Some observations from yesterday. Rovers are a transformed outfit to the one Hughes inherited to September. They are fitter, faster and stronger and should escape relegation though hard work alone. Ferguson is the linchpin of the team and must not be sold, but the team badly lacks creative spark in midfield. Hopefully Savage can provide that and do Flitcroft's defensive duties as well. Stead is lacking confidence, retaining possession when he should release the ball and laying it off when he has time to turn. A goal for him in January 2005 would give him a tremendous lift and would be better for the club than signing a new player. The low turnout will not have been helped by the fact that ticket telephone sales were closed all day Saturday and Sunday. With a match on the Monday, who made that nonsensical decision ? What did Neill do to earn the man of the match award ?

Savage says in the papers that it takes him 2 and a half hours to get to his parents' home in Wrexham. And that's a man who owns a fleet of sports cars, including a Ferrari. So where does he live - Penzance ?

Better than Dickov and Cole would have been keeping the Cole-Stead partnership that was working fantastically well at the end of last season. One of the big disappointments this season has been the decline of Jon Stead. Is the departure of Cole the reason ? - the two events are not unconnected in my opinion.

The key to Charlton's success is not their potential supporter base but the appointment of Alan Curbishley and their ability to keep him for more than 10 years. Curbishley's mild manner and relatively low profile means he has not been lured away by one of the so-called "big" clubs and has been allowed to build Charlton into a successful club over the long term. Having said that, they have not a won a trophy. I'm hoping Hughes is of similar calibre to Curbishley and that he will also be at Ewood for many years. We have had too many managerial changes. I'm also hoping that we are not grooming the next ManU manager.

Eh ? I doubt if the population of the entire South East is 20 million unless you think they are all potential Charlton supporters. Charlton are in the SE London and attract supporters from that area and north Kent. I don't know what that catchment area is but I would hazard a guess at about 1-2 million at most, certainly more than East Lancs. It's a poxy horrible area anyway. Catchment areas are meaningless in my view. Hull, Plymouth, Brighton are examples of towns/cities with large catchment areas yet their football clubs have rarely been successful. Rovers can certainly compete with the likes of Charlton/ Southampton/ Fulham/ Portsmouth (all with larger catchment areas) on gates of 20,000 - 30,000 provided the club is managed properly on and off the field.

More quotes from Savage today citing his wish to be nearer to his ailing parents in Wrexham and practically begging Rovers to come and get him.

True, but we ought to have ambitions to be a well-managed top-ten club, perhaps like Charlton. Either way, the board's decision to allow Souness to replace a class act like Cole with the artisan Dickov made no sense.

That match was in the 1968-69 season, the season City won the FA Cup. We lost 4-1 but Jimmy Fryatt headed an equaliser and we had them rocking for a while. The crowd that night was frightening - I remember it swaying back and forth on the Riverside. The Health and Safety people would have been apoplectic.

Dickov makes the most of his limited ability as a relegation scuffler. His goals so far this season do not hide the fact that the club's decision to offload Cole was idiotic.

Rovers under the cosh - it's all Bolton now.

This one is obvious. Bolton, on the crest of a slump, to return to winning ways with Kevin Davies scoring the winner.

Victory is a good result; a draw is not.

Opportunity missed. Weak Newcastle team, other results went our way and three points would have put daylight between us and the rest.

Andy Todd 2-2

I needed a good laugh today and that statement provided it. Thank you.

Far too much optimism. Not one prediction of a Rovers defeat. Which usually means only one outcome. I said 1-1 but I'm now going for 2-1 Newcastle. Shearer to score twice.

Reported tonight that Shearer and Bellamy are both expected to play. Shearer always scores against us so the question is can we score two ? Doubtful I'd say. Another draw 1-1. Looking ahead, we have an horrendous February and March with fixtures against six of the seven top teams.

Hughes should come down like a ton of bricks on Thompson for his crass stupidity in getting sent off on Saturday. Not only did he deserve both bookings he was lucky also not to be sent off for kicking out at the Crystal Palace player. He also compounded the error by arguing with the linesman after his second booking, which the FA is bound to punish by increasing the length of his suspension. The fool has just returned from serious injury and an enforced absence because of a idiotic and needless dismissal is the last thing he needs when he is trying to regain match fitness. Thompson should be reminded forcefully (and handed a hefty fine) of his obligations to the club, which needs every player available for selection in the fight against relegation. If Thompson had half a brain he would have realised that.

Ditto.

This is a raid by the style police: railway station please.

Opportunity knocks at Parkhead. After Celtic's exit from all European competitions last night Martin O'Neill talked about the need to make significant changes to his squad. Celtic are struggling for cash as much as anyone else (despite 60,000 crowds), so they need to get players off the payroll first. Might I suggest a joint bid for Hartson/Sutton in January ? Balde might be tempted away too. All of them might be available at knockdown prices because they are not in the first flush of youth and they have not got long on their existing contracts. They would all add height/strength to a very lightweight (tub of lard De Pedro excepted) Rovers squad.

Palace are thoroughly cheesed off after Johnson's penalty miss and Rommedahl's undeserved winner for Charlton. Football has a way of balancing these things out so the luck will probably go their way on Saturday. The gloom to continue: Palace 2 Rovers 1

Looking at the team photo, I'd say there's plenty of fat to be cut out. As well as goalkeeping/forwards/defensive coaches, do we also need coaches to tie up their bootlaces, blow their noses and wipe the poor luvvies' bottoms as well ? And the squad is too large: do we really need nine (mediocre) defenders ? I think not.

Cardiff's a good city, despite being in Wales. Spent many a happy holiday down that way. Do they still have Brains beers ? Fighting ale that stuff.