England have some good players, but have some that are not up to it. To compensate for that we need a strong united team spirit and dogged coaching. Unforunately we do not have that, and will not for a long time yet as the media and inter club rivalries amongst players takes a bigger precedent in this country.

It's depressing that the one manager (imo) emminently qualified to sort out our overpaid bunch of prima donnas into an organised team wanted the job but wasn't given it . Apparently his interview didn't go too well - obviously didn't use the word "yes" enough....

Hopefully Martin O'Neill's time may yet come ........very soon with a bit of luck.

I guess, as McClaren is still there, it'll probably be a case of history repeating if England qualify for the Euros.

To me it's a question of how quick we can get rid of him with the least possible damage to the team's chances of qualifying . I get the feeling he'd be delirious with a draw tonight ...

i remember getting well lashed and signing that (dunny for england) at everyone at a party.....2001 i think it was

2001 eh......?

I'll save my biggest cheer for Tugay as per usual ...... Bah ....

Jack Walker stand is a graveyard filled with old people who haven't quite died yet. They're ready and waiting though.

One advantage of getting older is that the hearing tends to go .......and you can't hear that to$$er of a drummer as well as you might do .

And I refuse to believe he's a nice lad .....he can't be if he takes pleasure out of inflicting so much misery on others !

In your previous guise you purported to hail from Australia.

His change of identity is perfectly understandable in that case ....

Good keeper and one of the best that I have seen at ewood since the days of Fred Else BUT in no way was he even fit to be mentioned in direct comparison to Brad Freidal!

Friedal has consistently been one of the top few keepers in (arguably) the best league in Europe for years now . He has also perfomed at his best in a world cup - probably the best keeper on show there ! Comparing Jones to him is a bit like comparing Garner to Shearer .

Since the parallel with personal lives is being used for Lucash Out Neill, let me try this one.

You have Decided you no longer wish to work for your current employer, you know that in a short time you can leave to a bigger better company or more cash. During this time do you honestly put forth 100% effort for your currnet employer. Do you really care if your mistake cost the current employer? Honestly now do you?

No, and at times neither has Neill.

I can't say I've noticed any lessening in Neil's commitment recently at all - whatever his form has been like (and I don't wish to get involved in that argument ).

On the other hand I have noticed other players this season (who aren't going anywhere ) put in a lot less than 100% .

I'd say that Neil tends to be more on the professional than he does lazy . Personally I've no problem if he plays tomorrow or not .

I doubt you'd have said that if you'd have been up the Cumbrian fells yesterday , Matt ...

When is this saga going to be over???

Probably when Brownie says it isn't over....

I'd like to see him get a few minutes on Saturday.

Let's get him fit first !!

Well this morning we had a new fan from the Ukraine known as BigPussy

We've already enough of them on here , thank you ...

Your point , Stu ,was that it was "impossible" to have lower prices at FA cup matches . It is not .

Neither is it as simplistic to claim that high prices equals maximum dollar . Would £50 a game achieve maximum revenue for example ?

Let's just say he was incredible , Bryan ..

Which is impossible to do, especially in the later rounds due to the revenue sharing agreements.

Admission prices are determined by mutual agreement between the two clubs involved .

All in all , I think I'd prefer Athens

the Normans we are talking about had converted to Christianity but were still Vikings or descendants of Vikings. The word Normans = men from the north, i.e. vikings. Most of us probably have Viking blood in us somewhere...the north was infested by them.

Lens is in Normandy isn't it ? If we play them in the next round of the Eufa it'll be like a family get together

Steady on Theno; I am already a day behind as it stands!

More like 30 years behind if you still think it's a good idea tackling gangs of yobs with an umbrella

Well , that's an opinion and you're entitled to express it , Drog

And no doubt you'd be one of the 10,000 or so who'd be able to have bragging rights on seeing the game .....

I'd prefer to be in a larger crowd who may be able to give the Mighty Blues the edge to win the game

Do the same for Shearer without giving a 10 , Drog

OK it's Boxing Day so there's a tradition - but surely those who came down and paid £36 to watch the Rovers because it's Boxing Day will pop back when we play Leverkusen?!??

If it's special on Boxing Day then surely it's pretty damn special when we're in the last 32 of European Competition!

So you're advocating a Cat A+++++ pricing policy for the Leverkusen game , then Tris ?

We still sell alcohol and tobacco products in hundreds of thousands of shops in the UK, and with the taxes we generate through that we can afford to run our country. I'm sure I've read that without cigarettes, there would be no NHS.

The fact of the matter is that people can get drugs EVERYWHERE. Go into any town centre pub on a friday night and you can get your hands on pills, cannabis and coke at least. A quick phone call and you can get your hands on the harder stuff. We must remember that legalising drugs won't neccessarily make drugs more accessible to your average man, but would rather benefit those who see the sense to stay clean.

It's like saying it would be perfect to live in a world where nobody smoked tobacco. Unfortunately our country would be in a REAL mess without the sale of these heavily taxed drugs.

We could even re-invest the money generated through taxed drugs into increased drug awareness and black-market drug raids.

I've still yet to hear how crack addicts and heroin addicts are going to find the money to pay for these newly "taxed" , government endorsed products other than crime . They suddenly going to get a job?

Fair enough for the softer drugs like cannabis - but these aren't the scource of the crime wave effecting society , (unless you take into account that they are a gateway to the harder stuff ; in which case it would still be utter stupidity for the government to sell them)

Like you say , drugs will always exist ...but the best way to minimise the problem is to make it unsafe for those who distribute them via harsher sentences . Not by replacing the dealers with government agencies .

What next ? Get the government involved in gun dealing to cut out the illegal gun runners ?

went to vue lastnight,g/f wanted to watch "night at museam",was expecting to be bored...it was really an emntertaing film ,i had tears laughing.

The Night ad nauseum ...?

Fulham have had lots of empty seats this season, but recognise the need to cash in on the big games - and force their non season ticket holders to tie themselves to the club with membership.

Of course the local population is much larger, and has lots more money - but Rovers have to compete with Fulham on the pitch not off it - that is the reality of Premier League football. Discounting our prices leaves us further behind.

Incidentally, if any true Rovers fan wants to see the Liverpool game -

1) Get yourself a membership for £20 - and the 2 x £10 discount vouchers that come with it - so it's actually free.

2) Go and buy your BBE ticket.

3) Bob is your uncle, you are supporting the club you love as a member AND you can plan another trip to Ewood to use your other voucher and enjoy seeing the live action.

WHAT'S THE PROBLEM??

Good grief !

The problem is , Tris ; we don't need to attract the "true Rovers fans" - they're already going - albeit ever more grudgingly with the sky high prices for attractive games as Liverpool !

You seem to be simply blind to the fact that we are losing a couple of thousand fans every bloody year with this present pricing policy . Call that competing with Fulham !! They'll be scared stiff . Mind you , they'll be so terrified by their own dwindling crowds that they won't be bothered by ours .

We have to find a way of KEEPING our present supporters and attracting the ones who have stopped going - stopped going it has to be said primarily because of the suicidal pricing policy you endorse .

You ask what the problem is with membership schemes .... I'll tell you . For the lapsed fan in the pub it's too bloody complicated . You explain it to someone who hasn't gone for a season or so and watch his eyes glaze over . Forms to fill , vouchers etc.etc...

And don't even mention The Card . Until it comes with a free magnifying glass to read the small print on the back you can forget it ......

Oh, gawd.

Happy Christmas.

I think he's talking to you , Gordon ....

And text speak compulsory

Good call Drog about compulsory substitions . Even a rugby style sin bin is a good idea .