I raised exactly the same point last Monday night at the Fans Forum. I went into the Club Shop about ten days ago to buy a new fleece. In the past there has been several designs to choose from. On this occasion all the new stuff, tracksuits, fleeces, benchjackets etc was in one design and one design only. Moving to the fleeces I was mildly irritated to find there was only XXL or small available. I assumed they would obviously be getting some more in for Christmas and went to check with the staff only to be met by a shrug of the shoulders, "we're not getting any more" and a "it's nothing to do with us" type attitude. I was horrified at this. That was only one item. If the same is true for everything how much will be lost in potential sales over the Christmas period?. However I got the impression from Tom Finn that this wasn't considered a major issue as Rovers are apparently on a minimum take from the shop regardless of sales. Whether that's true or not, the shop is OK if you want to buy some cheap SWI crap but relatively useless if you now want any Rovers merchandise. Gone are the days when you can buy mini kits for cars, dressing gowns, pyjamas, bed linen, Rovers soft toys, towels, watches, art prints - that's just a few examples off the top of my head - the list is endless. Desperately disappointing to say the least. A heck of a trade off for SWI's pile of silver.

Irt mentioned on the radio this week that Damien Duff scraped into the list at number 100 with a "mere" 7.75m! I think that's quite well deserved in comparison to dollopers like Heskey and Drogba.

Strange game. We played some scintillating football for the first 20 minutes then went slowly off the boil. Nevertheless there was little sign of the mayhem to come of conceding a sloppy goal,the sending off, and the killer second on the stroke of half time. Unless his hand was forced by injury I thought Hughes erred in his initial team selection by switching to 4-5-1. We've been successful playing 4-4-2 and the only real points for discussion are which two start from Zurab Nelsen and Todd, who plays alongside Savage, and who plays alongside Bellamy. The foreign contingent on here calling Todd are way off the beam I feel. Nelsen had a stinker toay being at fault for both goals. I'd need to see the sending off again but feel it was a bad decision. My initial reaction was that the Everton player (Beattie) played the ball against Todd from a yard or so away. The referee who seeingly had a clear view didn't react nor indeed did the linesman until Beattie started waving his arms about. Then the linesman flagged and you feared the worst. Hughes was also at fault I thought not bringing Zurab on immediately after the sending off. We seemed to be trying to muddle our way through half heartedly until half time and it cost us. The second half even with 10 me we created the better chances but it was one of those days. Hopefully an afternoon we can put behind us, revert permanently to 4-4-2 and pretend today never happened

Unbelievable, gave up listening to it on the radio with 20 minutes to go at 2-0 down and then watched gobsmacked (and whooping) in the Pub as the score flashed up 3-2 on Sky. Sounds from the game as though 4-5-1 failed miserably again and that we only looked a threat when we switched to 4-4-2? Great strike from Thompson. The commentators remarked he looked immeasurably leaner and fitter. Must admit I had written him off after a string of dire displays, Particularly at home v Leicester in the Cup. Let's hope we avoid ManUre/the Arse next round. Although wouldn't bet against them being kept apart as with that farcial semi final draw out of an open receptacle a couple of seasons back.

That's apologising for Souness in the extreme. The facts are that for Newcastle it was one of two chances to win a trophy this season. (Surely even GS couldn't get that squad relegated?) Paul Jewell stated the day before the match that staying up this season was still his priority and he would be making numerous changes. That he did, I think there were TWO regulars selected until Roberts came on 2nd half. It was the manner of the performance that must have had Fat Freddy cringing. It was a 1-0 drubbing, Newcastle hardly had a kick. Having taken us to the brink of ruin, thank god he is now working his magic at Newcastle. Long may it continue. Although judging by Fat Freddy's face in the stand last night, it may not continue much longer, it looks like reality is setting in.

How can you draw a negative from that piece? It's praising him to the hilt and simply remarks that he isn't the most physical of players which we knew already. It doesn't say anything about lack of commitment.

I didn't much care for the self pitying figure Best cut in the latter stages of his life but now he's gone I find it extremely sad that we've lost someone who was by popular consensus one of the three or four greatest players of all time. I think the "waste of a career" bit is slightly overdone, he actually won two League titles, the European Cup and was voted Europen footballer of the year. How many can claim that? Not his fault he was eligible for Northern Ireland his international career by definition was going to be limited. As for his personal life, as a sporting superstar in an era when sporting superstars didn't exist who knows how any of us would have reacted in the face of such temptation? As FLB said he didn't go around killing anyone. He deserves to be remembered for his unique footballing talents. Rodney Marsh who knew him better than most said that he had such wonderful balance he was like a Subbuteo player, you couldn't knock him over when he had he ball. This is certainly borne out by the old video footage of hm riding challenge after challenge. Such a difference from today's "superstars" who go down if someone breathes on them. I also like his assessment of Beckham "He has no left foot, can't head a ball or tackle. Apart from that he's all right." I hate Manchester United but he's one of those rare players who transcend inter club hostilities. Farewell George - the fifth Beatle.

Yep, anti Finnish sentiment is absolutely rife in Blackburn. That's an extremely silly thing to say phillip, not one poster has ever given the merest hint of criticising Kuqi on the basis of his ethnicity. The fact however we are in December and he has scored in one game might however have something to do with it. The plain fact of the matter is that he doesn't have the first touch,control or quickness of reaction to be effective at this level. I think the converse applies. If it had been a local lad like Gally performing in such a fashion the outcry would have been deafning. I'd also wager that if Gallagher was recalled he'd find the net far more regularly than Kuqi in the second half of the season whatever any criticisms of his all round play. As for the game itself we weren't unlucky, we played well but were beaten by the better side. No disgrace there, Arsenal have now won their last 13 games at Highbury. The difference was that they could call upon Henry and Van Perse for moments of magic, we are currently relying on players who can't cut it at this level in Dickov and Kuqi.

I was interested to hear that the mighty Juventus attracted a gate of just 7000 last Tuesday or Wednesday for their last Champions League fixture at the Stadio Del Alpe. Anyone know the population of Turin? I shudder to think what the self flaggelation merchants on here would be saying if we'd done the same thing. Poor old SG would probably be swinging by a rope from the Blackburn End. Luckily for us it also shows how relatively insignificant gate receipts are in comparison to TV/place/prize money etc.

Did we defend well without Neill? Can smell AC Milan's 10 mill already.

So we can take it the same argument applies in reverse then if we're sat in 4th or 5th on the 1st of Jan some 4m quid ahead of budget.

Sorry to be a nuisance but what does meeting "bi monthly or quarterly" mean? The first would indicate once every two weeks the second once every twelve weeks.

Thanks.

They already exist as far as I know and if you contacted the Fans Forum Chairman I'm sure he'd be willing to send you copies.

Fair enough Stu. Now, any chance of an answer to my question above or like the Nationwide Ads is the information for the benefit of "brand new customers only"?

So just to clarify: What exactly have the Club committed to thus far in terms of meeting with BRISA? - How often? - What level of contact? i.e. John Williams/Tom Finn etc or another club representative such as Nick Hall? Who with? i.e. BRISA committee members only? Ta.

Don't understand where you're coming from really Don. weren't you one of the founder members of the fans Forum or something?

stu, you're doing yourself nor BRISA any favours whatsoever with an attitude like that. So the club want a reaction from some supporters over new kit options. And later tell you which one has been chosen. But want you to keep it quiet ahead of an official launch. What are you meant to do? Promptly go out and tell all and sundry?. This is starting to remind me of Life of Bryan. " **** off we're not the Judean People's Front, we're the People's Front of Judea"

No problem with any of the above Paul, just didn't see the rationale behind a secret messageboard for BRISA members. I will see if we can get you along to a Fans Forum meeting. Shouldn't be a problem as far as I can see. Incidentally when you said in a previous post the club have agreed to meet bi monthly. Meet who? The Committee? Making it rather similar to errrrr..................the Fans Forum!

1) Not strictly true, luckily for us TV revenues and premiership place monies currently dwarf gate receipts so we are protected from the effect of falling gates somewhat. That said a pound is a pound from whatever source it comes from. 2) Other places probably have got a population of far greater than 140,000 to rely upon. That's even without touching upon the Asian debate. 3) The Walker money will not "run out" The Trust fund is a dynamic fund for the b enefit of all the Walker businesses supplemented by profits from all the businesses. Whether or not the Trustees choose to reduce or withdraw support at any time in the future is a different matter. 4) Agree on one point relegation would be an absolute disaster the way the club is set up at present. 5) The Board have hardly been "pulling it off" in recent years as we have had a deliberate policy over the last few seasons of running at a substantial deficit and paying a wage bill of more than we can really afford in an attempt to finish in the top half of the table. All at the end of the day supported by the largesse of the Trustees. That policy goes pear shaped when your manager is spending large amounts and not producing the goods as with Souness latterly. Luckily Hughes seems to be producing the goods without having had a penny to spend in net terms. 6) BRISA is a great idea but let's get away from the notion that the missing fans are suddenly going to flock back because it has been set up. If we do get back to average gates of 25-26000 it will take several seasons of attractive, reasonably successful football to achieve. A few home grown players coming through the Academy would work wonders in that respect as well.

Firstly let me say that I very much hope to be there on Thursday night and to join up. If for any reason I can't make it I'll join immediately afterwards anyway. However rightly or wrongly I'm afraid the impression that is coming over quite strongly at the moment is that BRISA will be representative of the views of the membership who have stumped up their fiver and that only representations from that section of the fans will be given any credence.

Very Secret Sevenish. And the fans forum is criticised for lack of transparency.

What did JW have to say in general at the Aqueduct last night?

Sounds like he and Windy just want to sort out their severance packages?

I don't think that's the reason, as far as I know the Riverside in it's current form isn't strong enough to support all the personnel and equipment. To rectify the problem would cost a certain amount and in the past it's not been deemed a sufficiently high priority. I'd be all for it personally.