Ah but Billy, all these stories of Fergie falling out with players, they're just one-offs that in no way detract from his superb management skills. Whereas Souness regularly falls out with players because he is stubborn, ignorant and can't man-manage. Particularly since the players he's fallen out with are known for their placid natures. Just the same as Andy Cole hasn't become a shadow of his former self due to a poor goal return over the last two years, because he's the Premiership's second leading scorer. Compare to Paul Dickov, who scored more goals than him last season, but hasn't left behind a glittering career at previous clubs, doesn't put his hands on his hips, and has never scored a goal with his nose. I think it's clearly obvious that Cole should be made player-manager, Souness should be sacked and Dickov should never have been signed! Oi Souness! Nooooooooooooooooooo!

I see an android army of robomen done out in Souness 'taches and bubble perms. "I vill obeyyyyy." Cole: He'd rather obey his missus than Graeme, Cole was the one who harmed team morale by not going on the trip away. Yorke: Need I say anything about this tosspot? If Souness had kept him happy then it'd have been bad for morale because he would have been kept in the team when he wasn't pulling his weight. Granted he shouldn't have been bought, but that's a trasfer-judgement matter, not a man-management problem. Todd: Has caused problems wherever he's been. He must've been managed well because he's leaving Rovers without having smacked anyone. Sukur: Eh? He left 'cos he didn't like it over here, just like Unsal. Grasping at straws there. Dunn: A strong personality who thought he could take on Souness and win, and as such be able to play in the first team and be a carousing man about town. Just like Yorke's, his attitude could not be tolerated. Berg: Mucked us about, Souness wasn't having it and got rid. You start off with a hypothesis and twist the facts to suit it, just like Revidge and Sylvain Waggythord, who are always putting the most ridiculous slant on things to suit their agendas. All I see in the above is strong management, as soon as you let one muppet get away with mucking the management about, you lose the dressing room and it's downhill all the way.

I do remember him trying to head a goal at Man Utd and scoring it off his nose. And remember that air shot against Finland up at Anfield? He did one for us not long after.

Was Ian Wright still a good striker when he played for Burnley then Jim?

Alan and Cocker have it right, I'm sure.

Let me guess, he was fifteenth highest scorer!

How gracious and humble Janice!

Regardless of his playing ability, I'll be glad when his gone. It seems he's got a "big fish in small pond" attitude after coming to Rovers from Man Utd. That may be off-beam, but it's just my impression. I think the manager now favours work-rate and aggression over talent (that's not to suggest he wants a team of workaholic talentless players, just what his priority is ...)

Absolutely spot on American.

and Ashton has already gone hasn't he? And Beattie is unaffordable. Anyone who supports the Rovers as Chief Exec? Hmmm ... I seem to remember Peter Ridsdale saying he was a Leeds fan! I'd like a few more hard-nosed attributes in a CEO, gotta say!

Have to agree with you Andy. Pay 100% of his wages to play in our reserves but be available for selection or pay 50% of his wages (allegedly) to play for our rivals. First option makes sense.

But surely if you think it's his fault that season ticket sales are dwindling then you must think he's doing something wrong? So you must have some idea on how to correct the shortfall?

So what should he be doing to get more season ticket holders then wiggy? What's these ideas your mate has come up with?

Right about what?

Has-been!

I think he was quite candid in his comments that about making mistakes last season and trying to learn from them for next season. I think his biggest mistake so far (apart from Grabbi) has been Yorke, who doesn't appear to have any hunger for the game. I'm so glad he's been sidelined, and hopefully we can shove this parasite off somewhere. His comments about some foreign players "coming over for a jolly", and his signings of Dickov as a role model for Gallagher and Stead give me cause for guarded optimism. However, all things come to an end at some point, and unless GS wants his Rovers career to end sometime next season, we must have improved performances. I'm certainly not banking on this season being great, I just hope it all comes together, because I don't want to go through another season like last year again. That was awful. All these critical remarks about JW and BC seem like guesswork to me, unless people have had direct dealings with them, because they are very much background figures.

How much is John Williams paid then Waggy? And what else should he be doing to justify his "massive" salary? Why does he not come across as a "football man", should he do some ball-juggling at Brockhall? His job doesn't really allow him the scope to demonstrate his football knowledge, chief execs are involved with teh business aspects, not the football aspects. Bob Coar comes from Burnley, but how do you know that he is a Burnley fan? You're hinting that this interferes with his job, can you prove it? You present everything as if it's black and white. "Souness lovers" on one side "Souness haters" on the other. It's not as simple as that, if it were Championship Manager would be a training ground for the managers of tomorrow.

just spent 20 quid on amazon for what it's worth!

Hmmm ... not the first time a host has had us over a barrel! Might it not happen again if we move to another host? ie get bumped up beyond 120/month? Could it be cheaper to buy our own server on HP and have that paid off on DD? I suppose if the account goes bust you could always sell the server off to recoup cash. Will probably get shot down for that one, but it's just an idea.

Mr C: Agreed, Mr Jim is peerless, however thenodrog isn't bad himself. Can you really take his comments on here seriously? Shurely he's taking the pish? Cheers. Mr B.

Thenodrog's just on a wind-up, he's always doing it.

Julie Ward is the person you're thinking of Paul.

I haven't trivialised it at all. You don't appear to have understood my post, but never mind.

Perhaps they'll let it go once they receive justice? I wouldn't like to be the one who tells them face-to-face: "Come on chaps, it's been fifteen years. I know you've been messed about by the courts, and perhaps no-one's actually said 'sorry', but don't you think it's getting a bit boring now?" As for these daft "there were greater miscarriages during the war" arguments, the mind boggles. Is that the new yardstick for deciding whether to prosecute now? "Drink driver killed a whole family, no carpet bombing involved, OK sarge, I'll let him go". Banonkers!

Ha ha ha...read it all now. What year is blackburn the capital of culture, and what else are you famous for? Just bitter lad...oooohhh, taste that lemon. Spot the Murdoch Employee. I wouldn't even wipe my bum with the Sun. If things had moved on and Murdoch still didn't have his fingers in numerous media pies internationally then perhaps it would be time for closure. But that ain't the case. Would never have Sky in the house, don't buy the Sun or the Times, and hats off to Dennis Potter for calling his tumour "Rupert"!