Tyrone Shoelaces

The thing is we need to be thinking that we are going to sign players that are better than the players he named. How else are we going to challenge for a play off spot ?

I think Bell was another one bought as a potential investment rather than a player who could immediately improve the first 11. He's got pace so I'm not writing the lad off completely but he does appear to be a slow learner. For a full back pace will only get you so far, Tackling ability and a bit of aggression are also essential ingredients and he's not overly endowed with either of those at the moment.

If you're banging on the managers door to get game time when the moment comes you've got to take it. On Tuesday he didn't, the game passed him by.

I'm not a Smallwood fan really. I thought he should have been nearer to the lad who had the shot for their first goal. Shortly after that he hesitated on the ball and got caught in possession in the last third. After that poor start I thought he barely put a foot wrong and he had a good game. If you're picking players on current form you'd have give him the shirt on Saturday.

Where's the diversity ? There's a bald guy in there !

He did absolutely nothing after coming on as sub on Tuesday night.

I don't the fee is an issue if the player isn't good enough. If I sold you a Mercedes Benz for £500 but it wouldn't start would you be happy ?

The Bell signing was another strange one. He's been here a year almost now and people still don't rate him as an improvement on Williams who isn't really a left back in the first place. Pals of mine who watch Rochdale regularly were impressed with Hart. I only saw him play once but he looked distinctly average to me. The point I'm making is Mowbray has signed two left backs, neither of which are an improvement on the player we already had and who also isn't deemed good enough. Let's just say I'm a bit underwhelmed by our scouts.

James Collins at centre half is a key signing for me. Short term but so was John MacNamee for Rovers and he kept us out of the Fourth Division when we were really bad. If the players think this this is going to be easy they better think again.

Two Mercs Eh and Ronnie Clayton made do with an Hillman Minx ! I once got three of my all time great Rovers players - Mike England, Keith Newton, Fred Pickering - autographs as they got off a Corporation bus near the ground before a match.

I thought Wigan would finish slightly higher than Rovers.

What worries me more about this signing is it's potential repercussions on future signings.

That pathetic home shirt doesn't help tv viewers if the picture isn't great.

Graham probably won't have got out of bed today. I went to a book launch with Tommy Docherty one evening. In the question and answer session one member of the audience asked him why he'd let Denis Law leave Utd. The Doc' said - " In his last season at Utd his knees were in a bad way so on Saturday he'd play, normally a full game ( only one sub in those days ). Sunday he'd stay in bed all day. Monday he'd get up at dinner and walk around the house. Tuesday he'd come in and do some light exercises. Wednesday ditto but a good bit more intense. Thursday he'd train normally. Friday was a light day for all the team. Saturday he'd play again and this regime would start all over again ".

No, I was hoping we would be about where we are now. Looking back though if we hadn't have thrown so many points away we would be in a play off position. So on the one hand I'm content, but regretting what might have been.

They'll be well up for this after watching us play for 120 minutes last night and sickness in the camp. James Collins is a good signing for them. Rovers will be looking at the League table and thinking it'll be easy. I'm expecting a scrappy draw 1-1.

He took the only free kick we got last night in a " Mulgrew " position and just banged it right at the wall ! Grr.

Yeah Nuttall is green as grass. Do I think he'll make a championship striker ? No. At least he puts himself about though. At least you know he's playing. If I was playing at centre half I'd rather play against Big Ben than Nuttall.

So you're just speculating then ? The fee could have been £2.5 Mill, £3.5 Mill, £4.5 Mill, £7.5 Mill etc etc ?

Where's your evidence for that statement ? Even at £2.5 million we've been had over. As " Black Bart " the outlaw once said - " Some men rob with a six-gun, some men rob with a fountain pen ".

Three players missed out from the list of those who played for both teams - Alan Hunter, a terrific Northern Irish centre half who we sold to Ipswich for a big fee where he the became the mainstay of their defence for many years. Just what we need now. Bobby Bell, who came in the other direction in part exchange for Hunter and cash. Blink and you missed him, amazingly he was sold for big bucks after playing just 3 games for Rovers. Vanished from sight immediately after that. If you can say " I saw Bobby Bell play " you're a very rare person. Roy Stephenson, a bit part player /reserve in the great Rovers forward line of the late 1950's Douglas, Dobing, Dougan, Vernon, MacCleod. Only a reserve at Ewood but Alf Ramsey turned him into a First Division Championship medal winner.

I doubt they'll be so poxy on Saturday. They'll have watched that last night and be fancying they can get something.

Grabbi was light years better. I remember him scoring a goal against Everton. He came inside from the old inside left position, dipped his shoulder, took two defenders out of the game and side footed the ball into the far corner cool as you like. Easy peasy. Very much like Armstrong's goal at Millwall.

Their guy put one into the top corner from a similar position.

The only problem with that is why would anyone who's scouted him actually pay us a fee. I think a loan away from the club is the only answer.