LeChuck - your earlier report was absolute quality! On a more serious note, and as a Souness fan, thanks for the memories Graeme. I wish you the best of luck but unfortunately I think you'll need it, and more.

There's a decent pub, just outside the ground, behind the goals which are opposite the Rovers end. Full of Geordies mind, but me and PennyDuff got in 2 years ago without any problems. Plenty of good places to eat and drink down by the Tyne where it has all been modernised. It's then just a short walk up through the shopping area to the ground. Top place, a great day out and I wish I was going.

My thoughts exactly Phil. Whilst I know Crompton was probably the best right back we have ever had, I voted for Keith Newton because he is the best I have seen. If folk are being asked to use a bit of common sense and do a bit of research it sorts of defeats the object of having a poll. When voting for the best keeper, I wondered why there were not more entries from the period from the 1890's to WW2. Not a criticism guys, it's still a very good thread.

I'll go for Keith Newton just to try and even it up.

Bloody Hell Jim I can't remember what I did last week, let alone the Rovers formation from a game in 1966! When I did my signature a few weeks ago, I did look at the team and try and work out who played where. Some positions are obvious, and at that time Clayton had moved back into central defence as opposed to a right half. Whilst there does seem an imbalance of left sided players (I've had to cheat and look in the Mike Jackman book) it was at a time when teams were starting to talk about midfielders instead of attacking wing halves and moving from the traditional 5-3-2 to a 4-4-2. To be honest, I could not remember Frank Lord, I've since found out he only played 10 games for Rovers before moving into coaching, first at Ewood and then elsewhere.

I thought so too but this kinda disproves that notion. My comments about O'Neill were if he were to let Sutton go in the opposite direction. That said I can't understand him wanting Yorke in addition to other strikers he may have at his club. Celtic though are notorious skinflints and O'Neill is able to get the best out of some of his more average players, so anything is possible.

Martin O'Neill is one of the most astute managers in the game. There is absolutely no way he would allow Sutton to leave in a sort of swap for Yorke. As someone posted earlier he is trying to strengthen Celtic, not weaken them.

It was the Norwegian Branch flag - I was helping them put it over one of the areas coming up from the concourse. It looked pretty good too. By the time I got back from the gents a steward had told them to remove it, nor would he allow it to be placed over the front rails, presumably because of covering adverts. I looked over to the Darwen End, at the all-standing Mancs, and saw a United flag draped over one of the areas coming up from their concourse! Rules for us (we abide), rules for them (they break).

Big misunderstanding here - it's actually Barrowford Celtic and they've turned him down.

AESF - Excellent summary Jim - The table doesn't lie after 38 games but it does after 4.

The thing that must swing it Brad's way is the fact that he does, and has done it, week in, week out, against not only top flight opposition, but against some of the best strikers in the world.

My heart says Sir Roger but without a doubt my choice is Brad - the guy is simply super human. I can't think why John Barton wasn't included even though he couldn't drop kick it past the half way line.

I've been two years running and both times the away section has been healthy but never fully sold out. I can quite confidently say that you won't have a problem. Good replies from the Geordie lad and I can see from his comments on Dwight Yorke that he has a sense of humour too. PS If you happen to get on the back row like I did two years ago, take a pair of binoculars!

Whilst I agree with folks' sentiments and would love to see Matty back, there is no way it will happen. I have mentioned this before but a mate of mine visited (and knows well) a local physio who keeps in touch with Rovers. A year or so after the accident Matty could still not coordinate when a ball was thrown/played/passed towards him. Across him he was fine but towards him there was no chance. Secondly, my lad plays football now and again with one of our youth team. His words were that Jansen was "rubbish." Not exactly articulate but you get the picture. Thirdly, a club like Rovers, with season ticket holders staying away in droves, simply can't keep paying his wages which must be around £25k per week. After having had a spat with Yorke, who demonstrated yesterday that he continues to be a lost cause, why would Souey play Yorke ahead of him? Unfortunately there is only one reason - Matty isn't, and now never will be good enough for the PL. Like everyone else I wish him well wherever he ends up.

True, there were several instances, especially in the second half, where he was tucked in to the old inside left position instead of being out wide. I am sure he found the pace of the game bewildering against difficult opposition but given time I think he'll adjust. He played the full 90 (or should I say 94) minutes which was also helpfull.

Sorry den, I've just seen your post. I don't intend to reply again but the lad is making it hard for me not to.

With regard to the Sporting game, I made comments about the poor crowd being attributed, in general, to the post 1992 supporters who saw it as a "I can't be bothered" sort of game. I appreciate some supporters live far from Ewood and wouldn't expect them to travel to a friendly, whoever the opposition, but as around 95% of Rovers fans live within a radius of 10 miles from the ground, in my opinion the crowd should have been better. It quite obviously wasn't a personal attack, it was a general view. You ridiculed me by calling me a "clown" and later by asking me not to "come out with ######" or words to that effect. I didn't advocate the midfield selection, I was merely backing up another poster who I happen to agree with. I notice you didn't reply to his post, you chose to continue your vendetta with me. To respond to your final sentence, the answer is, no. You, Scotty, can say what you want - I don't mind anyones view - but (and it's a big but) without getting personal, which is something I reminded you about last time, but something you chose to ignore.

Spot on - my team exactly. Not a single person in midfield who can tackle. Don't start again, son - you're starting to really get on my nerves. I've kept a dignified silence up to yet following your calling me a clown a few weeks ago for what I considered valid comments about the lack of a decent crowd for the Sporting game. If you remember, you got personal. A bit like the other day when you shot down the lad who asked for the Blues opening time tomorrow and then tried to pass it off as sarcasm. Everyone is entitled to their comments and opinions without having to feel ridiculed by other members of this board. If you can find time to stop slagging off Graeme Souness as per your recent posts you could then devote more time to conducting yourself in a more appropriate and constructive manner.

Spot on - my team exactly.

..........nottehodene..........hmmmm

Much worse, unfortunately the limp bit comes after the stiff bit unless you have a large supply of viagra.......

Saw a blonde guy outside Ewood today, looked really tired, said he'd been signing stuff all day. Invited him to the local for one or two and he's feeling a bit more energetic now. Anyway, I'll put him on........ "Hei, Morten her fra Tromso......jeg elsker Rovers..." Seems a nice lad but he keeps asking where all the snow has gone. Got one hell of a limp also.

It's picking the bones from the article herb refers to earlier today.

Whilst season ticket sales are poor, if we can maintain average home support of say 20,000 be they season ticket holders or those that pay on the day, it will be a good ongoing achievement. I was looking in the Mike Jackman book the other day with regard to the early 60's. The 1963/64 season was a good one with Rovers finishing 7th in the top flight. The attendances left a lot to be desired. Some were good, Liverpool 35k, Man Utd 37k, Everton 35k, Stoke 30k, Burnley 27k. However there was an almighty drop to other home games, Ipswich 10k, West Brom 12k, Fulham 13k, Birmingham 14k and so on. The following season 64/65 was even worse, with the last home gate being 9k and even the Burnley Derby attracting only 15k. All this a far cry from promotion a few years earlier and the first season back in the First Division when we averaged 30k and had many gates in the 30/40k bracket. It can be seen that once the novelty of being back in the Top Flight wore off, many folk only turned out for the big games, although the 1960 Cup Final tickets fiasco won't have helped. Today's fans at least turn out week in, week out (more or less) so 20k home supporters irrespective of whether they're season ticket holders or not, is pretty darned good in my book.

- Ronnie Clayton - Brian Douglas - Tony Field