Loads. Lads who went to the schools, played for the teams, have great memories of the time spent and the friendships made.

Slight possibility that blokes who went to MillHill St Peter's, went to SMC, played for MHSP kind of vibe. I did all three, as did my brothers. 'S all. Pretty sure a fair few others did too, certainly in my time, & my dad's.

Last one I have to hand is actually a Mill Hill St Peters School team playing at Ewood in a cup final, probably 1973. Brejezki, Dinsdale, Cummings, Alderson, Eccles, McAreavey, Culshaw (?) amongst others beaming out from this gem.. I wonder how many are still with us - all in their late 50s now...

Joe Pilling it was! Cantankerous old brute on the surface, but a half decent groundsman nonetheless. S'funny you walked out on your last day there - I spent the 'leaving day' smoking in Corporation Park, and hiding in the bushes whenever any adult male approached from the North (Shear Brow direction) as I'd been told Mick Devoy had a tendency to sweep the park for truants! You'd have been 2 years ahead of my brother (the goalie in the pic), in that case, so I guess you'd have started in 1970??

Another blast from the past - St Mary's College U14s from 1973/4 local cup final being played at Griffin Park. Tony Pearson, Dave McAreavey, Peter Betts amongst those I recognise... any clues for others in the photo anyone?? Can't comment on the boots for this one, obviously due to the slightly overdue haircut needed at grass roots level. Mike Duxbury was in t he year above this lot at SMC, at a time when the school was regularly turning out players capable of entering professional ranks. Edit: I think the slightly deranged one second back, in front of 'Betsy' was called Grimes.. (not his first name!)..

Happy Birthday Tommy D - your half time penalty shoot outs were the stuff of legend! Ma Burns, Ma Riley, Fat Colly (Colinridge), Pa Stewart, Ken Holt, Pete Rose, Spam Eastham and yer dodgy bus, Dave Briff (et), Mick Devoy, Pa Simison, Father Wynne, Scruffy Den(is) Mahon, and others... take a bow in the ongoing and fabulous spirit of 'Fat Tommy;. Not going to say thanks for the memories, as SMC sucked as far as I am concerned... What was the name of the groundsman who laboured away for years making the playing fields behind the school some of the best in the region? (he always went on about turning the rough ground at the back into a rugby pitch, but no-one else was interested). Him and his tractor and dodgy sideburns. The sons of the goalie in this pic from the 1950s of Blackburn Tech's 1st team all turned out for MHSP at various times in the 80s & 90s. One was a legendary left back who converted to centre forward, netting a continuous series of (I think) over 50 successful penalty conversions in a row at one time. The others were goalies, like their dad, though not of the same legendary capability if time honoured stories over the years are telling the tale correctly

Other keepers worth an honourable mention: Jim Arnold Paul Robinson Paul Bradshaw Shay Given Alan Kelly

Nah, can't agree with that. Terry Genoe was a tremendous influence on the team, a real safe pair of hands, plus pulled off super saves on a regular basis. Roger Jones I think set the standard, and created the notion of building from the back, for me at least. I do think we have lost the plot somewhat, and yearn for the good old days... whenever that was..

In the same vein as current threads around best / worst to have played in Blue & White halves (plus keeper colours!), I was thinking about the keepers I've had the pleasure of watching over the years. Started with Roger Jones in the 70s (lived just round the corner from us in a modest house) Since then my favourites have been: Terry Genoe Bobby Mimms Tim Flowers John Filan but the best of all, in my humble opinion, was HellBoy himself Biggus Braddus!

Nectar. Pure, unbridled magic. Thank you!

It's a bit like nipping out to the local Tesco now - you don't realise what you've got, till it is gone! Although I was living in London in 1992, I managed to get to many of the games in the capital that season, and it was a magical time, when you felt great pride in being a Rover and part of something really special. It was a complete contrast to my early years as a Rovers fan, when travelling to London was fraught with worries about the narsty southern bootboys (Chelsea, Millwall, Spurs even Leighton Orient had their crews) and under the likes of Bobby Saxton and Howard Kendal and Don Mackay we were always chasing our tails and underdogs wherever we went. Shearer, Ripley, Mimms, Hendry, Wright, Atkins, Cowans, Le Saux, Wilcox, Newell, and the like - you could wear your colours with pride with players like that on the teamsheet, and we were feared (as a footballing force) wherever we went. Those WERE the days!!

Ouch! It still hurts to lose at home, even 28 years on!! How good was that side though, and how brilliant was the atmosphere at the old Ewood? Great stuff, Herbie! Looking forward to the next instalment!

Dead rubber. We all know Mowbray's cycle of winning a few games, getting our hopes up, then dashing expectations with a long run of poor results. The writing has been on the walll all season, and we are now on the lacklustre stretch of the cycle, which will see us finishing outside of the playoff places. It's probably as well. It would be embarrassing going any higher in the leagues, even with our proud traditions and history. Probably better for us to accept the season is over, except for the odd flash of exciitement here and there, and let's see how things shape up over the summer. Saturday - meh - another 1-1 toil against the odds.

Back to the game... Given the massive incentive to be able to go 7th if we can somehow get points, I fully expect a meek and bafflingly inept performance leaving us in no doubt whatsoever what the real intent for this season has been all along. More than happy to be eating humble pie tomorrow evening, but won't be stocking up on custard in anticipation. COYB!

I don't think we can grumble too much, given that we have been fielding a bare bones team for the past few weeks. It would have been better of course had we won at least one of the last three, but we are far from out of contention as things stand. Where we might get to in the event of some of the key players coming back into the mix is anyone's guess. If we did, by some miracle, make the playoffs, and then have a stronger squad to select from, well anything might just happen. Lots of ifs, buts and maybes there. I don't think anyone thinks we are capable of pushing for the Prem at this point, but a mild flirtation with the idea, via participation in the Playoffs would be something to celebrate, even if it did eventually end in heroic failure.

Saw this coming...

Why on earth would you let someone who is lacking match fitness take a pen, when you have a striker who is on fire on the pitch? (unless you wanted to bottle it)

Bottled

Pen!

Manager has to take action and shuffle the deck.

bollux

ffs

It's TM's baffling myopia and clueless loyalty to his 'senior pros'. It is this lack of vision, insight and confidence in the up and coming players that will ultimately undo the man. Rovers to score 4, Swansea to score when they want!

It is woeful, but our recent history doesn't suggest we will roar like lions and decimate our Welsh opponents in anticipation of a late surge into playoff contention. No, instead all of the portents are that we will be heading home wondering what might have been if, just if.... Bollix to it - 4-1 to the mighty rampant Rovers at 4.50 is my guess. You just have to look at the table, goal difference and the weather forecast to work this one out.. Swans to score first, and Rovers to roar back with a dose of the feckits..

Rovers to confirm their credentials as mid table nearly men, lacking the guile and steel required for consideration as play-off places candidates. Whatever..