Titus Bramble broke an elbow in training today, putting him out for three months and leaving Newcastle desperately short of centre halves after the sale of O'Brien and Hughes. Souness admires Amoruso, so here's Rovers chance to offload the overweight tub of lard on our hapless former manager.

West Ham's computer systems have crashed such is the demand for tickets for the Rovers match. The club expect the game to be a sellout.

A relative of mine, a season-ticket holder for 40 years, is not renewing. He's disgruntled with the 500 Club. Or something.

Talking of donkey centre forwards, or carthorse to be more accurate, does anyone remember the late 1960s icon Jimmy Fryatt ? Of bucolic appearance, with his generous girth, bald head and splendid sideburns Fryatt looked like a Dorset farmer and his footballing skills were "agricultural" to say the least. They don't make 'em like that anymore. His son Ed Fryatt is a pro on the US golf tour.

To judge from those comments, Kuqi obviously has lumps of concrete in his boots instead of feet. Should play well with Dickov, another forward who cannot control a football. Hope Bellamy does not get injured or become frustrated by the incompetance around him.

Not surprisingly, London was a strange place today. No buses, no Underground, fewer cars than usual, and because of that the streets were teeming. People, people, people, walking everywhere. Most were silent, quietly going about their daily routine. It made for a very strange atmosphere. After the euphoria of yesterday, now this. @#/?s.

Great for London which will put on a show that will make the so-called "best-ever" Olympics in Sydney look like a village fete. Bad news for the rest of England as billions of pounds are pumped into what is already the wealthiest area of the country.

Chelsea have said they will not pay Gerrard more than the £90,000 a week that Lampard earns. If you believe what Chelsea say.

Yes I am. Strauss's parents are English, as is Pietersen's mother. Englishmen supporting Australia are akin to collaborators during the war. You shall henceforth be known as Lord Haw-Haw.

ahem, cough cough

Yes

Or Jewsons, the timber suppliers. Then it would be Deadwood Park, which would at least please Burnley supporters.

A club that sells an England Under-21 striker because it needs the cash and replaces him with an ageing Sheffield Wednesday reject is desperate. Just like copying machine menders. Now I wonder if they receive performance related pay ..... ?

Nonsense. Who would argue that the club is not desperate for funds ? And the intro is backed up with a quote from the overpaid overlord. The only rubbish is your post.

correction 4 - right half 5 - centre half 6 - left half 8 - inside right 9 - centre forward 10 - inside left now that's how it should be

5-0 at home to Manchester United was the worst. Denis Law at his best. Now that did hurt. I cried all the way home and I was 53 then.

Certainly do remember it squire. Christmas 1963 is famous in football folklore for two results: West Ham 2 Blackburn Rovers 8 ..........and two days later Blackburn Rovers 1 West Ham United 3 Only our dear club could manage such a feat. Those were the days when clubs played each other home and away over the Christmas period. Bryan Douglas tore West Ham apart in the first game and a smarting West Ham got their revenge at Ewood.

Laurent Robert puts the boot into Souness in a double page spread in tomorrow's papers.

Are you sure that was 1963-4 ? Unless my memory is failing I thought Rovers beat West Ham 4-1 in a cup replay in 1965-66, the season we were relegated from the First Division.

Marvellous win by the goodies against the baddies. This is the worst Australia touring team ever.

This is fun. Well played Bangladesh. The question has to be asked again: is this the worst Australia touring team ever ?

Well played England. First blow against the forces of evil in what is going to be a gloriously successful summer for God's chosen nation. The convicts were so poor they made Bangladesh seem competant.

The Times also says Glazer has the option of paying himself a £150 million "dividend" on completion of the takeover.

I think you're forgetting a certain G McGrath, old and injured but still a dangerous wicket-taker after he has slipped the umpire the odd fiver or two. What tiddles me off is the way in which the ECB has been so accommodating to the enemy, devising a schedule that gives them maximum practice and playing time before the Tests and allowing the infidels to acclimatise by playing county cricket, viz lardarse drug-baron Warne at Hampshire. I wouldn't let them in the country until two days the first Test at Lord's on July 21, and only then on the proviso that they promise to attend the serious offenders rehabilitation unit at Parkhurst for corrective training.

The rock crunchers will suffer the same fate as their pathetic "boxer" in Manchester on Saturday night. Waving the white flag well before the end.