jim mk2

Dear Tony, Thanks for all your efforts on behalf of Blackburn Rovers over the past 30 years, but the club desperately needs a fresh start under the new manager and I'm sure you appreciate that. It's a pity that your chief executive is not leaving with you. I note that he did not even have the decency to tell you of your dismissal before the story appeared in the papers. I hope you enjoy a well-earned break from the game and possibly think about retirement (you must have a few million tucked away after so long in the game), but there is one last service that you can perform for your beloved Rovers. The next time the Burnley job comes up, could you possibly offer to help them out? All with the best intentions of course - only your real motive is get the mighty Clarets relegated back to the third division where they belong. Simon Garner could be your assistant - they'd love that at Turf Moor. Yours in sport, jim PS: Keep reading the Sun. Normally a better source of information than the bottom of a pint glass !

As a Blackburn lad and club stalwart, Stuart Metcalfe deserves a place in the all-time team. Rovers were in decline for much of the late 1960s and 1970s but one player who stood out both for his performances on the pitch and his loyalty to his home-town club was Metcalfe. Born in Blackburn in 1950, "Meccy" represented England at youth level, was a member of the Central League championship-winning side of 1966-67 and the next season made his first team debut at the age of 17. Many fans thought he was going to be the next Bryan Douglas with some dazzling displays on the wing. By the time he was 18, Metcalfe was a regular in the team at outside right, but he later moved into a central midfield position where he combined with Tony Parkes to help Rovers to the Third Division championship title in 1974-75. Metcalfe scored seven goals in 43 matches that season. His loyalty to the club was recognised when he was awarded a testimonial in 1978. He left Ewood in 1980 to join Carlisle United but returned to Rovers in 1982 before ending his career with Crewe. In all Metcalfe made 375 appearances for Rovers, scoring 21 goals, but more than that to the Ewood faithful he was very much a talismanic figure whose skill, ability to beat players and probing passes made him an outstanding player in a generally depressing period for the club. Stuart Metcalfe, a candidate for the Rovers Hall of Fame (if we had one !)

Although I voted for Latheron, of those players of more recent vintage, may I make a plea on behalf of Howard Kendall ? Kendall was one of the classiest players of the 1960s/70s and was a member of Everton's outstanding "Holy Trinity" of Kendall/Ball/Harvey that was such a joy to watch and helped the club to its championship triumph of 1969-70. He was capped by England and would have won many more caps but for the outstanding number of England-qualified players playing at that time. He joined Rovers as player-manager in 1978 and led the club to the old third division championship in 1979-80. He signed an ageing Duncan McKenzie for Rovers and the pleasure for me was watching Kendall and McKenzie, the old masters, toy with lower-league players as if they were schoolboys. Kendall almost led Rovers into the old first division the following season but left that summer for his old club Everton, which he led to the first division championship in 1984-85. Although he was past his best when he played for Rovers, Kendall was one of the most talented players I have seen in a blue and white shirt and certainly qualifies as one of the "greats".

It has to be Latheron. That Rovers side of 1912-14 was one of the best I've seen and he was the driving force behind it. A vote for Sherwood is a vote for mediocrity.

Lovely writing Colin. Do you want a job? I'm feeling optimistic. City 2 Rovers 2.

In that case you are a brave man. Trying to have a "reasonable" conversation with these people is just not worth the risk in my opinion. The next time someone stands up in front of me I shall find the nearest policeman and ask him to deal with it.

It's that sort of attitude that decent Rovers fans are up against.

In an ideal world that would happen but it's wishful thinking I'm afraid: you only have to read the "standing up" thread to realise that their fellow Rovers fans are the last people these "supporters" are concerned about. You may applaud that fan Paul but will you back him up when he gets involved in an argument or worse ? As you pointed out, a father with three kids gave you a mouthful of abuse for your reasonable request - would you risk the possibility of physical violence by saying the same to a group of youths ? Norwich confirmed my worst fears about supporting Rovers away from home. I will not be going to the City match when local rivalry is certain to inflame the neanderthal tendency even further, and I certainly will not encourage my family to attend matches until this problem is addressed by either the club or the game's authorities. Potential Rovers fans lost and the game and the club suffers in the long run. Shame.

I vowed last season never to attend away matches after Rovers morons spoilt my afternoon by standing up in front of me. I decided to give it another try at Norwich - and the same thing happened again. Thank you very much you cretins. I shall not be attending away matches again - and neither will be other members of my family until the clubs weeds out these anti-social miscreants.

Quite right. The ultimate responsibility if Rovers go down will rest with the board. They hired Souness, which seemed like a masterstroke for two or three years, but failed to act when it was obvious that the manager had passed his sell-by date or stand up to him over his dubious transfer activities. Fortunately for them, Newcastle solved the Souness problem and they did not have to make a difficult decision over his future at Ewood. Sighs of relief all round from a boardroom of frightened men. The problem is if we are relegated for the second time in six years what does that say about the managerial expertise of Williams and his cohorts ? To oversee one relegation might be considered unlucky, a second will be seen by many as incompetance.

Norwich's point at Man City tonight means we are bottom again. Norwich impressed me tonight and look ready to gain their first victory of the season against us. Norwich 2 Rovers 1

Palace 3-0 up. That second-bottom place is looking secure now. Hughes out? Not yet, but if there is no sign of improvement soon I shall be sharpening my pen.

Palace 2-0 up v West Brom. As things stand we are now second bottom.

Very good !! I notice there is an electric signal in the background so it must have been circa 1965, about the time that steam was finishing on BR.

Town planners decide to flatten Merseyside and start again

Glenn resorts to shouting at his computer after another systems failure

The barmpot who swapped beautiful Blackburn and its surrounds for Birkenhead

I have been saying for years that the ground needs to be reconfigured. Glad to see someone else agrees with me. Ideally the corporate boxes should also be moved, preferably to a rebuilt Riverside, but shifting the family area to the JW and giving over the whole of the Blackburn End to the core support should not be too difficult. It's a good, practical idea that deserves consideration by the club management.

Some worrying posts by supporters who seem to have lost the faith. Eighteen months ago, with Rovers pushing for a Uefa Cup place playing exciting attacking football, would they have said the same then ? Hughes has a tough battle - to deliver the points necessary to ensure Premiership surival and at the same time entertain fans fed up with turgid performances by players who seemingly could not care less. Can he deliver ?

Not many Blackburn midfielders can claim they have led their club to the ultimate glory ! And not many Rovers right halves have made 579 appearances for their only league club (2 as substitute), scoring 15 goals, and won 35 England caps, five of them as captain. No contest really. But that's for another day. Pleased to see Duggie winning but sad that Fergie has only one vote. Ripley was not in the same class.

Err, it's called right half in old money. Presumably he will be competing for a place in "midfield" with such all-times greats as Sherwood and Batty.

As I said before, the onus should not be on the home club to control away fans. Home stewards policing away fans is bound to lead to confrontation. Away supporters must be policed by their own stewards, who ensure that fans obey the rules regarding sitting down at matches. If away fans ignore their stewards and still persist in standing, then the away clubs should be fined. Only by hitting clubs in the pocket will football start to solve the problem.

Alternatively, I want to enjoy it and rant and rave as and when and not resort to arguing with somebody if they are standing up and interfering with my line of view. It is selfish attitudes such as yours that are causing the problems. I pay what I consider alot of money to sit down and watch a football match and I do not want someone in front of me blocking my vision. The rules are that you must sit down. If you don't like it, stay at home.

Modi finds life on Huddersfield sink estate hard to bear

jan shows her true colours