Must be a bugger paying for all those kids of yours, Flopsy. I'd imagine that previous results probably had somewhat of an effect, added to the fact that the Salzburg game appeared more "important". It still doesn't really explain 5000 dropping off though. I was disappointed, but keeping it in perspective. I'm not one of those people who feels deep embarassment whenever our crowd looks bad to other people. The drop in revenue hurts us certainly. But as long as we keep getting results and playing well I'll be happy. Attendences are a borderline obsession to some on here - I think we'd live a lot longer if we just got on with things.

Busy week on the horizon. Muse in Manchester on Friday 10th Pendulum in Lancaster on Thursday 16th Muse in Sheffield on Saturday 18th. Can't say I'm not looking forward to it.

FIFA in "awful" shocker! When will people learn?

Anybody see the last guy from Jussasic 5 completely leave him hanging for a handshake? Congrats, Scott. Everybody needs their five minutes.

You'll always end up going there on a lads holiday anyway though. Lets get somewhere a bit different and original.

Saw them live a year and a half ago. Decent band. I'm a fan of "Alone, Jealous And Stoned" in particular.

Who on earth is in charge of quality control on this thread?

Speak for yourself. Nonda has been scoring goals in the public eye at a high level for years!

So that's "rather clumsy", "rough" and "hard". The little tinker. 95% of Lucas Neill's tackles are either perfect or unfortunately mistimed. In my opinion, there are another 5% which have a simple intention of making his mark. For good reason or otherwise.

It isn't fair, you're right. But he's up there with a few of the 'nastier' players in the Prem. Players like Pogatetz and Michael Brown. I don't think he's inherantly dirty, but I do think he has a mean streak and every so often goes in with little or no attempt to actually win the ball - more to leave his mark. If you don't think there was intent to hurt Cisse in that particular game (to return to my example) then we weren't even in the same country. But no, I don't have a confession on tape recorder!

Did he say Neill tried to 'seriously' hurt players, if being rough is ok and hurting isn't? Neill is one of many players in the Premier League who sometimes takes it upon himself to dish out appropriate punishment on dirty players, divers, and people who can skin him. Funny how when of our lads does it, it's only "rough". And no, he has never done anything like Keane on Haaland - a completely deplorable act of violence.

I have absolutely no doubt that Lucas Neill has intentionally hurt opposition players. The first example that springs to mind is Cisse in the infamous "Fowler offside" game last season. There was one tackle where there was absolutely no doubt Neill was going to miss the ball in order to appease a crowd who were beginning to boo Cisse massively. That said, he is far from the only one. No angel though, and there is no doubt in my mind that on occasion he hasn't had a problem with hurting other players.

Yes. Read my post.

That wasn't my point though, Charlie. My point was I find it easy enough to support the team that represents me in whatever event. If the Ryder Cup was contested between England and Spain then I'd support England. It's only the tribal "my team vs your team" but it's how I generally tend to involve myself in any sport I want to watch. If I wanted to get into (god forbid) American Football, I'd more than likely just pick a team at random and support them from then onwards in a very passive and casual way. Football is different for me. Having attended so many matches, and spent thousands of pounds on Rovers (and small fry compared to the experience and expenditure of the older fans) I couldn't just abandon that and go for the ready-made and plastic alternative. Some fans, especially younger ones, would come around to supporting the county in time. But as has been said, it would be the business aspect of attracting the casuals rather than helping the fans of Blackburn Rovers Football Club. I'd wager you'd do more to turn them off football altogether rather than provide them with a lovable self-sustaining club. And that's entirely the opposite of what we're trying to do for ourselves, isn't it?

I appreciate the answers tnr. I wasn't trying to be facetious or anything. I'd find it extremely hard to come around to your viewpoint. I've been to a variety of sporting events, and almost without fail had to commit to a certain 'home team' to really enjoy it. I need that emotional attachment to be well and truly fulfilled by sport. That isn't to say that I can't appreciate things on a neutral level, but I can only really give it 90%. I can support Europe nervously during the Ryder Cup, or Lancashire during the cricket, Belle Vue during Speedway etc. It isn't the same as Rovers, and that's purely because I love football much more than the aformentioned. Could I support a different Speedway team if I moved house? Yes, because I'm such an occasional viewer that it has never impacted on my life. Could I love another football team as a direct replacement for Blackburn Rovers? No. There's too much history of my attendence there, and I'm only 20 years old. I'd imagine you'll find there are more people like me than like you. Again, not trying to point-score, it's just what I honestly think. I'd be very surprised if this messageboard or the public of Blackburn disagreed.

Gord, would you support Lancashire United? Would you wear their colours, travel religiously to their stadium and go mental when they score? Genuine question. I know you're thinking from a business perspective, but isn't the business aspect of football the very thing that is turning fans off anyway?

At least make sure you use the write word!

No, you're right. Football's crap.

Southend 3 B Paynter 87 L Hunt 89 F Eastwood 90 Brighton 2 D Cox 71 A El-Abd 90 Bloody hell!

Hang on, we just saw the same bloke make up a load of crap about the Boro youngster, but he says the same kind of thing about Andy Todd and suddenly he can bugger off because he clearly wants to leave?

Lucas Neill was already our designated penalty taker in the absence of Dickov anyway. It certainly does look like he has been given the armband to try and convince him how valued he is here, but in truth none of us know the exact reasons behind the decision, the commitment to the cause, and his motivational qualities. Mark Hughes is not a stupid man. He is strong-willed and doesn't tolerate anything less than 100%. With Emerton doing well at RB and Micky Gray a capable LB he doesn't HAVE to play Neill, much less make him captain. So let's give him some credit for a decision that obviously has reasoning.

You don't get "pillared" for talking about crowds because people think the situation is fine, or because you're cutting close to the bone with your comments. It's becuase you say the same thing over and over and over again... FFS!!

I don't know what's worse - that it happened or that you admitted it!

Well, incorrect. Even if Grabbi had scored two goals for Rovers, McCarthy's two is hardly 'more'. If we're including cup goals, which we must be doing for McCarthy to have two, then Grabbi is way out in front with a massive five.