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.

Everton still have West Ham, Chelsea, Man Utd, Liverpool and Arsenal to play. Not an easy run in at all, on paper at least. Completely agree about Watford being a nothing football club and a nothing place but wanting them relegated to have the Clarettes surviving and staying in the PL? Come on, what’s this site coming to!! Pass the jelly, we’re having a party. Won’t be long.

Trust me mate, Celtic wouldn’t touch him in a million years.

I was watching a local game here in Northwich last year. There was a corner and the ref simply said, “right lads, keep your arms by your sides.” And they did.

Just back from a walk and put Chelsea v Newcastle on. Newcastle attacking, in the box and Chelsea defender clearing tugging on the Newcastle lad’s shirt. His fist is tight around his shirt and he’s pulled back twice. Looked at by VAR and nothing given. Unbelievable. The ref’s seen nothing, the liner up with play nothing and the VAR boys, with the benefit of slow mow tv, also nothing. This, together with multiple other unnecessary rule changes over the last several years, shows how a simple game has been made very, very complicated.

Death by a thousand cuts has recommenced.

Enjoy the game, John. You’re in luck because Bambi Gallagher will net a brace. You heard it from me first.

What the hell is Division 4?

Found this on a Blackburn Facebook site. Car parking behind Bolton Road, Ewood, late 1920s, early 1930s.

Just catching up on this thread. Beat me to it Andy. Not my usual type of music but I have it on my iPhone, so I can play it in the car. Lovely tune.

Buxton FC, highest pitch in the UK. Pitch cleared of snow, one hour before kick off and game played.

Your post is a very good assessment and this part of it is enough to fill anyone with dread for what next season could look like.

A second chance to take the bull by the horns and move into second place, this time at home. If we win, we put ten points between us and Middlesbrough in seventh place. Let’s see who wants it most.

We’re a decent enough side, a good side and this season has been a step in the right direction after seasons of dross. We’re just not good enough to go up.

Early days but this is dog sh!t. Big following, the chance to go second against a poor side in Hull and there’s nothing happening. But.. that’s a penalty all day long!!!

Funny how things stick in your mind. I was at the Hull City game, at Ewood, in April 1967 that Rovers won 4-1. I was with my uncle and we were sat on the front row of the Riverside stand. A couple of women had long, hand knitted blue and white scarves dangling down from the front row, next to us and a couple of Hull supporters on the terrace below were trying to nick the scarves by pulling them down. My uncle had a brolly and succeeded in leaning over and whacking them away and the scarves remained in Rovers’ hands lol.

Neither Rooney nor Lampard have served any meaningful apprenticeship as a manager thus far. Lampard, at Chelsea a classic example of being promoted well before his time and it ending in tears. But such is the state of football in the current era. Clubs want success and they want it now. For what it’s worth, given three or four years at Championship level, I think Lampard could well develop into a decent top flight manager. Perhaps Rooney as well but such is the pressure in the PL, clubs are always willing to take unnecessary risks, thus perpetuating what I call the ‘Managerial Merry Go Round of Mediocrity.’

Villa keeper been watching Pears. Howler.