Herbie6590

Bloody hell…🤦‍♂️ Football, just like the Christmas season, is fuelled by belief. For us Roverites, that belief is currently vested in the nous of John Eustace’s ability to extract maximum value from his squad, every bit as much as the annual, global, sleigh-bound journey of a red-clad altruist! At this time of year, it’s impossible to escape Christmas music and amongst all of the Wham!, Slade & Wizzard, it’s Greg Lake’s poignant Christmas classic, “I Believe in Father Christmas” that brings out the karaoke kid in me. Lake’s song is both celebratory and cautionary, a beautifully melancholic reflection on dashed hopes but laced with enduring belief. It starts with the nostalgia of childhood, the purity of believing in something magical, before confronting the commercialisation and disillusionment of adulthood. That is quite possibly my lifelong football-watching journey distilled..! Mention of the word “belief” also reminds of the eponymous hero of Apple TV’s Ted Lasso series. Ted Lasso became a global sensation thanks largely to the feelgood factor generated by a relentlessly optimistic American football coach. Lasso is as much a preacher of human decency as he is a tactician. His mantra of “Believe” is scrawled across a makeshift sign in the changing room, summing up his entire approach. In a sport rife with cynicism, Ted Lasso feels like an anomaly. His belief isn’t blind, more a determined choice to see the best in people, to seek joy amidst the chaos. As children, we grow up idolising players, that football is a fairytale where the good guys (our team basically...) wins. The harsh realities come later - dodgy owners, relegations, semi-final heartbreaks. But still, we believe. Every August, every matchday and for Rovers fans, this Christmas once again offers a tantalising glimpse of possibilities. Not for the first time in recent seasons, Rovers end the year in the conversation for the play-offs and the January transfer window looms large. The current run of six successive victories has raised both hopes and perhaps even expectations. The squad has been plagued with injuries and suspensions but one characteristic visible in abundance to us on the terraces, is the apparent togetherness of the squad. Eustace’s values seemingly embraced and embedded. The quandary for us supporters is the extent to which we should allow ourselves to believe. We see the holes in the squad, we see how it could be “even better if...” and we hope that the manager’s requirements to address those concerns are delivered in January. The extent to which we believe however, is possibly a function of our individual Rovers-supporting experiences. Ted Lasso and “I Believe in Father Christmas” challenge us to reconsider what belief truly means. It’s not about naivety or turning a blind eye to challenges. It’s an act of defiance, of choosing hope in a cynical world. In footballing terms, it’s still singing in the 91st minute as Fulham score their seventh goal at Ewood. It’s travelling away from home, in midweek to the likes of Middlesbrough and Sheffield Wednesday and to be rewarded with battling away wins. Lake’s haunting refrain, “I believed in Father Christmas” is not necessarily a lament for lost innocence, but a call to hold onto that belief, even as we grow older and possibly wiser. Similarly, Ted Lasso’s “Believe” sign isn’t about guaranteeing success but fostering resilience, optimism, and connection. Rovers are presently riding a wave of success and John Eustace is rightly receiving plaudits for the work he has done at Ewood. In his early days his mantra was “Together”. He was at pains to emphasise that escaping relegation would only be possible with unity, to the extent that he started sound a little like the old Prudential TV ad – Google it kids, it’s on YouTube, starring the guy from the Fast Show & Harry Potter. “We want to be together...” Can we draw parallels between Eustace’s “Together” & Lasso’s “Believe”? The world may not always be quite as magical as we’d like. Rovers won’t win every week (sorry...), the snow may not fall on Boxing Day, Santa will still bring you socks. But in football and in life, hope and belief is what carries us through. Merry Christmas to everyone connected with Rovers – players, staff, supporters alike. We’re in this together...

My bit in the LT today… https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/sport/24809537.blackburn-rovers-belief-despite-previous-misdemeanours/

Something about Ferraris…😁

Previous meetings and last match…

We have two away kit scarves & two away kit hats left in stock. If you order a hat & a scarf we will give you a set of our pin badges with our compliments. …🔴⚫️ https://www.brfcs.com/store/category/7-away-kit-merchandise/

30 years ago today…⚪️🔵

See also…watch right to the end 😂

Thanks to the generous support of Rovers fans all over the globe (including a Rovers staff member amazingly) as part of the Fans Takeover Day last year, BRFCS was able to raise £3000 for BRFC CT. BRFCS via its parent Northern Horde Ltd donated £250 to ensure we topped off at £3000. As you may know, the Fans Takeover fixture didn't happen this year but we felt that notwithstanding this, the kids that BRFC CT help still deserve our support so once again we have donated £250 worth of gifts to this appeal. https://www.linkedin.com/posts/brfctrust_check-out-my-list-on-amazon-activity-7273061608396840961-O5f6?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop If any Rovers supporter reading this also wishes to donate, then that obviously would be terrific for the children the Trust are working with over the Christmas season. 🎄 DONATE HERE https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/DPK9OEMKH92Y?ref_=wl_share

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The BRFCS POTM for yesterday’s game against Luton Town is…. MOTM template.mp4

Just saying… ⚪️🔵🇳🇴 😉

We won well yesterday & Beck got him out of jail but let’s be honest, Sam Gallagher misses that & we’d all be up in arms. If Rovers are genuinely serious about promotion Gueye needs to be no more than a last 10 minute impact sub. We are crying out for a Danny Graham type player.

You voted in the Match Centre yeah? 🤔 https://www.brfcs.com/magazine/football/match/1216083/blackburn-luton?tab=voting

Not as good as 4000 Holes mind…🤨

True to brand 😆 I remember hearing criticism of David Batty along the lines of “why have signed him? All he does is win the ball & pass it sideways…” 😁

The ice match…

C’mon folks…join the party…order one now…😁 🤍💙🇳🇴 https://www.brfcs.com/store/category/9-brfcs4000-holes-merchandise/ beb13444-5d70-4800-b19d-3b405dabbf73.mov

OK folks…you know the drill but make sure you vote here… https://www.brfcs.com/magazine/football/match/1216083/blackburn-luton?tab=voting

I once contacted Blackburn Museum to see if they could host an exhibition of these photos…they replied to say that Getty wanted something like £400 per photo for the privilege…🤨 https://www.gettyimages.co.uk/photos/by-w-h-talbot-archivepopperfoto

Did a bit on Radio Lancs earlier if you’re struggling to get to sleep later on tonight…👀 https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/live:bbc_radio_lancashire?partner=uk.co.bbc&origin=share-mobile

One of my first Rovers heroes alongside Sir Roger…

Haha…😆

Went to this game with my Man U supporting boss. He was quite chipper on the way down…less so on the way home. Everything you want from a big game under the lights & possibly in the top 3 of my all time favourite Rovers experiences…👌