"top the pole" What, like a maypole?

I live nowhere near Blackburn but can confirm ... nothing at all. However, I have heard that Strachan's been seen in Morecambe Bay with some Chinese Cocklers and ... (shall we play "chain sentences"?)

"Iain Dowie's Blue and White Army" don't sound right. Substitute "Head of the Daleks" for "Iain Dowie" and it sounds a bit better. Similarly Moyes, Hughes, Allashite, Newell ... none of tehm fit. So it's either "king Kenny" or the head of the Daleks.

Just get Dowie in ASAP. I like Hughes, but I can't be doing with soemone who has split loyalties. Moyes hasn't been approached as far as I know, so for me it has to be Dowie. Sooner the better, I don't really want TP picking another team. Who would be next for a recall, Peacock and Ward?!

Like Batman and Robin? "Hughesy, ya dinner's ready!" "Thanks Mikey! Dinner dinner dinner dinner dinner dinner dinner dinner! Welshman! Holy Halloween, leek omelette!"

If Newell would be happy to give up his managerial career to become our coach, he is devoid of all ambition. I'm sure he didn't set out on his managerial career with the ultimate aim of being a coach in the Premiership. What makes you think he'd make an able coach? And do you think Hughes would be happy to be told who he should have as coach? Someone who (quite possibly) he's never met before?

Shirt Dave, you've just shattered the stereotype of the no-nonsense Aussie, blue! All this time spent frustrated, when I should've been concentrating on moving my legs faster!

I didn't realise we had a sports physiologist on here! Cuidado, could you help me get my 10K time down, please?!

- Been lauded as being one of the brightest young managers in the game (whilst at Preston). - Never been in charge of a relegated club. - Left a club in a far better state than he found it in. - Coped with ridiculous pressures when in charge of a Premiership club and thrived on it. Neither manager has set the Premiership alight, but I do think Moyes would be a better choice.

"Alan Shearer - he's a proper person ..."

I see no reason for people to go a bundle on Strachan, his pedigree is not hugely impressive. Unfortunately the pool of managers we have to pick from has no obvious "magic bullet" candidate. That's without an inside knowledge of the game. I still maintain Moyes is the best we could go for. Who knows, perhaps there's a lot of subterfuge going on and teh appointment will shock everyone as it's a big name not mentioned in the press whom we have poached from another club. Probably not.

Well done, you're halfway there. Missing component is that we spend more than we have. That is how you end up bankrupt.

Oh no it won't! The Lord help us if that clueless Clueso arrives. We'll be signing Carlos Kickaball and Hannanah Alaboogoo for ridiculous fees. He's bankrupt us and take us down. Take your red spex off.

Don't care who it is now (as long as teh shortlist is correct), but they have to appoint before the next game. TP's time has come I'm afraid. I'm sure he'll be well catered for.

No, no and again, NO!

All I can say is that I'm glad I'm not making the decision! No appointment is risk-free, and *every single* candidate could be criticised in some way. If you were to write down the pros and cons of each candidate, I'm sure it'd become no clearer. eg criticisms: Houllier: wasted a lot of money on crap, would he try to cripple us financially on an abortive CL attempt? Strachan: Took Coventry down, managed to get Soton to FA Cup final, but achieved nothing else of note Hughes: No club experience whatsoever. Dowie: Would he get the players respect? Is his current (notable) success a flash in the pan? Reid: Totally lost the plot at Sunderland (stayed too long), hard to judge his period at Leeds. Seems to be a tactical caveman, maybe this is harsh, but the overall impression is a poor man's Souness. Newell: Success on a plate at Hartlepool, hasn't been at Luton 5 minutes yet. Dalglish: His last success was almost 10 years ago now, surely not! ... then you get into the realms of dinosaurs like Venables and Graham. People who have had a lot of success, but whose day seems to have passed. A real s0d of a decision, can't believe they'd have sorted it by early next week. Only one I couldn't really criticise is Moyes, who's having a lot of obstacles put in his way at Everton, but who before that was very very highly rated at Preston. Hmmmm ... my choice is Moyes!

Dear oh law - Jenas is quoted on Ceefax as saying he doesn't think Souness will start banging heads together as he must realise that's not the way to go about things. What a prune, just shows what a discipline problem they have up there.

OK, I'm scared.

"Don't you read", honestly Hughesy, such a tart remark, take a chill pill or maybe smoke a bong. There's nothing in the public domain to say Davros and Sparky are definitely on the shortlist.

Who's this source then, John Williams? There's no glory in claiming to know the facts in advance, only the potential to look like a plonk if things turn out differently.

Advocaat Smirnoff Midori Peach-Schnapps Woods. Quite a cocktail ... "Rovers Shortlischt"

Advocaat Smirnoff Midori

Maybe Stroppy meant Hang Gliders?

Reminds me of that African Pesident Canaan Banana. It was a capital offence to laugh at the mention of his name. He was "having relations" with his bodyguard, who became known as "Mrs Banana". Straight up.