A combination of complacency and Mike Newell getting injured. He returned for the Tranmere away game and you could sense the collective relief amongst the Rovers support.

I went to that night game Dave. We took thousands and were down the side if I remember correctly. I do remember that it was on Sky and that Andy Gray commented that he’d never heard such a noise from away fans. As you say, we were beaten, and United secured the title because of the defeat.

Also, not forgetting Blackpool, another north west town club, who rid themselves of the Oyston family by supporters properly demonstrating and boycotting their club. It can be done.

😆😆 Yet the lad to the right, his shoes are remarkably clean. There’s loads to look at in the photo. The next lad to the right, both his feet are off the ground, the rattle, the laughter on the face of the lad under ‘dirty wellies lad’s’ armpit, the bloke by ‘rattle lad’s’ left elbow not looking happy at all (surely a Liverpool fan), something in the air at the back of the Darwen End against the sky and the copper just taking it all in. And what would Swag say about 93k coming through the Ewood turnstiles in 7 days? He’d deny it ever happened. Wonder if Venky’s have ever seen a photo like this and if they know such crowds were possible in those days?

Not seen this photo before. Rovers beating Liverpool 2-1 in the FA Cup, 1957-58 and young Rovers fans celebrate a goal in front of a packed Darwen End. Attendance 51,000. A week earlier, we had drawn with them in a league encounter, also at Ewood, in front of 41,789.

Shamelessly nicked from a Blackburn Facebook site. I think I’ve more or less got the players correct. The keeper is certainly Harry Leyland and, with the style of kit, it has to be 1960-61. Clayton, Leyland, McGrath?, Woods, Douglas, Dobing? Not 100% sure on Dobing. I initially thought MacLeod.

I don’t think the white shirt with the Maltese Cross has ever been in doubt.

Some good ideas there Chaddy.

Yeah, it goes on to mention ‘quarters’ in the Harry Kay book, saying that if you unstitch the shirt and unfold it, there are then four quarters, ie. two of blue and two of white. Interestingly, it states we played for a few games, in one of the early seasons, in ‘eighths,’ so similar to that of Bristol Rovers today. This kit is not shown on the Historical Kits website and I’ve never seen that referenced before.

This on the Rovers site, indicating the said meeting in the St Ledger Hotel, was on November 5th. Not clear as to whether or not this is 1874 or 1875. They certainly state that we were formed in 1875.

This is an extract from Harry Kay’s 1948 book which, again, mentions Christmas 1874 when the meeting took place in the St Ledger Hotel in King William Street. ”That night Blackburn Rovers Football Club came into existence.”

Interesting find SG. Unless an exact date can be found, I suppose it comes down to the interpretation of ‘just after.’ Seven days after Christmas Day 1874 is 1875.

If it turns out to be 1874, Gregg, just cut off your forefinger and put a ‘4’ on your thumb. Simples.

It’s mine now 😆

Rail seating at Celtic Park. Three thousand seats.

Just had a quick count up and I have 15 books on the Rovers or Rovers related. I may also have one or two at our son’s house. We certainly bought him the Michael Hodkinson book this Christmas.

This is an old book that not too many people will have. Things About Blackburn Rovers by Harry Kay (Sports Editor of the Northern Daily Telegraph) from 1948. A friend of mine bought it for me at a car boot sale. Questions and Answers/Facts and Figures type book.

Especially now that Lenihan has torn his groin.

A friend of mine has sent me a link to today’s Times newspaper, in which appears Gordon’s obituary. I can’t do the link on here, unfortunately, but it is apt that GL’s photo, from his playing days at Villa is at Ewood with the Riverside in the background. Another friend of mine was recently out for a meal with, amongst others, Ken Beamish. Beamo told him that the best player Gordon Lee had ever worked with was Graham Oates who, of course, followed GL to Newcastle.

Silas has beaten me to it 1864…but and, to repeat, it would be nice to perhaps just have some bullet points as to what the hierarchy’s plans are. No need to go into lavish detail, just a few pointers. I used to bang on about Venky’s not having visited us for years, not communicating with the supporters, not having a 5 year plan, not installing a proper, functioning board of directors down at Ewood and so on. Like a lot of other folk, I’ve just been worn down and don’t really bother any more. What pisses me off (not you by the way) is this type of ‘in the know’ stuff where folk just talk in riddles and no one gets to know anything. How about it?

Never knew that 😆 As we were leaving the airport with our luggage, we could see a large group of Turkish fans outside, singing and jumping up and down. I remember thinking, we’re in for it here. There was a line of good looking ladies in National costume who stuffed Turkish Delight into our mouths and when we got outside, we were hugged by the Turks waiting for us. There were Turkish flags and flags of St George draped together over railings and the Turkish media was filming it all, and in a positive way. I’m not sure whether or not you had arrived by then Gav, but a football match had been arranged (by Glenn & Co, I think) against Gencler supporters with more film crews present. We were drinking in the centre of Ankara before the game, never a hint of trouble, although the Rovers fans seemed to have split up into several small groups, rather than having all 400 together, so we never really attracted any attention. It was a great trip despite the defeat.

Ankara, September 2003, after the match against Genclerbirligi, which Rovers lost 3-1. My Norwegian flag next to an absolutely huge Rovers flag, the biggest I’ve ever seen. Never seen it since. Anyone know whose it is/was? Rovers had a following of around 400 in Turkey, which was decent enough under the circumstances. In 2000, two Leeds fans had been stabbed to death in Istanbul and, for a lot of people, Turkey was off limits for football. Before the draw, I remember saying that I would go anywhere except Turkey but I ended up going anyway. There was no trouble before, during or after the game and we had a superb time in Ankara and made some great friends. Some of them came on this messageboard for a number of years.

Pass the jelly. We’re having a party. Won’t be long.

Rangers 1 Celtic 1, August 1967 and an attendance at Ibrox of just over 94k. Photo on the left shows the Celtic support on the ‘Celtic End’ with the other photo showing the home end. I love the old oval shaped Scottish grounds, they had so much character and generated a superb atmosphere. I have been on the ‘old’ Celtic Park with a crowd of 75k and a much reduced Hampden, a couple of times, when the attendance was somewhere around the 50-60k mark.

For me, Chaddy, he is the best pundit bar none. The sort of bloke that, when he speaks, you stop and listen because he’s been there, done it and got the t-shirt. He’s photogenic, intelligent and comes across very well on tv. Great guy.