Jerome Watt is now plying his trade at Lancaster City, a pale shadow of a young lad who was supposedly on his way to the top as a Rovers Youth Team and Reserve player.

Kevin Hird told me he used to room with Simon Garner on away trips, the first time he was rooming with him, Hirdy woke in the middle of the night alarmed at a red glow at the other side of the room, it was Garner having a quick fag in the middle of the night!!

I wish I could make a career as a footballer in Oz or the States. Surely you don't have to be that good?

In the States, you do have to be decent, cant speak for Oz, but in the States you will be surprised, even in the lower grades at least good semi pro level!!

I was preveliged to work with both Ian and Keith Newton for a year or so!!

Both have now departed this life.

RIP Ian

He was a short stocky fullback ( usually right back ), a good defender with a fair turn of pace but not the greatest going forward. He was more likely to put the ball out than in passing up the touchline. Never say die attitude , a real trier and a good clubman, very popular with the fans. He later became Howard Kendalls assistant manager I think.

Pretty sure Mick Heaton came from Sheff Utd. Tyrone is correct, good defender and 100 percenter.

Accident or deliberate is not the issue for me, its the fact that people need to drink so much alcohol at football matches, surely Football should be the reason for attending the game!!

My thoughts go to the family of the lad who undeservedly lost his life, it shouldnt have happened, may he rest in peace!!

Maybe a total alcohol ban in football grounds is the answer (apart from the corporate boxes)Tragic incident and not good for our club!!

Let's be honest, Benni could be class when he wanted too, but when he didn't want to - he offered little. A motivated and fit Benni is a massive asset, but it's clear neither is the case. .

I played cricket with Collis King the West Indian, on his day the best in the world, when he didnt feel like it, he couldnt be bothered, even went off with sunstroke at 68 degrees!!!! Some guys are like that!

I was going to say...I thought Nicko said he's been in Spain with his wife over the weekend (which we allowed him to do), so no wonder he's not been in training on friday and possibly not today either.

Either way we should get rid...he's not met targets set by Allardyce (fair or otherwise) and has consistently acted like a muppet when other clubs have shown the slightest interest in him.

He's under - performed for the past 2 seasons for one reason or another, and has shown no willing or enthusiasm to suggest to us that he wants to get back to playing like he did in his first season for us...so to be frank, why waste our time, money, and effort on him? He's 30+ so isn't going to suddenly become a superstar again...although undoubtedly he can finish and show 3 or 4 nice tricks surely that doesn't outweigh the fact that apart from that he actually brings nothing most other strikers in the league do?...especially if there's running more than 20 feet involved.

Find a replacement and get rid.

Worrying thing for me is Dunny looks to have been piling on the pounds too!!!!

he was slim and fit early season, no wonder the injuries are back again, he's out of shape!!

For those that followed the youth a few years ago:

Jerome Watt- Played for England at youth level him and Ciaran Donnelly were meant to be big things coming through, Watt is now playing for Bamber Bridge!

Stuart Howson- Went to Northern Spirit in Australia on loan with Ben Burgess, now plays for Chorley!

He played for AFC Fylde last year and was on the subs bench when we played them|!!

I understand more about football than every member of this silly little forum (bar myself) put together. This is mainly down to my excellent contacts within the game (past and present) sharing their knowlege with me, as well as my excessively high IQ.

Randolph, if you understand so much about football, which from your comments I very much doubt and you have an excessively high IQ, please tell me this, why is it you spend so much time on here talking pure drivel when your superior knowledge could be put to better use at your own club, who, despite over acheiving with a championship squad for half a season, need as much help as they can in trying to get the wheels back on!!!

Sorry for the biography. It's clear that a lot of you know each other personally and I am a bit of an interloper. But I do watch the games, and buy myself and the kids a jersey every year. And my daughter loves her Rovers' banner.

I like the word Jersey!! Sure you dont mean uniforms and I do hope their Cleats are kept clean??

Enjoy your football and good to hear your comments!!

Agreed. I have nothing personal against Benni, but his interviews tell me that he has issues. We need to sell him and bring in someone a bit more focused and reliable. And I'm not singling him out, as I share the same opinion of Roberts, MGP, EHD and Andrews.

Smoss are you a yank or an ex pat? you do post quite a bit of sense on here!!

This is a difficult post for me to make, for Benni, like the player I consider to bne the most 'gifted player in the Prem Berbatov, do appear to be lazy, but they can turn the game in a flash, that is flair and I think every team should have one!!

Unfortunately, Benni is a sulker and if things arent going right, his game goes to pieces!!

One point here, Allardyce, if these comments are true is really putting his head on the block and must simply have a player ready to come in and fill the gap !!

If this goes wrong he leaves himself wide open so I do feel he has an option available to him!!

I really hope so.

Try the Alma inn Laneshawbridge Colne, expensive but exceptional food!

Among regular visitors, Bernie Calvert (Hollies) Michael Phelan (Man U asst Manager) Richard Chaplow, Mckenna ex PNE

great atmosphere and the Bar Manager is a Rovers ST Holder

really good food, highly recommended!!

Oh and the beers good, nice clean pumps!

The real problem with the development of players is the constant tampering with the laws of the game!

Firstly, we get now a starting eleven and now 7 substitute on the bench!! OK only three can play but that is 18 players out of the squad involved in the first team!

So, the consequence is, that Reserve team football then simply becomes an extension of the academy, players are not really moving up levels, years ago, a young lad would go into the reserve team and be playing against seasoned proffessionals, as a young player they would have the technique/ability and they would then apply it against bigger stronger

pro's who had the experience of first team football, so you bridge the gap between Academy/Youth football to the first team.

This doesnt happen now and the gap (due to the foreign imports) is getting wider.

Look at Rovers reserve team last year, made up basically of academy players, whats the point of that, not only at Rovers, but other clubs as well.

So we need to bridge the gap somehow and its not going to happen under the present system for a young player will not be given a run of games to adapt to first team levels, especially in the premiership!!

Agreed. McCarthy is the second most technically gifted player I have seen play for Rovers (just behind Tugay, just ahead of Bentley). His touch is exceptional.

However he has also been extremely lazy over the last two seasons.

His saving grace is that Di Santo or Kalanic may be able to bring more out of him than Cruz, Derbyshire or Roberts did. They are two different sorts of player, and Kalanic in particular has pace that Benni could use to make himself the space he needs.

It will be interesting to see how he works with the new guys. If he doesn't get sold first that is!

One thing you will find with young players, they have the legs, enthusiasm and vibrancy to get that little extra, I feel Benni is very much a box player and if the ballis around those areas, he will score you goals, most of his footbll has been played on the continent, they play with pace only in the last 3rd of the park,

its a totally different game and that is why you find many players come from abroad and cant hack this league!!

Just a little round-up for those who like these things:

Josh O'Keefe (Irish CM) - Walsall

Tony Kane (NI RB) - Carlisle

Jemal Johnson (US LW/CF) - MK Dons, resigned by Ince

Dean Winnard (CB) - Accy Stanley - played against our ressies recently

Bryan Hodge (Scottish CM) - Partick Thistle

Gary Harkins (Scottish CM) - Dundee (transfer from Partick Thistle)

Andreas Arestidou (GK) - Shrewsbury

Bjoern Bussman (German GK) - 1860 Munich

Rostyn Griffiths - (Aus CM) - North Queensland Fury

Jonathan Bateson (RB) - Bradford City

Jamie Clarke (CF) - Lincoln City (released by Rotherham)

Andy Taylor (LB) - Sheffield United (signed from Tranmere)

Gary Stopforth (CM) - New Orleans Jesters! Captain.

Gary Stopforth presently on Trial at New England Reds, Managed by ex Liverpool Stevie Nichol!!

Joe Garner at Notts Forest

Ben Burgess Blackpool

RIP a 'proper' football person, what you saw is what you got with Sir Bobby, will be sadly missed.

In fairness he's a Champions League winning striker. He's probably right to expect to be picked to play up front before Chris Samba.

I would have thought Sam would have explained the choice to him, but perhaps not.

In football, you should only expect to be selected if you are playing well and putting a shift in for the team, then you have a genuine grief, last season, I dont think Benni did and he looked to be carrying too much weight.

He's still a class act. With our other striking options almost certainy including three 6ft + target men types, it's imperative that we keep Benni. I think he'll be great alongside a work horse who can set things up on a plate for him.

I think, judging by his comments, Benni wants out!!!