Typo..Typo.. Thanks Pabby.

For the first time in a while Rovers are away on Boxing Day with a very attractive fixture at Anfield. This away game usually attracts a lot of interest amongst Rovers fans and the club have announced a strict ticketing policy to ensure regular away fans receive priority on our limited allocation of 2948 tickets. Fans who have attended two away games this season and are Season Ticket holders can apply, by post, between 25th November and 5th December. Full details of the ticketing arrangements can be found on the official web site

Plenty of Rovers stories this week which haven't been mentioned on the MB or reported here so it's time for a brief round up of all the news: Brad Friedel underwent knee surgery immediately after the Everton match. The operation has been successful and Brad is expected to return to action in a couple of weeks. Damien Duff had to withdraw from the Ireland squad, travelling to Greece for their friendly fixture, with a calf strain but is expected to be fit for Sunday's game with Charlton at The Valley. Missing from the squad travelling to London will be Tugay who has to serve a one match ban following his dismissal at Southampton. However the good news is that Tiny Taylor (hamstring) is making good progress on the injury front and should return to Sunday's team. Skipper Garry Flitcroft (ankle) has resumed training and should be available for selection. Several players were away on international duty this week and all appear to have returned unscathed from their respective games. Stig Bjornebye should have hit the comeback trail from his career threatening eye-injury with the reserves against Sheffield Wednesday. Stiggy was prevented from playing by family illness and is now expected to face Man City next week.

Rovers have now released details of the ticket arrangements for the Goodison Park fixture on 14th December. Our initial allocation is 1800 tickets in the Lower Tier of the Bullens Road Stand, with an option for a further 1200 seats in the Upper Tier. Adult tickets are £23 with concessions ONLY available in the first allocation, all tickets in the second allocation will be £25. Tickets go on sale to Season Ticket holders on Monday 25th November until 1.00pm Saturday 30th November. Open sale of remaining seats will begin on Monday December 2nd. For full details please visit Rovers Official Site

Over the weekend Rovers have announced ticket details for two upcoming fixtures - the derby match against Bolton Wanderers at the Reebok and our home Worthington Cup tie with Rotherham United. The ticket allocation for Bolton is only 2700 and initial ticket sales will be restricted to Season Ticket holders who have attended two or more away games this season. Postal applications ONLY are being accepted from Tuesday 19th November and will be handled on a first come, fisrt served basis. The Worthington Cup Tie against Rotherham goes on sale on Wednesday to ST holders with tickets starting at £10. For full details on tickets please visit the official club site

I don't know whether Jansen will be the same player ever again. A very sad comment Bryan and one which I'm afraid has been in my mind for a while. Simply for Matt I hope he can regain the talent he "appears" to have "forgotten" as a result of his accident I'd just like to make it VERY, VERY, VERY clear that I have not written off Matty. I'm simply worried for him. I now feel able to make a comment about the football last night having rid myself of the bitter disappointment. O'Neil and Celtic worked it out, simple as that, Rovers do not like a team which goes for every ball, closes down every yard, always has a man covering so that you turn out of a tackle into the next. This is what Celtic did to us and we weren't good enough on the night to break the game's pattern. Dunn was missing most of the time, so Tugay found himself trying to do three jobs. Yorke and Cole just don't seem to be working together and Yorke never dropped back to help in midfield, a role I recall he had at MU on many occassions, and we needed last night. After Short slipped I thought Brad was slow to come off his line - he came but didn't appreciate how fast Larsson was approaching (this is observation not criticism) and I felt without the knee problem he might have got to the ball first. Duff didn't get enough of the ball except when he was already heavily marked. Afraid I didn't even notice Curtis till he was subbed. Thommo worked hard all night and was my Rovers MOM. When Jansen came on this seemed to lift Cole even though Matt clearly has a long way to go to reach full fitness. As for Celtic? Sutton was outstanding in the role he was given and I'd like Larsson at Ewood NOW. With regard to the rest of the team, and I've deliberatley avoided posting this remark till now, I don't feel they have much to offer. Yes, we've been beaten in a cup game but any Division 1 team would have had the same approach as Celtic had and we know the results that can create. Before our two games I didn't feel Celtic are good enough for the PL and I've seen nothing to change that view. I don't want to inflame any of our Celtic visitors, you beat us fair and square, every Celtic fan I met has been a real fan and I've really enjoyed the last three weeks. However the matches have confirmed for me Celtic, and probably Rangers, are big fish in a little pool.

I don't know whether Jansen will be the same player ever again. A very sad comment Bryan and one which I'm afraid has been in my mind for a while. Simply for Matt I hope he can regain the talent he "appears" to have "forgotten" as a result of his accident

....and finally. Against Manchester City I was so concerned for my children's safety I took them out of the family stand 10 minutes before the end. The overall ticketing procedure and control has improved enormously, lessons have been learnt, improvements have been made and I'm sure the club will continue to learn from yesterday. Must change that signature.......

jas - I didn't experience the policing last night. I'm just a quiet (until I get inside) home fan with four kids so I'm not going to attract attention. I can tell you our club generally receives praise for its handling of away support as do Lancashire police. If football fans purchase forgeries or tickets from anything other than an official source the outcome is always in doubt. If you have fans who know they have forgeries trying to enter the ground this is going to be met with resistance - see my post above

How on earth can we blame Blackburn Rovers or the police for criminal activity? I was against giving the DE to Celtic - the club were right. Without this chaos would have reigned last night. A few Celtic fans were in home areas - for this you can ONLY blame Rovers fans who MUST have sold on their tickets. A number of Celtic fans were in the home corporate area. This must have been known to the club and if fans don't behave in the corporate area we have to ask what sort of individuals are buying hospitality packages. The bulk of last night's problem was caused by the criminal activity of the persons who produced and sold forged tickets and those fans who purchased them. These forgeries are said to have been very good. How do the police and stewards spot this in either the dark or artificial lighting. I understand Celtic fans pushed their way through the cordon and then went through the turnstiles - you cannot blame a turnstile operator for not spotting an excellent forgery. Frankly I'm not sure I what I would do faced with a forgery if I were a turnstile operator in that situation. Once in the ground fans with forgeries cannot practically be moved. Imagine trying to pull out 7-800 fans from 8000 - we'd still be waiting for kick off now. An impossible situation to resolve. I wasn't in town but I watched the police dealing with Celtic fans outside the Fernhurst. The road was blocked at around 6.00pm. The police took a very calm, controlled view of the situation and slowly moved the fans back onto the pavement. In these situations the police have to use a degree of commonsense - any percieved aggression woiuld only worsen the situation. I'd like to repeat for Pete1888, SMc and the Celtic fans who visited this site - I shook hands with many ordnary, decent Celtic supporters last night. I had four children with me and did not feel in anyway threatened. Blackburn Rovers are in no way to blame for last night's difficulties. I'd better stop and change my signature now!!

I've heard but cannot confirm there was serious trouble at the Darwen End turnstiles before the game as ticketless fans tried to get in. I don't suppose any of us were round there but wondered if others heard the same? Leaving the ground I shook hands with every Celtic fan I saw. Remember how we were treated in Glasgow, we've been beaten fair and square, the Celtic fans I spoke to were just as we found them in Glasgow - great bunch. There's been a great spirit building up between the clubs since the draw was made. We shouldn't make a few idiots the focus of our disappointment in losing and spoil that spirit. When I can think rationally about this match I might comment further but for the momment we just have to accept Celtic out-witted us last night.

...and 125/1 Rovers to win 3-1 and Dunn scores first. Now I'm sweating

How's everyone feeling FANTASTIC!!....and I've got £5 on Thommo at 12/1 to score the first goal, might just have to put £5 on Dunny in case we get a penalty. I think we are going through.........

By pure chance I was shopping in The Precinct yesterday for the first time since I don't know when. The Precinct manager was visiting every shop with an instruction leaflet on what was to happen today, re closures etc. The five staff in the shop I visited were in a tizzy about the whole thing. One lady was worried about having to walk home towards Ewood Park with all these terrible football fans. I must have spent 10 minutes explaining the great time we all had in Glasgow, how friendly the Celtic fans had been etc. So if you're wearing green and white and want a new pair of Clarke's shoes you'll get a great welcome in Blackburn Precinct. To be serious thougb - did no one from Lancashire police have the foresight to travel to Glasgow and observe how well behaved the two sets of fans were? Or perhaps look at a site like this and realise the cameraderie/banter which has been struck between our clubs?

Don't know about the pubs but I do know The Precinct is being closed at 5.00pm - not much new there . I think the area is being closed off.

Baz, I wasn't having a go at you........and the point is if a fan bought tickets LAST SEASON he/she still qualifies....don't think you read my reply Try telling that to the girl in the ticket office...are you right or is she? Dunno is the answer but I hope your right and there is still tickets left! Sorry Baz only just noticed this - all the club announcements state season 2001/02 and season 2002/03. Take you mobile and play the record TO announcement to the young lady! That is what it says.

I don't think the pubs are generally closed though I've read some have decided to close. For the Lancashire police info go here and here You'll need Acrobat or similar to read the second link. From what I gather locally the LET have been using the story of a few closures to create a headline......but don't take it as gospel 'cos I can't remember the last time I used a towncentre pub.

Rovers to win by TWO clear goals be it 2-0 or 3-1. I believe it is crucial we score first, should Celtic score leaving us to hit 3 in reply I'm not sure we are currently enjoying the luck we need to achieve that.

I couldn't hum the tune RR but I like your words. Cheers

Baz, I wasn't having a go at you........and the point is if a fan bought tickets LAST SEASON he/she still qualifies....don't think you read my reply

100% with you on that one Alan. While I don't want to open up that can in this debate they not only lost peole worldwide I'd hazard a guess they lost local fans like me who would log in for a decent away coverage/commentary as well. How often do we end up on the opposition's web site for this? Back to the tickets. I, for one, was fiercely critical of the club's decision to give the Darwen End to Celtic. I wanted the club to use the opportunity to sell this game to floating fans. JW and the club got it right, there are only around 23 - 25,000 people who can be bothered to get off their backsides and go buy a ticket...I'm a convert to that view for any big game at EP. Get the money from the opposition because we won't get it from the home support.......and as for re-building the Riverside......Ha! The one point that worries me is this; fans on this site, maybe only a few, state they or their mates can't get a ticket; I've had half a dozen people ask me to get them a ticket - all live locally. So there is a perception that it's difficult to obtain tickets or the match is sold out. This is a problem for Rover's and I'd suggest local radio advertising as used by Bolton and, I think, PNE is a possible key......not everyone reads the LET or the web. I can't remember the last time I heard, if ever, a Rovers radio advert but I frequently hear Bolton's efforts. I wonder how many tickets we'd need if we got to Seville? 5,000?

Baz, this is not to have a go at you but people in general. I get sick to the back teeth of fans complaining they can't get tickets for this or any other game. Rovers have clearly stated that ANYONE with a history of buying tickets for the 2001/2002 and 2002/2003 season can apply for tickets. It is NOT difficult. All fans have to do is take a few minutes to check the published information in the LET, the club's web site - thanks for the link Lee - or listen to the message on the ticket hotline, 01254 671666. Tickets have been available to ALL Rovers fans with a history of buying tickets for last season and this since 31st October. Anyone who wants a ticket and doesn't get one should wake up and smell the coffee. What else are the club supposed to do? 30,000 tickets purchased for Cardiff, if you bought one through the club you will be on the database. I understand tickets are still available today.

Last night's match against Walsall was the first in a three match touchline ban for Rover's manager Graeme Souness. The manager will be banned from the dugout for Saturday's game at St. Mary's and will presumably end the ban after the home fixture with Everton on November 17th. If, like me, you had forgotten about the ban and simply thought Souey was having a night off...shame on you

It will sell out by Thursday Tony. Celtic had tickets left on the day and there were empty seats at Parkhead. The bulk of tickets always sell quickly and then the rest just dribble away as people decide to go at the last minute