naah ......he'd have been falling down for Arsenal at the time I'll check the sleeve for rips though

Got a phone call from the Orange Press Office this morning................guess who has won Andy Todd's shirt from last night's MOTM vote?

I can't remember a game this season I have enjoyed more. 3 or 4 goals would have been the icing on the cake and Jon Stead showed that with a little more match practice he has a decent chance of supplying them. Stead ws my MOTM and if it hadn't been for the Andy Todd show of support I feel sure he would have got the Orange award for an excellent display. Thanks lads for the sort of entertainment that will bring the crowds back. Looking forward to City already, and I can't remember the last time that happened straight after a game.

Brad deserves a mention all on his own for the four outstanding saves which kept us in the game, preventing the scoreline from being an undeserved rout. He was superb yesterday.

Once the day arrived everyhting seemed to change. After weeks of ticket sales discussion etc finally getting on the M6 was a relief. More and more Rovers appeared until south of Brum on the M5 every other car seemed to be blue and white. Every service area we pulled into was rammed so we eventually pulled into Ross on Wye and found a cafe that did TWO English brekkies for £3.40 The good folk of Ross eyed us and our car with suspicion as we parked in the market place, flags flying. Meet a couple of Newcastle fans down for the weekend. Into Cardiff for 10ish, no traffic problems, parked easily in the city and wandered up to the castle to take in the atmosphere, which was excellent. Saw three lads struggling with something size of a rolled up living-room carpet towards the ground, goodness knows what that flag weighs or cost to make? In the stadium we were a sea of blue and white, flags everywhere and more noise than a 100,000 Arsenal fans could have made. The team played exactly as expected, Arsenal fell over just as expected. I felt 1-0 would have been fair, 2-0 OK but three was undeserved. The defiant repsonse from the Rovers fans at 2-0 was the moment of the day, it's been said elsewhere but we really are the best. There may not be many of us but when we are all packed together this is the best crowd in the country. Proud to have been there. When Hughes was appointed yesterday was a dream, it's been a great day out and I feel sure Rovers will continue to improve. One deep blight on the day. Some crass, insulting joke of a radio presenter on Talksport - and NOTE MY SPELLING: What players have Blackburn produced? Who have they had since BRYN Douglas? Who is this Bryn Douglas? oh there was Fred Pickering but he had to go to Everton to make any progress. This guy went on to suggest our average home support was around 11000. He then asked a Rovers fan who rang in "Don't you think it would be better for the future of the game overseas if it's an Arsenal-Man Utd final?" Just wish I could have got through on the phone. Don't understand why the two Rovers fans who did get through didn't pick up on the insults from this guy. We had a great day out which is more than I expected back in Janaury. Another great day to be a Rover, which for me is what matters most.

so there is a God

When was the last time either of them got sent of doing that? I always worry when I see Flitty playing a big game because he does have a tendency to fly in to the tackle. Didn't know Savage had never been sent off in a club game - good news.

Wouldn't disagree with any of that theno except to add there is another truism "the easiest customer to sell to is the one you already have" One issue that is really worrying me is the little discussed initiative by the PL Attendance Working Group. A part of their role is to examine ways of encouraging away support as the PL is now acknowledging there is a decline in the numbers travelling. One suggestion is to reduce ticket prices for away fans. This is a PL initiative not a Rovers idea. To my mind this reduction will have to be substantial to have an impact, say £10, on anyone considering travelling from or to the south. The thought of 2 - 3000 away fans paying £10 less than our home support appalls me. If we can afford to give £20 - 30000 pert game to the away support surely that money would be better invested in the home fans? I'll go so far as to say I would not be prepared to pay any more than a visiting fan sitting in an identical seat; i.e the Darwen End versus the BBE.

To quote radio Rovers text message: "Mark Hughes has no injury worries ahead of Saturday. Robbie Savage came through the reserves unscathed and is included in the squad." We don't need Savage flying in to the Arsenal and getting sent off in the first 20, same could be said of Flitty. So I'm a little worried about those two if they play.

Me to Stu. I've been up since 4.00am and I'm buggered. I know I won't sleep tonight or Friday. Just phoned the away travel for coach seats as I don't think I'll be capable of driving there and back in a day. Sod the FA!

M5/M50/A449

MGP has nothing to fear

I can confirm there are plenty of good drinking establishments in the Roath area. My folks lived there many years ago. Can't recommend anywhere in particular though.

Have to say I think that's a very optimistic view. IF we get to the final I'd be surprised if we got 20,000 and probably not more than 18K. Doesn't it usually work out roughly 50% of the tickets for the two clubs? Capacity is 72500, which would mean around 36000 for the participating clubs - 18000 each. I'd guess after ST holders and corporate stuff there could be as few as 3000 tickets left. How many ST holders do we have? 12k or 14k?

On the nail. I couldn't agree more. Our game lacks any sort of real competition, is quietly dieing on its feet and by the time the PL and the FA wake up to the problem it will be too late. Just watch the season tickets and attendances drop again next year. Over-priced, over-hyped and over-exposed but as long as the sponsors keep pouring in the cash nothing will change.

Very true. He did nothing yesterday and I'm sure Stead would have scored given 90 minutes or even the 25 I was expecting when he started to warm up.

Flopsy some of us are seriously worried about you being in Wales, let alone Cardiff and the Millenium Stadium.......don't add to the agony

Last five results in the PL: Arsenal 3 Pompey 0 Bolton 0 Arsenal 1 Blackburn 0 Arsenal 1 Arsenal 4 Norwich 1 Middlesbrough 0 Arsenal 1 15 points Everton 0 Rovers 1 Liverpool 0 Rovers 0 Roveres 0 Arsenal 1 Man Utd 0 Rovers 0 Rovers 3 Soton 0 8 points Arsenal have been getting the results you would expect. Rovers have been achieving results that we would NOT have expected, even the Southampton scoreline, but not the win, was a surprise. I would argue while Arsenal clearly have the better players and are a better team there is every reason to believe we are in form and getting better by the game. Arsenal are the only team to manage a goal against us in those five games and we have been up against some mighty clubs. If we are going with the head there is every reason to say Arsenal will find us very, very difficult to beat. A moment of pure magic from Henry may be the difference. If they beat us it will only be through sheer brilliance Going with the heart I feel our team will be so fired up for this match it will take a very special performance to beat Rovers. The players were so hungry yesterday, they want to be in the team on Saturday and they want to be back at Cardiff on May 21st. We can win this game, we will see the team give everything on the pitch and through sheer bloody-mindedness we will beat Arsenal. Arsenal 1 Rovers 2 Henry, MGP, Stead (off the bench) Got the flags out today, everything is ready to go......and the excitment is building. We will win.

Fabulous stuff Sox. Time to find the flags now

Lee, you might want to point out the customer charter states; "All replica shirts bought from the club store Sports World at Ewood Park......." which implies the club owns the store?

We've requested extra band width

OK

Not so much optimistic, I just believe we will win. That's how I am. It's like I believe we are going to win the cup. Always travel in hope.

In which case I plead insanity. We are going to beat Arsenal I shall remain convinced of that until the final whistle or we are 3 - 0 down! No question. We will win, I can't conceive of going believing we will lose.

I'd agree with you stu except there are people, me included, whi have already stumped up £45 for a 13 year old because we couldn't get concessions together. My wife is working, one of my lads in Australia and another is away for that weekend. Consequently we haven't had to have the family discussion on who would go. If everyone was available to go we'd have been looking at 4 adults, over 16, and one concession which would probably have run out at between £200 - £225 for tickets. With travel we would have been looking at £300 for the day If we had been faced with making the decision I think we may well have chosen to stay at home. As it is only two going at a ticxket cost of £90, which is still ridiculous. On another issue, mentioned earlier in this thread regarding the reported initiative to offer visiting support cheap tickets. I am in the process of writing to John Williams in his role as a member of the Working Group on Attendances. I shall be urging JW to oppose this initiative. I will be pointing out I am sufficiently upset by the suggestion to consider this a reason for not re-newing my STs if, or when, the idea is implemented. I am not prepared to pay more for a seat than a visiting supporter. Should this initiative be implemented I regard it as the final insult from the PL towards any loyal supporter.