A pal of mine who is a ST holder at Newport County and really knows his stuff, texted me when we got the lad from Crewe to say that he thought we had a real player. He had kept Newport’s star striker quiet, who had caused all sort of problems to Man Utd in their cup tie and think he is now scoring really well at Mansfield Town after a club record fee move.

‘Just need O’Riordan and Markandy back and we will be in great shape for a promotion push’ Suhail Pasha 😃

Next to no playing time at the Gas. Nothing against the lad and hope he makes it but never really seen anything in a Rovers shirt to l suggest he can play at Championship level and looks like Bristol took a similar view re: tier 3 football !

‘Like bringing a new and exciting player into the squad’ Swag 😎

That’s a real blow for us and Yuki himself and sounds like he could be well missing for a few weeks. We need some reinforcements in as soon as possible in the window.

Very quiet on any transfer links. In truth, that’s not a bad thing and we do seem to manage to keep things under wraps now until the player is in the building and signed with the notable exceptions of O’Brien, Maguire and the young Rochdale lad.

Be a real blow if that turns out to be the case. Think official line is that Yuki and Cantwell are unlikely to feature but not as yet, ruled out.

We outplayed them that night, they couldn’t get near Adam W and then that Benson pulled one out of the bag. We also should have had a penalty in injury time when that tossed Barnes, clearly hand balled it. Just nothing went for us in that last 5 / 6 matches, wretched luck that cost us a play off berth.

FFS Jim, please stay away 🙏

Assuming there is an assessor at today’s game, how will the referee justify the penalty decision ? It was clear for all to see from his body language that he had no interest whatsoever until manhandled by the Leeds player and then suddenly, it is a penalty. Even Merson on Sky mentioned it !

Don’t forget that JDT wanted him and he was at Ewood to sign when Swag changed the deal. If he had come that year, think he would have seen us into the play offs.

No way referee was giving that, was running away until Leeds player caught up with him. Disgusting !

Not going to hold out much longer.

Dolan should have been sliding in for that one. Could have contested that with keeper.

I know what you mean but who for. Bringing on Buckley would change the shape and would almost certainly end up getting beat, he’s not the man you want in the trenches !

So far, so good but I just can’t see us holding out for the full 90 minutes.

Hope he is ok for Saturday, we need all the options available.

Usual issue, we just don’t have the pace within the offensive unit.

Harsh but true.

Definitely our best chance of getting anything but I fear that today we will be well beaten, probably 3 0. I hope and pray that I am wrong.

Actually, the season Burnley avoided the drop was 86/87 and they again averaged just over 3,000 for the season, including the bumper last day crowd against Leyton Orient. Rovers average was nearly 7,000 that season and I remember travelling back from our last match of the season at Boundary Park, Oldham and seeing Dingles everywhere. Your right though, it was a tough time for football, especially northern mill town clubs but it was a time that I really enjoyed following Rovers.

For context, same season Burnley averaged 3,204 and ‘big’ clubs like Leeds 13,000, Derby, 12,000, Leicester 11,000 and Sheffield United 10,000, Palace and Boro, 6,000.

Yep, Undav would have shot us into the play offs and potentially, back to the promised land.

Parson is referring to pre 80’s, whilst you are referencing the 80’s, both are valid historical points.

I’m not sure he has played much, if at all, since October as has had surgery.