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.

Leave it to the medics. If they think there is a chance and his mental attitude is right, sign him up.

Great feeling this morning. Fantastic match and result last night. The whole team was wonderful but the way they gelled when Chelsea really tried to turn it on in the second half was magnificent. Mourinho bringing Duff (great to see him playing so well again but even better the way we handled him) and Joe Cole on shows that he was deadly serious about getting something out of last night's game. Zura and Neill were fantastic- absolutely brilliant performances but the team was so good all the way through. Yes, those were two penalties- didn't think that Neill's trip was one when I first saw it but the slomo replay left me in no doubt and how the officials missed the Axe's rugby tackle on Crespo, well let's just say they missed a few the other way as well including a couple of corners for Rovers. SWP was bought for £21m?!??? At least he ruled himself out of the World Cup squad last night but that was a seriously pathetic effort by the little man. Fantastic atmosphere from the crowd- I wished so much to be back in Blackburn last night. Finally to the biggest star of all- Mark Hughes. Blackburn boss Mark Hughes quoted in the BBC: "We're absolutely delighted. It's been a huge effort by a lot of people. Sometimes you don't get what you deserve in life - but we have. "We need to keep moving forward. We came from a point last year where we were rock bottom of the Premier League and were in danger of going down. "This year we have built on the qualities we had to show last season." Isn't it wonderful being a Rover- a few judicious signings and we could be in for an amazing season next year.

A very good reason for Spuds not to come 4th or for Arsenal to win the CL....if there is a clause

Big Club's fans' opinions: Which player have Blues missed most this season? Other (8%) Mehdi Nafti (12%) Muzzy Izzet (4%) David Dunn (76%)

Roll up Roll up! End of season clearance. All millionaire footballers must go! So besides a certain Dunn deal, who do we fancy from that lot? No transfer fees required by the look of things.

I am writing in the present- as you know Scollari and Capello are ruled out. So too are Wenger, Ferguson and Mourinho by way of an unwritten/unspoken agreement between the FA and those clubs. Obviously you see Sam as a better manager than Hughes. I beg to differ. I had been a big supporter of Hiddink, then Scolari. Now so many prime candidates are rulled out, Hughes is so obviously the best man for the job but thankfully for Rovers'sake its going to be MacLaren/Taylor.

Exactly Colin, Sparky is so obviously the best man for the job I was just hoping Boro would win at OT yesterday with a bit of tactical wizzardry. Unfortunately, those words and Steve MacLaren are rarely to be found in the same sentence. MacLaren as number 1 with Peter Taylor as number 2 is enough to make any Englishman wish he was born a Scot.

My answers toToby Brown's questions (and a link back to this thread- could be getting circular) is at: http://www.cfcnet.co.uk/content/results_detail.asp?ID=5938

I think we can be certain to see SWP start on Tuesday night which means MGP will have to be lively doubling up to cover Micky Gray. I'm in two minds over the Nelsen injury. I wouldn't be that surprised if Sparky is playing games and Nelsen turns out tomorrow night. On the other hand, the Neil/Zura combination at the centre ought to be able to look after itself and Reid/Bentley down the right could be a promising combination. I'd like to see Gally on the bench for this one. I think a largely reserve Chelsea starting XI could well be more of a problem for us than the team that turned the Mancs over so easily at Stamford Bridge. It would also mean a win for the Rovers would be devalued and instantly dismissed by the press.

Here's a helpful hint- read the thread.