Just remember, my light fingered friends,

Excellent. Stored away for future use.

And there's me thinking we had to sell him?

Errr, no?? We had to let him speak to other clubs but why were we compelled to sell him?

You are missing the point as usual. Gerrard showed loyalty to his club, Duff took the money and ran. End of story.

Contrast his attitude with that of the treasonable Duff, who sold his soul for laundered Russian roubles without a backward glance to the club that made his name and the supporters who worshipped him.

That would be a valid comparison if, firstly, Duff was a Blackburn lad like Gerarrd was a Liverpool fan and a local lad. Secondly, if Rovers could offer the same kind of competitive football as Chelsea did at the time. Liverpool can offer Stevie Champions League football just like Chelsea. Rovers couldn't offer that to Duff a year ago...which is why it isn't a fair comparison.

As for Duff himself... he made us £17 million. It isn't his fault if we didn't spend it as well as we could. The guy made us a fortune. It's then up to us to use it appropriately.

We weren't in the Champions League but we were in the Uefa Cup. Duff isn't a Blackburn lad but, as he admitted, he was very happy in the area and had no wish to leave. That is all irrelevant however.

He showed no loyalty to Rovers once his head had been turned by the vast wages on offer at Stamford Bridge. Like Gerrard, he could have turned them down and stayed at Ewood on his (still very comfortable salary), but he chose to follow the smell of money.

No wonder he kisses the Chelsea badge at every opportunity while his Mum (who looks after his finances) counts up the noughts on his monthly paycheck.

Gerrard's decision is a triumph for old-fashioned virtues. All power to his considerable elbow. I look forward to more players following his example.

The more I think about it the more I admire Gerrard.

It was reported that by joining Chelsea he had the chance to double his (admittedly exorbitant) salary from £65,000 to £130,000 a week. There are not many people, when given the chance to double their wages, in whatever walk of life, who would do that.

His quotes today also demonstrated his deep feelings for his club, the love of the community in which he lives and his sense of loyalty to the Liverpool supporters.

Contrast his attitude with that of the treasonable Duff, who sold his soul for laundered Russian roubles without a backward glance to the club that made his name and the supporters who worshipped him.

Thank you Phil, I was beginning to tire of this "the ref got it right" nonsense about the laws of the game.

I still genuinely think it was a goal and we were stuffed because Johnny Foreigner didn't want us to win.

Only another 2 years and we can have another crack. 

Yup, it's everyone else's but fault but our own.

And in case there is any doubt, blame the poor old ref.

Nothing to do with England's poor finishing, poor penalty taking, poor tactics, poor defending or (in certain cases) poor players then?

Good to see Gerrard turn down the Abramovich shilling and pledge his loyalty to Liverpool. There's not much fealty in football these days but some players are not motivated solely by money and still have principles it seems.

Pity the same cannot be said of the treacherous Duff.

Just catching up this thread. Revidge I understand exactly where you're coming from. Rovers is gut wrenching emotion....that's the difference

Beaten by two France goals in the last two minutes; the agony and drama of another penalty shoot-out. How much gut-wrenching emotion do you want?

Looking back over the years, I've had far more kick-the-cat moments with England than I have with Rovers.

The problem with England is the hope, because it always promises to be fulfilled but never is. With Rovers, I do not expect to reach the promised land, so I am never disappointed.

.... but it was Australia beating England.......... again.......

Again?

First time in six matches actually.

For someone born in Blackburn, a Lancastrian and an Englishman, you are are a disgrace to your country.

For once, Revidge is way off beam on this thread.

Perhaps in his own little cocooned RoverWorld, the concept of patriotism and the country desperate for England success after 40 barren years has not reached his consciousness.

no official or unofficial news.

Don't expect any news unless we break all records, its not exactly newsworthy otherwise

Pardon?

It's certainly headline news if sales have slumped.

Or is it a case that the club only likes to report "good" news.

and now the frogggies have bitten the dust

makes Englands departure seem nothing compared to the "champions"

France have not looked in good order since the championship began.

It's history now I know, but if Beckham had put away that penalty we would have beaten them too.

Shame.

Brian Clough wasn't it? Maybe it's true, but make it your own death and not someone else's.

Bill Shankley

Bill Shankly.

Coming from an era when goalkeepers were not the "untouchables" that they are today, the great man would no doubt have had a robust view of last night's events.

With regard to Swiss referee Urst Maier's performance, it is worth recalling one of his other classic quotes:

"The trouble with referees is that they know the rules, but they do not know the game."

I'm completely different, stood there thinking "Calm down it's only England"

Very odd point of view Revidge.

This is our national team, after all, playing in a major tournament, so I would be very disappointed if the country were not getting excited.

Even the carers in my residential home, none of whom are real footy fans, have been glued to the telly over the past fortnight.

Generally, I don't take alot of interest in England friendly matches but for the big tournaments I get as wound up as if I were watching Rovers. I even put my best teeth in so that I can shout at the TV properly.

Perhaps there is more passionate support for England because the players look as if they take pride in their shirt and care about playing for their country.

By contrast, remember the number of passionless and uncommitted performances we had to witness by Rovers last season. If the players give the appearance of not caring, neither will the fans.

Reports in this mornings Daily Telegraph say that Chelsea will offer Liverpool £20m plus Parker and Duff for Gerrard.

The Telegraph say that Duff would relish a return to the North-West.

Flippin' giblets, if I were Liverpool I would snap Chelsea's hand off.

Mods ganging up on a rocker. This is just like the 1960s all over again.

Let's hear it for lofty. Hurrah!

It would not be surprising if it were to happen.

Souness has only limited contacts within football so tends to sign players whom he knows from his previous clubs.

Souness gave Fowler his debut at Liverpool and tried to sign him for Rovers before the player left Anfield for Leeds. A fee in the region of £11 million was mooted at the time.

Matteo is another player who played for Souness at Liverpool, hence our interest in him also.

I would not welcome Fowler at Ewood Park. Annoying player that Cole can be at times, he has twice the hunger for the game as the lazy and ineffectual Fowler.

No doubt Fowler is looking forward to joining the other ageing players in the Rovers pension scheme.

In order that the scheme remains solvent in the future years, I would suggest that the club changes pensions for new members from final salary to money purchase.

I would include members of the 1928 FA Cup Final-winning team but I doubt if anyone on here except me ever saw them.

I've looked at some of the teams and the farthest they seem to go back to is the 1960s, so my selection from then to the present day would be (in the old 2-3-5 formation):

Roger Jones

Keith Newton

John Bailey

Ronnie Clayton

Colin Hendry

Barry Hole

Bryan Douglas

Andy McEvoy

Alan Shearer

Simon Garner

Dave Wagstaffe

It pains me greatly to leave out Mike Ferguson, the 1960s right winger and a crowd favourite, and Mike England, but there you go. Barry Hole, a tough tackling left half, is relatively unknown but was a favourite of mine.

jim

having been to Old trafford recently I cant see any hope for Lancashire at the moment as they seem to have found a seriously sticky wicket !!

I cannot believe some of Hegg's decisions as captain recently. It's bad enough with Rovers, I don't think I can take a relegation battle in the cricket season as well.

Never mind Souness, sack Cumbes, Watkinson and Hegg. What say you?

Fear not. England will win Euro 2004.

It is pre-ordained, like the rugby World Cup.

You could have knocked me down with a feather. Positive Jim. Not only are there little England flags on your Datsun Sunny but now you expect to win the thing.

Is there any chance of this positivity being extended to Rovers for the upcoming season?

No. In fact, the prospect of another nine months of agony scrambling for points and sick with worry over relegation fills me with dread.

I'm just enjoying the cricket season at present. I wish it could go until Christmas.

If people stopped reading the b*llshit articles they wouldn't keep writing them........as for the anti-english, guardianistas at the BBC they have long been a disgrace

Absolutely spot on. The trouble that has been reported is similar to trouble you see in every holiday resort, I'm not condoning it but it is a fact that there is trouble in the Algarve with British Holiday makers every year. We should be focusing on that and not trying to link it to the football.

I'm suprised nobody has picked up on the massive problems in Birmingham and London after the France defeat. There were fights over here too, I suppose that was all down to the fans over in Lisbon as well was it!!!!.

But there WAS significant trouble in Portugal and there just happens to be a football tournament being played there. What do you expect the press and TV to do - ignore it and pretend it did not happen?

I'm sure 99.9 per cent of the England fans in Portugal are well behaved and having a good time, but, as usual, it is the ignorant few who spoil it for the rest.

The trouble in Boston, London and various Hertfordshire towns after the France match was well documented on television and in the newspapers.

Fear not. England will win Euro 2004.

It is pre-ordained, like the rugby World Cup.

[ They are supposed to report what happens but unfortunately they only ever report the juicy stuff, .....

Err, that's why it's called news. It's what sells newspapers and makes people watch TV. If the buffons purporting to be England "fans" had not terrorised half of Portugal, there would be nothing to report.

Please engage brain before posting drivel.

  Saints not only scout players on the pitch, but also off it, and apparently the club were shocked at aspects of his lifestyle. He is said to have a 'big problem', but no one really knows what it was Saints found.

So, De Pedro has an "unknown" problem that frightened off Saints, plus he's had a falling out with Sociedad.

Sounds like his agent has done a perfect selling job on Souness.

Good old, Souey, the Arthur Daley of football. He'll take on all the rubbish no one else wants.

Dear Javier

Welcome to Ewood Park! Here’s hoping you have a long and successful stay at the club. Forget the fact that I said I would not be signing any more “Johnny Foreigners”. Unlike other Latin types to venture into the cold northern tundra, I think you can adapt to English football despite evidence to the contrary provided by Messrs Perez, Grabbi, Baggio, and Yordi, some of your “Johnny Foreigner” predecessors.

Blackburn is not alot different to Sociedad and I’m sure you’ll enjoy dining at the town’s many Spanish restaurants. You can of course try the local cuisine. The chippy at the top of Shear Brow does an excellent steak pudding and mushy peas with gravy. Better than paella I’d say!

You will get on famously with the Rovers players too. Most, of course, are also in the 30s, so you can discuss the merits of Duran Duran and Wham and talk about your investment and pension plans with them. Garry Flitcroft, the captain, is a big property investor, so he might show you round some hacienda in Oswaldtwistle that you might like to buy while Craig Short, our veteran centre half, is a director of Stannah lifts. Perhaps you might like to buy some shares in his company?

All in all, I think you will have a great time in Blackburn and I am completely confident that you will not follow the example of Sebastian Perez and beat a hasty retreat to Southern Europe when temperatures dip below 50F in October.

G Souness

(BRFC Manager and SunLife Pension salesman of the year)