceptics are proved wrong and that Dunny returns a better man (and player) than when he left. In the meantime, I shall call Mr. Williams to remind him to check our insurance policies again in light of the Martin Dahlin precedent and Dunny's consistent fitness record. The only other concern is that our young midfielders have the intelligence (not in plentiful supply in professional footballing circles) to recognise the master that is Tugay for the next 2-3 years he has left with us and WATCH & LEARN! Good luck Dunny

Am I on my own here? The local pie shops must be rubbing their hands in glee as must the assorted club owners and victuallers. Dunny is not fit enough to play premiership football because he is not disciplined enough to look after himself - the last man to try telling him this was Graeme Souness - who knows a bit about what it takes to compete at the top level as a midfielder - and look how Dunny reacted, throwing his toys out instead of rolling his immature neck in, listening to good advice and getting on with becoming a regular England squad member. We all love how Tugay has performed this season at the age of 36/37 - he can because he is so professional in every aspect of his approach to the game on and off the pitch. Can we say the same for Dunny? It really hurts me to say it but if we buy Dunny back, it will just be another addition to the treatment room for at least half of the season uness he's grown up a bit. Now, please let me be wrong.

I went in to buy a shirt in advance of the Feyenoord trip, reversing my decision to wait until next season for a new shirt, only to find that after one wash in line with the instructions, the stripes had come off the sleeves! Upon taking the shirt back, I was accused of lying by the ignorant hag behind the counter who said this had never happened before. I know this to be wrong as it happens with all shirts since Lonsdale became the official supplier. Why should I lie about a football shirt? Who the hell does this woman think she is? When I got a grudging refund, I looked around for something else to buy instead but could find nothing Rovers-related that was not, quite frankly, tat. The shop is pretty poor at the moment in terms of quality and service - me and my family won't be going there for our shirts for quite a while I'm afraid.

It is a former quarry that was landscaped after it stopped being worked

Your hitherto 'green and pleasant' view of Blackburn appears to be becoming somewhat jaundiced. Far too many of our away fans are an embarrassment to themselves, the club, the town and the rest of us. I go to very few away games now cos of the scum. And by doing that, you let the "scum" win by allowing them to take the joy of watching your club (as well as theirs) play away from you - is that what you want? The best way to face them off is to keep going and behave as you would normally so that people can see we are not all like that.

See what I mean? Why the focus on one alleged individual when there were 2-3,000 passionate Rovers fans giving it their all in a stadium that could be intimidating. If he was saluting, he'll soon slip back under the stone from whence he came and if he wasn't then perhaps he's due an apology.

Just got back - a sterling performance from the travelling supporters both at the match and in Amsterdam, so let's not get hung up on a few numpties and let's focus on how we did the team proud with 90 minutes of constant, vocal support. Now let's get a few more European matches to build that level of cameraderie that will hopefully transfer back to Ewood. OK, so we had to stand in unreserved seating areas - that's not too bad is it or are we getting a bit gentrified nowadays? Perhaps it added to the atmosphere and sense of occasion. So the stewarding was useless, the Dutch organisation equally so, but I've waited 30 years for events like this, playing in a European country that was not under Stalin where you can have a couple of days out and watch the Rovers hold their own and am not going to let it sour the entire experience. I sometimes think some people are never happy and just like to moan. The match was a bit of a non-event with a draw being about a fair result IMO, but it was a night where the result mattered most, wasn't it?

According to this website, it has one of the largest bars in the Red Light District and is a well placed central location - so why don't we all meet there Wednesday night? We land in Amsterdam about 21:30 - early doors for Amsterdam!

My first Rovers European match!! Two of us are flying from Doncaster/Sheffield on Wednesday evening @ 18:25 to Amsterdam (£70 each) Stopping in Hotel Manofa on the Damrak (2mins from station) €70 each Sorted!! Now ....... where are we all meeting up before and after? Is everyone PM'ing mobile numbers so meeting up is easier? This is the usual routine for England away games

So, do we fiddle while Rome burns? That's what it looks like.

Likewise - couldn't give a toss, bigger things to worry about at Ewood than a couple of blokes trying to help rather than whine about it on MB's. Overall, they get it wrong sometimes. Other times they get it right. I'm more interested in using any influence this website has to suggest how we break BRFC out of the provincial trap in which it finds itself surrounded by intense rivals and the inability to secure the critical mass of support, commercial and spectating, that is essential to remain a viable Premiership concern. We are punching above our weight big time and that is not sustainable in the longer term. In this context, whether a couple of blokes bang a drum or not is, IMO, irrelevant.

Last season I had the opportunity to sit in the Clayton/Douglas Lounge once or twice complete with Northcote Manor grub and unlimited suppies of ale not to mention free gifts for the kids - now that's the way to watch a match until you realise it is very sterile and you miss the crack of being on the BBE. You also realise how much brass there is in footie nowadays - the director's box for the Liverpool match was oozing with wealth (you could tell by their shoes).

I'm struggling to think of a club that has not "bought" the title to some extent - all have have been the biggest or one of the biggest spenders of their time. This does not mean spending guarantees success - the examples of spending a lot for no return are legion; however, you have to go back as far as Ipswich in 1962(?) or Burnley in 1960(?) to find a title-winning club that cannot be accused of buying the title. Chelsea's bubble will burst and, let's be honest, the amount of money they have spent does not yet reflect in the size of their trophy cabinet - they got beat yesterday by a team that could not afford to buy back Michael Owen for heaven's sake!

A momenty of clarity in an otherwise increasingly self-absorbed world - thank you AggyBlue. Those who do have the right to continue to do so, but with that right comes the responsibility to exercise the right with respect to those that do not. Those that do not should not have to put up with the invasive exercise of the right of those who do. At the same time, they have no right to take away the rights of those that do as they have a responsibility to allow them to exercise their right. You would have thought a compromise could be found on that basis wouldn't you?

I don't mind whether people smoke or not - it's a free country (well, it used to be). What I do mind is being told I can't do something - the current trend to ban activities and regulate how we live our lives is becoming extremely tiresome and I, for one, am fed up of it. When will this nannying government learn that it is better to educate people than to appear to be constantly telling them what liberties and choices they are eroding next? At work, at home and at play - where will it end?

That's a bold statement based on the article! Looks a bit like 6 and two 3's to me. More to the point, I'm not sure Apple Corps has a case and strongly suspect that none of John, Paul, George or Ringo or their dependents are lacking for shoe leather without seeking solace through the courts. As for iPods, when demand exceeds supply, standards slip as volume production increases - I'd take the battery back every time until the bad batch they obviously have has been cleared out.

I was at this one - it was one of those occasions when the crowd did the team proud. Atmosphere was electric and, after the shenanigans of a number of Plymouth fans running onto the pitch only to get yanked into the Riverside and presented to plod, I have a vague memory of everybody invading the pitch at the final whistle in a moment of sheer joy. That team showed real character that day - we needed to win to get the championship and the boys came good - it was my first season as a Rovers fan and this was just what was needed to put BRFC firmly into my blood.

"Too much time late at night in the nightspots of Accy Too many pies Too much focus on lifestyle All of this makes you injury-prone as you will only ever be 75% fir and that's not enough in this league" That's what Souey told him and Dunn threw his toys out rather than listen to one of the greatest midfield players ever to play in the last 30 years. What's happened at Brum? How many games has he played? A bloke I work with supports "the biggest club in the world" and reckons David Dunn was the best piece of business BRFC have done in the past 20 years - for BRFC not BCFC. On this one, the previous manager was right. I'm far from convinced about Dunn returning at a time when the boss is trying to lose deadwood from the squad to allow him to bring others in - I think this would be additional deadwood unless he brought a sponsorship deal from BUPA with him! We'd have been better off keeping Matt Jansen - now if we were going for Chris Sutton to mask the earth mover that is Shefki Kuqi that would be a different matter.

Would it be worth asking one of them to come along to a BRISA meeting to discuss how they could help create a more vaired yet intense atmosphere or would it turn into a barrage of abuse way beyond the importance it has in this crazy world of ours? stuwilky - apologies if you thought I was referring to you individually. I was referring to the general impression of the thread not any individuals as I try not to judge people until I know them (not always successfully) - perhaps we could all try the same?

We went down the day before to "make sure we didn't miss the kick-off" and perhaps check out a couple of beers etc. What a great weekend, once again when the going got tough David Speedie got going. But the best bit was walking along Torquay seafront on Sunday morning feeling a bit foggy when I bump into a bloke in the shirt buying fudge - the conversation goes: Me: It's a bit early for that isn't it? Him: It's for the wife not me Me: Oh, is she here? Him: No, I took the dog for a walk yesterday and got offered a ticket while out - she hasn't seen me since!! Me: Where's the dog? Him: Near the Infirmary Priceless!!!!!!!

The best thing about this match was how totally different the team responded to setback in comparison to previous play-offs (and there were many) - they'd all had an injection of Speedie-juice at half time turning them into determined little sods who absolutely refused to lose that day. To make it better, we were set up for the return leg where my lasting memory, apart from being stared at very hard by some strange people from the Baseball Ground's "C Stand", was Kevin Moran getting a header in from a corner where he took the ball, the goalie and what seemed like three Derby defenders into the net. Boy, did the Rovers want to win that one!!!

Don't misunderstand me - I believe they have served their purpose in their current form and feel both they and the crowd have got a bit lazy. What I struggle with is the concept on here of, at the last count, 162 voters some of whom are not regular attendees (for many good reasons), assuming they represent a mass protest. Also, this subject creates more depth of feeling (apart from the ongoing race/Islam/terrorism thread of the day) than any other yet there is little constructive dialogue about making the drummers in their current form obsolete. If we are happy for this MB to become nothing more than a hotbed of personal abuse, kicking anyone who stands out of line and entertaining each other with 2nd rate 6th form humour at the expense of these well-meaning (if misguided) individuals then it reflects as much on us as it does them. Sitting there doing nothing to change what caused the problem in the first place and being perfect is pretty easy isn't it?

Let's hope you're sufficiently soooo moved to emerge from smug apathy to actually doing something about the atmosphere at Ewood other than having a dig at somebody who's making an effort. Go on, you know you can and what's more you'll be helping to make the drummer obsolete!

OK, OK, I give in!!! Together with one of the current guys, I was one of the first drummers - why did we start? Because the club invited us due to the lack of support pouring from the hot bed that is Ewood Park during the latter half of the season where Tony Parkes was running things between Ray Harford and Roy Hodgson. Were we Johnny cum lately's? Well, I started going in our centenary year and the other guy a year or so earlier, so we've been there through thin and thinner as well as better times. We practised during the week and only ever had the intention of supporting what was happening together with the constant flow of intuitive wit and sparkle of the BBE - with the occasional attempt to get things started. Did we get free season tickets? Most definitely not. Why did I stop some years ago? Because BRFC is my time out and I don't want to feel obliged to anyone at weekends and also it is after all only a game and a number of encounters unrelated to drumming made me realise some people think it's more than that - SAD!! When I read some of the stuff that comes on this board whenever this subject arises, I always end up coming to the same conclusion - make them redundant by creating the amtosphere the team needs in making "fortress Ewood". The reason we were invited and I guess the reason there is still a presence is that the club feel the support is insufficiently vocal to motivate the players and create an environment that intimidates the opposition - so do something about it instead of posting here. I know the other bloke who was there from the start of the drumming thing and can categorically assure you he cares more about BRFC than some members would consider reasonably sane - so perhaps a bit of respect for a guy who puts himself on the line in a situation with which he is not comfortable at the best of times. Believe it or not, not everybody wants to be on telly in the endless pursuit of style over substance, so please think about where he comes from as well when making personal attacks that, in many cases, are simply not true. Having got that off my chest, I do accept some points made: Perhaps the club could gve the guys currently involved time to practice and co-ordinate so that they can be more selective, supportive of what is coming from the stands and perhaps even a bit creative There are too many - it only takes a couple to do the job of acting as a catalyst Remember they started because the club felt there was insufficient support from the terraces. Ultimately, we can render them redundant by getting behind the team - they are repetitive and lacking imagination, but maybe some constructive thoughts could make them a real asset instead of our getting lazy, relying on them and then bitching because they don't do what we want when we want - at least they're trying to make a contribution instead of sitting there, leaving 20 minutes early, arriving 10 minutes late because the pub is still open, retiring after 35 minutes to watch on telly because a half-time drink is more important and only contributing for the 30 seconds after we score. This MB has more venom on this than anything else - is this the biggest issue of the day? We are mid-table at best, with dwindling gates, a high cost base, a limted target market, a low threshold audience that invariably leaves early and all of this is constant regardless of the drummers. Perhaps we could all grow up a bit and debate more pressing factors affecting the club we claim to support and invite the drummers to discuss how we can better use the potential they offer of starting or building up a level of support that, frankly, is not seen unless everybodys ###### or we are beating Man Utd 4-1