Tyrone may remember better than I do but I seem to think that Bill Eckersley’s testimonial, many stars of his era turned out including Tom Finney, but Stan Mathews didn’t because he requested a fee to play. 
It is also in the back of my mind that Eckersley’s partner at full back in the England team was Alf Ramsey.

Can Rovers report Williams to Trading Standards and get their money back?

If this team were playing outside my front window I’d be drawing the curtains. I hate Paul Cook but I wish TM would give our lot a team talk like Cooks at HT.

Manic Street Preachers - Of Walking Abortion

Winter in the Sun - Donovan

Manfred Mann. - Blinded by the Light

Regarding the merits, or not, of the Scottish leagues I admit that the once strong flow of talent moving to English clubs has long gone. Having said that, there is still the odd player who must be hiding somewhere in those leagues. 

In tonight’s Champions League final is one such player namely Andy Robertson. Rejected by Celtic as a 15 year old, went to play for Queens Park as an amateur before being transferred to Dundee Utd. where he was spotted by ex dingle Stan Ternent who was scouting for Hull City at the time and came south to easily make his mark. It shows that there can be players waiting to be discovered, it’s a case of having the scouting network to find them. Do we have such a network?

1 minute ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

You're a bit harsh there JIm, Alan Hunter went on to great things at Ipswich and some of others would be shoe in for the current team. Billy Wilson instead of Williams or Bell anybody ?

All day long Tyrone.

Maybe this one?

Very sad that Mike has passed away. It was an honour to see him play in our blue and white halves. What a fabulous forward line we had. RIP Mike.

I didn't listen to the whole thing! Life's too short. Kudos for managing it though!

The first 30 seconds or so are good though.

Well it's a hell of a lot better than that Irish dross.

Ipswich Town's Portman Road pitch was always one of the best in the country from what I remember, yet watching the Football League Show last Saturday it looked in a sorry state.

Must be Global Warming / start of the next Ice Age. Whichever side of the fence is in vogue this week.

Another few who played for both.

Is Neil Danns there now?

Frank Stapleton

Gary Harkins

Andy Taylor

Lee Makel

Simon Ireland

History

Not as good as ours. Still impressive though. They were formed in 1908, and in that time have mostly played in the top two divisions, recently being promoted to the Championship after an 11 year absence. They were the first team to win the First Division three times in a row (which has since been replicated by Arsenal, Liverpool and United), which they did so in 1923/4, 1924/5 and 1925/6. They were also runners-up in the following two seasons. They’ve won the FA Cup on the one occasion, after a 1-0 victory against Preston in 1928. Incidentally, they knocked us out along the way that season, after a 1-1 draw at Ewood, we went back to their place and got pumped 5-0 in a third round replay. They also knocked out Burnley in the first round. We got revenge though as we beat them 3-1 in the final in 1928. They’ve also reached another 3 finals on top of those two, in 1920, 1930 and 1938, losing to Villa, Arsenal and Preston respectively.

They won the FA cup against PNE in 1922. In 1928 they were soundly thrashed by the Rovers 3-1

Very sad news. I too enjoyed reading his posts. Always well balanced and always interesting.

RIP Kelbo.

Very sad news indeed.

Ronnie was a top class player with skill and grace and a fantastic ability to read the game. Along with my all time hero Duggie, he was what everything about Rovers meant to me. A one club man who reached the absolute pinnacle in his sport, captain of his beloved club and country at a time when it meant so much then. That was a time when there was no need to run around kissing the badge in a fake gesture of belonging.

Ronnie was a class act who could have played anywhere but chose to stay a Rover.

A true blue, a true gent and a truly humble man. Ronnie’s passing will be deeply felt by many at Ewood, but we should also remember the loss to his wife and family and friends.

RIP Ronnie Clayton and heartfelt thanks for being one of us.

I see from yesterday's match programme that Craig Short is the new manager at Ferencvaros. Of no interest to me as I was a teenage armchair Honved fan

I bet that you are of an age wher you once could get a type of football boot named after Honved?

I noticed that Andy Morrison is the assistant manager at Northwich Vics.

I am actually a big fan of MOTD2 and think Chiles is an excellent presenter. I hardly ever see MOTD but MOTD2 is required viewing.

I too think MOTD2 is a much better watch especially if we play on a Sunday and are therefore a featured match. What makes it for me is that the presenter Adrian Chiles is a football fan just like us and at least tries to ask the questions of the panel of "experts" that we would like to ask. As for the other MOTD, both presenter and the pundits are all ex footballers who are part of the "we know best club" and come with an agenda. (baggage).

Savage is the ball winner and spoiler of opposition play. and boy does he do it well. Tugay is the play maker, enough said. Even given his age he will still play more games per season than Dunn.

David Dunn will never be in the same class as Tugs as long as he has a hole in his (Large) backside. Re-signing Dunn shows a total lack of ambition in my opinion.

Lets be realistic. Out of about 8000 there may have been 30 or 40 making noise. It doesnt take many people to sound loud in silence.

It wasnt organised chanting by half of the away following (as in the Leeds / Ramsey) situation.

To brand all Man Utd fans as Scum shows huge ignorance and IMO stupidity on your part.

In support of 1864 here. as far as ignorance and stupidity are concerned, then that surely should be directed to the so called 30 or 40.

And I certainly hope that if 30 or 40 mindless morons disrupt the next period of silence for the Munich air dissaster victims or the fans who lost their lives at Hillsborough, then I will expect that we do not see such dissrespect plastered all over the newspapers.

I have always been of the opinion that Tugs is worth the entrance money alone. OK he has some poor games with his invisible friend now and then, but over the season the man is pure genious. Plus he obviously loves the club and the fans.

I would pay to watch him kicking a ball against a gable-end, which judging by his skill, he probably did a lot of when he was a kid.

Didn,t seem to work where I was sitting. Some tosser in the row in front of me was continually dragging on his fag.

I went down into the concourse at half time for three at once!!!

When we were under pressure in the second half I must admit it was difficult not to light up.

Nevertheless I managed it, so if I can then anybody can.

Already e-mailed the club with the moron's seat No.

Give the thug 6 months porridge. That will sort out the number of games the FA will consider giving him.

It can be argued that footballers are imune from the law when they are on a football pitch, but given the previous namby pamby efforts of the FA when dealing with incidents where "the referee has already taken action, so we are unable to impose any further penalty," I can only view that as utter hogwash.

It is time that the law was enforced as a power above the FA, in such cases, as was the situation in Scotland with Duncan Ferguson.

Thatcher and his ilk have no part in the game and should be banished forthwith.

I cant remember exactly when Duggie changed from playing OR to IL but I was around at the time it happened which makes it post-55 ( when I left the Navy). I have a feeling it was early 60's because he was still OR when we won promotion at Charlton in 1958 (that was the most exciting match I have EVER witnessed) so I would guess it was about 1960 when he was initially tried out at IL to cover a crisis when Vernon was not available and was an immediate success in that position also......................

On the day we won promotion against Charlton, was Duggie not playing for England against the "auld enemy" at Hampden or am I getting mixed up? Date of Scotland v England was April 19th 1958. England won 4-0. Duggie got one, Ronnie was also playing, Billy Wright was captain.

Yes I remember that too. I never saw Matthews in the same light again, greedy sod. The upshoot was that Blackpool, who were very embarrassed obout it, sent a Chinese guy, which was quite a novelty at the time, to take his place. It was a great night.

It was Bill Eckersley's

Thank's Al. My memory isn't going after all despite what others might say. I too never viewed matthews in the same way again. He would have fitted in no problem in the modern game with his mercenary attitude.