Brilliant, that had me laughing!

Well after 'Arry's South Coast shuffle, anything is possible in terms of managers going back where they are loved.

Remember City have already tested the Premier League and FA's patience once on a transfer over the Benjani farce during the January transfer window in February. If Corluka doesn't turn up at Spurs, they could get a transfer ban if they are not careful never mind a Court case.

Guardian interview with Mark Hughes. Although half of it is an interview with Tim Sherwood about Mark Hughes. A lot of it has the feel of Hughes doing through the motions to say the right things. In the Telegraph, Sparky finds some wonderful euphemisms for saying "I have walked into a disorganised shambles." I wonder who will be the journalist brave enough to ask him how he is going to spend the rest of the £60m transfer fund? Or for that matter why he decided to seek buyers for Corluka, Ireland and Johnson and who will be the next to get the push?

Apparently some were booing Fowler as he came on as well. Good job Ewood was less than 10% full and at least Rovers get a chance of starting the season away from home. Hate to think what it will be like if Hull fluke an early one in two weeks' time.

Times reporting that un-clonable e-passports are being copied successfully. So much for my having to submit 4 photos until they finally accepted one that really doesn't look like me.

Interesting blog in the Times.

So is he going to get a 15 week ban then? Joey Barton's greatest contribution to football appears to have been the ending of Sam Allardyce's long association with the game.

Another reason for decriminalising

This blog reminded of just what a good manager we have lost.

I run techie companies and I know the capacity of techies to screw things up totally, especially if the Government with their utterly clueless spec-writers are the customer. Besides which I had to get my hair cut and frown before my passport photo would biometrically scan. Give it three months and it will look nothing like more normal happy self.

Septic Blast's verbal confusion gets the Grauniad treatment. Presumably, what Blatter really wants is the EPL to follow Real Madrid's example and go and pick whatever players it wants from wherever it wants (except Real, Barca, Bayern, Juve and Milan x2) simply because it has the money and the loud moths to do so.

The difference between Bradford & Bingley and Man U is that everyone says B&B are screwed when they are not (new issue fully underwritten) whereas Manu..... Remember the first 21,000 of the City gate goes to the Council to pay for the stadium. So Sparky has walked into a club where the "paying" crowd is less than Rovers' if Thaksin's never never really never happens.

Really good points dp. Here's hoping the editor at the LT is reading.

The LT coverage of Rovers has totally lost its direction. They do not appreciate that when the national media has simply beome a Manchelsarepool commercial "OOh Ronaldo", the balance local fans need is in fact the local media sticking up for the Rovers. Not uncritically but supporting. If Suzanne Gelderd is a professional reporter, let's be having her. So black manager interviewed by lady reporter- when we could have had Cheri Lunghi being cross-examined by Will Smith at Ewood.......

More from the Manchester Caketins. Thaksin even further away from unfreezing his assets.

They have done a highly complicated deal on the never never that just squeezed into the EPL rules to sign Jo. The complaints come later....

If Suzanne Gelderd is a Rover, sounds like an ideal time to remove her from purgatory. Cannot say I am sorry to see Nield gp although fairdos for coming on here when we got on his case.

Looks like Man Citeh have a new nickname- the Cake Tins Memo to John Williams, never mind the wine that was left behind, better check what is in Sparky's lunch container.

Don't apologise in the slightest darth paul. What you wrote was very good indeed and far better than the so-called "professional journalists" at the LT could muster. The same is also true of LDRover and Revidge Blue's contributions.

Applied for a new passport and it took 4 goes to submit an acceptable passport photo. The frowning short hair cut picture looks nothing like I normally do but it will biometrically scan whereas my usual curly hair will not.

I know we had Andy Nield come on here and defend his corner but I do think the LT coverage of Rovers remains poor. I think the LT should look at how the MEN covers the Mancs.

Just in a malicious mood!

I think this is the thread with the Friedel Soccer Academy in it. Anyway, it has been posted on the official site that two keepers from the Friedel Academy are on trial at Cercle Brugge- Rovers' associate club in Belgium.

Comment piece suggesting that Hughes meekly taking whoever Thakson gives him is damaging his standing as a Manager. Anyway very shortly, Thaksin will have given Sparky £65m in transfer funds and will have spent the first £40m himself!