It is no doubt going to have a lasting effect on football viewing and attendance.  

For me, having moved south in the early 1980s I still used to attend a few home games every year whilst visiting family, but as they have died/moved away from Blackburn it is now a long time since I visited Ewood and I don't expect that to change anytime soon. My watching Rover's "live" has been restricted to a few away games each season.

This year - I've paid my £10 to iFollow and managed to watch every Rovers game (bar one) live, home and away, which I've really enjoyed despite some of the results recently. If there was a digital season ticket introduced so that could continue in future I'd  be happy to sign up.

2 minutes ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

I can see nothing on the FA payer yet? (I'm using a UK VPN address)

Can anyone else see anything?? 

Yes - a red title page with music playing (no Ewood images as yet)

Pears was always going to be in goal - seems standard for most teams now to play reserve keepers in the Cups (at least until the later rounds).

Not a great defence, but should be enough for this game ..... really like the idea of seeing Dack, Ben and Dolan up front.

My favourite piece of memorabilia is my copy of the "Sports Telegraph" dated 21st April 1928 that my grandfather bought after he went to the FA Cup final...it now hangs on the wall of my office at home. 

The worst is probably the large cardboard box of match programmes, mainly from the 1970s, that I have kept in my loft for nearly 50 years and never look at but l still can't throw away, despite my wife's pleading.

My first football hero ..... great player.

Had the same sort of impact in his City team as De Bruyne does now .... amazing drive in midfield 

Having a son who now lives in the midlands and has married into a Birmingham supporting family, St Andrews has become a regular visit for me. The FA cup game last season there was one of the worst Rover's displays I've ever witnessed, so today has to be an improvement on that .....  ??

As I posted on the Dack thread - I suspect he will be on the bench today mainly as a symbolic thing (a year since the injury) and morale booster, expect he might just get 5/10 mins on at the end.

More important that Big Ben starts - he has been a big miss in the last few games.

I suspect we may see  Dack on the bench on Saturday .... more as a symbolic return (12 months since the injury) rather than a serious option. But may just get a morale boosting 5-10 mins at the end if things are going our way.

36 minutes ago, ben_the_beast said:

Is there any indication we are actually appealing Lenihans red.

They won't appeal it - appeals rarely succeed unless there is absolute and clear evidence (like mistaken identity or something). In this scenario the best outcome they might get would be a reduction to a yellow, but that would still mean he would have been sent off and suspended for one game.

53 minutes ago, darrenrover said:

Holtby is key for me, he holds it all together in the centre of midfield and has a fantastic range of passing and vision. As was said last night, he resembles Tugay more with each passing game.

 

Agree completely - Holtby makes a huge difference, and my son and I discussed the same about him playing a similar role to the great Tugay whilst watching last night.

Brereton - thinking back to watching him in the cup game at Birmingham before lockdown and he was terrible - looked like he had completely (mentally and/or physically) "lost it" in that game and it was very sad to see, taking him off was a mercy act. But what a transformation now - confidence, pace, power and the potential to become a major player ( a few more goals to come this season hopefully), and getting better in every game.

Other stand out positive (of many) was Wharton - a confident performance at CB, looking like someone who can really defend and understands the role. Good to see that every time he moved back or forwards to play the ball he immediately looked where Lenihan was and made sure they were in line and together ... I'd be happy for him to keep his place.

Dull first half... slow and lacking creativity, but Ayala impressive, calm and controlled.

All managers know there is a season every so often where everything just comes into line and you have a really good chance of promotion.  I suspect Mowbray has told the owners that this is the season for us, based on the start we have had and the way the squad is performing together, and said I just need x, y & z to give us the depth we need, and they have said "go for it".

He knows that in this league you only a get a one season window to make it happen (two if you are lucky) before your best players get snapped up by PL clubs and you have to start over to build again ( which is where Brentford now are, having messed up their chance last season).

Going to be an interesting season ...lots of £10 payments to iFollow to come.

Great picture .... but no commentary , just music ?

Sorry, but there has been a problem signing you in. Please try again later.

.....

For me - a very good all round performance and a great result showing some real character and resilience towards the end.

A few observations...

Downing is a player of real ability - shame he isn't a few years younger, but still seems to have the legs to keep going. Excellent.

Holtby looked a bit  rough, but showed enough in a couple of touches and passes to see he is a very talented player. How he can be fitted in to the team will be the issue to solve for the next few weeks.

Gallagher played like a proper centre forward, real energy and strength  and won great headers -  but someone needs to be much closer to him to make his hard work pay. At the moment, Armstrong has obviously been told to stay out wide, and Dack is usually too far away to take advantage. That distance works with Graham, because he tends to chest down the long ball, control it and play it back/or lay it off, but Gallagher plays differently and flicks the ball on forwards or sideways with his head and too often no-one is there for him.

Evans worked hard, but tailed off and needed to be subbed. When Johnson came on, it was noticeable how much he was pointing, shouting and directing those around him which was really needed as Reading were coming back at us quite strongly then.. Should really be captain, if he had the legs to play in every game.

Travis didn't have a great game - worked hard, but seemed a bit reluctant to really drive forward for some reason, and played too many sideways/backwards passes, some of which went astray. He can be much better than yesterday.

Probably tempting fate, but for the first time in a very long time (years) I think we have the makings of a very promising & exciting team being put together.

I have a friend who is Brentford fan/season ticket holder - they are more than happy with Raya so far, and think he is an excellent signing.

well we started well .....

Dack 1-0

Craven Cottage is being redeveloped this season - so their Riverside stand is closed - will be a three sided crowd, but pretty much a sell out I expect.

If coming by train - the Circle & District lines have closures this weekend which will affect your route down to Fulham

Details

Going to this one with my two sons  .... used to live very close to Craven Cottage so it's a favourite ground to visit. 

Hoping we may scrape a draw, but not much more chance than that I fear.

Another vote for Finney - my dad always said he was the best player he ever saw.

Very disappointing to see no option to watch the game on iFollow