All the latest Match Reports can be found by clicking the link button on the top of this sites front page. Link here

Try looking at. Lancashire Cup Thread

Well it doesnt suprise me. No disrespect to Bournemouth or the new manager. Clubs have treated the early rounds of this competition as a run out for the reserves for so long that people are not prepared to pay out hard earned cash. Anyone who knows me, knows where my loyalties lie but I havent bought a ticket. I will decide on the day and it will depend on the weather and what vibes the club give out between now and Wednesday.

samtheozzy Rednapps appearance is a result of a horrific road accident in 1990 when he was lucky to survive. 5 other people in the accident were not so lucky and died.

I think before yesterday the majority were wishing he'd been left outside the ground.

Bert Emerton when did we sign him.

Paul I also heard Bothroyds comment about the cup, nearly drove into the car in front. I wondered where he'd got that impression from. Made me think that someone at last at Ewood has a bit of logic. There is no way we are going to win the league, our best chance in any season is cup glory. That said with Arsenal only drawing and us winning yesterday we did gain ground on them

A nice and interesting read about Hughesy. Telegraph Article by Lineker

I would suggest that before people start knocking MGP, they think back a few years at a Norwegian player who didnt look capable of making the grade during his first few months at Ewood. Be honest, those around at the time that Berg signed, didnt you think he was rubbish. MGP needs time to adjust,

Dont know if its been posted and I havent found any link but did anyone hear Hughes interview about Matt after the game. It went somethink like. Matt needed his confidence building, I gave him some TLC and a shoulder to rest on. Now that is what I call man management.

Like a script from Roy of the Rovers, Old player returns as New Manager Team struggle to find form in the first half Fans favourite whose career was threatened comes off the bench and get the winning goal. Fantasty stuff comes to life,

Rovers 1 Portsmouth 0 Matt Jansen scored the only goal in this afternoons game to ensure Mark Hughes's managerial reign at Rover got off to a winning start against Portsmouth. Jansen playing his first game of the season, came off the bench in the second half to score to score the winning goal in the 75th minute after collecting a through ball from Lucas Neill on the edge of the penalty area. Rovers: Friedel, Neill, Short (Amoruso 41), Matteo, Gray, Emerton, Ferguson, Flitcroft, Pedersen (Jansen 58), Stead (Bothroyd 64), Dickov. Subs Not Used: Tugay, Enckelman. Goals: Jansen 75. Portsmouth: Hislop, Primus, Stefanovic, Unsworth, Griffin, Berkovic (Stone 35), Faye, Quashie, Berger (Kamara 76), Fuller, Yakubu. Subs Not Used: Taylor, Cisse, Ashdown. Booked: Griffin, Stefanovic, Fuller. Att: 20,647. Ref: M Clattenburg Link to Match Report

That being, should we be discussing it, we wouldnt want to prejudice the case.

Me to SG. Hopefully tomorrow isnt an anti climax, but I'm more excited about tomorrows game than I've been for quite a long time. Although its still the same squad of players and I dont expect over night changes in their performances, I've now got the buzz of expectancy, something thats been missing for quite a while at Ewood.

We shall not be moved........................... ooooooooops OK off to the Song Section

bubblerover I think youve contradicted yourself. you and usablue have conflicting opinions but there's no point falling out over them.

Alank, here you go.

Bryan. My final words on the matter, I suppose are reflected in Souness's his own words "You have to wee with the willie youve got" and Newcastle appear to have got a big one.

At this mornings press conference Mark Hughes admitted the opportunity to join Rovers was too good to turn down. "I am delighted to be here," he said. "It was an opportunity I couldn't afford to let pass by. "It was important at this stage of my career to make a move and this was the right time for me." Hughes added: "It is a club I know, I know the people here. They had an indication of what I can offer as well, they have obviously seen my work. "I made a lot of friends here and that maybe had an influence on the selection process." Hughes has signed a three-year contract with Rovers, but will remain in charge of Wales for their next two games. Hughes confirmed that Wales assistant coach Mark Bowen would be joining him in the same capacity to Ewood Park. Like the majority of Rovers supporters, I'm pleased to welcome Mark Hughes OBE as the new manager of Rovers. As a player Hughes quickly showed star quality when he emerged on the scene at Man U. often with spectacular goals but more so by his presence, that blended body strength with footballing ability. As many an opposition defender will testify, Hughes was not a one to shirk a challenge, and was prepared to give and take and on occasions the Celtic blood would rise in his determination to win. Whilst on the field he resembled the dragon of his national flag, off the field he is quite the opposite, a quietly spoken man, a deep thinker and very articulate. Yet despite his quiet demeanour he oozes charisma, ensuring all within ear shot hang on every word. This is now the dawn of a new era at Ewood, the Rovers players have already expressed that they were in favour of his appointment and hopefully they will show that they want to be part of Hughes plan when they take on Portsmouth. And hopefully those supporters who dropped away during the latter stages of the previous manager’s reign will return to give Hughes a welcomed return to Ewood on Saturday.

Mark Hughes will be officially unveiled as the new Rovers manager at a press conference at 11.30 am this mornining. Link here to the supporters reaction to the news of Sparky's appointment. Link here to Media Watch - Rovers in the Spotlight

I was quite pleased with the line-up today. Unlike our resident tactical genius Tashor I thought playing 4-4-2 and taking the game to the confidence-shy Geordies was exactly what we should do and I was looking forward to a cracking game. Surely if there was ever a game where we'd be up for it this was the one. How wrong I was. We were simply pathetic. We were second to every 50-50, we let the Newcastle players have yards of space every time they were in possession, and we failed to do the most basic of defensive duties. Newcastle scored from the first corner of the match. A ball was swung over and Flitcroft headed it into the back of his own net. God knows why. There was space all over the pitch. No-one in a blue & white shirt could be arsed to close down and Newcastle carved through us at will. A through ball found Bellamy challenging the hapless Neill and Short down their left flank. He was allowed time and space to pick out a great cross and Shearer did what he does best. It could have been any score by half-time. The only chance we created was when the lively Stead turned and hit a looping shot onto the top of the crossbar. It deserved better. Sadly the rest of the team's efforts didn't. The second half was a non-event. Newcastle went through the motions and we looked disinterested. Newcastle wrapped the game up near the end when a bit of a scramble led to O'Brien squeezing the ball home underneath Friedel. Where do I start? Neill was utterly inept. Pathetic. Short and Matteo looked like they'd never met before. Flitcroft was anonymous. Ferguson was a show-pony - all nice touches but sweet fa substance. Pedersen is starting to look like a joke. Seriously, a pub player could have made more of an impact today. Emerton looked lively at times but he neglected his defensive duties. Dickov worked hard but produced no quality at all. Only Stead looked genuine class - his efforts deserved better. We were abysmal today. I was sure we'd be up for it beforehand. How could we not be? Sadly, we were simply pathetic. No heart, no fight, no passion, no pride in the shirt. Our players aren't good enough to take the game to a team like Newcastle away from home. Thanks to Souness,our new manager has a hell of a job on his hands. Match Report by Scotty Newcastle: Given, Carr, O'Brien, Hughes, Elliott, Dyer (Milner 88), Jenas, Bowyer, Robert (N'Zogbia 90), Shearer, Bellamy (Ameobi 77). Subs Not Used: Kluivert, Harper. Booked: Bellamy, Ameobi. Goals: Flitcroft 9 og, Shearer 16, O'Brien 83. Blackburn: Friedel, Neill, Short, Matteo, Gray, Emerton (Bothroyd 78), Flitcroft, Ferguson, Pedersen (Douglas 45), Dickov, Stead. Subs Not Used: Tugay, Enckelman, Johansson. Booked: Neill. Att: 52,015. Ref: D Gallagher

More to the point, who voted for Grooby.

old news Paul, look at the time it was posted on the front page of this site.

Hughes appointed Rovers Manager. Mark Hughes will take over the role with immediate effect. Press conference tomorrow morning.

The FA of Wales have given permission for Rovers to speak to Mark Hughes.