Parsonblue

He's absolutely right about the standard of officials in the Championship. They are beyond poor and last night's referee is one of the worst. No doubt he'll get in bother for saying it, but it needed saying by a manager. The officials today seem so robotic in their approach to the game. I remember refs in the sixties who were real characters but who would laugh and joke with players during a game and have a real interaction with them. Yes, you got bad decisions at times but they seemed so much more in tune with the game than today's manufactured refs.

I thought we were excellent last night and I must admit that I'm really warming to this manager. I have no problem with his substitutions. With all the injuries he has at the moment it makes sense to me to try to manage the players in terms of game time. The last thing we need are more players on the injured list. The last two games have shown just how good we can be and deserved the three points in both games. However, once again the standard of the officials was poor to say the least. If a corner had been given at the end, which I have no doubt it should have been, the game would have been over. Another red card that should have been given, and wasn't, and another potential penalty that a ref chose to ignore. I came away last night disappointed about the late equaliser but thoroughly heartened by the performance. That was the kind of performance that we see regularly away from home. If we continue to play like this we'll have a decent season.

I have every confidence of us playing Burnley, Leeds and maybe Stevenage next season.

If you've bought my books you have both my thanks and my sympathy for having to read what I write. But my thanks are genuine. I haven't been ignoring your questions for any other reason other than it's not something I'm prepared to engage in. Health issues over the past two years have made me realise that life for too short to engage in endless debates about things over which I have no control. I love watching Rovers, and hope to do so for a good while longer, God willing, but that's as far as it goes. I'm happy to post about matches and players that I've watched but that's it. I hope you can understand and respect my point of view on this.

I got an afternoon of enjoyment watching my team play well. What's not to be pleased with that?

I thought we were excellent today until the closing stages when fatigue set in for one or two. Even so, we looked comfortable until the most ludicrous free kick was awarded by the linesman. Clearly, the guy had never played the game as it was simply a case of the excellent Hedges being far too strong from the Wrexham lad. As arbitro said earlier, the referee had let so many tackles go and then awards the softest of soft free-kicks. I thought Forshaw was outstanding in midfield and was very much on the front foot. Hedges too, was a real workhorse down the left side. Pratt again, kept it simple and cleared his lines without fuss. The lad is beginning to really grow into first team football. A word of praise too for the often decried Pears. He made some good saves and did well under pressure on corners. It was good to see him coming out and catching the ball. He really did look the part today. Once again, it was another away performance that was a joy to watch and in stark contrast to our home performances. Certainly those of us who travel to away games have seen the best of Rovers this season.

I guess I'm very fortunate, or unfortunate depending on your point of view, as I still get the same buzz going to Rovers - home and away - as I did as a kid at the start of the sixties. I'm well into my seventies now and recent health issues have made me realise that I'm not going to be here forever, so I'll continue to go and enjoy it as long as I can. As Herbie said, meeting up with friends makes it a social occasion and that's all part of the day. However, I agree that for many supporters there comes a point when it's difficult justify the cost of football, particularly if you have a Sky subscription. Also, the TV deal is not really helpful to those who go to away games in particular. Within a matter of days we have Ipswich Town away at 12.30 pm (meaning a 4.30 am start from Ewood), and then Swansea City away as an evening kick-off. Not to mention that these are quickly followed by Norwich City away at 12.30 with another 5.30 am start from Ewood. It's almost as if the EFL want to get rid of away supporters altogether. Around me, the other night, there were a large number of season ticket holders who opted to watch the game on TV rather than travel to Ewood on a cold, wet night in November. Ultimately, everyone makes their own choices for their own reasons with regard to attending football matches.

Cantwell is something of an enigma. Away from home, we look far more solid without him. It's the home games where he really out to shine and have an influence on results. Yet home results are poor, whilst the last three away games have seen good performances and good results without him. Cantwell is a mercurial talent but fitting him into a system that works for the rest of the team is not always easy. Kendall managed to do it with McKenzie, so hopefully Ismael will be able to find a solution. I must admit, that I'm not really bothered one way or the other regarding his future in the January window.

Following Rovers away from home this season, Charlton apart, has been a real joy. We look solid at the back and swift in attack. I thought some of our football last night was a joy to watch. The interplay between Ohashi and Morishita really caused North End no amount of problems. Ohashi's workrate is unbelievable as was that of Tronstad and Hedges. These three players epitomise how Ismael wants to play and it's so enjoyable to watch. I thought young Pratt did ever so well on his debut and looked the part. Prior to the game I heard fans criticising his selection and saying what a state we are in when a kid has to play. Yet I remember other youngsters in the past being thrown in - England, Pickering, Metcalfe, Faz, Barker, Jones etc - and it proved the making of them. There is no point in having an Academy if these youngsters don't get a chance. Yes, they'll make mistakes but that's part of the learning process. The home form remains a conundrum, but if we can get that right we could have a more than decent season. This team is nowhere near as bad as some are making out.

If you read what the Heritage Lottery funds, it's clear that they are there to preserve heritage wherever they may find it. Sadly, they have a limited amount of money and an avalanche of worthy applicants. At the seminar I attended they made it clear that they welcomed bids from any sporting club - amateur or professional.

If memory serves me, it was for a portable Liverpool FC memory bus with various memorabilia inside.

The exhibition at the Museum was a Blackburn Museum event. The club did loan them a number of items which was acknowledged by the Museum at the time. The Museum plan events well in advance and the Rovers exhibition was always due to end when it did as the Museum had another event which directly followed it.

Went to a Lottery Fund seminar in the Summer. They stated that the Liverpool project was one of the most successful that they had funded in terms of feedback from the public.

Probably for the same reason that Liverpool FC were given money by the Lottery Fund.

He often works from Brockhall where he is based.