Jumping on the Ozexile soap box. I believe that Rovers lost a big opportunity in gaining improved media coverage by making Radio Rovers an internet pay service. Just think of the market that gave the club in advertising themselves world wide.

tasher If we actually analised the statistics, you would find that a lot of people on this board do not actually live in Blackburn town itself. Supporters of Blackburn have historically been drawn from surrounding towns and villages, Accrington, Darwen, Ribble Valley Clitheroe, Oswaldtwistle etc. Now the club draws supporters from further afield either because of migration due to employment or because of Blackburns success in the nineties. Blackburns best option these days for improved gates is going to be similar to Man U, who have gained a world wide following because of their success on the playing field. Apart from the die hards, football supporters are a very fickle bunch, who give their allegiance to any club that is successfull and that is media friendly.

Wasnt so long ago that people on here were complaining about the club giving Celtic the whole of the Darwen End. This appathy by the people of Blackburn only goes to show, that the board members seem once again to know more that those who go around wearing blue tinted glasses.

They more than likely will be sold out by Monday then.

Quote from Pabby. "2..S.T.H.s are probably the ones most likely to purchase tickets for Celtic fans, so by not selling to them it's one less way for Celtic fans to infiltrate the home areas of the ground." ARE WE ?

Aston Villa striker will miss Sundays game at Ewood, following a bit of alternative medicine, or was it d.i.y.? In order to treat a blood blister under his nail, Darius (not the popstar) apparently tried to drill a hole through his toe nail. The result being that it has caused an infection and the nail has had to be removed. Maybe I was right about the popstar. Darius(Black&) Decker and the Blue Toes.

My ticket has arrived thank god, I couldnt go through having to watch it on tv again, whilst being in the chat room. I've got blisters on my fingers today

Roll on Villa, Duff and Cole have had a run out.

Man for man Rovers were better than Celtic, even our fans came over better, roll on the return leg, when Duff and Cole are match fit.

To all you lucky buggers that got tickets, have a great trip, enjoy the occation and give us at home or in the pubs a big wave. I look forward to you outsinging the Celtic supporters. Have a safe trip, look forward to your stories when you return.

Walsall ticket recieved in the post Saturday, along with a commlimentary ticket for the Celtic game.

Coming from 2-0 down, former Rover James Beattie's scored the first hat-trick of his professional career to give Southampton a 4-2 win over Fulham. The fourth Southampton goal was scored by Blackpool old boy Brett Ormerod. Southampton 4 Fulham 2 Beattie 27(pen),42, 53 Ormerod 72 Clark 15, Malbranque 25.

Interest in the Worthington Cup match against Walsall doesnt seem to have grabbed the same interest in ticket sales With the tickets now being on open sale, I assumed that when I phoned yesterday that my seat in the Blackburn End would have been sold. No it was still available. Normal seating for Celtic and Walsall now booked, but annoyed that I had to pay a £1 booking fee on each ticket.

Excellent post Gav. What more can I say, apart from tickets go on sale tomorrow for season ticket holders,for the home leg. Lets see if the home game is a sell out.

By now I'm resigned to the fact that having to be at work for 8.30, and phoning the ticket office on my mobile is going to cost as much as a new left back, I havent a cat in hells chance of going to Glasgow. Good luck to all fellow travelling season ticket holders tomorrow.

Former Rovers hero Alan Shearer is just one goal short of 300, and he has targeted Rovers as the ideal place to reach that target. Shearer is reported to have said, "A chunk of my 299 goals came for Blackburn Rovers and it would be super to make it 300 down there." Although Shearer left Ewood in controversial circumstances in 1996, to join Kegan at Newcastle, his greatest achievements and honours were during his days at Ewood Park where he was key member of Jack Walkers dream, winning the Premier League Championship in 1994-95 season, scoring 30 goals plus in 3 consecutive seasons, scoring in total 128 goals for the club

Some people are quoting our record as away supporters, Members are quoting 600 fans for the second away match of the season at Middlesborough, it wasnt so long ago that they couldnt even get their own supporters to attend. And West Brom 800 fans for a Monday night, Sky covered game against a club recently promoted and renowned for their dour defensive tactics. Yes it is pitiful, but in this day and age the costs to many are prohibitive plus the continuing rearrangement of fixtures to accommodate television coverage. Supporters will pick and choose the most attractive games to spend their hard earned money on. Personally I would prefer that supporters spend their money in attending games at Ewood Park, so that the Rovers will get the most financial benefit. Some of us are getting up tight about the Celtic Park ticket allocation and blaming the club for something well outside their control. The allocation of tickets to away supporters is no different to any other big club with a large fan base. Rovers have received the minimum ticket allocation that UEFA insist on, what more could the honestly do. As for the home leg, I think the club has missed an opportunity to sell the club to the local community, or have they taken into account the apathy shown so far this season, an average gate of around 26,000, which has included big named clubs such as Liverpool, Chelsea and Leeds. How many people bothered to turn out to see Rovers v Lazio. If the people of Blackburn had shown a bit more interest then maybe the club would have allocated fewer tickets to Celtic. Can you really blame the club for making the most out of this financial opportunity? For those who have attended Ewood on a regular basis, I don’t think they will have difficulty in obtaining tickets for the home leg, and it looks as if the club are also rewarding those who made the trip to CSKA. The only ones who will miss out are the armchair fine weather supporters, who come out of the woodwork whenever Rovers have some success. They might, but I doubt it, learn the lesson that if they want to get tickets for the big games they also have to suffer watching dire games on a cold wet night in the middle of February.

Sorry lads it was ment tongue in cheek. We all know that this is one of the biggest games in our history, it,s more than likely that our reserves will play against Villa (and win)

Why are we so upset, Souness has said time and time again, that the Premier survival is our priority. As we have Villa at home on the Sunday he,ll play the reserves at Parkhead anyway.