There was a few handbags outside at both games and at the train stations I think, doubt it was anymore than some ordinary league games. That was with 10k plus crowds and away followings of 2800 & 1200. What would this match draw ? 3 or 4K all in ?

As someone who watches the u21s when I can and have been to these fixtures in the past I'm aghast at this. It's absolutely pathetic they can't police a game that will be attended by no more than a couple of thousand fans. Never seen more than a few handbags or mouthing off at these and as usual most of it comes from the dark side.

Anyone watch the Chocolatito - Viloria fight from last weekend? Fantastic performance.

Not seen it yet so hope to catch up on it this weekend.

The Smith v Fielding fight could be an interesting one, can't see past Smith myself but may be a tough one for him.

Like a few others it was just before my time of starting going to Ewood but I was always aware of his time there. Remember as a kid reading the promotion brochure and seeing reports of that great run and some photos of the Bury game and being gutted I'd just missed out on it. Real legendary stuff and a massive achievement.

RIP

Good post jbn, but in regards to Bowyer signing players better than Lowe and Williamson... not that difficult, surely? When you consider two free transfers from Reading have been an instant improvement I think that says it all. I also don't understand the extension for Williamson when we already have so many players in that position. Why not give one of the younger lads that spot?

A bit harsh to say Olsson had a bad start to the campaign - how many games did he play before being dropped? And if that was criteria how in the world did Lowe and Hanley keep their places? Perhaps you can make an argument for Lowe based on fitness of the newer signings, but Kilgallon should surely have been in for Hanley if we're talking players being dropped for poor contributions in the first couple of games. Considering Olsson was our player of the season last term it would be an incredibly harsh decision from Bowyer to drop him so soon into this campaign imo.

Generally agree with your third point, but we've played some really poor teams over the past three games and we gifted Charlton quite a few chances so not convinced about Hanley/Duffy just yet. I would agree that dropping Hanley now would be pointless - not that he would anyway.

Beginning the season with Raya in goal was a strange one for me as well. Steele had been solid for us, and throwing a kid into the first team based on a couple of decent outings at the tail end of last season in dead rubber games was a poor call imo. Thank goodness Bowyer rectified that, though it's hard to say what effect that has had on Raya.

It was mentioned a bit back that Williamson had played enough games last season to automatically trigger a clause for another year. Maybe they were going to look to phase him out last season but the injury crisis forced otherwise ? If Lowe wasn't injured I could've maybe seen them letting him go in Jan or out on loan.

We can't say for sure but on the face of it things surely looked like he was finding someone to play alongside Lowe rather than instead.

Pathetic ain't it matty?

You have to ask yourself why it's come to people unfortunately saying these things. Then just look back at the evidence under Bowyers tenure in regards to Lowe, his selection, results etc. The answers are all there and whilst I don't want a player injured if he was available he'd have been in and it probably would have affected recent performances and results.

Best case scenario here is he gets right then gets loaned out hopefully until he's 100% fit. We all know damn well he'll be back in as soon as he's available. It's a giant achilies heel of Bowyers sadly and he's changed the team just to accommodate this guy several times before so no reason to think he won't again.

A guy I know over there reckons they get about 4 or 5 k on but the gates are usually given as around 7+. He did say that quite a few bought season tickets covering several seasons otherwise there'd be even less on. Don't know if that's correct or not but it's amazing they get any on at all.

We still have the option to go direct with koita there. Scored a very good goal against QPR that way, with koitas flick on to Rhodes..

Which is a nice bonus and hopefully something that can be worked on. Never worked out great that way with Rudy as he just operated with a 'i'll just get my head to it' style and Rhodes often went the wrong way to his attempted flicks.

He's even putting it about a bit more this season in a better attempt at leading the line so that might suit one or two. He's likely only playing for his big move though which will surely come so they'll get their wish eventually. He must stay till the summer though....or else

Sounds like they played well again and it'll be handy having Taylor back, at least he isn't another defensive mid. I just wish a few more people would turn out to watch them when they play on Ewood, we get the same on at Leigh.

Just in exile I think.....or reincarnated

what's irritating to read is me being called Gordon all the time,that's being ignored for a reason.

Tell you what it's not worth bother, I will just leave and let you all talk amoungst yourselves as new people are treated like dirt.

Please close down my account.

It's a poor do if they ban you, don't throw in the towel so easy. Anyway I'd be more inclined to call you Gav than Gordon

There seems to be a good few pretty knowledgeable boxing connoisseurs on here. I do love the boxing, but don't get chance to watch half as much I'd like to. Has Eubank Jr's hype died the death now, or is that still bubbling along? I've watched a couple of his fights and he look decent, but it seems to have gone cold. Have I missed something, or has he just not fought in a while? His dad was one of the best boxers I've ever seen. An absolute tit, but a hell of a boxer.

Tyson must be, err, furious after the messing about he got from Haye. He's a bit of a gobshoite, but a decent enough boxer. Heavyweight division doesn't seem to be anywhere as competitive as it has been in the past. I grew up watching Tyson, Lewis, Moorer, Buster Douglas, Holyfield, ect. He's not a patch on any of them, but does deserve a crack at it, even if it's just to shut him up if he gets put on his arse ala Prince Nas. Personally, I don't think he will though. I think he'll do it and keep it for a good while, when he eventually gets his chance.

Eubank Jnr has just signed with Eddie Hearn and Adam Booth (formerly of Haye and Groves when he was looking decent) is now in his corner I think so expect his career to finally get going in the right direction. Best thing he can do though is get senior out of his corner.

More likely ticket sales are the reason. If it's just postponed a month then I think that tells the story. If Wlad tries to wriggle out of it then you might be right although I doubt it.

I'd like to see Fury fight Wilder and I'd probably support him on that one, just before AJ comes along and spanks the lot !

I've already been told off for my limited knowledge in supporting Fury. Oh well, such is life.

Ranked in the world top ten since 2010. Five years to get a title shot while Klitchko dodged him. Two years being messed about by David Haye running away. Genuine record unlike some. In his 2nd fight he fought a guy with 20 knockouts in 21 wins. In his 8th and 11th fight fought Mcdermott in two tremendous uk battles. Battered everyone else they've put in front of him. But I'm meant to believe he's useless as I've been told on here.

Tomphil if you've ever got a couple of hours free watch the Jack Johnson story in black and white. What a character! What a boxer. Way before his time.

All about opinions pal

Anyway it's off now and I do feel for the guy on that score. I'll stick to my guns though and say it's all about timing. Even just on the British scene ten or fifteen years ago he'd have struggled to shine imo.

I'll watch that when I get chance, read a few bits about him and yes he was certainly a pioneer and a 'lad' even before being a 'lad' was even thought of. Such unbelievable characters some boxers are, all adds to the interest for me.

If Fury wasn't such a dick I might find him entertaining but man I've never wanted to see someone knocked out so badly. Sky and everyone else are all over him but he's just a comedy act enjoying his 5 mins. On achievements he's no right to be in the ring with Klitschko yet but the division is so sparse of challengers he's there already.

If he pulls it off then fair play to him but it's a travesty for boxing if a goon like him ends up with 4 world title belts.

Agreed, that punch allowed him to boss most of that fight and it gave people the wrong idea of him. Had Froch's head not been scrambled it's likely he would have got to Groves around midway. There was never any sign of that kind of performance from Groves before or after. People drumming him up because of the Saint George angle and seeing him as a possible to fill the Hatton void but in truth he was overated, just a good domestic fighter.

Mind you he's a rich kid now so being a gobshite's done him no harm

I'll be honest I've never liked Groves one bit even well before the Froch fight although I do repect him as a fighter and a trier. So I haven't got a lot of sympathy for him and now he should quit whining and get back in line. He needs to work his way back after a very long rest if he carries on, the lad looks drained.

Big competition in that division even domestically now and I think Degale or even young Smith takes him out without much bother at the min. He's been handed 3 title shots now and I couldn't see him getting past any of the top boys, time for some serious thinking George.

Yes, the first 6 games have been about building a tactical platform. Sacrificing points to fine-tune our strategy, ready to be unveiled tomorrow night.

I feel sorry for QPR, I really do. They won't know whether it's Christmas Day or Easter Monday come kick-off time. We'll have our foots on their collective throat ... or is feet, or collective foot on their throats, anyway, we'll mangle them with a display of manly macho aggressive in-your-face-slag bullying football that their puny team won't be able to withstand. Very much in the image of Gary "Raw Meat" Bowyer.

It's cruel, but it's survival of the fittest.

Gaz has stayed in tonight with a 6 pack of Special Brew, a live salmon as a snack and a box set of Bear Grylls dvds. I expect him on the touchline tomorrow night in nothing but a gym vest and a pair of combat pants, sporting an SAS tattoo. Lose if you dare he will scream !

We are currently three points from safety as things stand.

For what its worth we are also 9 points from a play-off place (remember what one of those is?- nobody on this messageboard ever talks about them...). The dingles are in an automatic promotion spot as well just to really cheer everyone up.

The push for the play offs starts tomorrow night, infact if we win I can see a thread opening in it's honour !

Unfortunately the buck has to stop somewhere and for the playing side it's GB

I think it's also fair to say that had he ever got to grips with setting up the midfield and defence and bolstering them correctly during a near 3 year reign with over 30 players signed then, when bad luck does strike we can still come out of some games with a point or something.

Keep conceding first just shows he's never created that platform for us to play from. He's kept faith with Hanley and Duffy again who underperformed so badly together last season . Despite them playing quite well individually this season the signs are still there that they just don't work well together. Both have been at fault numerous times for goals against this season already, it's repeat things like this as well as his rotation and the Lowe situation that show he'll never get to grips with job.

Correct, they could have done most of those points at ANY time in the last few years and anyone with any genuine Rovers connections would advise similar to those points. It could all have been turned around and still not cost them anymore than it has.

I just hope their interest has now really reached the end, they are sick of it and just quietly exit at the end of the season. I think they just might but the final act could be us relegated.

Yes apologies it was a bit of a sweeping statement. We could get a new manager bounce for a while, i agree. But nothing drastic will improve, imo.

If Venkys are here in 5 years time, we might not even be in league one.

No probs, totally agree with your last point as I'm absolutely convinced that IF we went down under this lot it's curtains. We'd follow the Lutons etc of this world. If we went down because they bailed and maybe admin brought someone with a damage limitation plan we'd probably establish ourselves in league 1 / 2 for a while. With these lot we are goners the downward trend has been in action since they walked through the door and there is no reason whatsoever to believe it would change.

I too felt we would be in trouble this year, but changing manager wont make a blind bit of difference. A change of ownership is needed.

If we get a new manager, he wont be able to sign anyone on over £10k in January. That is chronically pathetic by board/owners.

You can't say that changing manager won't make a blind bit of difference of course it can and it's been proven time and again in football down the years. Yes it could get worse but if we keep losing then how can it. If a new guy steps in and simply does enough to keep us up it's all that's required at this moment in time.