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.

Arf, arf ! Bet the Yorkshire "wags" loved you.

No ideas. No imagination. No flair. No bottle. No quality. No points. No hope.

All good stuff Bazza - I liked Langton too - but you're wasting your time. The youngsters aren't interested in players pre-1980. I'm disappointed that Mike Harrison has not got a single vote so far.

Voted for Wilcox. Quality man. Those who voted for the Chelsea badge-kisser should hang their heads in shame.

Good shout 92er and many thanks for relieving my failing memory. Indeed we did buy Mike Harrison from Chelsea and sold him to the Pilgrims. As I said in my previous post I used to love watching Mike but still my vote just has to go to Duffer. The best accolade I can give him is that he would go straight into any Brazilian side including the great team of 1970. Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah. Duff in probably the greatest international team of all time ??? I don't think so matey !! Rivelino and Jairzino eat your heart out !

The match against Spurs that will forever remain in my memory was the 7-2 drubbing we gave them at Ewood in the early 70's against a very classy Spurs side that included the great Jimmy Greaves. What a day!!!! One of the best Rovers performances I have ever seen. We were 3-0 up in about 20 minutes (Andy McEvoy hat-trick ?) but Jimmy Greaves pulled two goals back before half-time. In the second half Rovers tore Tottenham apart with four more goals. Fantastic day. On the downside, I saw Rovers beaten 4-0 at White Hart Lane in 1965-66 in our relegation season as we went from potential champions to demotion in two seasons. Sound familiar ?

Brotherston was mainly a left winger. Strange appearance with his prematurely balding pate but bamboozled second division defences with lovely skills and made many a goal for Garner in the 1980s. Joined Rovers on a free transfer from Tottenham if I remember correctly; regular for Northern Ireland when they had a good team (did he play at the 1982 Spain World Cup ?) and certainly a contender for the all-time team. We've had some good left wingers over the years (is Ally Macleod on the list ??) and I've enjoyed watching them all. Langton is a legend among older Rovers followers, Harrison had power and pace and a thunderous shot, and Wagstaffe, although in his declining years, had a left foot made in heaven. For me, though, the most under-rated and best of them all is Jason Wilcox for his outstanding service to the club from 1989-99 and vital contributions to the promotion- winning team of 1991-92 and the championship team of 1994-95. Ask Shearer who he'd like on the wing serving the ball up on a plate. Wilcox gets my vote.

Amen to that, though I suspect the the spotty faced brigade have already made up their minds.

Not sure about Garner, Chesh. We'll have to wait and see on that one. Duff was one, if not the best left winger, but does that make him great? Don't forget it was wilcox that was part of the title winning side, not duff. Not sure about Duff either. I can think of a left-winger far more deserving of "great" status, and he's from the modern (post 1930) era too.

Disagree that Sherwood is our most "famous export" to Tottenham. Amazingly, football history does go farther back than 1990. That particular accolade must go to Mike England, the best centre half in Britain for ten years and voted in an all-time Tottenham greats team by the club's supporters. Never liked Tottenham and would dearly love to beat them but we're due a setback after five unbeaten games. Tottenham to win 2-1 with the quicksilver Defoe continuing his habit of scoring against our leaden-footed defenders.

Teasing little quote from Andrew Cole: "But it wasn't looking possible that he [souness] would move on in the summer because the board - or anyone else - weren't prepared to do it. In other words, the general feeling at the club was that Souness should be given the boot but the board took the easy option and did nothing. Either way, Cole's gone and we miss him. I've given my top set a special clean for the paparazzi tomorrow. Can't wait to see my piccy in the papers !

What's a chuffin' Nottingham Forest fan doing on our messageboard ?? I note that Forrest is well ahead - keep up the good work chaps.

Missing the point as usual. My own feelings about Andrew Cole as a player are irrelevant. My only concern is for the good name of Blackburn Rovers and us, the supporters, who will be the focus of national media attention on Saturday. The perception around the country now is that Blackburn is a racist club and that Rovers fans are all like Perryman. It is up to us to show the world at the Fulham match that we are not. The best way we can do this is by showing our support for Andrew Cole. And if you don't think every London-based photographer with Premiership accreditation will be pointing a camera at Rovers fans on Saturday, then I suggest you get your head out of the Daily Mail leader page and get down to Craven Cottage. And take your black shirt off before you smile for the birdie.

The poor mite ! Better than Flowers I suppose.