Nothing else comes remotely close, or ever will I reckon. I did also really enjoy an early 70’s Boxing Day trip to Halifax, earth terracing at one end and a mountain at the other.

Sunderland currently not even in the top half of that tinpot league than any clown of a manager with a decent budget can get out of...

The Man City cup tie in 1969 is my first complete memory of a game - put me down for that Herbie

Bob Crompton scoring more own goals than goals sounds a fairly unique achievement in such a long career. Maybe they were a lot more common back then. I’m also pretty sure my great-grandad ran the same pub on Audley Range as did Cromptons dad.

It’s been interesting seeing how Ryan has developed. When I first saw him two years ago, he couldn’t wait to give the ball to just about anyone, never took responsibility. Then last season he seemed more confident, would surge past a player or two, but mostly on or near the halfway line, the downside of that being rapid counter-attacks when he lost the ball. The latest reincarnation seems quite different: he is playing much higher up the pitch and his surges are genuinely hurting the opposition. A couple of times on Saturday he was one-on-one and put in the first dangerous crosses I’ve ever seen from him. Maybe, just maybe, someone has been coaching him on just this during his absence from the team, because I don’t believe young defenders can decide for themselves to be 30 yards higher up the pitch when we have the ball.

Player(s) of the decade for me have been the people behind the scenes at Ewood who stayed with the club and have done their best to keep a semblance of normality during Venky’s reign. They have done a lot more for the club than anyone on the pitch. I suspect the only player we will be talking about in 40-years time a la the Jim Smith thread will be Dack, and only in the same terms as Andy Crawford. Although personally, I’ll be delighted to be talking about anyone in 40-years time.

The glories of Boxing Day 77 had dimmed my memory as to how unexceptional the first two years of Bald Eagle’s reign actually were. We were in danger of going straight back down until a couple of unlikely away wins late in the season. Still, in those days we didn’t rip up our season tickets every time we dropped a few points.

Interesting comments in the LT from Bristol’s manager on the non-appearance of Casey Palmer, whose lack of impact for us last year was all due to Mowbray's inability to get the best out of him. Turns out he’s just a Chelsea show pony who gives the ball away too much.

“The gaffer came up with the routine. We worked on it in training yesterday after being shown their weaknesses at set plays.” Quote from Johnson

I think something major happened in the dressing room after Barnsley, Mowbray’s post match comments and demeanour were quite different to usual. Since then we have been transformed.

I loved watching that, best team performance of the season by a country mile for me. Some players put a real stake in the ground - Bell, Johnson, Gallagher and Holtby were all excellent. Plenty of food for thought: - That team would’ve beaten Wednesday’s team I reckon. - Not having time build the team around Dack does throw up some interesting options.

Johnson gives us two things that Evans does not: someone who can win headers and a cracking shot. Not as good at closing down and nicking the ball though. Very enjoyable game so far.

Personally I think starting a 35-year-old Downing two and a half days after him playing 94 mins away at Swansea would be more deserving of the sack. Keeping that bloke fit is key to our season IMO.

That’s always the argument for Rothwell, some hypothetical achievements. “All he needs is starts” was the mantra. Well, clearly not. He’s had one good showing and no end product from five of them. So how many more? He’s 25 next month and hasn’t yet got to 70 league starts or 10 league goals, so I don’t buy into the mantra that the only thing wrong with Joe Rothwell is Tony Mowbray.

I’m beginning to think this message board has as big a blind spot about Rothwell as Mowbray does about Bennett. Another game where he made no impact on the score line while the much-maligned Armstrong lays one on a plate for Graham. Holtby for Dack is a good chance to see if we should cash in on Bradley in Jan and Bennett (our top provider of assists) wide right moving Armstrong to the left would be my choice.

Was concerned beforehand this would be a game too far for that 11. Most of our players simply aren’t consistent enough for us to expect the same 11 to do the business week in, week out. Which makes it a good point in the circumstances. Well, Rothwell has had the run of starts everyone said would definitely enable him to show his potential. And he has.

Those were the days when fans could really get to a player. He spent half the game flicking V’s to the Riverside then finally went berserk when Bailey dived for a penalty. Back to Smith, has any other manager signed three such fans favourites as Garner, Noel and Waggy, all for pennies? Best to forget about Radford and Svarc though.

The two classic games of his era. I remember seeing an old codger in the Nuttall St stand empty his flask on Osgood as he went down the tunnel for his early bath. Also can’t think Jim enough for bringing Waggy to Ewood.

Unfortunately it’s equally simple for both teams. The hard bit is doing it consistently better than everyone else. 4-4-2 had a good run but ultimately got out-thought.

Very good analysis. There’s obviously far more to it than “Round pegs, round holes”. The combination of Lenihan, Tosin, Downing, Nyambe, Evans and Travis has transformed how we play up the pitch. Tosin is interesting as he doesn’t pass to the centre mids, he passes through them to one of the attacking players coming short (short in this case still being 30 yards away). This is clearly coming from the training ground. My worry is that opponents will soon figure it out and know he’s going to do it whereas currently it’s a complete surprise a centre back would even try it. That gives licence to the centre mids to be heading up the pitch for when the ball doesn’t stick to the forward and hence why they are snapping at the opponent with the ball in their half rather than ours, again, completely unexpected (at the moment). Downing always gives it to a blue and white shirt, plus can put corners on a sixpence, although I found myself getting annoyed with Rothwell on Saturday for never offering an under pressure Downing an out ball down the line by being out of position, making Downing turn inside on his right foot too often. Nyambe’s surges down the wing, and high position in general, must put doubt in the winger’s mind not to commit too far forward. Plus Bennett makes the ideal sub as he can fill in pretty much anywhere. Although being honest, Nyambe’s surges very rarely lead to anything concrete. Its great to watch those six at the back at the moment, but they will soon be rumbled plus an injury to any of them may well derail the whole thing.

I think we are still a mid-table team. Five wins out of six and we aren’t in the top six, which means we’ll need another five from six to get in the mix, then two points a game from then on. Unlikely for a team capable of winning one in eight.

Swapping Tosin for Charlie is beginning to look like a master stroke. He plays the ball out of defence better than Charlie and defends a hell of a lot better, and much higher up the pitch. Downing has also proved an excellent acquisition.

Agree 100%. The catalyst for change was the manner of the Barnsley game IMO.

Apart from a few Hail Mary balls into our box at the end I thought we were much better than them throughout. I’m not sure where the notion that the subs nearly cost us came from, I thought we were more dangerous after Gallagher came on and Bennett stiffened up a left side where Downing had been doing the work of two men. Buckley was only on for six minutes. Rothwell is playing himself back onto the bench for me, ineffective again today. If there was a stat on running head down into a crowd of players, he’d be top of it. Arma was just as bad in the first half but was unlucky not to get a hat trick second half. Cracking goal that deserved to be a game winner. Evans has been immense the last three games. Thank God Tony finally bowed to the Evans Must Play thread on here.

Excellent from Evans, Tosin and Downing. Pretty good from Travis, Nyambe, Dack and Graham. Armstrong and Rothwell neck and neck for who gets the hook for Bennett.