The Beckham for Blackburn story has two advantages to us IF we can get him. In my opinion he is the best player as a direct replacement for Tugay, great passer but not the best tackler but would love the deep lying playmaker role. This would also prolong his career greatly, remember we bought Tugay at about the same age and he has lasted 5 years. Secondly, in relation to the gate debate, would a Blackburn with Beckham in it sell out Ewood? This is a difficult one, a suspect not however I think an increase in average of about 5,000 to our previous levels is possible. With a marked increase in merchandising and a massive increase in World status it could be a self financing signing. For me on a pure footballing perspective and leaving the maths to JW I think this could be a masterstroke. Let's hope it's true.

A transfer to Barcelona would normally be a total agent led story. However, I'd prefer Lucas to Gio Van Bronkhorst at left back, so if he had the choice he might just get in the Barca team.

I think you're right Cheshireblue, hopefully he'll recover quickly recover from his current calf injury (three weeks out).I wonder how much they will want in January seeing as they wanted £3m last month?

They have split up but it's easier for him to have access to his baby without the travelling time and at the drop of a hat.. Also he can keep an eye on his local business interests.

Looks like the burst pipe has cost Rovers and Gav dear. As before the postponed match Rovers were expecting a crowd of 24k, how much has the 6000 returned tickets cost Rovers and Gav.

I think the main reason for not putting a TV gantry on the Riverside is that the sun shines directly into this stand. As a regular Riversider majority of the matches I have a sore arm deflecting the sun out of my eyes.

On the radio this morning, Hope Powell (England coach), said 11,000 tickets had been sold for tonights match. Which isn't bad considering the silly 6pm kick off and it being midweek.

Here's the webpage

Just fired off my complaint to the FA for what it's worth. ''May I convey my disgust at the recent charging of Andy Todd for violent conduct. In over thirty years of watching football I have never considered complaining about the FA's procedures but now I feel I have to. The incident concerned shows the Arsenal player Robin Van Persie starting to celebrate his second goal in the FA Cup semi final on Saturday 16th April. He then veers suddenly to his left, head down at which point he makes contact with Andy Todd. Todd has not moved his direction of his run (unlike Van Persie) and in fact is almost knocked over by the force of Van Persie's collision. As every person who has ever been involved in a collision, Andy Todd moves his arm up, (not elbow) which has previously been by his side in a motion of running, to counter balance the impact of Van Persie's actions. The subsequent result is Van Persie sustains a cut lip, after a theatrical movement to ground. Andy Todd is obviously concerned and offers his apologies to many Arsenal players (even though Van Persie instigated contact). My concern is that what would the FA be doing now if the player wasn't Andy Todd but say Paul Dickov or David Thompson who are significantly smaller in height than Andy Todd. Van Persie's actions of veering suddenly to his left, head down, would most probably have resulted in a clash of heads rather than head to arm. Would you be charging Van Persie or a Blackburn player with violent conduct? I feel after the over the top reaction from the Sunday press in regard to this incident you have been swayed in charging Andy Todd rather than looking at the incident objectively. If you have noticed the press and public opinion on Monday and Tuesday has waned significantly to most people conceding the incident was accidental or inconclusive. I hope your disciplinary panel throw this charge out forthwith and let Andy Todd get on with his football.''

A fairly unbiased Arsenal report on the match The first one I've seen since Saturday. My thoughts on the day. Pre match : excellent Match itself: First half played well Second half disjointed Rovers fans at match : THE BEST Arsenal fans at the match: Sing when you're winning. The Press : Haven't got a clue Cardiff as a semi venue : Too far, Too expensive, too early. Great city,great stadium. Let's hope it's not another 45 years to our next one.

With all this arguing about how many fans were about to take (of which I'm of the opinion that only under extreme circumstances should you not be going) At least our esteemed neighbours can't crow at us about support as this nuggett has appeared on the FA website. ''For five seasons from 1969-70 to 1973-74 the losing FA Cup Semi-Finalists played each other in a “Match for Third Place”. In the last of these Burnley beat Leicester City 1-0 before a crowd of just 4,000 at Filbert Street''.

Lee on the official board said we had just passed 15,000 yesterday. So if we had sold 12,000 by last thursday it's about 1,000 a day. Doubt we'll get to 20,000 but hopefully 17,500. Oh and by the way Thenodrog I got 3 £25 tickets so you now know one person who has got them!!

Let's get this topic into the game as the referees have been announced for the semis. 1 Arsenal v Blackburn Rovers, Saturday 16 April (12:15pm) (Millennium Stadium, Cardiff) S W Dunn R Bone D S Babski Fourth Official M Clattenburg 2 Newcastle United v Manchester United, Sunday 17 April (2:00pm) (Millennium Stadium, Cardiff) G Poll M Tingey G B Turner Fourth Official B Knight Does anyone remember if Mr Dunn has got it in for us ? Was he not the ref for the Arsenal league game or am I mistaken?Sorry he was ref for the Norwich game. Same result please!!

Robert Earnshaw

Funny about the 20,000 tickets rumour, but JW last night on the radio said Rovers would have about 30 to 35,000 tickets for the semi.And any Rovers fan who wants a ticket will get one.

I've got one of those, £1550 , that's not bad. Better not tell the wife!!

Sorry double post.

My father in law (B#stard fan) bought tickets for Darwen end on Saturday he said they had got another 200 tickets Usually Roversdon't sell first row of upper tier to be able to control fans throwing things and putting flags over the boxes. Obviously if they want to throw things over their own fans then they can go ahead.

I've applied for my tickets through the post so don't know if I have mine (here's hoping). However, anyone with a gripe about the ticket office should really keep their mouths shut as they obviously aren't a regular traveller to away games, so why should they get tickets? On any normal game anyone who wants a ticket can get one, but once in a while a certain game occurs that guarantees demand will outstrip supply (like Celtic away). The Rovers have done in my opinion (and I don't remember many complaining before)a good job in distributing tickets. However, the benefit of hignsight, perhaps the only way of ensuring that people who could sacrifice a morning off would be to restrict ticket sales to one per season ticket for people who queue up. This way it would ensure the season ticket holder would be the one that gets a ticket rather than people queueing up with multiple tickets for themselves and their non seasonticket holding mates (as I have done). Anyway as I have a burnley postcode anyone want tickets in burnley end as they're on open sale tomorrow.

This vote just proves you right Den in not taking the top two positions from a poll to put in our Rovers Greats Team. Guys like Latheron and Forrest were nowhere near Sherwood in the original vote but some great delving into the history of all our players has made a lot of people vote for these two now. I have my mind already made up for the two strikers but some carefully detailed career history of certain players ( I don't know a lot about Tommy Briggs but he must have been good to be our top goalscorer before Simon Garner appeared) could still sway my vote. Anyway, any chance of closing this vote now as I don't want a late surge for Sherwood!!!

According to Radio Lancs a press conference is happening as I write. All will be revealed !!

Just put my vote in for Forrest, and it looks like a very tight battle between him and Sherwood now. All I can say is I voted for him as he is one of a few Rovers players from the pre war days that I have heard of before. Do we honestly think that over 100 years from now Blackburn fans will have heard as much about Sherwood as we do about Forrest? No, the story of how we won the League will centre around Jack Walker and Alan Shearer. Only the photos of Sherwood lifting the trophy will indicate he was in the team. For me the best midfielder I've seen in my 25 years of watching Rovers is a man who is currently still playing for us but unfortunately the advancing years have reduced his stock with us, Tugay. In 2002/3 season he was magnificent with his best performance for me was how he ran the midfield in the League cup semi final at Old Trafford. A one man Hercules against (if my memory serves me right)Keane,Scholes, Beckham and Giggs. A man who CAN play the beautiful game. Put him with Batty and we have the best midfield in my lifetime.

Being just over 30 I have never seen Mike England play so I decided to do a quick search on him and noticed Spurs have just done their own Greatest team of which Mike England was voted into. This suggests that he was better than the players who won the Double in 1961, unfortunately Colin Hendry to me was the best centreback in the Premiership for three or four years and on a par with Alan Shearer in greatness, therefore, unlike previous votes where I have gone for Crompton and Eckersley , I have voted for Col, however, if another cb is needed then Mike England it is. So hopefully 4-4-2 for me is the best formation to pick.

If I remember rightly he played left side midfield/attack against us. So long Pedersen and De Pedro!!

This is not linked to the Asian support but Rovers have missed a great opportunity with the forthcoming England U21 match. With a potential 30k crowd I bet at least 15k are non Rovers attending fans, many being kids. A simple leaflet showing next few home games and prices or a £5 off a Rovers ticket/ club shop would have got a few neutrals coming down to Ewood again and a habit maybe formed.