bob fleming

That's right Gav. Nor are they ever drunk or insist on standing.

I see. So who is going to instigate this? Do you think Blackburn Rovers should? Conference Call between John Williams and the other Chairmen….. "We were wondering if you'd like to merge? No, no, I can understand you thinking that means with Blackburn Rovers, after all we are the most successful team and the only Premier League team in Lancashire, but no it's OK, we're quite prepared to create a new team with you and call it “Lancashire United”. No, the games won't be at Ewood, no, they'll be somewhere else. I don’t know, near Blackpool? It’ll be a bit inconvenient but we still think we’ll get 50,000+ through the gates every week. No, I haven’t been drinking. Our fan base? Well we don't really know if they'll be in favour, we haven't asked them or anything, I'm sure they will be though when they see we'll be challenging the likes of Manchester United. What's that? Yes, that's right Rovers did do the double over them last season and yes we did beat Chelsea and we did qualify for Europe again and we are currently 10th meaning we’re one of the best ten teams in England. Look we know we're doing very well, a lot better than the rest of you, but we'd like to merge with you if you wouldn't mind. What's that? You don't think your fans will be in favour? History, heritage, a sense of belonging and pride in your town? Sorry you've lost me there."

Evening CAPT - this "Its a BLACK BLACK day" at the bottom of your sig. What does it refer to? MARV - I can only presume that you have far more part time supporters than we do. As eveyone knows in East Lancs burnley are a far bigger and better supported team. It's just that your lot are far more selective in the games they go to than our ours and have been for umpteen years. As for "Spoonfed glory". You do us down, it was pretty nerve wracking winning the league I can tell you. I'd hate for you to have to go through that. As an aside you may have read somewhere on this forum a reference to "Lancashire United". What are your thoughts on this? Personally I'd have nothing to do with it and believe it would be a non runner. But then again I'm probably just thinking small.

2 - 1 Rovers - 12,800.

2-1 to Rovers

I'll be one of those then. If you look in Man City thread you'll see that I held my hand up on that one. He had a poor game - as did Zurab. I still disagree with you saying that based on the Salzberg game, which neither of us saw, Todd and Zurab should be the centre half partnership and "anyone who doesnt think we'll be more secure with that partnership, is blinkered and doesnt understand the game." Step forward Mark Hughes. You could drop either of the centre halves for me they look equally as bad. The worry of course is that maybe Nelsen makes all our other centre halves look good. Also, perhaps Todd has really burnt his bridges this time around? As for Sutton (better keep it slightly on thread eh? ) no thank you very much.

Has to be Grabbi for me, although there are plenty to chosse from unfortunately. He was never good enough, had no pace, wasn't particularly good in the air, never looked like a centre forward (with his tendency to drift out to the left wing). He had a decent touch on him I suppose. Still at least the £6.5 mllion we spent on the much travelled Serie B striker who apparently was scouted only on video can't be called into question.

Oh aye. "Celebrity Tarzan" or a drunk rambling angry Alan Brazil? Surely there's no contest.

Yeah I heard him. Got on one because of a debate over George Benson and Nat King Cole, who was the best.

After backing Ooijer in another thread saying that he'll come good it's only fair to hold my hand up and say that he had another bad game again yesterday. The centre halves aren't doing the business and as Paul has said they don't seem to be communicating. You could drop either Zurab or Ooijer for me - take your pick. If Todd's out of the picture then maybe Henchoz will be the answer? Doesn't really inspire me with much confidence mind.

Here's a bit of info on Richard Dinnis. He commentated on last nights game for Radio Lancashire. Perhaps he likes Keane?

Away goals count double don't they? So 10 - 6. All to play for.

We had agreed on bert I thought and then he started playing well Pleasure - what are you babbling on about? Todd has thrown his toys out again this season by all accounts. As you've just reminded me he should have been sent off (2nd yellow) and conceded a penalty for his "challenge" on Johnson against Everton when he forgot all about playing with a football. He looks slow. Slower than last year. The clean cut and fine upstanding Dutch International Ooijer will improve with every game and as Andy Neild, a great judge of all things concerning football has pointed out, it looks as though he has turned the corner. Sheff Utd wasn't our last game, Red Bull was. You didn't see the game and are just going round in circles taking "Dogs*** Dinnis' " word as gospel.

Dinnis or Neild. Only you can decide.

and even more importantly why is Zurab playing in the fans friendly, why has got a ball stuck to the back of his head and why did we concede 10 goals if he was playing? (it must have Ooijers fault)

You can't get anymore blinkered than not actually seeing the game. Reports are few and far between from the alcoholics who went to the game and frequent this messageboard, in which case we'll have to trust Andy Neild and the LT. Ooijer, the Dutch International who is getting used to playing with new team mates and has missed a portion of pre-season, had a good game.

That can't be right. There are people on this messageboard who haven't even seen the game and said that Ooijer had a terrible match.

Same here. How can anyone justify forking out £36 to get on Ewood when the match is being shown live on Sky? The only thing this'll achieve is that existing season ticket holders will be ensuring that they must get a season ticket next year as well, if they want to keep wtaching their team in a 2/3 full stadium. There is no way our gates will be higher this season than last. In the meantime the propensity for the "casual" fan to "walk on" and get the Blackburn Rovers bug is lost. That's despite "cheap" tickets in other areas of the ground. I'd imagine that the overall perception "round the town" is that it costs £36 to get into Rovers these days.

We'll sneak it 1-0 somehow. The plastic pitch will play into our hands and big Joe Garner will pop up with the winner. Good luck to all who are set to invade Austria.

Rovers 2 City 1 Joe Garner with our goals and Joe Royle for The Citizens in front of 21,423. They'll be five penalities and 3 sendings off. Pearce and Hughes will have a fight. The City keeper will punch "our" drummer when he tries to put him off when he takes a goal kick. The City keeper will get the biggest cheer of the day. It'll be quite sunny but a few will remark that it's starting to get a bit nippy.

23. I blame Todd.

No Nonda?

Don't think so Ricky, I even re-wound it to double check. Could be wrong, but the bread knife also heard it as "Blackburn". As Biddy said it could be that paranoia thing again though, it's all around you know (and closing in). "Blackburn" / "Thatcher" (doesn't even sound similar) maybe a reference to Margaret Thatcher - Honourary Vice President Something Or Other of Blackburn Rovers? They know how to twist the knife that Reading lot.

May as well put this in here then if we're talking about "bully boy" reputations, how referees see us and how other fans see us. Remember all that garbage that was written about us not last season but the season before by the press? Yes of course you do. Well it's clearly stuck. Reading vs Manchester City last night. Dabo elbows Sidwell in the head when challenging for the ball and is (harshly) sent off. Reading fans pipe up "Are you Blackburn in disguise?". I couldn't beleive my own ears at first, re-wound it using Sky+, it was difinitely that they were singing. The cheeky mock cockney beggers! Wait until they come to Ewood we'll set Bentley and Gamst on 'em.

It'll be August and September. Two months for the price of one.