Any chance also of a smattering of more philosophical ideologies within the footy section of the messageboard, just for good measures too?

If you are an umpire you should only give someone out if indeed you are 100% certain that they are out, lbw/caught, any doubt no matter to what degree and the batter is not out, end of. You would be asking umpires to consider degrees of certainty on decisions, which is not realistic really. They already quite rightly use reviews for run outs/no balls. Now if a third umpire was able to watch immediate replays and give an opinion then that is a different matter. Yet I would prefer to persevere with DRS and allow it and the users of it to develop and improve. It is working, just look at the stats, the controversy has mainly arisen from the users and their mismanagement of their reviews.

Also, I am sure Swann since regrets his outburst in Sri Lanka, I would hope he does, though being a World Class spin bowler you can never be sure, certainly Andy Flower spoke with a great deal of sense afterwards. The use of the word cheat is extremely emotive, if Mike Denness was still around I am sure he would agree.

For what it's worth I like DRS. Of course any new ish system will have shortcomings, yet in my opinion these are showing up more by the exponents using it, for example by the likes of Watson and Broad seeking to review everything. In time the captains will adapt and use their referals far wiser, in order to benefit the original reason for it coming about, i.e. to afford the opportunity to rectify the glaringingly wrong umpiring decisions. The ICC should insist on rolling the same system out for all test matches played and this will indeed no doubt pass when the Little Master hangs up his bat on a fine career, thus allowing the BCCI to follow suit.

Or as another Turkish alternative try Mangal, off Stoke Newington Road in Dalston, admitedly perhaps it's not in the most touristy locations, but take my word for it, great authentic Lamb dishes and quite reasonable too. Have a look on Time Out if you want a second opinion. No direct link on the Northern Line from Edgeware Road, but well worth the effort to find it.

RIP, condolences to his family, a lovely gentleman.

Have you tried Mangal Ocakbasi in Dalston? Authentic Turkish, grilled lamb is fantastic!

Anyone would think that you knew that our MD has been there today!

Ok, ok Benni we get the picture, you'd love to be playing for Chelsea with the special one and your mates in the Champions League, or Man U the club you've supported since being a boy. You've made that abundantly clear in interviews all this week, with you virtually begging them to come and get you. I too had grand ideas. I was sure when I was 13 and slotted my half time penalties at Ewood that I would eventually be wearing the blue and white, sadly it never happened and I slipped through the net. But life goes on, time catches up with you and we all compromise our ideals. So Benni, get on with it, we are all delighted that you've had a great season. All the top clubs know they could have any player they desire, so please could we stop with the daily touting of yourself?

Anybody still interested in looking at the relegation scrap? No, like me are you more interested in closing in on Notlob & Pompey? Topic was started on 26 Nov, but now if we win our game in hand tomorrow we will be 3 points off Pompey in 6th!! Little old Blackburn Rovers are very fortunate to Mark Hughes and his team, whose work ethic is fantastic.

My response was to the generalisation that because we all don't just agree that all things MH does are correct we should just accept them. I have never booed a Rovers player! But I feel that the captain should be someone who is fully committed. If this makes me a drama queen in the eyes of others, then so be it. If you cannot see the paradox in all of this, when our captain (penalty taker?) will in all probability be playing against his immenient new team mates, then I suggest it is you who is deluded!

Or true supporters.

"Ninety nine per cent of Blackburn fans are excellent. I have a good rapport with them. "(The goal) just gave a few people a reminder that I am fully committed to this club regardless of what everyone keeps reading about." I've just read this quote from AdelaideNow from a link on the transfer topic. Something like this, a direct quote from Lucas to the Lancashire Telegragh or from the club on its website is all what was needed weeks ago.

So in summary, is it fair to state that the majority agree?: 1. Booing your own players does not achieve anything and is wrong. 2. Whilst a player has a contract with BRFC for which we are paying, it is correct to play him subject to his performance being of the required standard. 3. Lucas on the whole has been a model professional who has made a major contribution to the Rovers and pound for pound excellent value for money. With just a couple of minor negatives which are far outweighed by the positives, concerning reported comments he has made on, the aesthetic beauty of East Lancashire, some of the females that reside there (despite the fact that his girlfriend is from Snuffy Harwood) and responding to derisory comments aimed at him by the supporters. 4. It is not ideal that the captain of the team is someone who imminently intends to leave the club. 5. Following on, Lucas should not be captain of Blackburn Rovers, but as it's MH who appoints the skipper it is he who anyone should address this issue to. As an aside, if there is indeed little honour in the modern day game post Bosman in the position of captain and it is merely someone who tosses a coin, especially as we already have a number of leaders in the team (Friedel, Ooijer, Neill, Todd, Savage, Tugay, Reid, Nelson) perhaps it might be an idea that a different loyal supporter each week can take a turn in performing this duty!!

The staff were concerned, both Mark Bowen & Eddie Niedzwiecki could see that he was about to do something as he brushed aside his colleagues and headed towards the BBE and both were shouting and waving at him not to. I don't think MH intends to do anything about this. He is a football man, knows how the game works and in fact did something not dissimilar when he left United for Barca. Can Rovers afford to disenchant any more supporters? The issue is not whether he plays (I am more than happy to play him whilst he has a contract and we are paying his wages) as he continues to make positive contributions to the team. The point is as stated in the title "Captain?". In my opinion he should not be captain of our club. The longer this goes on, the more it will spiral downwards and if he leads our team against Liverpool on Boxing Day then..................well I dread to think. I for one apologise if I place more honour in this role than MH, fellow players, ex-players, management team, The Board and others on this forum.

"Lucas played for Ray at Millwall, when Ray was the Millwall and he recommended Lucas to Rovers." Indeed he did and if Ray were still alive I'd bet he'd have a word of advice for him. Ray Harford was a fantastic coach with terrific knowledge of the game, no wonder King Kenny insisted upon him as his right hand man. For what's its worth I don't agree with booing our own players, although on occasions I can understand why. I must confess that I have in the past groaned loudly, with the use of a poor adjective! Two wrongs don't make a right and a player should not respond to the supporters who feel that they contribute to their wages. Irrespective of the man's leadership, temperament and character, I personally do not think the captain of Blackburn Rovers Football Club should be a player who publicly (either through comments made in the Oz press, or through his agent) announces that his immediate future lies elsewhere. For the first time I disagree with MH and think he is wrong. I bow to his greater knowledge of football, but one thing I am 100% about is that I will still be at Ewood supporting The Rovers long after Lucas departs for Liverpool and MH for Man Utd. Possibly other supporters feel likewise that it is an honour to follow the likes of Bob Crompton, Ronnie Clayton & Derek Fazackerley, the Board need to intervene.

MH is not helping Lucas by allowing him to continue as skipper. It only adds credence to anybody wishing to express their dissatisfaction during a game, or provide an excuse for their non attendance. However supporters will have to reconcile themselves with the fact that contracts last for a fixed period of time only and players will then move on for an extra few thousand a week. The supporters do not want to see the honour of captain to be awarded to any such person. For what it's worth it appears to me that Lucas's commitment and attitude has not been vastly different, but if the boos increase who knows? Surely the management and Lucas can see the supporters' views and address this? Lily for skipper until The Admiral returns and may that be very soon please?

Our home form will keep us up. Lots of home derbies in the 1st half of the season have impacted with easier home matches in 2007. Although our expanding injury list is a concern exposing our lightweight squad, 7 matches in 23 days starting on Saturday, 4 away matches with only Arse at home in January!! Oh my god, don't panic. The worst thing home supporters could do is to start getting twitchy and get on the backs of the players. Uefa cup success for little old Blackburn Rovers, imagine adding this to our role of honours, yes please!

Is there an advantage from having the sleeves the same colour as the body? Hence on the white half have white sleeves and on the blue half with blue sleeves also. Would it have been easier for the officials against Spurs (when Mido caught the ball and threw it down) if the sleeves were a different colour, to have spotted a hand ball? I think many years ago circa 1900's this was the kit?

MH reported comment today, "He understands that if in January the situation arises where I feel the squad will not be weakened then I will look at it. But if that situation does not develop he will not be moving." And what will be the response from Lucas if he wants to force through his transfer to Liverpool in January? I may be wrong, but would not be at all surprised if his "nagging hamstring" persists a while longer!

And are we all still happy that when/if he returns after injury he gets handed the captain's armband for Blackburn Rovers Football Club? Ironic how a nagging hamstring can sometimes rule someone out!

As Captain Mainwaring said "Don't panic"! I reconciled myself at the start of the season that we would be mid table (8th to 14th). This is due to a typical good performance in one season (2005/06 for Rovers) sometimes leads to a different approach the following season from opposing clubs who might use a less expansive style of play and accept that a draw against us is a good result the following season. I'd put Rovers alongside other clubs such as Everton, Villa, Boro, Spurs, Newcastle & City in this category who might finish anywhere from 5th to 15th. with Rovers punching far above our weight too! Also taking into effect a good Uefa cup campaign I was willing to settle for mid table. Mid table may at times mean 15th/16th and 6th/7th, but overall not a time to panic but an awareness of the relegation battle. What I found enlightening was to hear last season about MH's points tally he sets. It would be interesting to see where we currently stand. Bear in mind that many of the other clubs around us will have played 15 games to our 13 after tonight. We might have to wait till January when Ryan and Reidy hopefully return and who knows who else in the transfer window, up to now MH has always pulled a rabbit out of the hat! So now is the time for patience rather than panic.

Is that Birmingham with Dudley Council?

6 of us (plus 2,494 mates) travelling Wed & Fri Blackpool/Amsterdam and staying in Swissotel for both nights. Come on Rovers!

A response to thenodrog in so far as he begins his posting with reference to me. Firstly your comment about our current education system producing "insular numpties", well I'm sorry but I'm a product of an education system from a bygone era and am amused and quietly flattered to think otherwise. Many of the attributes which I would advocate were developed from a more classical education, do tend to share many of the roles which I would suggest the carrier of the role "Captain of Blackburn Fovers FC" should possess. Loyalty, dependability, allegiance, fidelity, faithfulness. Naive is mentioned and perhaps as football supporters that's exactly what we all are, for continually coming back for more of the same from an industry were the term loyalty means diddly squat. Contracts and there role in football is like no other business in the way both parties run roughshod over them. But possibly this may be another reason why many supporters have had enough and are now voting with their feet? Perhaps they cannot reconcile such hypocrisy and would not tolerate disloyalty in their personal life and why should they? Sadly I am a hopeless case and there is no cure for my addiction to BRFC. In Div 3 when the attendance would sink to around the 4.000 mark I must admit that a thought did briefly enter my mind that I would pass on the next home match, but fortunately it soon wore off and I was back for more stood on the Riverside. I am quite prepared to accept that Lucas has freedom of contract and will walk on a free next July. I'm sure that the offer from LFC in August received due consideration by the Board & MH at the time, but with knowledge that Nelson was facing a six month lay off the decision to retain his services and enforce the contract of a very good defensive player made sense. I have not suggested Lucas should be dropped, he is still one of our best players. I think we should do everything possible to encourage Lucas to re-sign and committ his long term future to BRFC, but fully acknowledge that it is Lucas's right to chose the path he sees fit for himself. I applaud MH for trying all options open to him to accomplish this, which appointing him captain recently is an example. My own opinion as I have already stated are that the comments he is widely quoted as making in the past couple of days, are not those to which in my opinion the captain of Blackburn Rovers should make. Just my own personal opinion, I fully appreciate we all have our own thoughts on the subject and we reconcile and set our standards and morals. In reply to my initial comment that I hoped the Board of BRFC and/or MH might make a comment on Lucas's quotes, your response was, "Why? There really is nothing more to say that we dont already know." Well perhaps I hoped they shared my views on his comments rather thans yours. After what he's said can you reconcile Lucas wearing the armband at Anfield, representing BRFC?