I played briefly in the West Lancs League before going off to University in the 80s, where I was lucky enough to earn my colours as 1st team goalkeeper for a couple of years. I'd been too scrawny in my teens to have anyone take me seriously as a goalie, and it was only in my early 20s that I put on sufficient timber to carry off the role with any aplomb. Like Arbitro (Italiano for ref like!) I took up the whistle around then, and more seriously after breaking my leg whilst doing my Masters in Durham. Stopped refereeing after 25 years, in my early 50s and likewise having done hundreds if not thousands of games over the years. Did get to referee at Ewood in a few competitions (not pro though), and at Old Trafford (in a tournament) - running out onto Ewood through the tunnel and onto the pitch was very much a treasured highlight, that helped mend some of those less salubrious memories of Sunday mornings in Pleasington, which were mostly like this...

Yup, Nick, Yup!

Holtby has the credentials and quality to leave another beloved and indelible mark on the history of our club...a few years back some people were unimpressed by the signing of an ageing Turkish midfielder whose name escapes me (not!). That turned into an enduring love affair that still runs deep in the hearts of many a misty-eyed Rovers fan, didn't it? Just saying like, let's be thankful for what we've got and hope it goes even half as well here for Holtby as it did for the legendary Mr Terimoglou..

We shouldn't get too carried away just because we beat a poor 10 man outfit from Bamber Bridge.. Remember, in the words of old Shakespeare, "One swallow, a summer doth not make" (or something like that).. But my goodness, it was great making North End swallow ;) Suck it up, nobbers! Onwards and hopefully upwards for the Rovers. COYB!

Run em ragged till 70 mins then bring on some young hungry motivated playmakers from the bench would be my roll of the dice.. I guess we all anticipate TM shutting up shop at this point

Sock in it!

Very nearly, but Arnaud his our mans arse

Hmm, can we out-football them? Probably. Can we out-muscle them? Possibly? Can we out-wit them? Der... C'mon TM, time to show your cojones, credentials and capabilities. None of this "Oh we were unlucky as we had over 60% of the ball" horseshit.. Just set the team up... TO WIN!

Chav Wags

der... a dig at our hero Gallager maybe??

Nyambe on for JRC

Gallagher!!

FFS

To be fair Trybull has been anonymous... So no change there putting Gally on in his stead..

Gallagher coming on... who for?? Oh, ok Trybull..

See third or fourth post on this thread..

Aye, they are made of glass, this lot. I 'd imagine Lil Fuccillo still gets a bit nervous when he sees the fixture list and it ticks round to the tie with Rovers..

Cue surprisingly bloody nose...

I know what you mean, but we all (football fans in general) indulge in willy-waving and deluded self belief that ours is the 'one true faith' so I'm prepared to let it go as just hot air and banter.. What is more concerning to me is the question of whether TM will field enough steel to see us past the obvious banana skin that this lot have somehow contrived to lose their last 5 games at home - oh I do hope we don't turn up as generous and glass-jawed as usual in recent times, because that could see us on the wrong side of a despicable capitulation that we can ill afford. What we need is a performance from the team, a tune from our striker(s) and a solid outing from our defenders. What we will get is a whole other kettle of dubious fish, I worry..We have the talent, we have the motivation - but do we have the organisation and steely resolve to put the boot firmly on the nobbenders' neck? COYB! Do it!

They are a bit Jekyll and Hyde like us at the moment. I do think it is about time we turned the tide with this lot though - too much abject surrender and too little of the rub o' the green in recent encounters for me. We need to be solid, patient and clinical - all of those things we don't seem able to depend upon in any meaningful or timely way in recent years... Ho hum. Am going for a dishonourable draw, with Rovers drawing first blood and the Nobbenders nicking something near the end. Pah! Knobenders! Nothing to fear, but TM tombola tactics..

erm.. nope. I'm not THEM!

hI was at this game, sat way up in the Jackie Milburn stand amongst a bunch of knuckle dragging Geordie neanderthals.. Couldn't show my colours, but was nearly found out right at the end with that breakaway attack on the counter where (was it Scott Sellars) the ball was belted at their keeper. As the attack developed I got to my feet, caught up in the excitement and completely forgetting where I was momentarily. When the shot came in I was already celebrating the winner in my head (as you do) and jumped up in anticipation, realising as I landed that all eyes were upon me, at which point I regained my composure and said something lame in my best Geordie accent like, 'Did yee see that. Wankers!" I think I'd been rumbled though, so I sidled off for an early exit before the full time whistle. I probably wasn't in any real danger, and given what I know about Newcastle fans I could probably have had some banter during the game instead of cowering quietly as they bombarded our goal. Suffice it to say I don't count this as one of the finest spectacles in football that I've had to endure over the years. But I survived, and Rovers went on to glory, whilst the barcodes just became the bitter parody of football fanaticism that they remain today - not even quite nearly men!

It was like watching a re-run of some recent Rovers games IMO - lots of huff and puff and considered careful passing, but little or no real prospect of a goal...

No surprise there to be fair. Let's just hope they put Shrek in charge - that would be a giggle

Eee, those were the days... Perhaps the guys can do something similar..? COYB!