I played or a really good local team full of good players although I was more of a water carrier, win the ball and give it to somebody who could play. I also played in the Blackburn Sunday League. I fractured my femur in 1982 and took up refereeing and amassed over 1000 games, 500 of which were at professional level over a 23 year period.

It was something different and original that opposition managers took time to come to terms with. A bit like Sheffield United with their overlapping centre halves.

Also the radiators on full blast in the away changing room and salt in the tea. He also had luminous signs in the four corners at Cambridge so his defenders could aim for them. I was refereeing Preston Reserves when he was there and at every kick from the opposition keepers hands the Preston centre half would shout either jacks, queens, kings or aces. On one occasion Chris Sully didn't go with the command and played them onside which nearly resulted in a goal. Gary Peters (Becks number 2) went apoplectic at Sully who, in his defence said he was confused between kings and queens. It transpired that each shout was a code to do something in unison. On another occasion I was refereeing at Lincoln when he was there and at 2.55 the police entered the home dressing room and arrested him in front of the team. He was charged with some tax evasion thing, from memory based on the cigarette and booze run from France. Quite a character.

For a moment yesterday, albeit briefly, he was further ahead than both Wharton and Lenihan. He doesn't look like he has any weaknesses and after the error prone last two keepers it's a real blessing to have confidence in your keeper.

Entirely agree with Holtby. He's such a clever player. For Brereton's goal he has a player to his left and he gives the Nobbers 'the eyes' by looking at him. As they anticipated Holtby passing to him he played Brereton in without even looking at him. There aren't too many players who can do that.

I actually thought Gallagher had a different role last night. There did not appear to be the relentless long, diagonal balls aimed at his head out on the wing. He spent more time infield allowing Nyambe to bomb on. He played on the shoulders of defenders more than I have seen him but, as he did for the penalty once he is free his pace and strength become apparent. He is far from the finished article but playing to his strengths help.

It does seem a bit feast or famine on the penalty front. Mowbray made the point about quite a few sendings off against us because we are prepared to run in behind and usually at pace. It's a gamble sometimes to stay onside but it's a risk worth taking, however frustrating it is when they are actually off. I also think the quality of pass is crucial too and Holtby sees that run.

I thought Gallagher was clever in winning the penalty. He was clearly pulled outside the penalty area but he kept on going. Perhaps it's doing him a disservice though and his focus was just to score. I shouted for the penalty and red card immediately. Generally the referee was okay but Browne got away with a couple after he had been booked and the challenge on Elliott was worthy of more. Johnson also got away with one. Like you I shouted when Brereton patted the Nobber on the head after kicking Elliot. Too nice by far. Lenihan showed the right reaction for me. We have to start becoming horrible to play against.

Probably the best performance under Mowbray for me. Our utter dominance was great see after several barren seasons there. Lots of really good performances but I thought both of our full backs were excellent and at times played more like wingers. We simply have to get Nyambe on a long deal soon. Wharton is growing in each game and I'll be massively disappointed if he leaves him out for Ayala when he is fit. The challenge now is keeping this going - there have been too many false dawns under Mowbray.

I really would, if I was Mowbray be telling my players to verbally attack this idiot. Every set play I would have players in his ear looking for a reaction. In truth Mowbray probably feels sorry for him ??.

His first advice to them should be not to give Rooney the job. ?? In all seriousness how do his ilk keep getting well paid jobs in football. When I see stories like this I think of the old adage 'bullshit baffles brains'.

I read a piece from Mark Palios today and essentially he said that opening their ground for 2000 will cost them a significant amount of money. They have sold that amount of season tickets and that money has been spent. To comply with Covid protocol they have to open every turnstile and employ a lot more stewards to ensure full compliance. He reckons it will cost them up to £10k to do this. He said there would be no food or refreshment outlets open in the ground denying them further income.

I really think Nobbers are the type of team we continually struggle against. They are physical, play on the fringes of the laws and are generally in your face. Against the Watfords and Bournemouths we can play with a bit of freedom because they let you. Mowbray simply hasn't come up with a way to play against the likes of Nobbers, Cardiff, Middlesbrough, Millwall etc which is an indictment on the last three and a half years under him. In my view you simply have to fight fire with fire but the raw materials just aren't there.

Normally Tyrone I do too but I couldn't help with this one. In all honesty if Kean had come out with such ramblings we would still be ridiculing him for it.

The bit you have highlighted is absolute gobbledygook.

He was a boy in a man's body when he was 12 ??.

I edited my original post. Pearson played twenty minutes on Saturday.

I think Pearson is out for them and he provides a lot of that bite for them. Also Browne was missing on Saturday which I read was Covid related. Edit: Scrap the Pearson comment - he played twenty minutes for them on Saturday.

It's good topic to discuss and I'm with you - the range and quality of merchandise is poor and generally overpriced. For ages I've been looking for a blue and white scarf of the University type which is striped rather than the bar type. I even asked but was told they wouldn't be stocking any as they didn't think there would be a big demand. With Christmas just around the corner most clubs have many items with a club and Christmas theme but aside from jumpers and cards I don't think we do anything. My daughter always got me a voucher for the shop at Christmas but I asked her not to get me anymore because, like you I ended up with bags of sweets and tat.

Pure conjecture Philip. If's, buts and maybes. The fact is we are just not kicking on as many thought we would. Mid table is where the level of Mowbrays managerial ability tells me where we should be. He is Mr Average, good runs, bad runs interspersed with really good play and poor play with very little consistency. After seven turgid years of that lot many thought he is just what we needed and that could well be true of his first couple of years but when we should be kicking on we are still stuck in the long grass. I just want better for my club.

I haven't heard Josh which indicates there are late decisions to make with illness and players unable to train yesterday.

My view is that it strengthened his position within the club. It gives him even greater autonomy having a chief executive who he had a hand in appointing. If the rumours of Swag retiring are true his successor will be an interesting appointment.

Yes Matty it's now apparent that Mowbray has engineered himself into a pretty much autonomous position, more by chance though I think. Lots have bought into his slow build mantra and in fairness he does a decent selling job on most aspects of the playing side to the masses, mainly through his good honest guy, working class stuff. He is undoubtedly the best appointment they have made after a succession of crooks and under achievers and lots of fans are happy with that fact. My view is that it's a really low bar. Personally I don't buy all his bluster.

The friends and family I go with very rarely give them a mention, probably a case of out of sight, out of mind so I can't gauge how they feel. I think that's the case with a lot of fans who don't use message boards and other social media.

This game last season kind of summed Mowbray up to me. We were really good for most of the first half, bossing play and deservedly two up. Neil made a bold change after half an hour taking off his playmaker replacing him with a lump. In the second half they physically mullered us and Mowbray simply didn't react although the writing was on the wall for many of us. I distinctly remember saying to the group I was with at half time "who would take a draw now?" All but one said they would as we had the foreboding that Mowbray didn't.