I think that is absolutely correct to be honest. Rothwell started the season really well, had a good cameo against Millwall, then played really well in the home games against Reading and Brentford. I think those games are still fresh in peoples minds. When he's started since he hasn't really done a great deal, I too thought he was poor against Sheffield Utd. Although you could argue it's difficult for him to impact games when he starts once in a blue moon. How do players like Rothwell, Downing etc keep there match fitness up when they never play for the first team, can't play for the U23's and have no reserve games to fall back on? Seems very strange to me.

No. First halves have been pretty dull at Ewood all season, I just can't understand people who seem to think Mowbrays teams start on the front foot, it couldn't be further from the truth. Theres only been three Rovers league goals scored all season in the first half at Ewood, with only one from open play. Nine of our thirteen home league games so far have been 0-0 at half time. I think 0-0 is a good bet for the full time score tomorrow, lots of huff and puff, a few golden chances missed, before we run out of steam on 70ish mins and invite some pressure on ourselves, a couple of good saves from Raya will secure us a point.

What's the betting we're back to Smallwood/Evans in midfield on Saturday? https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2019/january/positive-signs-on-the-injury-front/

If Bennett is fit he plays.

Hmmm, a bold claim to make though isn't it? How can they possibly tell how many people would fancy going or not? All over twitter Newcastle fans were doing a #boycottblackburn thing over Ashley, and still 33000 home fans turned up. I reckon at least double the 1500 "expected" could turn up for the replay.

I imagine every manager in the football league would go out and say they try to win every game. To be fair I never said he "plays for draws" just that he seems to like them. If it was the choice of winning two and losing two or four draws, I think he would take the latter. He certainly starts games in a cautious manner, and plays it safe, why else would Smallwood & Evans start every game? Especially at home? Just look at our first half stats, we have only scored 3 first half goals at Ewood all season. This all sounds very negative on Mowbray but it isn't really intended like that, I think he's done a great job so far, my only real gripe with him is to be a bit braver.

Don't think it is actually. In the summer thread we seemed to average one signing per 100 pages, so keep going everyone and we might get someone in.

Mowbray loves a draw, and I'm convinced that if somebody offered Mowbray the chance to go through the whole league season and get nothing but draws he would take it. 2-2 here I think.

I think the last time we had a regular away following in terms of numbers and volume like we have at the moment was around the 1st division promotion season under Souness and the couple of seasons after. It then seemed to fall off a cliff after the first few games of 03/04.

That's pretty much where I am with my 8 year old lad, I took him to the first game and made a weekend of it. He absolutely loved it and has already asked if we can go the replay. Despite it being good prices, I'll probably finish work at around 5ish that day, and live around an hour on a good run away from Ewood. If it goes to extra time and penalties it could well be midnight before we get home. So do I go on my own and be a "proper fan" or do I get a takeaway and some snacks in and watch it on TV with my lad where he can potentially be in bed by 930 instead? (Even that is pushing it he's usually fast asleep by 8/830 in the week!) I think I know which side I'm leaning towards.

Newcastle will surely bring more than 1500 at a tenner a pop?

Would it? Newcastle beat Watford at St James a couple of months back, and got a draw there just after Christmas.

I'm going to predict we'll be scrambling around in the last few days of the window for a loan signing to "help out" the team. He will then spend 95% of the rest of the season on the bench.

I had my lad with me so we took the lift up, and the stairs back down. We counted them on the way down and it's 14 flights of stairs, I thought it was more than that on previous visits.

I'm not sure that rule is in place anymore is it? I might be wrong here, but when we played Man Utd a couple of seasons ago at Ewood, tickets were priced at £30 for adults. If that game had gone to a replay then I'm sure I read at the time that if a replay was required it would have been £42ish for us there. Liverpool away in 2015 was £30 adults, they have (or did at the time) have a tiered structure for the FA Cup. For example they had.. 3rd round against Premier League opposition - £25, 3rd round against Championship £20, 3rd round against league one/two £15. Then fourth round £30. £25, £20 respectively and so on. I expect it to be £10 / £5 because nobody will go otherwise, but wouldn't be totally surprised to see it at £20 for adults.

Yeah agreed. There are some players in league one/two who are worth looking at. Should be our model really looking at the best the league below has to offer. Theres that lad at Doncaster who plays up front, name escapes me, who has scored a fair few this year. Think one or two have mentioned him before. He would be worth a shot, as would the young lad at Sunderland.

Very odd to be honest. My only thinking to that usually would be could they be putting us somewhere else in the ground that only has a 3000ish capacity as there hasnt been as many home ticket sales as anticipated and they could then leave the whole upper tier empty? Only problem with that it would cause chaos to who sits where etc.

In my opinion, and i'm sure others have said the same i don't think the £7million was there for three experienced championship players, i think it was there for a "project", soneone who could double maybe even treble there investment over the next couple of years.

Tickets are available on the day, just that there is no cash turnstile in operation. Club tweeted out over 2800 sold earlier tonight.

Was he the one we were linked with late last summer before Downing come in?

We would all love this but lets be realistic, it isn't going to happen.

I don't think that four ever played in the same team. Chapman is out of contract in the summer, and TM mentioned him fairly recently at the supporters consultation, and Boro have just signed another winger so you would think this one will probably happen if we want it too. Bauer is an interesting one, on paper he looks exactly what we need, can't say I have seen too much of him though. I don't think we'll be signing a left back, I think TM will want to run with Bell and hopefully we'll see an improvement, thought he was better on Tuesday. I would certainly be looking at a right back to come in and add depth there, we can't keep putting Bennett out there when Nyambe is out. Other than that, the main two pieces of business I want to see is Dack staying, and Travis not going out on loan and signing a new contract here.

You can ring the ticket office today and collect them at St James Park on Saturday, will save you from paying double.

Probably be announced on the 31st.

Should be available overseas i think? Bank holiday games here are exempt (like the saturday 3pm games) unless the club requests for it to be streamed. Considering there will be 15000+ empty seats today i cant imagine the club will have requested this.