Andy

We're being dry-bummed today, aren't we? No Cantwell just takes away that faint glimmer of hope that we might sneak a goal out of nowhere.

Yeah, I remember seeing something like this (all off-white, with a transparent Maltese Cross) before the season started - and I'm sure it was a fan-made design.

He's a northern lad, isn't he? Surely he can't live that far from the training ground. Maybe the type of car he's driving? His diet / lifestyle? Hard to read any specifics from VI's comments, there.

Agree completely with this. JDT had extremely high standards. Those who met those standards and could learn from them excelled (Szmodics, Wharton, etc). Those that weren't up to it struggled and/or were shipped out. His naivety as a younger coach showed in his defensive organisation and kamikaze approach, but we were part of his learning curve (as shit as that is to take as a Rovers supporter). Having ambition, cup runs to the later stages, narrowly missing out on the play offs are all infinitely preferable to the shite we've grown to be accustomed to before and after his tenure.

I think this was particularly evident in his first season with us, where we failed a draw a single game in months. It was boom/bust, win/lose - but we were certainly at the right end of the table, as a result. All of that said, it led to many games that we completely dominated, but were caught on the counter and lost games that we had no right to lose. Sunderland at home is a prominent one; we absolutely peppered them and should have won by several. But they were good on the counter and grabbed a couple of breakaway goals on the rare instances they touched the ball.

You might have a point, but watching on telly today, he'd done the hard bit of getting into good space at the back post - and the cross was floated well enough. He just didn't adjust his body in time to get a shot away. That said, I think there's a player in there and it's mental to be writing him off after a couple of games.

At the risk of repeating what's already been said, Cantwell was fantastic and we'd be in a real mess without him this season. De Neve was very good when he came on, hopefully plays himself into the team on that performance. Toth and the CBs kept us in it when Stoke had their spell on top - Ryan A also doing his bit. But once the momentum changed and certainly towards the end of the game, Rovers were the only team winning today. However, a poor quality game with 2 poor sides; we need a different approach - whether tactics, manager or whatever else. If we're not beating teams like Stoke at home, it's going to be a long old season.

Half of very little quality - if we didn't have Cantwell, I genuinely struggle to see much quality at all on our side. That said, we were the team that created several good scoring chances. Players need to be brave, get their foot on the ball and control the game. TC aside, they can't wait to get rid of the ball as soon as they receive it.

The attendance reminds me of Reserve games at Ewood, back in the late '90's. Dire. At least the weather has held off, seems to be brightening up a bit now in the Ewood area.

Not old enough to know who 'Iley' is, but I'm pretty confident that Ince takes this title. He was generally a bit dim, but clearly tactically inept and living on the back of a highly successful on-field career. It's no coincidence that he's faded into managerial obscurity.

Pretty sure this was the case, from a couple of difference sources. Question is, where they put up to it by the club, or did they go into business for themselves? Not sure which is worse. Will certainly chip in and/or help with any fundraising also.

Jack Walker, Alan Shearer, Derek Fazackerley, Bob Crompton.

I'll be watching a show in Liverpool, with my eldest, on Tuesday night - so I'll miss this entirely. And, honestly, it's a bit of a relief.

I think you're right - and I'm sure that Jackson mentioned it in one of his podcasts as well, around that time. Seem to remember him namechecking the Radio Lancs guy, as having made a similar request.

This is absolutely dreadful.

Agree, these are dreadful. And yet they're still leading us 0-1.

I think that looks like a strong enough side to win today. Over to you, boys...

Hopefully Jackson will be able to carry on doing his job covering Rovers, but he won't be allowed access into the ground / training ground under media duties. You can only imagine that it would have been the 'Suhail has blocked me from doing an interview post-transfer-window', as he name-drops Pasha directly. What kind of egomaniac acts like this? Oh yeah, Pasha.

Imagine if those currently running the club exerted as much effort in running the club properly as they do in taking action against those calling their general incompetence out. Imagine.

He's honestly a shining light in a sea of journalistic wastewater; top man. As for this, my first reaction was that it was the act of a couple of dictators who know that their time is almost up - hopefully this is the case. It sounds as though it all stems from when Elliott gave a balanced view on the Travis situation - including some direct information clearly from either Travis himself, or his agent. Seems certain people at the club don't take kindly to...you know...the truth being spoken.

This was my thinking, too - albeit more from a 'right, if we have to play from scratch, let fuck 'em up'. Get a full house, drown the farmers out and back the team to a 4-0 win. And then I woke up.

Yeah, good football management is about making the most of the squad at your disposal. It'd be arrogant to enforce your preferred style of play where it's not a good fit. Big Sam is a good example of the former, whatever you may think of him. I'd love nothing more than seeing a physically tough, direct 4-4-2 with wingers and a big man/little man front pairing. Fullbacks being fullbacks and 2 central midfielders who cover the whole central area between them. It'll come back around one day, I'm sure of it.

What's a 'barm cake' and why would you want to eat chips with any kind of cake? But yes, the John Bulls from Hollytree are ace. Manxman chippy used to do a good one, many years ago - I think Hollytree is the only place you can get one now.

Yeah, 100% that game - I remember it vividly. Ian's article gives the specifics also. I grew up very locally and remember - JW stand construction was continued/completed over that summer (1994), being officially opened in 1996 at home to Forest.

It was the 3rd of January 1994. I was there (as a 10 year old), watching Jones and co doing Klinsmanns on the pitch through the gates.