This is getting like intruding on private grief.

I would have taken Beattie and one fewer midfielder but I am OK with Walcott being in there alongside Lennon. Jol takes the biscuit fuming about Defoe not going- excuse me Mr Spud, who *******ed up Defoe's chances by not picking him?

Well done Shillito- I bow to your superior foresight. Just out of interest, unlike SGE, have you ever seen Walcott playing in the flesh?

Brum are off loading all high earners and the window opens today- someone posted thyat Bullard will complete his Fulham transfer today.

Neither Owen nor Rooney will play a game in this World Cup. Pretty well all the other English forward options don't unduly worry Rovers fans when they turn out against us so they won't cause any sleepless nights in Brasil, Argentina, Spain, Italy, France, Germany.... We can relax- there is no chance England will win the World Cup. The last time we won it, we had the luxury of not putting Jimmy Greaves in the squad. Bit of a difference compared with 2006.

From the pictures I've seen, the new shirt looks quite classy. Click for more pics At least this season's awful and embarassing away strip is headed for the dustbin. It didn't even do its job as it couldn't be worn away at any club playing in white and black (except at Fulham where the two teams were identical from the back).

Looks like there are going to be "afters" to this game. Sommeil is to be investgated by the FA for spitting at Dickov in the first half. Perhaps Tugay can appeal his red card if the camera does show that contact was as minimal as being claimed. Was it brutal in the second half?- six yellows and a red suggests that there were no prisoners taken and the ref was losing it. Anyway, a nice result and a fitting way to celebrate an excellent season.

Anyone going into chat today?

All very dramatic. No MGP, Reid or Bellamy for Rovers, RvN has walked out on the Mancs and Spuds are going to vomit and excrete if the ref's decision disagrees with them at West Ham.

BIG CLUB cannot even fire Steve Bruce without turning it into a two-week soap opera!

Woops! Anyway, Oxford has now replaced St Helen's as the largest town/city in europe without a league football team and I think Accy have just become the smallest English town (ignoring Berwick-upon-Tweed) with a football league team. I have to say seeing Accy come back and Oxford go out is utterly surreal.

They'll probably count the gate tomorrow.

Its going to be a game that needs an early goal and won't matter too much who gets it.

Seems he's overly familiar with drug dealers and black rappers to be much of a puritan.

The end result is a rise in TV money for the PL of 65% and Setanta winning two packages. Whether all this is sustainable beyond this three year deal is anyone's guess but for the time being the PL puts more distance between itself and all other leagues. I hope this doesn't reduce the pressure for a more even division of money between the 20 clubs. The EU pressure resulted in a doubling in the %age of money going into the grass roots of football but I don't think that much is being done re the Prem/gripe water Championship divide. The Guardian's take is that the deal will end up being worth a massive £2.5bn. 1) I really hope that clubs do pass on the benefit in terms of reducing ticket prices although I seriously wonder now whether price is the problem compared with lifestyle issues. 2) With the advance of technology, I have no idea whether this is policeable. To paraphrase, I don't think it is capable of being managed. I have found a way of watching any live soccer on my PC and if clubs/FA/Prem cannot manage the problem of pubs showing live football, how are they going to handle this? 3) But above all, I hope the clubs find a way of limiting the spiraling players wages. THE AVERAGE WAGE OF PLAYERS IN PREMIERSHIP SQUADS IS £13,000 A WEEK. (or £676,000 a year)

Rovers have nothing to play for except pride on Sunday. Citeh have a million upside in prize mney if they win and other results go their way. My hunch is on Sparky's motivational powers being better than Pearce's and Bellamy to grab a hattrick in a 3-1 win. I reckon Arsenal will do us all a favour and grab 4th as well.

That's going to be entertaining when Puke come to Ewood then (if they play in their away kit). Don't like the opposite coloured armpits on the new shirts- it will look like we are playing in stripes. You'll see what I mean on Saturday.

The delight and relief of the Boro fans at this appointment is all that needs to be said.

Yes I really wanted to start a campaign to get Souness re-instated. I feel that he is somewhat misunderstood, mostly by his players who insist on playing out of position in mysterious formations. It is a long time since we were treated to some complete misfit from Spain or Italy playing in blue and white and whilst Hughes made a heroic attempt at emulating the master motivator in meaningless games by losing away to Brum and West Brom, it was pathetic that we were not doubled over by Sunderland as well. We've given Hughes and his backroom contracts to 2009- I'm sure there's room for Souey to get a contract for kicking players in the five a side until 2019 and telling anyone who will listen that they are a pansy.

Sparky on how the UEFA will help to attract players MGP- Rovers to do a Boro in the UEFA next season

Subforum? Is this a lower form of life? Put me down for any Australian game still going free. In a less tongue in cheek mode, I doubt I'll have much competition for Tunisia v Saudi and Ecuador v Costa Rica

A broken leg....

Sparky's reaction (from the Australian Advertiser!) Hughes is aware that Rovers' last foray into Europe, three years ago, placed too great a demand on the club's league form, triggering an alarming slide, and he is determined to avoid a repeat by drafting recruits. And he believes Rovers' European qualification will attract players and help to convince the likes of Craig Bellamy, Morten Gamst Pedersen and Steven Reid, who have all been linked with moves, to stay at Ewood Park. "We will look at the demands of European football and try to strengthen in the way every club tries to strengthen during the (northern) summer," Hughes said. "I think we can build on the qualities we have showed this year. "Next year will place big demands on the club and we are hoping for a significant run in Europe and the premiership. "Our chances of progressing in Europe depend on the kind of draw we get. "Everton showed how important that is this year when they drew Villarreal, who went on to reach the Champions League semi-finals. "But European football is an experience that will help our players and it will help us attract more players to the club. "And we certainly don't want to lose our best players."

Gav, tight squeeze- another 600 less last night and you'd have been sweating. Hopefully all the stayaways were feeling as sick about not being at Ewood last night as I was.

Its a squad game isn't it? No doubt if Emo shines in Germany and a £4m bid came in, he'd go. But otherwise, he's looked good coming off the bench.