Heard a few bits on the radio last night, I think he set up the winner a few mins after coming on. Stoke's first away win for ages.

I'll be joining you with the humble pie Roy. Before we signed Bellamy, my view was decent footballer but often injured, gobby little git on the field, liability off it. About the only way he's 'lived up' to expectations is with injuries. He's been way better than a decent player, had a few yellows for dissent but been for more restrained than I thought he'd be on the field, and (providing this Cardiff nightclub issue is something and nothing) been hardly any bother off the field. A risky buy that's paid off in spades.

Since high scoring games seem to be in vogue......... I hadn't been over on the wrong side of the hills long, but long enough to find you could get the dulcet tones of Jack Holden (?) on Radio Lancs up on the hills near the airport. So you'll have gathered I wasn't at this one....... I remember hearing the half time score in the car (losing 3-1 I think) then near on full time driving around the airport area fearing the worst, to hear it was 4-4 then up popped Big Col with the winner right at the death. Anyone amongst the 8k who were there that day (apologies to Abs for bringing up Palace and the 88/89 season)?

Are you Chesh Are you Chesh Are you Cheshire(blue) in disguise?

An example (and I'm not sure how Liverpool could decide on how to compensate)....... I was invited to a wedding reception on 15th about a month ago, just around the time that there was talk of the game being moved. A 1500 ko would mean I'd just about be able to get there, but first indications were that it was likely the game would be moved to the Friday which would have suited me perfectly. But the decision was made for 1715 on Saturday. Choice between wedding reception and game - I declined the reception. OK, not the end of the world. I would guess there's plenty of other folk made arrangements around a 1715 ko by now - it must be the best part of a month since we were told - with the likes of social arrangements, baby sitters etc. Mr Parry, you had chance to bugger about with this a month ago - stop whinging and trying to ingratiate yourself to the HJC.

Come on Den, you should know by now that Jim's only joy these days is his weekly bedbath by nursy

Last game of last season, weren't Man City and Mboro playing each other and battling for a UEFA Cup place? Wouldn't be too suprised to see something similar happening in our last game of the season - think I'd settle for that too (as long as we got the right result of course).

If memory serves, he got the '1' that day, hardly a career highlight granted. I seem to remember he was the great white hope at the time. Still seems to be now. And as others have said, that's only cos he plays for a fashionable London club.

And Bolton play Sunderland at the Breezeblock twice. Sometimes life just isn't fair

So from the original article, those are Home shirt 3 and Away shirt 3 ?

.......... thinks of typing poor taste remark but decides against............

Not much to disagree with there ER. Think his absence last night is pretty conclusive he'll be on his way in the summer. I'd be reasonably happy to get anywhere near £1m for him. Thing is, Capt K and myself are going to have to find someone else to have a moan about - still Pongolle is coming up on the rails .

Am I alone in thinking there's a conspiracy against Gav? Only just over 18k last night? Now I know there were plenty of gaps but I reckon there were at least 3k visitors (the DE Upper was open) and as I looked around I thought there were about 20-20.5k on. The world's against you Gav.

Aye, it might be a bit academic (ho ho) but I think all you've named indeed came through the junior ranks but before an Academy and it's associated costs.

I think I fall into the 'academy supporters' camp but I can't think of a single ex-Rovers ACADEMY player playing regularly in the Prem. Care to enlighten us Waggy? Even for us, I can only think of Peter, hardly comes into the 'regular' category though. Fair few around the lower leagues I'll grant you, but Prem? And a few juniors from pre-academy days.

A few random thoughts about the game yesterday. Why has our central defence seemingly forgotten how to deal with a hopeful punt forward by the opposition? For the first 20 mins it was a devastating tactic for Everton. It wasn't even as though they were aimed for Beattie's head, so drawing Todd or Nelsen into a challenge. If we're going to leave a gap between the back four and Brad we should know how to deal with a long high ball behind the centre backs. We were lucky not to be 2 down before they scored. McFadden hitting the bar - how similar was that 'move' to his goal at Ewood? Coincidence? How was Cahill offside for that disallowed goal? Wasn't he behind Beattie? If it was Beattie who was off, why was he not flagged when he got the ball (a couple of seconds before it was passed to Cahill)? Them going down to 10 hardly made any difference to their tactics - get everyone except Beattie behind the ball. Timewasting - I'm used to it now on the pitch, but yesterday it even spread to the ball boys and stewards (doubt it changed the result but bloody annoying). The lad retrieving the ball behind the goal at the Stanley Park (?) end must have been on a win bonus - he was on a go slow in the 2nd half, wandering around with the haste of a three toed sloth : at one point he gave the ball to the Everton goalie only to have it thrown back to him! And near the end we got a corner (in the corner in front of us Rovers fans) only for the steward to keep the ball then throw it up the touchline when Sergio Peter went over to him. Time for some action from the FA/powers that be? And just on the 'racism' point - I was sat towards the front in the corner and never heard any racist singing. Maybe I'm going deaf in my old age.

Still the same as Nov........... ............. still no bother.

Bloody ell, is that the same O Holt who branded Todd a thug after Cardiff last year? Journos fickle, would you credit it ?

Martyn is definitely out - he's just gone under the knife - and Wright's almost definitely out for a couple of weeks (the radio reckoned he'd been injured whilst warming up in front of a board that said "Don't warm up here". Bright lad that Richard Wright). That was the first time I'd seen much of Everton this season, hope Nuno Valente is OK for Sat : even Bert might be able to get the better of that little tussle. Here's hoping Beattie's half time substitution was cos of a niggle (doubt it though).

It was a Sunday aft Sky game wasn't it? Should see a difference this year - we usually have a decent following at Goodison. As yawnsie said though, we nearly always do the double over each other (irrespective of league positions) so I'm not terribly optimistic. Never am though.

R4e, 1-0 to MU. Yours sincerely, Hairdresser Stalker.

I think that's a pretty fair summary of our much maligned Finn, tsnuf. Who won the free kick that led to the first goal and the header that led to the second? And if some folk can remember back to the Cup game last weekend, who crossed for Bentley to tap in? Yep he's frustrating cos almost every time when the ball's on the deck and there's a defender near him, he'll get tackled but IMHO he offers an 'out' for the defence to get 10 seconds to get re-organised when they hack the ball clear from a corner or free kick. He's doing OK for someone brought in to be third or fourth choice striker.

Bob, you should take this journalism stuff up professionally. After all, there's only the likes of Jim to compete with . After a quick look at that Fast Show website, wonder if Lee should look into this for pre match music...........

Yep, I thought he did well when he came on for the second half yesterday, both attacking and defending. Not outstanding, but good. Reasons most of us get frustrated with him though are - 1 - he only does this about every third game 2 - it just shows he's got the ability, but why does he not show it more often?

Colin, fine effort to get a 'celebrity' and top marks to Mr Chiles for replying, especially with more than a few words. Still hope we win though. You do know Goran Ivanisevic is a West Brom fan? So for the next WBA preview..........