jim mk2

Netted! Another seagull has followed the trawler

Snow flurries at the moment but Stoke looks Ok from early afternoon onwards even a touch of sunshine. We need this to be on and keep the momentum going.

If he sees Rovers as a "project (his word), how is that going to work in the medium to longer term? The answer is that it won't work, and he'll be looking to move closer to home sooner rather than later

Hickman scored his goals at the Darwen End IIRC. Did Beamish get the others? This is all very hazy, nearly half a century ago. Cracking match though. Jim Furnell obviously liked Rovers. He was born in Clitheroe and was on Burnley's books for 8 years! He was also Rovers coach for 17 years from 1981-98, a long time in football. Still around at 85.

It was a long time ago but Plymouth took over the entire Darwen End IIRC, looking at it I seem to remember a sea of green. Of course they went potty when they went 2-0 up. Great bunch of supporters having a good day out. Mike Hickman's finest hour.

Time for a Brereton recall? He's a Stoke lad and will be itching to play and do well in this game. If we play with the same intensity, pace and effort as the Leicester and SheffU matches we'll win at a canter. If we go back to the bad old ways, we'll do well to get a draw. It's as simple as that.

SheffU ahead

The difference is Watford don't have "projects". They hire managers who live or die by their results. Sacking Bilic seems harsh but they evidently decided he wasn't going to cut it and Wilder would be better - so out he went It's ruthless and some would say it's not right but that's the Watford model and you can't say it doesn't work.

Watford have had 16 managers in 10 years yet have been in the Premier League for alot of that time I wish we could "learn" like them

Watford rolling the managerial dice again..... Wilder to replace Bilic until the end of the season

It's an opinion, one shared by many others.

I've seen players sent off for less and stay on the field for worse. That's how it goes Hitting the woodwork is irrelevant really.... might as well miss by a mile, like Buckley did I was impressed by SheffU in that first half 30 minutes . If they play like that again in the cup we might not be so lucky next time. Good team, better than Burnley IMO

His standing leg slipped as he was about to shoot IIRC. Should have scored. I too thought we were lucky to be ahead at half time. Sheffield ought to have scored several times and we were all over the place defensively at times. We were better second half and should probably have had a second when Buckley I think it was blasted over when well placed. A draw wouldn't have been unfair result and they will feel hard done by as the manager said but we'll take it. They'll be out for revenge in the cup

There's fair few potential banana skins in that list - you could even make a case for us not winning another game🙄 if Rovers' current hot form doesn't last and we revert to the plodding, toothless team of barely a few weeks ago and injuries and tiredness come into play. There'll undoubtedly be some that we might expect to win easily but will lose and then the unexpected might happen, such as a revenge thrashings of Burnley and Preston and reaching the FA Cup final 😀 Tomasson will have to manage his limited resources carefully. One game at a time. Steady as we go.

Jason Steele in goal for Brighton in their 4-0 win over WHam. It's amazing he's still in the game considering how poor he was at Rovers

Gallagher was very good at Leicester in midweek too. Along with the rest of the team, he seems to be more confident. He still makes the wrong pass and and loses the ball when he shouldn't and doesn't use his physique enough but by his standards he's playing well. The idea that he's the hardest working member of the team and always has been is a load of baloney though.

Mowbray did well to get Ryan Giles and then messed him about by playing him on the right wing. We should have signed him. A very good player and would have been an asset to Rovers. I like Pickering but Giles would have been an upgrade

Pretty fair. Sheffield were on top in the 1st half and should have scored at least 2. We had one (brilliant) move and scored. We were better than them for most of the 2nd half. He's right about the Ewood pitch too. The difference between ours and Leicester's in midweek is clear. We're a decent passing side and the pitch at Ewood isn't helping us

He was lucky to stay on but that doesn’t make them a dirty team. You should have seen some of the teams in the 1970s, they had 5 or 6 players who liked to put a foot in

It’s astonishing that anyone could say Sheffield were poor. They played us off the park for 30 minutes and we could not have complained if we’d been trailing at half time. We deserved the win but let’s not dismiss a quality side that is in the top 2 for a reason

Sheffield weren’t dirty, they got stuck in which is what you’d expect them to in a promotion clash. This isn’t a league for fancy dans. They’re a good footballing team and had an excellent spell in the first half and looked a very good side. We could easily have conceded at least 2. The cup tie will be tough and they’ll be out for revenge but today was a day to celebrate a great win not whinge about the opposition

The way we’re playing is completely different from the laboured, slow, uncreative team from a few months ago. He’s had a rethink and so far, it’s working

Extraordinary turn round in fortunes since the debacle at Burnley and the embarrassing defeats by Preston and Rotherham. Credit to the manager - he's realised his strategy wasn't working with the players at his disposal and changed the way we play. We're pressing high, we're quicker, more direct but still passing and keeping possession when we have to. The defence looks settled and this back 4 looks the best combination with possibly Brittain for JRC (I'd like to see him midfield) Great day.

This is not normal. There's something going on here. Totally different team to the one that looked so poor and served up such dross not that long ago. This group of players are playing for each other and confidence is high. It's a small group though because of the transfer farago and we have to hope players don't get tired or injured. Brilliant. Long may it continue

Excellent win..... brilliant. Well played Rovers