only2garners

Not sure you will. I'm in a similar situation - not booked yet and not been to either Salzburg or Krakow, but we are season ticket holders. I rang up this morning as I didn't want to book travel and hotel without a promise of tickets and they said that I could put the forms in but they could not guarantee I would get tickets, as they had a lot of applications to process. I can't afford to spend £350 for two people without being sure of getting tickets so it looks at the moment like we're not going. It seems a bit frustrating that as season ticket holders we won't go and yet plenty of non-season ticket holders already have tickets, presumably because they were willing to gamble that they would get tickets and booked travel and completed forms early. I don't have any problem with those who went to Salzburg or Krakow having priority but there weren't 2,500 of them.

I was pointing out that it would be a factor for some people on a cold night with the match on the TV, not condoning it. I was there, as I will be for all home UEFA matches (and hopefully some away ones as well).

Three points to bear in mind on the attendance: - 1. Remember that, although it only cost £7.50 for a season ticket holder last night, that was £7.50 more than it cost for the Salzburg game. 2. If you take out the away support for both matches there were probably more home fans there last night than came to watch the champions Chelsea last week. 3. The attendance was about 50% more than Middlesborough had for their home group games last year.

Paul, Clearly you and I were at the same match anyway - see my comments on page 12. The only area I would disagree would be in Gray's performance. I don't doubt that he gives all he's got - at this level though it's just not good enough.

I thought it was a cracking game of football. My view of the first half was that Basel came at us strongly and it was at least as much their good play as our poor play. Having said that we did play some good passing football and showed some patience, Unlike many of the crowd who seemed just to want us to hoof it into the 8 defenders in the box. It was a pleaseure to see a team come with the rather old fashioned notion of trying to beat us by playing good football - quite refreshing after the diving, kicking, time wasting, arguing and downright unpleasantness we have had in the last two home games. The end score flattered us but they seemed to go to pieces after the first goal. Excellent games for Ooijer, Zurab, Friedel, Pedersen and of course Tugay. Savage was never in the game whilst he was on, Neil never really got going and Gray's performance should surely have convinced even the most myopic fan that he needs to go. Unlike others I also thought Bentley did not have his best match tonight.

Eddie, I think you'll find it's on British Eurosport, but not on continental european, so if you're in Paris you could be unlucky.

Many of the comments on this thread seem to be trying to work out how those that wish to stand and those that don't can co-exist in the same stand. It's fairly obvious to me that they can't, but surely most clubs can segregate an area of the ground for standing use? Then all those who want to stand and sing can be together with their mates (and therefore probably make more noise and improve the general atmosphere for everyone, as long as they refrain from the two quid an hour chants or some of the racist stuff we've heard in recent weeks). Everyone else who wants to sit down for the majority of the match then won't have their view obscured at crucial times.

Bennie had the support of the referee, which presumably was the clincher, as the player was vigorously denying it. As you say perhaps someone can move on to the racists in our midst.

Clearly I must have, although other comments above on Jay's performance are probably nearer my view than yours. I wouldn't have him in my first choice team but I'd be fairly relaxed about him being on the bench if needed. He would certainly be ahead of Gray in my opinion, but then I at 53 might be ahead of him as well...

I thought McEveley had a reasonable game. Yes he was beaten by Robben a few times in the first half (not every time and not easily) but are we saying that Neil or Gray would have done significantly better? He's not perfect but he's still comfortably ahead of Gray in my opinion who could be reiled uponn to make a few silly defensive mistakes and whose distribution is particularly poor. He's not for a regular place in the team but he can do a job if needed (like when Lucas is suspended as he will be before the season's out).

Did anyone else hear John Williams being interviewed on Five Live last night just after 7.00? We caught it on the way to the match. He was asked primarily about Rovers's efforts to reduce prices and encourage fans. He made all the right noises for me about trying everything they can to encourage attendances whilst making the point that Rovers must look after their season ticket holders as the first priority. He indicated that more offers would come later in the season, which suggested that they must be at least comfortable with the response to Sunday and last night.

Hughes on Radio Rovers suggested that it didn't look too bad, just a swelling but I don't suppose he really knows yet.

I thought he had a good game, although perhaps not our best player. I'd have given it to Nonda or maybe Emerton.

I was down at the ticket office yesterday buying 13 tickets (3 for Chelsea, 2 for West Ham and 4 for each Euro match) and I was surprised by how quickly I was dealt with, given there were different numbers for each match and I had a child and a young adult in the mix - I was ready for a long stretch. There were 4 windows open and there was a steady stream of custom so i guess they're just really stretched at the minute. PS 11 home tickets for £75 and 2 West Ham for £64!!!

My understanding was that Blackpool wanted him but Hughes preferred that he go to a better footballing side so he's gone to Crewe. A little ironic then that Blackpool beat Crewe on Saturday.

Looks like Rovers got it spot on. Fortune was booked for time wasting, wellying the ball back past Jussi after he had messed around with the ball boy. He wasn't booked for the penalty. Nolan was booked for arguing then got a staright red for something he said to the ref after the second penalty. Hunt was booked for a foul immediately after Fortune's booking.

Thought he has an excelent game yesterday - the pick of our forwards. He is less gifted than Bennie but his work rate is tremendous and he was causing havoc in what is one of the Premiership's best defences.

If you live in Chorley, Paul, you need to try a different way home - I was back in Penwortham at 5.35, 20 minutes after getting in the car.

This is the report from The Independent, containing the comment that, given that Rovers had four legitimate claims for penalties and a perfectly good goal disallowed, it was incredulous that the complaints about the ref came from the winning manager. http://sport.independent.co.uk/football/pr...icle1919317.ece

One reason that we didn't get a rebound on the penalties was that there were at least 3 Bolton players running into the area before either kick was taken - they should both have been retaken. Also I hope the ball boy who was verbally abused by Diouf in the first half reports him - an unbelievable outburst.

Radio Lancashire have just reported that Rovers are to contact UEFA to complain about racist abuse during the match towards Bennie McCarthy. They appear to know the player involved. This may have been behind the fracas at the end of the match.

Radio Lancashire have mentioned the cheap tickets on Sunday twice in the last few minutes, in between a Dingles fan complaining about not being to afford to watch them!

Worst ground is Everton for facilities - appalling seats and view for a so-called big club. Also it was the scene of my worst experience in a football ground, the saeson we won the league. We played at Goodison towards the end of the season and we failed to get away fans tickets because of the demand. I took advice from an Everton fan at work and got tickets and got seats behind the goal at the Park End - I was assured we would be fine there. I was with my brother and my two sons, then 11 and 9. Admittedly, as Rovers scored after 30 seconds and then 5 minutes we were unable to conceal our identities, but were then subject to the most horrendous abuse by two blokes sat next to us - one of them was screaming into my 9 year old's face for 20 minutes solid - he was terrified. Speaking of trips to abandoned games I remember back in the early 70s travelling from Sheffield (where I was a student) to Bolton twice for a cup game that was postponed when I got there.

From Chroley it would be quicker to get a cab to Croston and take the train from there to Kirkdale, changing at Ormskirk. Then it's about a mile walk past Goodison and through Stanley Park. I'll be driving to Town Green station and getting the train from there - only 16 minutes ride and trains every 15 minutes. Also absolutely no problem for Rovers fans this way - there's always a few on the electric train from Ormskirk, often in home shirts.

The normal time is a fortnight at this time of year - best to go through the Post Office who will offer to check the form for you. You can always call up and get an appointment at the office in Liverpool, where they will issue it in the day, but that cost about £95 when my son lost his in March - probably more now that they have put up the prices again.