I was at the Premier League Darts in Liverpool last week and the atmosphere was amazing. The only dissapointment was the barney wilted far too easy to make his match with Taylor a formality for the great one.

I'm going to the Foo Fighters on the Friday, so shouldn't miss too much of the Euros. Quite excited about the gig already!

After watching Pan's Labyrinth a couple of months ago and being thoroughly impressed, upon pay day this month I decided to invest in the Guillermo Del Toro Box Set which had Pan's Labyrinth, The Devils Backbone and Cronos in it. The Devils Backbone is another superb Spanish Civil War based horror/thriller and I would highly reccommend purchasing this set for around £20. Haven't got round to watching Cronos yet, which apparently is one of his earlier creations and is also very, very good.

Went to the Picturehouse in Liverpool lasy night before having a few drinks and watched "El Laberinto Del Fourno", Pan's Labyrinth. It's a Spanish film with subtitles but your soon forget about the subtitles as you get into the film. The storyline is an adult fairytale set in Spanish Civil War times, and believe or not the two storylines complement each other so wel. A couple of friends had previously watched this and true to their word it was one of the best films I have seen in a long time. Last week we went to see The Last King of Scotland which was also very good.

We also drove to this, I was 16 at the time and my dad doesn't drink so he drove his two mates and me all the way and back. Down to Dover, a night at a friends in Germany, then on to Poland. We stayed at a roadside motel in Poznan on the Tuesday night, which turned out to be a pick up point for the local pros and the truck drivers, it was an entertaining meal in the diner. Wednesday on to Warsaw, picked uo the tickets for the game from the ground and checked into the Hilton for the night. Pregame drinks involved some very strong Vodka with the locals then on to the ground which was quite a scarey prospect with the gun wiedling polish police/army. As has been mentioned, great atmosphere in the ground from teh Leia fans, bit I think the Rovers fans were a little nervous for two reason, one Rovers were playing awful, and two the polish police were surrounding us still wielding thise guns! After the match we managed to find the Irish bar which seemed to be home to every Rovers fan still in the city. Wake up Thursday with a bad vodka headache and into the car. Thursday night my Dad stops off in Berlin to le us have a few drinks, we get back into the car and he drives through the night and we wake up in Ostende for the ferry. Over to Dover we go on the Friday afternoon and we decide to stay on Dover for the night, were we all get beaten at Pool by the local pool chamo who happens to be a woman, we are not happy. Back in the car Saturday morning off to East Ham in London to watch Rovers beaten again by the 'ammers. Off home to sleep all Sunday and then back to work on the Monday with quite few stories for everyone. Never forget it.

I believe a lot, if not most, other Prem clubs have large loans which means large interest payments which we do not due to the Walker family. We have a modern Stadium that is paid for, which preseumably means low cost maintenance compared to sum such as Everton. We have a modern training facility that is paid for, see above. We really dont have that large a squad of 1st team players do we? As has been mentioned earlier, and I think this is due to the stature of our club, we have a good net record in the transfer market. When I say a club of our stature I mean that of a club outside the big 4, where when we get a star player we tend to make a nice profit on them as we can't stop players wanting to play almost guaranteed Champions League football every season. The fall in attendances is a sign of the growing shift in the appeal of the game from joe public to corporate big wigs. I know for a fact that people at Rovers are doing everythng they possibly can, and if something doesn't wok they will try something new, but there is only so much they can do at the end of the day. Success on the pitch may add another couple of thousand on, an improvement in the image of the club outside of Blackburn may also improve attendances. My personal circumstances over the pat couple of years have meant that I have attended a lot less, this is due to the fact that I have a young family and they take prioriy, especially when I am leaving the house at 7am and not getting home till 8/9pm on most occasions, therefore not seeing my children some times during the week. Can some shortminded people understand why I can't attend every game? I haven't even mentioned the cost yet which is spiraling. This isn't meant to sound like a rant, just a view from a supporter who has been watching Rovers for the past 20 years plus, and up until 3 years ago was a season ticket holder for nearly all of those years, yet I amd one of the missing 5000 most weeks. It isn't just about cost but also other factors that Rovers have no control of.

I actually used to work with both of the Williams at Granada around ten years ago, and from my experience both are more than competent to perform the roles they have. Simon is a well educated and has worked for some very large companies including the formentioned Granada and also a large catalogue company in Manchester. John Williams didn't just buy his way into the top position at Rovers, he went through a rigorous selection process at the time if I remember rightly and was basically the top choice of our own Mr Walker who had great faith in him turning Rovers into a good business.

Worst I've ever felt was being at that Palace game and sobbing like a baby, I was only 11 at the time, and also the away game at Warsaw in the Champions League as my Dad drove us all the way there and back and it would have been nice if he was rewarded with a victory for his efforts. We all had a cracking time as my dad stopped off at various watering holes for us in Germany and Poland on the way, then Berlin, Ostende and Dover on the way back before watching us at West Ham on the way home. A great trip that would have been rounded off with a victory. I still get upset thinking about that Palace match.

On a similar kind of note, I have problems with Movie file that I have downloaded in that they have no picture yet have sound. This has happened on several occasions and I am yet to download a working film. What am I doing wrong?

Bought it at lunch from HMV and it has a red plastic thing in the middles of the cover which is preventing me from opening it. Anyone any ideas apart from snapping the thing in two? Oh and no I don't think it is a security tag as it had a plastic cover on it and the thing was oinside that.

still half white though

I personally don't think either team will have to change as both kits are quite different as in a big blue half and a big red half, also they wear black shorts and we wear white, so shouldn't be a problem. Do Newcastle have to wear their away kit when they play Sunderland? Not that I can recall, but I do recall Newcastle wearing white shorts so as not to clash with Sunderlands black shorts.

You can fly to Krakow from Liverpool as well with Easyjet

Just to let you know I haven't forgotten about the prediction League, I have been out of action due to a rib injury sustained playing in a cup match in St Helens this weekend. I will wait until after the our games this week and send an update out after Sunday's match.

Warnock is highly rated by the Liverpool fans I know, and having seen him play a few times and would be very happy with a couple of million and him for Neill. Think about, we have several options for the right back spot within the current senior squad, Emerton, Ooijer, Zurab and Steven Reid at a push. Our left back situation gives us two options Gray and Matteo(although I don't really want to bring him in to the equation, he is still part of the squad), oh and at a push Jay McEverly An extra option at left back would pretty much give us two decent players for every position. Sound business in my opinion.

I find the Oijer bashing laughable as Rovers really defended well as unit yesterday. The penalty was a penalty, but by those rules we should have had one therefore we should feel agrieved it was given. The 2nd goal was an example of how well Drogba can play if he stays on his feat, great strength and a good finish. Any centre half in the premiership would strugle to deal with that. Overall, I think Rovers were unlucky to get beaten, however if we were playing against a team in form yesterday we would have really struggled as we gave the ball away far too much for my liking and Brad seemed to lack confidence in the men in front of him as well. Maybe because the back four has changed each game? Not going to repeat everthing everybidy else has said about Emerton, needless to say he was my MOTM by a ciuntry mile yesterday. PREDICTION LEAGUE Sorry about the delay in getting the results to you, but I had to go staright to a wedding back in Liverpool after the match yesterday. So a two week break is upon us with the table looking like this, but don't worry if you are at the bottom as remember we have 35 more games to play! Position Player Total 1 Mark Atkins'BaldPatch 7 2 SIMON GARNERS 194 7 3 tsnuf 7 4 SharrockDownSouth 7 5 SouthAussieRover 7 6 Revidge Blue 7 7 Rover4ever 7 8 3recurring 5 9 Eddie 5 10 Gareth 5 11 Philly Rover @ 5 12 pick32 5 13 rebelzero 5 14 rover6 5 15 tcj_jones 5 16 The Gull 5 17 percy 5 18 ihatedingles 5 19 ainscough99 5 20 tchocky 5 21 Sambo 5 22 ozzierovers 5 23 Welshrover1981 5 24 Krislu 4 25 Scotty 4 26 Quack 4 27 cn174 4 28 shilito15 4 29 SAS 4 30 American 2 31 bob fleming 2 32 den 2 33 Frosty 2 34 James No. 7 2 35 jansenprsty10@wales 2 36 philipl 2 37 pks1984 2 38 pleasure 2 39 robbojohno 2 40 Shevchenko 2 41 Simon Says 2 42 vyeo 2 43 Hughesy 2 44 Perth Rover 2 45 Jordan 2 46 AggyBlue 2 47 Alamo Rover 2 48 oakland 2 49 Jim J 2 50 laughatthedingles 2 51 FourLaneBlue 2 52 chopperhopper 2 53 blue phil 2 54 Look4me 2 55 Foxxx 2 56 joey_big_nose 2 57 Baz 2 58 steb 2 59 Hannah 2 60 3rdpillar 2 61 DavidMailsTightPerm 2 62 Daren 2 63 emglch 2 64 ScouseRover 2 65 brennanboy 2 66 Billy Castell 2 67 MC 2 68 neekoy 2 69 Adopted Scouser 2 70 Exiled in Toronto 2 71 herbergeeh 2 72 1864roverite 2 73 Al 2 74 bubblerovers 2 75 Duff's Minder 2 76 ROVERS 2 77 Cookiemonster 0 78 ihateburnley 0 79 ManicRover 0 80 nellybc 0 81 salothsar 0 82 starcascade 0 83 sparky12 0 84 andyrovers 0 85 Dude Abides 0 86 Fife Rover 0 87 james198308822 0 88 SD4E 0 89 DownUnderRover 0 90 ozzie jones 0 91 amh_brfc 0 92 schaffy 0 93 LA Rover 0 94 Big A 0 95 Oscar Raven 0 96 Tooting Rover 0 97 roversmum 0 98 Capt Kayos 0 99 Somerset Rover! 0 100 cn_barlow 0 101 oklahoma 0 102 GreggyK 0 103 Mr. E 0 104 Fumofumo 0 105 McClarky 0 106 Manchester Blue 0 107 nissefar 0 108 Bondi-Rover 0 109 Ronin 0 110 rover_groo 0 111 OhmiBRFC 0 112 Simonsays 0 113 Rachrover 0 114 blue/white 0 115 chris 0 116 Nelsta 0 117 Cheshireblue 0 118 Hypo-Luxa 0 119 Nayef 0 120 blueandwhitemike 0 121 Paul 0 122 ad102 0 123 stuwilky 0 124 OJrovers 0 125 azzyb_90 0 126 Al 0 And a two week break for me as well!

Here you go, quite a few of us had 1-1, a couple of people got points on Saturday but the majority got points on the Everton match. Early doors for a table, but just to prove I am doing something! Player Points 1 3recurring 5 2 ainscough99 5 3 ihatedingles 5 4 Mark Atkins'BaldPatch 5 5 percy 5 6 pick32 5 7 rebelzero 5 8 Revidge Blue 5 9 Rover4ever 5 10 rover6 5 11 SharrockDownSouth 5 12 SIMON GARNERS 194 5 13 tchocky 5 14 The Gull 5 15 tsnuf 5 16 shilito15 4 17 Adopted Scouser 2 18 AggyBlue 2 19 Alamo Rover 2 20 American 2 21 Billy Castell 2 22 bob fleming 2 23 brennanboy 2 24 chopperhopper 2 25 cn174 2 26 Daren 2 27 DavidMailsTightPerm 2 28 den 2 29 emglch 2 30 Exiled in Toronto 2 31 FourLaneBlue 2 32 Foxxx 2 33 Frosty 2 34 Hannah 2 35 herbergeeh 2 36 Hughesy 2 37 James No. 7 2 38 jansenprsty10@wales 2 39 Jim J 2 40 Jordan 2 41 Krislu 2 42 laughatthedingles 2 43 Look4me 2 44 MC 2 45 oakland 2 46 Perth Rover 2 47 philipl 2 48 pleasure 2 49 Quack 2 50 SAS 2 51 Scotty 2 52 ScouseRover 2 53 Shevchenko 2 54 Simon Says 2 55 SouthAussieRover 2 56 steb 2 57 vyeo 2 58 3rdpillar 0 59 ad102 0 60 Al 0 61 amh_brfc 0 62 andyrovers 0 63 azzyb_90 0 64 Baz 0 65 Big A 0 66 blue phil 0 67 blue/white 0 68 blueandwhitemike 0 69 Bondi-Rover 0 70 Capt Kayos 0 71 Cheshireblue 0 72 chris 0 73 cn_barlow 0 74 Cookiemonster 0 75 DownUnderRover 0 76 Dude Abides 0 77 Eddie 0 78 Fife Rover 0 79 Fumofumo 0 80 Gareth 0 81 GreggyK 0 82 Hypo-Luxa 0 83 ihateburnley 0 84 james198308822 0 85 joey_big_nose 0 86 LA Rover 0 87 Manchester Blue 0 88 ManicRover 0 89 McClarky 0 90 Mr. E 0 91 Nayef 0 92 neekoy 0 93 nellybc 0 94 Nelsta 0 95 nissefar 0 96 OhmiBRFC 0 97 OJrovers 0 98 oklahoma 0 99 Oscar Raven 0 100 ozzie jones 0 101 Paul 0 102 Philly Rover @ 0 103 pks1984 0 104 Rachrover 0 105 robbojohno 0 106 Ronin 0 107 rover_groo 0 108 roversmum 0 109 salothsar 0 110 schaffy 0 111 SD4E 0 112 Simonsays 0 113 Somerset Rover! 0 114 sparky12 0 115 starcascade 0 116 stuwilky 0 117 tcj_jones 0 118 Tooting Rover 0

A few ground rules for those wanting to participate in the Prediction League. 1) Please only submit 1 prediction per game as you will confuse me very easily! 2) No Dingles Allowed 3) Please try and make your prediction stand out rather than hiding it in a big rant. 4) No Dingles Allowed 5) If you put more than 1 prediction in a post you will not be given credit for any of your scores. 6) No Dingles Allowed If anybody has any questions then feel free to PM me. Oh, and I'm putting 1 -1 by the way, just so I can't be accused of sheating!

anybody who wants to be included in the PredictionLeague must have their scoreline prediction in by 6pm tonight to allow me to update before leaving for the match. 6PM DEADLINE FOR PREDCITION LEAGUE Cheers

As you may expect nobody got the full score correct in the predictions but a couple of people got one side of the score correct and in doing so gaining two points. I'll post a table after the Everton game as we all no that one game doesnt make a season, naybe some posters should be maybe use that view of Rovers' performance yesterday and get behnd the team for the next 37 matches rather than codemming them to the Championship already!

I'm always the optimist with Rovers, but this season it's more a confidence thing with Mark Hughes and his team and I feel genuinely excited about the season ahead. I think ortsmouth are a poor team and surely the atmosphere can't be good when Uncle 'Arry is trying to sign everyone under theu, and failing. 2-1 Rovers for me. All predictions far have been taken, and quite a lot of you have made predictions prompting my wife asking what the hell I've been doing for the last hour!

Well Pleasure and Scotty were the only ones to guess the correct full scoreline and take the max 5 points. Others managed to get one of the scores correct, i.e Rovers or NZ only. Position Player Total 1 pleasure 5 2 Scotty 5 3 tsnuf 5 4 bob fleming 2 5 Cookiemonster 2 6 Eddie 2 7 Frosty 2 8 Gareth 2 9 James No. 7 2 10 jansenprsty10@wales 2 11 Laurence 2 12 Mark Atkins'BaldPatch 2 13 Perth_Rover 2 14 philipl 2 15 pick32 2 16 robbojohno 2 17 salothsar 2 18 SharrockDownSouth 2 19 Simon Says 2 20 sparky12 2 21 starcascade 2 22 ste b 2 23 vyeo 2 24 3recurring 0 25 ad0102 0 26 American 0 27 baxendaleblue 0 28 cn174 0 29 den 0 30 herbergeehh 0 31 ihateburnley 0 32 ihatethedingles 0 33 JamieUK 0 34 Krislu 0 35 ManicRover 0 36 nellybc 0 37 Philly Rover @ 0 38 pks1984 0 39 Quack 0 40 rebelzero 0 41 rover6 0 42 Shevchenko 0 43 SIMON GARNERS 194 0 44 Steve 0 45 Sydney Rovers 0 46 tcj_jones 0 47 The Gull 0 48 Threepenny Bit Foot 0 Unfortunately, for Pleasure and Scotty, this was just a practice run and the real thing will start next week.

Best put my own in eh! 3 Rovers 3 NZ 1

All, as has been mentioned in the prediction and preview threads over the summer I have agreed to run a prediction league for the board for the coming season and would like to use this weekends game against NZ as a practice. Here is how the scoring will work: Rovers score correct = 2 points Other teams score = 2 points Full Result Bonus = 1 point All predictions must be in before Kick Off, so please make sure you get them in early, and obviously you can only submit one prediction per match. I am unsure of what the demand level is going to be so please be patient with me when awaiting results. Could the mods please pin this thread and lets see how we get on this weekend, so lets see those predictions!

Looking at this from a business perspective, and I am prepared to be shot down over this, Rovers have done a very sensible thing for a couple of reasons: 1) The Blackburn End is surely the one stand that is almost full every game, whoever the opposition, and is populated by a large proportion of season ticket holders that this pricing structure will not affect. 2) The price structure for the Visting fans is based on the pricing of a similar area for the home team, in our case the Blackburn End price governs what we have to charge the visitors in the Darwen End. 3) Everton have season upon season brought a large following to Rovers, and surely a Summer match can only be seen to support the argument that they will bring 5000+ with them. What the club is trying to do is maximise the income from this game and only time will tell if they are to achieve this goal. From a fans point I would like entrance to be cheap as chips to get as many people into the grouund as possible and savour the atmosphere every week rather than every few games. However, from a fans point of view there is only one way my club is going to keep on challenging at the level it is, and that is by running it as a sound business. Unfortunately we can't have our cake and it eat it.