Eustace MUST field his strongest 11 and give it a Bowyer 'right good go'. The last thing we need is a compromised Rovers' team humiliated on national television - that might prove a final nail in the relegation coffin with what it would do to confidence and morale.

RIP Paul and condolences to family and friends. So sad to lose another former Rover at a relatively young age. Had the huge job of replacing Sir Roger and made a good fist of it at the tender age of 18 or so (and Pears and Leo are called young goalies at 24/25!)! An era when Rovers were served well by their goalies with the exception of 'Dracula' Butcher - Sir Roger, Paul and Jim Arnold were all very good with the likes of Pears and Leo mere shadows of those lads.

Think that's the strongest 11 Eustace could put out. In our situation, think you always play your strongest available 11. Trying to be clever can be costly

Difficult to call tomorrow and head and heart are differing. Not a big Buckley fan but streets ahead of Garrett and Ayari (a desperately poor Broughton signing) and he should help. Gilsenan has to at least make the bench - don't think he's had a fair crack but I certainly think there's something about him and he would bring flair and goals. Sadly, I think Norwich will win by 2 or 3 goals to 1 as some of ours will no doubt have one eye on the Newcastle game.

The lad's an absolute class act - I posted on here last season that in 2 to 3 years time, he will be running England's midfield. Friend of mine is a big Liverpool fan and he was surprised and disappointed they didn't make a move for him as he thought his different style to what they already have in midfield would give them an additional edge.

Sadly Chaddy, when Waggott and co know there are more like you, the agony for us all will be prolonged. The club will, IMO, continue to take the fans for fools and dump on them window after window and season after season. If you really think anything other than the loose change from the Raya and Wharton monies will be reinvested then it might be time for you to undertake a huge self analytical review. IMO, the only action that will resonate is a huge boycott by the fans (season tickets, match, attendance, merchandise etc).

Indeed! Our owners and Waggott don't deserve such commitment and loyalty. Often think only an ongoing mass boycott will have any impact.

Will be amazed if that starting 11 makes it to half time without any injury. A fast start neeeded, first goal will be so important though we know from Saturday even a 2 goal lead is no guarantee. Concede early and it will be game over.

If he's still here by then!

It's very sad when illness strikes any individual whether they be young, old, poor, rich, unknown, famous. Good luck Tony, hope you are soon fighting fit for your own, and your family's, sake. An American philosopher called Emerson wrote in the 19th century "The first wealth is health" - one of a number of poignant quotes I have on my office wall. How very, very true.

Agree. Think Cardiff win at 7/4 will be a very good little earner. Our seaon continues to unravel. Will we ever get another consistent run of games out of JRC? Will Fleck ever be fit enough to play more than 20 minutes for Rovers? Can we risk McFad, Hedges and Gallagher for a 4th game in 11 days given age and recent long absences? Should Buckley be thrown in after a lengthy absence and very little game time? What a sad and desperate mess we are in.

Not quite. What you have to remember is that for those of us who started supporting Rovers in the 1960's, life was very different. Mobile phones and social media didn't exist. If we weren't happy, we had to find a way to express our displeasure and believe me, we did! We lived and followed the club through some of the 'crappiest' times imaginable, times many of today's fans would, I suggest, find too distasteful. I remember league games in the 1970's when we had less than 4,000 on Ewood - might be wrong here but recall a last league game of the season in 1970's in Division 3 when we had just over 3,000 fans on Ewood. When some of us still followed Rovers home and away in those dark days, it's insulting to be criticised because we weren't at Preston yesterday. But for those 3,000 to 4,000 hard core back in the 1970's, the club wouldn't be here today.

That is not what I said. Being 'targeted' by someone who was at Deepdale yesterday and knew I wasn't, inferring I wasn't a 'real fan' is utter sh1te. There are many on here who followed Rovers in dark, dark days before the likes of you and @chaddyroverswere even twinkles in your dads' eyes! No one is saying because we are older we are superior supporters. The point being made is upstarts should think carefully before shooting their mouths off about supporters who helped keep the club alive in the real dark days following the club wherever they played and letting the then 'powers that be' know what we felt with pitch invasions and demonstrations on Nuttall Street. We were not like today's keyboard warriors, happy clappers, content to sit on our hands and do feck all.

I didn't say that! Object to someone who goes to Preston for a Championship match and infers 'I'm not a real supporter' as I wasn't there. Feckin shite. Are you Chaddy's brother?

So you were there yesterday and I wan't for a Championship match - what do you want, a feckin Blue Peter badge? When you've watched the Rovers in shit holes like Tranmere, Halifax, Chesterfield and Mansfield in the old Third Division on cold Friday nights / Saturday afternoons then you have earned your colours. 'Rovers till I die' - hope there's a bit more to your life than Rovers! This shower of sh1te are simply not worth it.

Good guess! However, after following Rovers home, away and in Europe for cica 60 years, circa 50 years as a season ticket holder, I don’t need lectures! I can readily recall my dad taking me down to Johnny Forbes on Northgate for my first season ticket as a 5 year old. Whilst we have, IMO, imbecilic owners and an equally imbeciilic CEO, I will not be setting foot in Ewood Park again. For those who swallow all the, IMO, Waggott sh1te then good luck.

No it hasn't Chaddy - you really think likes of Klopp, Arteta, Dyche etc aren't hard and aggressive with their players!?

So JDT was solid defensively when he first arrived but then we started leaking like a sieve and he hadn't a clue how to stop it?! Think the 'attacking style' developed as and when the players knew how to adapt to JDT's requirements. As posted previously, for me jury out on Eustace. Limited experience at league level (60ish games), solid rather spectacular at Brum (as was Bowyer here when first appointed) and talking of Bowyer, too much 'luvvy, luvvy, family' stuff - little wonder likes of Brittain enjoying life. We need an aggressive, hard bastard who takes no prisoners.

Unfortunately, I think the shallowness and lack of quality in our squad is going to be increasingly evident as we enter a hectic few weeks. Sadly, we have too many players who easily pick up injuries and are out for weeks at a time. IMO, our medical/fitness department needs radically reviewing because based on results (keeping players fit and injury free and quick recovery times when injured), it does not seem fit for purpose. Cardiff will see this as a great opportunity to get back on track (as all teams / strikers seem to against Rovers when looking to turn the corner with a win / goal). Cardiff to win by at least 2 clear goals with the Stoke win proving a false dawn - very difficult times to come.

Staggered, but not surprised, how easy you switch seamlessly from one horse to the next. Firstly, you praised JDT to the hilt for his football principles and style of play and how all new signings should be made cognizant to that style; you then went on to say should JDTleave, he should be replaced by a manager / coach with exactly the same principles etc. JDT and Eustace are chalk and cheese yet you are lapping it all up. Your stuff about "a team who will fight and commit for the shirt and the fans" is also what Big Sam's Rovers did in the main and his football was pilloried by the likes of you. You must be Waggott's dream!!!

Hmmm - in 2024, we've also had QPR, Huddersfield and Rotherham at home; 3 'similar' games to those referred to giving us just 2 points. Add in Stoke if you want but that's still only 5 points from 4, on paper, 'must win' / 'winnable' games. I wish I shared your confidence and optimism!

A huge task for JE to get us to safety. Take Tuesday's match at Cardiff: Is 37 year old McFadzean going to play his 4th consecutive game in 11 days? Are long term returnees Hedges and Gallagher going to manage their 4th consecutive game in 11 days given, particularly, Gallagher's injury record? Will Fleck play again? Hardly kicked a ball all season and injured within 20 minutes - you couldn't make it up! Just take a look at how weak our bench was today. Our threadbare squad is at breaking point and devoid of both quantity and quality. Think we can write-off Tuesday's game and looking at our remaining fixtures, I struggle to see how we even get 9 more points to get us to even 46 points which most likely will not be enough. Pick up a couple more injuries to the likes of SS and even Gallagher then we are well and truly feckin goosed.

Aye, the man was a clown: 2 European Cup Wins (now Champions' League) 2 First Division Titles (now Premier League) with different clubs A handful of League Cup Wins Numerous other trophies

Not enamoured by some of the flowery guff Eustace is coming out with. Never recall the likes of Fergie, Big Sam etc delivering such utterances. Jury's out for me - let's see what the 'precious little ones' get up to tomorrow.

Feck me, was Gallagher auditioning for a son in law role!? An absurd comment. Think Cloughie would have said he wanted his c/f to be a hard, aggressive b@stard who terrifies the opposition and scores feckin goals!