Interesting to see that Crystal Palace gave Steve Kember the chop today after the club slipped to 20th place in the first division.

Simon Jordan, the chairman, said that results had been unacceptable and he had to act before it was too late. Quite right too.

How long do we have to wait before the Rovers board acts? After the Everton game, and another defeat? December? January? When?

Souness's position is very close to becoming untenable now, but to wait too long for results to improve is inviting disaster.  In my opinion, the club should tell Souness that he has three games to turn the situation round: if he does not, then he will have to go.

Of course, Souness could tender his resignation before then, but I doubt if his pride and arrogance will allow him to do that.

Significantly, Souness stayed in the dressing room after the match because he was to "upset" to face the media, sending Tony Parkes instead.

Hopefully, Souness has realised he can do no more for the team and will spend the next few days considering his future.

In many ways, I feel sorry for him but football is  harsh world and he must carry the can for his mistakes.

You have tried to wriggle and squirm out of outrageous comments in the past and have made yourself look a toal and utter fool.  

When was that, pray? I can't recall any.

Instead of attacking personalities, why not address the issue?

You will have the right to unopposed reply here, as this is well off topic now, so I won't respond again.

I disagree with your views on Souness.   I can live with that.

However, it would have been refreshing if you could at least accept that the analogy you used in your post - which is what I have objected to, not your fundamental view - was not pleasant, and unjustified.

You seem to pride yourself on being a man of great articulation but you fail to display any humility and you have a singular inability to be dignified at times, refusing to accept that a careless choice of words undermines your argument.

And you let yourself down by always wanting to have the last word.

Have you ever considered that you may be wrong on some issues?

Perish the thought.

You have tried to wriggle and squirm out of outrageous comments in the past and have made yourself look a toal and utter fool.  

When was that, pray? I can't recall any.

Instead of attacking personalities, why not address the issue?

Who replaces him is irrelevant.

There is a cancer in our stricken club and it needs cutting out before it kills the patient.

That comment is in very very bad taste.

Why?

To liken a football club to a disease is particularly tactless.

To liken cancer to our football club is particularly distasteful.  

For you to need to have the matter explained to you is very worrying.

I disagree.

A cancer can be described as a vice or other evil of an inveterate spreading kind, which sums up perfectly the influence that Souness is having at Rovers.

Very disappointing to have to define this for you.

Typical of GAV to make judgments on individuals rather than addressing the issues.

Who replaces him is irrelevant.

There is a cancer in our stricken club and it needs cutting out before it kills the patient.

That comment is in very very bad taste.

Why?

Who replaces him is irrelevant.

There is a cancer in our stricken club and it needs cutting out before it kills the patient.

Time to lift and dust this thread.

Does anyone now agree with me that the man has lost the plot and should leave the club?

I jokingly predicted before the season that we might go down but I never seriously expected it to happen.

As long as Souness remains at the club we are doomed. The players have lost confidence and no longer have any faith in the manager.

The board should act now.

And another thing:

Talking to some Leicester mates today, their collective state of mind is even worse than ours after five consecutive defeats and surrendering a three-goal lead to Wolves.

If you think we are pulling our hair out at the moment, they are apoplectic at their team's form. Defeat for us in next Sunday's game really is unthinkable.

By the way, we are now down to seventeenth after Middlesbrough gained a point from their draw at Tottenham today.

Another thought: ever since we were promoted Souness has said our priority is survival.

Perhaps Rovers disappointed him by finishing tenth and sixth over the past two season when what he really wanted was a good old muck and nettles relegation fight.

Well he certainly has got his wish now.

Yes, we've made a shocking start to the season, but things will improve as long as we keep Souness. Mark my words (26.10.2003).

That's all right then. I can breathe alot easier now.

Do you think we can still make the Champions League?

Whilst I don't think there is any need to seriously consider a change of direction yet, I would not be of the same opinion if performances and results hadn't improved in 6-8 weeks time.

In six to eight weeks we could be marooned at the bottom and it will be too late for a change of direction. Clubs stuck at the bottom in December tend to stay there.

Maybe I'm wrong and Souness will lead us out of trouble but I've got a feeling he will not. The team looks a mess tactically, confused and woefully lacking in confidence.

Sacking the manager may not always work but when the said manager has precipitated the present crisis through poor transfer dealings and mystifying tactics, and shows no sign of finding a solution, how long do we have to wait before either he resigns or the board finally acts?

Rovers are now in the bottom five, one point below the much-derided Wolves, and unless we start to pick up points soon we will be rock bottom of the table, never mind in the relegation places.

Perhaps when we finally hit the bottom Souness will offer his resignation. On present form, that will be sooner rather than later.

Fulham play with Boa Morte and Malbranque on the wings. Pacy players who become strikers on the counter attack.

We have Emerton and Tommo who either don't want to play there, or can't.

Absolutely spot on - and there lies, IMO, the reason why we're struggling so badly.

Maybe they're told to constantly cut in all the time?

Either way they're offering little to the team at the moment. If you are to play 5 across the middle then at least one of them should stop out wide?

Has Souness resigned in shame tonight?

And if he has not, does the board have the guts to sack him, which they should have done weeks ago?

If anyone were in any doubt, we now in the midst of a full-blown crisis.

I wonder what sort of lucrative deal Jason negotiated with the LET (assuming he did not join the union and therefore is not being paid the going rate).

I head from a good source that Revidge was on a nice little screw of £100,000 plus company car and all expenses paid executive seats at home and away matches.

Jason should not have accepted anything less.

Good luck in your new "job" at the LET Jason.

Have you joined the NUJ yet?

Funny you should mention that...

My local bus company is seeking part-time drivers, I applied for a job last week and the interview is next Tuesday.

Bit of a comedown after I didn't get the gravediggers job I had set my heart on but beggars can't be choosers.

"Nocturama" by Nick Cave is currently pleasuring my ears.

"Baby I'm On Fire" is a song that I am seriously considering as a song to be played when I pop my clogs and head off to the crematorium.

Well there's a cheery note to end the day.

Recently moved house and discovered my old ELO tapes.

Played them on the 8-track in my Ford Capri the other day: "Mr Blue Sky"....absolutely marvellous.

Both CLB and I are 45, no matter what he says.

My bet is that jim is 51

Actually, I'm 48: it was my birthday two days ago on Jan 26. 51 is just short of my batting average last cricket season.

Sign of age: my wife bought me a makeover. Is she trying to tell me something?

Since when have I been controversial? Funny, optimistic, compassionate, yes, but never controversial.

And should I be pleased or upset to come second to a complete lunatic? Or is that me being controversial again?

Sorry but I cannot see any sane person in England who would want Celic playing down here.  It's simply asking for trouble.  It's bad enough when they win but should any future season turn into a relegation battle the scenario would be horrific.  They are a threat to peace amd harmony on their own but I could envisage various sections of dickheads from Millwall, Burnley, Leeds Chelsea (even here)  etc etc organising themselves to follow Celtic around for some 'action' when their own teams were playing away. Should more IRA attrocities occur the situation could turn deadly.

Agree with that. I would imagine every police force in England would object to them joining the Premiership anyway.

I met some charming Celtic supporters in Glasgow and at Ewood but the bad ones, like those at Rangers, are truly horrible.

Hardian's Wall wasn't built for nothing. Keep the Tartan hordes behind it sine die.

AS so cole yorke and jansen arecrap yea? your one of the 'supporters' who lick there lips when wesign big names, not cos they might just do well, but cos you can slag em off, 'not giving there all for rovers' ect... whos the guy whos got the 'form is temporary class is perniment' signature, cos thats very true... who adopted you anyway??

Sod it, I'm due a yellow card.

Listen Cretin, I only give a valid response to those who deserve it, those who regularly contribute to this board with a basic understanding of grammar, and who can construct a basic sentence.

My post wasn't designed to 'slag em off' as you so eloquently put it, but to point out our obvious frailty up front. I have stated previously on this board that I was willing to hope (with everything crossed) that Cole and Yorke would eventually find the spark they had at United. Thus far, and with the number of games in double figures, it hasn't happened. By your rationale I want our players to be rubbish so that we can lose matches ?!

Make the post relevant please, or just visit as a guest. That will give you more time to sleep with your cousin, you hillbilly colostomy bag gargler.

Well, that was certainly a personal insult. Mods - can I have my yellow badge please ?

Excellent riposte sir.

The prime benefit of a good education: the ability to communicate a better class of insult.

I can't help the feeling we missed out at Celtic Park after playing so well. O'Neill will have learnt his lessons from that game and adjust his tactics accordingly.

Celtic to go 2-0 up midway through second half with our powder-puff attack scoring a late consolation goal near the end.

Everything today ... trains, players, fans, RUBBISH

London tube - half of it shut down ... RUBBISH

Train to Southampton - engineering work ... RUBBISH

Southampton ... RUBBISH

Rovers fans ? - ""Worst support Ive ever seen ?""  It bloody was - are we all duped by the mickey mouse Celtic game ?  RUBBISH  lets get behind the lads in the games that matter

Yates's ... RUBBISH  (but cheap)

Referee !!! RUBBISHRUBBISHRUBBISHRUBBISH

Was he at the same game ??  Tugay ?  Penalty ?  Having seen the "highlights" (ITV style- 68 seconds) he got it all wrong.  But then we could see that from row ZZZZZ.

Gillespie ... RUBBISH  you'll be back at Wigan unless you buck your ideas up.  Idiot.

Dunny ... RUBBISH  Time and time again, you know which pub you get seen in every week, you're a little fat b*stard who is quickly becoming a disgrace to the shirt ... you had to do a job today with Flitty being banned ... but you completely fluffed it.  So much talent, so little sense.  Bin the Gazza videos, and check out Mark Atkins.

Andy Cole ... RUBBISH   It went in off your nipples, and it was the least deserved goal I think I've ever seen.  Get your hands off your hips, get back on side when your team mates win the ball, roll your sleeves up and do some effin work.  I don't care who you are or what you've done, at the moment you're being outclassed by a grinning Trinidadian and an out of work Scandinavian joker.  You're an expensive joke.

Overall ... RUBBISH RUBBISH RUBBISH

.....and people accuse me of being a moaner and pessimistic!

What's obvious from the recent games is that Rovers aren't performing well while Celtic have raised their game considerable since we played them.

I think we are in for a big letdown on Thursday night because we cannot score goals for love nor money at the moment.