Good lord, if ever anyone wanted to portray Blackburn Rovers' fan as a bunch of knuckle-floor-scraping morons, then you lot have supplied the ammunition. Back to your copies of "Men Only" and the box of Kleenex.

No, it's not about vacations in the town of Reading, but a resurrection of books which we recommended to each other. It'll help us get through the summer until the season starts again. The original thread has disappeared, but as it lead me to read a number of books, recommended by fellow fans most of which I thoroughly enjoyed, I thought it was time to get it up and running again. So here are three (sort of) that have grabbed my attention recently. Nothing Shakespearean or Chaucer(istic), just books I have enjoyed. (1) "A Walk In The Woods" by Bill Bryson. No few of us will be aware of Bryson's "Notes From A Small Island" where he travels the length & breadth of the UK pointing out the quirks & eccentricities of its inhabitants. In a similar vein "A Walk In The Woods" describes his travels and travails along the Appalachian Trail which stretches from Georgia to Maine for about 2,200 miles. It's a hiking book with (ahem) "attitude." As usual with Bryson, he is quick to heap praise on the courteous and polite and pour scorn on the rude and idiotic. With Bryson you'll read this and think "Good Lord, someone thinks the same way as I do." Or posssibly not. (2) "Happy Like Killers" by Gordon Burn. Not the Gordon Burns of North West Tonight and "The Krypon Factor." This is the story of the infamous Gloucester murderers Fred and Rosemary West, who killed about ten women including one of their own daughters, and buried most of them under their house. To be honest, it's "Formula 1 crash" reading. You just keep going to see how much more horrible it can get. It really does get horrible, and you need a shower and a cuddle from your loved ones once you have read it. But compulsive reading in strange sort of way. (3) I went down the library the other week and there were three new Terry Pratchett books. Oh, I nearly wet myself. Read Terry Pratchett. You can read any of his books three times and still find something funny. Righty-oh, that me started this off with three books. I look forward to reading your recommendations & your recommended reads.

No worries about West Ham going straight back down. Christian Dailly is in their squad.

Don't do drugs kids, unless you can handle them.

This may be down to the majority of Man Yoo shares now being owned by Glazer there is no guarantee of ever getting a return on the share in the way of dividend. The shares are also quite useless for voting at the AGMs. If I'm wrong on that I know who will put me right.

Vinjay, I'd just like to say good luck with your campaign. The other board users are all hopeless half-wits who are cognosenti on matters Rovers like Jeanette Krankie is to professional basketball. I strongly advise you to persue your point and to ignore the doubters, you have your opinion, you stick with it. Keep going matey, at least until sometime in mid August when the next season starts. Some of us need something to keep us on our toes through the summer. Insulating the loft doesn't really fill the gap. All The Best Colin

Any team that can claw it's way back from 3-0 down after 45 minutes deserves applause. The day that we do it will be a firework day. Well done Liverpool

Ooops, I was thinking about the 7 v Norwich. I stand corrected

Without playing the video.....I don't think he scored against Forest in the 7-1 He did score a complete and absolute screamer against Brazil though. While playing in an England shirt. Thumped the ball from a good 25 yards/metres out and it flew in the top right hand corner.

Good luck and thanks to Graeme Le Saux. One of KD's more astute signings. he was bought from Chelsea reserves for £650,000 and fairly soon became England's first choice left back. Before he got the call up I remember Motty commenting on a Rover's match "You have to ask yourself "Is there a better left back in the country?"" The answer was obviously "No." As for the acrimonious/dodgy leaving of Rovers, well you can stuff him in a great big bag along with Shearer, Sutton, Sherwood, Hendry, Henchoz, Dunn, Ferguson to name but a few. Let's not get all precious about this. It happens.

Do it yourself you idle badger-botherer.

Sorry to sound a lot negative... If PNE have posted 250K ST application forms out then 245k will have ended up in the bin. Just like the pizza parlour flyers that land on our doormat. I've stuck a post on the "who do want to get promoted" thread making a valiant effort to pin down this mythical "floating football fan." Who is this beast? What does he/she do at the moment? Why would he/she desert Ewood for Deepdale. There can't be too many of them, can there?

Yes, an excellent evening's entertainment and a good thank-you to Tony with 13,500 turning up and the KO being delayed 10 minutes so that everyone could buy a ticket. Looks like some of the pessimists here will be happy to be proved wrong. It was a fair display from the codgers team of whom only Shearer and Grayson still play professionally. Super Atko's headed opener was class, I'll swear that Brad really did try to save it. Hendry showed us his arse a couple of times (which was nice.) Mimms made a couple of class tips over the bar, Rippers was great to watch, starting of on those great darting runs bit realising, a split second later, that he could no longer do them with any pace. He caught out Jay a couple of times. Garner & Speedie looked like Teletubbies, and probably played like them, but it was great to see them back. Special mention to Tugay for treating us to a dazzling display of "showing-off" Mustn't grumble and all that but the last 20 minutes were a bit of a anti-climax as the teams gradually metamorphosed into the reserves' "young bucks" playing the "old farts" which got rather one-sided and the youngsters not having the nouse to hold back. And, as already mentioned, Tony's brief closing comments brought a lump to the throat and a tear to the eye. Something along the lines of "Thank you for all coming, it's a great turnout, I'll always be grateful to you Rovers' fans, you've all been very kind to me for all the years I've been here."

Surely the question of Preston taking fans away from Ewood may be tempered by (a) I wouldn't be surprised if Rovers & Preston played home matches on different days so there must be a very special type of person who is going to alter their football habits if PNE get promoted. The person will like watching football, but is a neutral, and has decided to watch only premiership games and not championship ones. Can't be many around. (b)just how many more PNE fans will buy tickets for Ewood that Southampton, Norwich or Palace ever did? Probably more than all three put together

Is there anyone on here except from me who was at Anfield today? There has got to be someone. Come one, lets be 'aving you.

more bitching here

I drove past The Theatre Of Merchandising today at 16:30 today. There were a few hundred glory-hunters milling about like sheep all a-bleating. Must have cost them a lot of money to travel up from Essex to moan about an American taking over "their" football club and do whatever he is going to to do to it. Tractor-tugs pre-match. Fireworks! "And in deeeefencetoday is Riiiiiiiooo Ferdnannnnnnnd" "Buy your dogs now. ?5. Free mustard, onions ?1 extra." " Sorry sir, your seat has been taken for the day by one of a conglomerate of visiting Japanese businessmen." "Would you like the sound of the crowd turning up in your executive box sir? Oh dear it's already at maximum." "And after the game today everyone is welcome to free entry at the Manchester United Super Casino just across the road.*" * They've applied for planning permission

Me too, Now that The Scum have nicked this boy wonder from under the noses of Chelsea, after the latter did the same to the former with Robben. It's like seeing the two people you hate the most squaring up for a fight. Marvellous stuff.

Got mine & Mrs Colin's too. Row 21 seats 2 & 3 I think we've got the last two in the place. As you look at the Rovers' fans we're at the very top left hand side. It says restricted viewing. Oh dear. Just arranged to borrow the Mother-In -Law's clapped out Fiesta, Mrs Colin refuses to travel on the back of a Kawasaki 550 any more. I mean, how difficult is being six months' pregnant? Bloomin' women!

Which also might be an apt time to remind people how to donate a couple of quid a month to keep this thang going. Lots of donors + little donations = happiness.

Excellent posts from both Gav & Hasta. However.......................can we just let all that old stuff lie down & die? *********************************** This is meant to be Parkes' testimomial. Hopefully a sunny evening, a bunch of ex Rovers' players having a kick-about, raise a few quid for Parkes (not that he probably needs it,) a bit of a laugh, a few pints, some Dingle chants. Enjoy an over-weight Garner being set up for a tap-in by someone or other. In all, the equal of a Sunday morning kick-about but on a Tuesday evening, and with nothing to play for. Take it easy, it'll be a knock-around, nothing to get worked up about.

Go on then, I'll post a link Mr sweary F**k F**k F**k ad nauseum

It says "purple" on the choice font colour. Yes, I chose purple intentionally, nothing more nothing less. If any of you see Eddie tell him to get his finger out.

It looks like we're turning into the new Millwall "No one likes us, we don't care"

Rather Than The Usual “What’s The Score Going To Be?” I Thought I’d Organise A Quick Look At Five Players Who Have Recently Moved Between St Andrews And Ewood Park. Ta to Stuart for doing this. At Number 5 Well if you’d had the chance to put your face in Jordan’s cleavage and go “wubble wubble wubble wubble wubble” you’d probably be walking around wearing a smile like the Cheshire Cat. What did Dwight do in his last few months at Ewood? He had a little wander up and down, checked the pitch for divots, said hello to a few opposition players, and generally chilled-out. So is there a rational explanation for Steve Bruce taking him off our books? I think it was 10 to midnight on transfer deadline Brucey had just heard that Mikael Forsell was going to be out for the season and Clinton Morrison had picked up a knock which was going to leave us with only fit striker….so what do we do? The answer was to call Yorkie on his mobile just as he was about to sign for Celtic and convince him to sign for the Blues instead. There were mixed feelings amongst Bluenoses given his past at Vile Park but we were willing to give him a chance – he didn’t have too bad a start scoring on his debut and then getting another against Newcastle. However it all went a bit pear shaped when he wasn’t getting a start and David Sullivan failed to back him after the racial abuse he received at Ewood. He has agreed this week to move Down Under and to play in the A-League and to have his contract cancelled. At Number 4 Quite a few of us thought that this lad was a decent prospect, a bit prone to loosing his rag, but out he went in one of Souness’ purges. How is Damien Johnson doing these days? DJ arrived when we were still in the first division – I think he cost us £200k or something like that and was the first of the many ex-rovers we’ve signed. Primarily he has played on the right hand side of midfield but in recent months he has been pressed into a more central midfield role where he has produced some outstanding displays against Roy Keane and Steven Gerard to name two. He is still a bit prone to the odd needless booking and has been sent off once this season. His battle against the blonde tart that plays in your midfield should be one to look out for and I think it will be a toss up who booked first. Can’t remember too many times that he has been left out when available one of Brucey’s favourite players. At Number 3 He can clear the autumn leaves from your gutter without using a ladder. He started out as a very promising youngster, and then went downhill. Even the legendary Drill Sergeant Souness couldn’t put any backbone into him. Has Martin “Tiny” Taylor got himself sorted out yet? Rumour has it he is off the Glasgow Rangers in the summer don’t think he will be missed. Was brought as cover when Matty Upson was injured however with Matty back and King Kenny outstanding he has found it impossible to get in the team. At Number 2 The enigma that is known as David Dunn. Local Blackburn hero, astonishing talent, showboater, moaner, and hamstrings made out of un-cooked spaghetti. Dunny makes us tick when he is fit sadly his appearances have been fleeting because of his hamstring. He has just had a back operation which it is hoped will resolve the problem. Has to be flat out on his back for the next weeks which is a bit of a worry with his liking of pies and the odd drink – however remarkably he has lost 1½stone. Fingers crossed he will be sorted out once and for all and he can fulfil his undoubted potential. Hopefully the imminent arrival of baby Dunn with partner Sammy Winward will be a settling influence and curtail his legendary nights out before big games…… At Number 1 …….pulls pin, …..counts to six, …..lobs the name “Robbie Savage” into the arena. It will be interesting to see whether has got the bottle to show his face on Saturday after the way he departed. If he does the reception will be hostile to say the least and I’m sure he will get a kicking and will be wound up beyond belief. Over the 2½ seasons that he was with us he was a hero and was never out of the spotlight which was good for us and for him. However with all the “will he stay” or “will he go farce” that went on he was becoming a bit of a joke and was harming the club, so £3.1m was a good deal for a 30 year old whose better days are behind him. There are all sorts of rumours flying around why he wanted to move and not sure what the real reason was - but I don’t think we will too far away if we said money. Eddie's contribution to follow shortly