Yes, he got Sam the sack at Newcastle. That alone is why Waggy wants him to sign for Rovers.

For good quality fish and chips over on the Fylde, I can certanly recommend the Great Eccleston chippy and the one near Blackool Victoria Hospital on the way to Poulton- I think its called Simon's.

He pretty well got Sam sacked once. Do you think Sam fances an encore with Barton?

American law professor on the problem of marijuana prohibition drivng the drug gangs in Mexico.

If I remember correctly, powers that were at NU said no to Sam signing Barton until Sam put his reputation on the line with a trust me I can handle him pledge based on a promise from the player. Barton's subsequent behaviour were a huge factor in putting the skids under Sam's tenure up there. The likelihood of Sam signing Barton again is surely zero.

Recent polling evidence in the USA shows that there has been a complete collapse in the majority in favour of keeping marijuana illegal and that those in favour of regulatng and taxing it hold the upper hand. Taken from The Atlantic Magazine, Andrew Sullivan commented: My guess is that criminal laws against marijuana use have become culturally untenable. At this point, if you want to maintain criminal laws against more dangerous drugs, you're better off conceding the legality of marijuana, lest the public lose respect for drug laws in general.

Symptomatic of the current era that CL discussions are happening on the PL thread! Barca without Marquez and Puyol are going to struggle defensivey at Stamford Bridge. Another supremely disciplied performance by Chelsea should see them through to Rome. Have a sneaking feeling they will be facing Arsenal there. That has probably sealed a Manc win at the Emirates then.

Two German and two Ukranian teams into the Semis of the UEFA. Italy totally eclipsed this season.

Thanks for the comments. I am in a minority I know but I don't actually like Amsterdam that much. Rotterdam on the other hand is becoming a very interesting city.

Chelsea- Liverpool was a fabulous game last night. The all-English PL clashes in the later stages of the CL are producing some real crackers down the years. So Chelsea join the list of Man U , Real Madrid, Villa and Rovers in Liverpool scoring at least 4 against in the last four weeks.

Benni's starring role the previous time Porto dumped Man U out of the Champions League

Agreed re comments about Essien. There was all that paper talk of a Manc v Chelsea Final replay. Now it looks like Arsenal v Barcelona might well get a re-run. Porto to do a repeat of Benni's exploits of five years ago and dump ManU out again? Look's rather likely. Seen too much of the Manc's silver silk camy nickers already thank you.

Sorry, I hadn't realised where it was. Anyway not to be picky, it seems to be nearer Billinge than Pleasington... Grub's OK though.

My view that the draw was perfect for seeing all 4 English clubs progress has been borne out.

thanks but neither are in Blackburn or Preston are they? And would we be able to walk in without a booking at 9pm on a Friday evening?

help required please Me and mature for his age 10 year old nephew need either sit down fish and chips or Chinese at 8.30pm one evening in Blackburn or Preston or in between.

Seven Animal species getting high as kites. Only the bees have adapted a similar-ish legal code to humans though!

Sam's advice to Benni

From the Independent- a devastating critique on the failure of the "War on Drugs" Mexico is becoming a failed state just as much as Afghanistan is. The issue in Afghanistan is scraping a livelihood together far more than it has anything to do with Islam. I personally abhor drugs and would never touch them. But since time immemorial humans have sought consciousness-altering substances and we now have a complete mash of random rules where one substance gets you a laugh with your mates if you get stoned and buy a round (alcohol) and another many years in prison as a drug pusher. Inevitably, the West is going to have to go into the drugs business and contract to buy up the entire Afghan heroin poppy crop - cost about a billion a year. That will be a far more humane and sensible approach than sending tens of thousands of young people over there to fight for something that is now grossly ill-defined. And cost less. And be more certain in its outcome.

That was the greatest since the early '60s which probably did have a greatest of all time claim even though individually Shearer undoubtedly takes the personal crown as Rovers greatest ever striker. Not to diminish our current quartet, they are very high quality and on paper should be capable of matching any other Premier League club's forward line except Man U and Arsenal (assuming Eduardo comes back fully recovered).

Benni scored 13 last season when he was way off form. He has quietly reached ten this season with that "fantastic looping header" © Benni, against Sunderland.

Good old Benni!

The Mail are saying Benni wants out after being sustituted by Sam when on a hattrick against Stoke. Well it is the Mail...

...and pay them £20k a week each to keep the wages within budget.

By and large, if the two were on the same line, Benni was right and Jason was left. If both players are on song at the same time, I cannot for the life of me see why Sam and his team cannot coach Benni and Roque into being a devastatingly effective front line. As Jbn comments, Benni is a very good furthest forwards player. I think Hughes' mistake was to play RSC furthest forward in a system that was geared to hit the front man with a cross leaving Benni in a complete no-man's land last season. I'd like to see Benni tried as the furthest forward in a combo with Roque as unless we buy some wingers, the crosses are just not going to come. And selling RSC in order to afford two decent wingers would be an exercise in the utmost futility.