Ah, the season starts and we're back to knee jerk reactions. This place just isn't the same without them. So at the risk of sounding like Jim, the silver lining from today is a note of realism - to all those predicting a finish in about 6th for us, can I have a pint of what you're drinking please. It ain't going to happen. We've made two signings over the summer, both an improvement on what we had before. So keep the good performances/players from last season, add Kuqi and Bellamy and we'll finish 3 or 4 places higher. Lose a few key players/performances and we'll finish a bit lower. A relegation fight isn't out of the picture. Chances are we'll finish mid table. That means winning a few games most folk think beforehand we won't, and losing a few against supposedly worse teams. It happens, accept it. And on that optimistic note I'm off for some kip. Chin chin. EDIT Great minds and all that, Mr Raven. Well said, and mine wasn't plagiarism honest, I was typing whilst you were posting!

Bob, a tip if I may. Don't get that Bonds for your fantasy team even though he might be cheap. I've heard that there Clyde Best might be worth a gamble though.

Not much to argue with there Rev. But if I can add my pessimstic view....... if Bellamy's out for half the season and there are a couple of other key players out for a while, a relegation battle isn't out of the question. So on balance, I'd say about 13th for us and anything above that is a plus. Yours sincerely, Grim Reaper. PS Most folk think Spurs will have a marvellous season - tend to agree with the folk who say they've bought many promising youngsters in the past and have always flattered to deceive. I reckon about mid-table for them. So if we do pretty well, I can see us and Spurs not being far apart.

Tony Warner eh?? Wasn't he goalie for Cardiff in the replay at Ewood last season? Note to Mark Bowen etc - get everyone to practice hopeful punts into the box from 40 yards.

Think he might just be banned for the occasional game. Does that make me certifiable?

We agree on that. My guess is whatever the ticket price, revenue would have been about the same. Sadly, that also seems to be true for league games.

Philipl, thanks for your response - I should have been clearer, I'm especially interested in Blue Phil's view (not that anyone else's isn't welcome of course).

Does charging less for pre-season games against Euro oppostion encourage attendance? 10 Aug 03 v Chievo 5031 13 quid 4 Aug 04 v S Lisbon 6589 12 quid Discuss (Phil I will be especially pleased to hear your views).

Splendid! We're going to drink a barrel and much much more. It'll have the visiting fan hordes running for safety

El Hadji Diouf. Despicable waste of space. Deserving of a half season ban, then whilst he's serving that, parks his black-windowed, turbocharged, V8, 4x4, on a double yellow and the boys in blue notice the tax disc is out of date and he gets 6 months at Her Majesty's pleasure. Couldn't happen to a nicer chap.

That's marketing folk for you, Capt.

Is it because he's a yard faster than the rest? Hang on, can't be that or else Matteo would have a minus number.

Didn't he used to play for Rangers under 15s?

Don't let work take over your life Glenn.

Add me to the splinters in the arse category. I hope he turns out to be the player that most folks' positive thoughts suggest. I've got nagging doubts though (just call me Private Fraser), not least he's a gobby git. Something I haven't seen mentioned so maybe my memory's not all it might be - hasn't he been out injured (when he's not banned of course ) a fair bit in the last couple of years? We could do without one of our high profile players having dodgy hamstrings (yet again).

Can't see much wrong with that Mirror article myself. The only one to have a pop is the bookie's spokesman. And on Five Live about half an hour ago, they had Alan Nixon on the phone to a panel of journos : he was fighting our corner (pun intended) VERY strongly over Bellamy and the 'bully boys' nonsense against the whinging journos. Doubt there's a transcript anywhere, but should be available as audio via the BBC website.

Well, you can get 3/1 on Betfair

This one's going to come back and bite me on the bum but.......... Jim, how many of the Aussies do you reckon would get into the Bangladesh XI ?

Home to Norwich, off to consult Mr Jackman's book.......... 1969. Won 3-1, I remembered it as being 3-0, not too bad considering I was barely out of nappies at the time and I've slept since . One of just over 12k that day.

Smithy, here's one to file away...........

Yep, they probably have greggyk, but I'd bet around 35 - 100%. Meanwhile, players wages have increased somewhere near that 666%. There's a moral in there somewhere. EDIT - and in the time I was getting all those quotes together, BAWA said it a lot more succinctly!

And with that, Clare claims her 25 quid

Wonder how long till we hear about 'unusual betting patterns' (a Mr C Ancelotti putting 20 quid on Liverpool at HT)

Where's he playing these days? Thought he was bloody excellent, maybe the oldies' best player, and that's even including those still playing pro. OK, it was hardly a fast game......... PS Scuse my naivety, but why's he called Sid?

As unlikely as Exeter getting a draw against the Scum at OT, well said Jan. And a whole post not mentioning Newcastle, Souness, or those Glasgow teams that I forget the names of. I knew it would happen one day, just didn't think I'd be alive to see it . Does it really matter (to the fans) that TP will trouser at most 50k coughed up by us paying punters - for that, I've assumed various things like a gate of around 8k and a mixture of adults and kids, the club meets expenses such as stewards, all the players turn up for free........... I know 50k is not to be sneezed at but in the grand scheme of all things football, it's not earth shattering. For helping keep Rovers in the Prem for quite a few years, is he worth that? And neither is it into bank manager territory to pay 10 quid to go along.