Relived a bit of my youth by going to the Racecourse Ground a few weeks ago to see Wigan beat Crusaders. Last time I was on there must have been a good 37 or 38 years ago! Changed a bit with a nice new(ish) stand down one side - fairly small, but stylish. Great day out in the sunshine, supping a lager or two whilst watching the game. Great following from Wigan with close on 3k away fans.

Driven past the Plough a million times (and cycled past) but never been in. Will give it a try. Did go in the Three Millstones once, a few years ago and that was very good.

Well, had a very good meal at the Oyster & Otter last night. I'm not a fish lover but still enjoyed the Fishcakes starter, followed by Fillet Steak main course. Mrs CLB had the soup to start with, then the Fish Pie main. Both very tasty. A couple of pints, a glass of wine and two coffees, the whole lot came to 53 quid. Some silly sod (me) opted for his main off the specials board without checking the price - 20 quid - had I had the fish, chips and mushy peas (normal size portion) which I nearly went for, the bill would have come in at around 40 pounds. Good, friendly service and nicely decorated inside. If you're not into fish, the menu is a little restrictive and could do with being expanded somewhat, but overall a welcome addition to the Blackburn eating scene.

Going to The Oyster & Otter at Fenny tomoorow. Looking at their website, it seems to be a Clog & Billy or Three Fishes type of place with a bit more emphasis on fish dishes. Will report back, meanwhile anyone else tried it?

Just back from Wigan - Saints. Cracking game and if you're going to clinch a game like that, there's no better feeling. 24k sellout, good banter between the fans, great weather, loved it.

I had liked Rugby League for years but never been to a game. Quite often watched it on tv but then, in 1994, we got a new manager at work who was a Wigan fan. I went along with him to watch a game versus Featherstone (I think) and the connection was made. Wigan were my team. A few years went by before I decided to go more regularly. That was in the 2000 season, taking in a few away games as well as going to most at home. The next decade was pretty poor by Wigan's standards and a cup final win against Saints didn't really compensate for not landing the big one. I was at Old Trafford for three Grand Finals and three losses. Patience is a virtue, as they say, and I'm looking forward to going to a few more games than normal this season. Went to the World Club Challenge a week or so ago, which was a superb game, and have tickets for the Hull FC game (with Mrs & Miss CLB) on Sunday. A fantastic game played by great athletes. Plenty of respect for the referee, plenty of honesty from the players and, generally, fan friendly. There's a lot of action packed into 80 minutes. It's a great day out.

On the theme of German football, they have a great football show on Saturday evenings with highlights from the games on that particular day. Can't remember the channel, think it's N1 or something similar. The point is, unlike over here with MOTD, each team seems to have equal coverage and they include a few second and third tier games as well. No bias towards the big clubs like Bayern. Very refreshing. In Switzerland, Grasshoppers remain unbeaten after the winter break with a win and two draws. Third bottom now, onward and upward.

The Axpo Super League (Switzerland) got underway again this afternoon after their winter break. Grasshoppers registered a superb 4-1 away win at St Gallen to lift them off the bottom. Onwards and upwards!

I've been pouring several kettle loads of boiling water on ours for a good week now. Three times a day some days. Our boiler is upstairs, so the pipe starts high up and I've been on a pair of stepladders. If the pipe was at head height it wouldn't be too bad but at least it's stopping any possible burst pipes inside and the obvious upheavel that would cause. Anyway, despite more snow last night and this morning, the temperature is now about plus one and there are signs of a slight thaw. Been on the moors this morning with the dog and it was blowing a gale and absolutely bitter.

The glass dome at the top of Darwen Tower was blown clean off last night!

At least Ronnie now won't have to witness the pantomime that's about to unfold at his beloved club.

One of my favourite Rovers photographs shows a diving Ronnie netting in a 2-1 win at Ewood in the FA Cup quarter final against Liverpool in March 1958. Crowd that day, 51k. A few days before the cup game we had played them at Ewood in the league, crowd that day 41k. If there is one thing I could change with my life it would be to have been born ten years or so earlier and caught Rovers in their pomp, mid 50's onwards, with Ronnie, Duggie and the rest. I was, though, lucky enough to have seen Ronnie play between 1966 and 1969 and indeed attended his testimonial at the end of his career. What a great idea, mentioned earlier, to have a stand named after him and perhaps a statue. Very fitting. RIP

Very, very sad day - a friend of the family - RIP Ronnie, a true legend worthy of the name.

No, but I wish I was! Have been on holiday there a dozen or so times and decided to learn the lingo. Lived in Switzerland 5-6 months last winter but now home. Just went over for a long weekend and to see my adopted blue & whites.

Went to Grasshoppers 0 Luzern 3 yesterday and which keeps Luzern in first place in the early stages of the Swiss top flight. Grasshoppers well on top in the first half, missing a hat full of chances to put the game well beyond doubt. Hit the woodwork twice as well. The second half was pretty much even stevens but GCZ gifted Luzern their opener before a well placed header made it 2-0 to the visitors a few minutes later. The third came in time added on and it took a couple of replays on the big screens before the crowd realised it had actually gone in. The ball hit the post before touching the back of the net. It then came back out at speed and everyone was convinced it had simply rebounded off the post. A real illusion. A freak result if ever there was one and whilst Grasshoppers were no doubt a little tired after playing their Europa League playoff match in Romania in mid week, in no way did they deserve to lose. The hottest I've ever been at a footy match with Zurich hitting 30 degrees yesterday. A bad weekend for teams in blue and white halves with both the English and Swiss versions suffering defeats in matches they should have put to bed.

Went to the Coach & Horses at Bolton by Bowland this afternoon. Traditional looking country pub from the outside but more of a restaurant feel inside. Very nice it was too and one we'll be visiting again. Both me and Mrs CLB went for the roast ham bubble and squeek, with the desserts being bread & butter pudding and strawberry crumble. Two pints of bitter, two large glasses of rose wine, 42 quid. About right for this standard of fayre in the Ribble Valley. Definitely recommend it.

A few years ago, I was sleeping in the stern of one of the round the world yachts, somewhere off the coast of northern Norway. Sleeping arrangements spartan to say the least. It must have been a short while after a trip to Disney World because I was dreaming about being on a similar ride to one at Disney where you're inside, in the dark, in a boat meandering round a course. Up ahead I see a skull above a doorway that's alive and looking at me. As I get nearer the doorway the bloody thing is still gawping at me. As I went under and through the doorway, I let out (in real life now) the most bloodcurdling scream you've ever heard. Naturally I woke myself up and the guy next to me thought I was trying to kill him, with those towards the front of the yacht thinking we were being attacked!

Great place Neil - the food is very good, priced ok and beerwise I was on Hen Harrier (Bowland Beer Co).

Aye, great area, Dave. This year we did - local in Darwen - Swan Inn Whalley - Waddington Arms & Lower Buck in Waddington - Moorcock on the fell - Parkers Arms Newton in Bowland - Bayley Arms & Shireburn in Hurst Green - back to local in Darwen. I think we went on 4 trips when friends organised it and since then me and Mrs CLB have done the last 5.

Ate in the Bayley Arms, Hurst Green last Saturday. It was our annual pub crawl with a coach through the Ribble Valley and we finished in Hurst Green this time instead of Waddington. Chicken Tikka Masala followed by Strawberry Cheesecake - excellent, although I downed pint number 13 there followed by number 14 in The Shireburn, so I could probably have eaten cardboard and gravel and found it good. Brilliant day though!

Any goal against 'that lot' is a good goal! Sat behind those goals this season more than once. Yes, great goal.

Grasshoppers bang in another four - this time against arch city rivals FC Zurich in a 4-0 win!! Get in x 4!!!!!

More importantly, why can't he speak Dutch yet?

Hmmm...think Jim would drive if I asked him nicely?

Glad you enjoyed it Tris. We run a Boozy Bus Trip through the Ribble Valley each summer (pub crawl + coach!) and we usually end up in Waddington. You can choose your pub there from the three in the village and we normally opt for the Lower Buck. Great place.