Yorkshire Derby this season - Leeds, population 500k v Sheffield, population 500k. Leeds 1 Sheff Utd 1 Crowd 23,000 Lancashire Derby last season - Blackburn, population 105k v Burnley, pop. 90k Rovers 2 Burnley 1 Crowd 29,000 ENOUGH SAID!!

You had to chuckle at the knuckle draggers from the big, big club singing "sh1t on the Villa, sh1t on the Villa tonight......." just like they did last week. The dust in their trophy cabinet is getting thicker. Felt really pleased for Robbie today. Away following - abismal!

Part of the problem is what the kids these days get up to in their spare time. When I was a lad from the age of six to sixteen, I kicked a ball around in the street with my mates and I bet most lads in the 60's and 70's did the same. Now, a significantly higher proportion of young lads seem intent on just hanging around street corners, looking threatening, dressed in their regulation "street gear." Aimlessly hanging around, nothing to do and nowhere to go, blaming everyone but themselves for their lack of activity. Despite its size, Scotland had a great production line of footballing talent, Peter Lorimar, Eddie Gray, Billy Bremner, Kenny Daldlish, Dennis law etc etc. The list could go on and on. But now there's almost nothing in comparison. England being much bigger than its neighbour has not suffered to the same degree because there are still plenty of talented footballers coming through. Like Scotland though it still suffers from the youth of today problem and the numbers of footballing greats is nothing like that of previous years.

He was at St Bedes with my lad who still plays football with him every now and then.

I don't know if I should......erm, no.........go on then I will. It's nothing to do with that. It's because of the way you deep fry Mars Bars. Nothing more, nothing less. The English love a normal, plain, virginal Mars Bar. To deep fry them is sacrilage! Shouldn't be allowed. What can any of you say to justify it? Now then, I must be in the minority, because I am English and love Scotland. The people, the lansdscape, from Islay to Ullapool and from the Highlands to Orkney. It's a beautiful country. I don't even mind if Scotland win......it's great to be different.

Man United were extremely lucky when Beckham, Scholes, etc came through in so far as so many came through at once. It will never happen again. They were, by and large, able to stop at United for many years due to the size and stature of that club. I used to watch both our youth teams around 1997/98. For cup games they were allowed to pick from both years and play a sort of merged team. Beattie and Thomas up front with Johnson and Duff the wide men - what a team! I even went to Bury away on the strength of watching Duffer play. Dunn and Taylor emerged shortly after. On the whole our Academy has been almost second to none although it's fair to say it has "dried up" in recent seasons. Part of the problem is that all teams in the PL are sh!t scared of getting relegated and as such want instant success if they are seen to be struggling. Thus they buy established players, many from the continent, instead of bringing on home grown talent. In turn, the young, local, lads on PL teams' books get farmed out to lower league teams and have to work their way back up if they are good enough. I still think and hope McEveley will be able to make the grade with Rovers. Let's hope that soon both Taylor and Jay are competing with each other for that left back spot.

Your You're Which one is it smart arse?

Bought the DVD off E-Bay for £2.49 which arrived today - enjoy!!

Just been to a Chinese restaurant with two of them. The banquet cost nearly as much as the admission fee at Ewood but we certainly celebrated the victory in style.

Gave the paper reader at work some verbals today and boy, was it worth the wait!

The report on United games in the Sunday Telegraph is normally a half page job with photo and stats etc. So what happens when the Big City Media Darlings get spanked by the small town outfit? No photograph and a text which is no more than 3-4 inches in length!

For the first time in years I may just watch Match of The day tonight! My lad sneaked out of the house at dinner time, never said 'owt, but he had a ticket. BAAAAAAAAAASTAAAAAAAAAAAAARD!!

I'd say there were more than that Lee. Apart from the first two or three rows of the Darwen End Lower, they filled every seat. Add to that one half of the upper tier (not completely sold out, but quite close to being) and there must have ben 6,000.

Anyone seen our next five away games? Those with a nervous disposition, or subject to suicide attempts, please dont look.

******************************************************************** err scuse me but should you two be even allowed an opinion (rather than a nostagia / homesick fuelled rant on Rovers dwindling support and finances)? I will of course apologise if you are both still season ticket holders and still chucking money into the coffers. 347316[/snapback] Start apologising now then..................I can't remember when I wasn't a season ticket holder. I'm having a placard made for you whilst we speak, to be draped over your back for the Newcastle game....."My name is Gordon and I want us to merge with Burnley." You won't be laughed at, honestly.

Just ask him the thickness of the dust in their trophy cabinet.

Agreed - I would rather stick pins in my eyes than watch Lancashire United. The idea is ludicrous. I am sure the fans of Preston, Blackpool and Burnley would think the same. The day they create Lancashire United (although, of course, it will never happen) is the day I quit football.

Got a summer job at Ewood in 1974 - Met a number of fringe players including the up and coming John Bailey who made his dubut the following season. A couple of years later, John Butcher used to be part of our group, Sat & Sun nights at Blackburn mecca. Services at junction of M1/M62 having a pi55 after an away match, early 90's. In walk Newell and Shearer. 35 of us dressed as Max Wall circa Christmas 1993, gatecrash Flowers' signing night or something in Gibsons, Blackburn Town centre. The look on his face was priceless.

The extract from the United fan is superb. I very rarely watch Rovers away these days mainly due to the cost factor. None of my mates do either. Gone are the days when we used to hire a mini bus or at least get two or three cars together to set off to an away game, pick a pub, have a few beers, pub grub and a few games of snooker. Last season I watched Stanley away at Oldham in the cup and at Northwich in the league. I don't support them in any particular way, just a mate of mine has a connection with them. Cheap tickets, turned up just 15 mins or so before kick off, stood or sat where we wanted, had a bit of banter with the directors/players. Surprisingly good followings from Stanley also, producing a great atmosphere at each game, especially Oldham. Like Rovers of old.

Very true sausage! I couldn't even be arsed watching it on tv, let alone going to the match itself which I've done for donkeys years. Travelled through Darwen & Blackburn half an hour before kick off and there were loads of Rovers fans in shirts all making their way to pubs to watch it for nowt.

Talking to a South Shields based Geordie today who tells me Newcastle have (as yet) failed to sell out for the visit of Man Utd. Probably down to the Souness factor rather than the general trend we are starting to witness, but even so this would have been unthinkable prior to Souness taking charge. Interestingly he tells me Gateshead now has a population similar to Newcastle ie, 280,000 and if you add to that North Shields, South Shields, Wallsend, Blaydon, Ashington, Morpeth, Durham etc etc etc it shows what we are up against. Only competition other than the Mackems is Boro 40 miles to the south and Hearts/Hibs 85 miles to the north.

Wild Rover - Absolutely brilliant - should have been done years ago. 10 out of 10 Rovers

Yesterday I took my 15 years old daughter for the first time in years. As my son and I have been season ticket holders for years, I wasn't sure what the price would be. Well it was £5 and that's excellent value. She enjoyed the game and hopefully I'll get her to come along on Wednesday. If say 5k followed waggy's example that would take home support up to around 22k as a base to work from.

It's about time we packed Betty's bags and got a new right winger. He couldn't beat a chuffing egg. Ok sort of performance but two absolutely cracking goals. Great to see Tugay in the side. We're 10th and I'm having a nose bleed. All is well again.

The other Thursday I went to Crewe to see my favourite Progrock band, they were excellent as usual and were on for 2.5 hours. Cost £10. Same night I bought their latest album, lasts 50 mins and can be played over and over again. Excellent. Cost £10. Two days later I spent the night camping in Borrowdale and had two excellent days in the Lakes. Cost for me £4. Total cost for all 3 - £24 I have followed Rovers the length and breadth of England (first away match 1967) and watched them away in Europe. I am still (for the time being) a comitted season ticket holder but I now flatly refuse to give up any more of my cash for away matches when I can get value for money as stated above which is 100 fold that of any Premiership admission fee. Football is sticking its head up its own arse but unfortunately a good deal of sh1t is still pouring out - and it's falling on the head of the genuine football supporter.