Those who understand football will always give credit to the job he did. Any manager who leaves a club in a better state than when he came can always state this.

Don't forget the time he lamped Stan Collymore to go down in Bolton folklore.

Far too quiet as a person. When I was in the changing room before a game a couple of years ago, Lucas was sat quietly in the corner. He has been brilliant though during our recent upturn in from. Next week's selection will be interesting with Neill Nelson Mokoena Todd Matteo and Johansson challenging for 4 places.

They don't like us down there ! Are Blackburn the dirtiest side in the Prem -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Just like Hughes , dirty of the ball incidents and the ref sends off two of ours ffs . How come when Kamara was through on goal gets brought down by the most cynical foul I have ever seen the so called footballer stays on the pitch . Their number 14 fouled LL no less than 5 times before the ref (sic) booked him . The ref has to be one of the most incompetent I have ever seen , utter sheyte .

Found this post on a Pompey board. Just got in and haven't read what's been said already. Never seen a game like that before where the away team were prepared to push a totally inadequate referee to the limits. Scenario - 3 on 1 and sure to score but player in possession tripped cynically from behind. League rules say if not last defender you don't get sent off so you keep 11 men on the pitch because the trip wasn't done by the last defender. Rest of game (same as went before), trip, pull, push, kick opposition until they retaliate. He should not referee again.

Is it only me wondering why the hell our biggest signing in years only signed a three year contract ? (If the Rangers chairman is correct)

Yesterday's news that.

Now I'm confused, did they bid 3.5 mil or 3.5 mil plus the 2.5 mill still owed ? BLACKBURN have told Rangers that skipper Barry Ferguson is not for sale until the summer. Midfielder Ferguson, 26, was signed from Rangers for £7.5million in August 2003 but is keen to move back for family reasons. And the Ibrox club, who have tabled a £6m bid, have set Rovers a January 24 deadline to sell. Rangers chairman David Murray said: “If the deal is not done a week before the transfer window closes, we’ll be signing another midfielder.” Rovers boss Mark Hughes is hoping to persuade Ferguson to stay and help Rovers avoid relegation before allowing him to return to Glasgow

Confirmation that something would seem afoot. Bruce has left Blackburn target Robbie Savage out of the squad for tomorrow’s trip to Charlton. Savage has been sidelined since a New Year transfer request. From 'The Sun'

Bang on. Very rarely can you name a player's salary, especially with all the add ons bonuses and appearance money etc.

Just spoke to my mate who does journalist work for a Birmingham website. He said Rovers and Birmingham are now very close to agreeing a fee for Savage. He was pulled out of the reserves because he was going to be included in saturday's squad but there has now been another twist meaning that he has been pulled out of this also. He has been offerd £47,000 a week to play at Rovers and the only possible danger now is that should Everton come on for him he would prefer to go there .

Savage played 83 mins for reserves tonight with R5 sending a reporter ! "live from solihull" were not words I ever thought I would hear spoken on 5 live of a Thursday night. I didn't hear the bloke give the score though, he was simply on Savage watch and reckoned he was loving it. Apparently it was 1-1

Whys should they pay another player's wages whilst he is injured ?

Another interesting if somewhat bizarre find Savage the REAL STORY ... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sav walked into Bruce's office. With a hand witten note on a scrap of paper (not the official transfer request form) saying...and i quote "I WANT TO LEAVE ... SAV 8" Bruce went absolutly BESERK! to two of em were argueing for ages. As far as i am concerned - as much as i love him - LET HIM ROT in the reserves, dont let Blackburn sign him or anyone else....why should we, he has got a 4 year contract he has only just signed!! and, as for Professionalism, i always thought Sav was ok, but saly he has proved what a ****er he can be!!

Potential reasons why Sullivan Brady and Bruce are a little spiky about Rovers. These quotes taken from the news page on "Singing the Blues" "Yorke is possibly the laziest player since Lazy McLazy from Lazyville won the laziest man contest. Or is that just the impression he creates?" "Unfortunately for Tebily he has joined DJ (Damien Johnson)on the fans’ hitlist. He can do no right. The good parts of his game are greeted with ungrateful silence and the bad parts, which are admittedly numerous, are loudly recognised by the vocal majority." "Dunn's hamstring problems have been identified as being caused by a possible back problem which can be operated on. But the surgery would keep the midfielder sidelined for anything between four and six months and so the club are are reluctant to go down that route mid season." And as far Martin Taylor, despite an injury crisis has started only twice this season which speaks for itself.

From The Sun He handed in the request to Bruce at Birmingham’s Wast Hills training complex this morning. Savage is due to have a meeting with Blues co-owner David Sullivan on Wednesday to discuss his future but has decided to ask to go on the transfer list ahead of those talks. Bruce, chairman David Gold and Sullivan were all unavailable for comment today and it is unclear whether they will agree to Savage’s request. Savage is due to play for Birmingham tomorrow evening in the home Premiership clash with Bolton. Blackburn are expected to make a further £2.7m bid for Savage in the next few days including a £1million down payment.

Just re-read that Savage interview again and to me the last sentence says it all. "I've had a few chats with the manager and, hopefully, it will be resolved soon." If he was for staying there would be nothing to resolve.

Nissa in for Short will be the only change unless Hughes goes for a change up front. I'd put Stead back in there alongside Dickov, with Gallagher warming up on the sidelines.

From a Geordie site aimed at a Rovers fan How many games have you been at where both sets of supporter hate the same manager. expect some fun and games, you can join in the singing if you like!

Needs to play the likes of Todd and Flitcroft for this one, players with points to prove. Hopefully Dickov will get at Bramble and we'll scramble home with Shearer missing. Fergie needs to get back to his imperious best for this one.

I reckon they'll sell their 8000 allocation for saturday. Should make for a decent atmosphere for a change.

Tris, do you want to handle this ? I'm losing the will to live on this one.

If this was a vote for the most elegant Rovers players in history, Scott Sellars would stroll into the side with that laid back foot dragging walk regularly witnessed at Ewood Park. Scott Sellars was brought through the youth team by Eddie Gray, and like his mentor had a sweet left foot and was capable of producing defence-splitting balls when he was really on form. Under Billy Bremner he was deemed surplus to requirements and moved on to Blackburn where he enjoyed 6 successful years. Howard Wilkinson briefly brought him back to Elland Road, but that didn't work out. A couple of years at Newcastle and a little longer at Bolton were followed by a move to Huddersfield, where he played until the end of the 2000-01 season when he moved to Denmark to keep himself in a first team situation. After playing for AGF in Denmark, he returned to English football, signing for Mansfield close to the transfer deadline in March 2002 to help them in their promotion push. He was linked with a move to non-league Kettering in the close season but re-signed at Field Mill for a further year. Although he started as a regular in the side in 2002-03, suspension and injury meant that he was only involved in coaching and working with the youngsters from November to the end of the season. When Scott Sellars was at Newcastle, an England call up could not have been far away. With his defence splitting ball, close control he had the world at his feet when all of a sudden he got injured and Newcastle signed David Ginola and when he moved on to Bolton you felt that that was the end of any chance with England. Certainly, one of the best players never to play for England. The phrase educated left foot was truly an understatement with Scott, and this coupled with great vision, made him a glorious player. In the old days of the Blackburn End terrace, "Scotty Scotty beam us up" was one the most regularly sang chants of the day. It always brought a clap of appreciation from Scott who I often wondered must have thought what the hell are they singing. The term 'Could open a can of beans' was made for his left foot, 'wispy' was another term regularly used by the press. Sellars played a crucial part in winning the Full Members Cup and winning promotion for the first time. Better than any left winger outside the Premiership, he soon showed at Newcastle that he was as good as anything in it. Andy Cole stated that Sellars was the key to his success at St James Park, laying on goal after goal. Despite Sellars' contributions being mainly as a creator, he also scored many vital goals, the equaliser in 3-3 draw at home to Leicester, and another in the famous 4-2 win over Derby in the Play off semis immediately spring to mind. If Sellars was a cricketer he would be David Gower, serene and poetry in motion when in full flow. Did Scott have more natural talent than a certain young Irishman ? probably not, Is Scott more of a Blackburn Rovers legend ? Definitely ! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Club From To Apps Goals Sold for Leeds United 25 Mar 1983 28 Jul 1986 86 14 20000 Blackburn Rovers 28 Jul 1986 01 Jul 1992 245 41 £800000 Leeds United 01 Jul 1992 09 Mar 1993 10 0 £700000 Newcastle United 09 Mar 1993 07 Dec 1995 75 8 £750000 Bolton Wanderers 07 Dec 1995 30 Jul 1999 126 16 £0 Huddersfield Town 30 Jul 1999 18 Apr 2001 53 2 £0 Mansfield Town 31 Mar 2002 20 3

Amen to that, though I suspect the the spotty faced brigade have already made up their minds. Better go and find yer golden helmet, Jim !

You do realise you've just confused the nation don't you ? Don't tell my mates but I'm sick of that bloody beer mat game !