I do have sympathy with everyone who is struggling to make ends meet- there have been times when I've been there. But, Rovers have NEVER pursued a premium pricing policy. Yes they have tried to optimise revenues from games but anyone who has travelled away to games in London knows what premium pricing policies are!!! Far more important is the impact of the apathy of the fans on the Walker Trust. If you have an obligation to provide entertainment to the people of Blackburn and are providing consistently top flight EPL football from a team packed with internationals run by one of the best young managers in the game with regular good cup runs and now European football of a decent standard plus many many tickets at sub £20 (ST averaged and current promotions) AND the gates keep dropping, what would you do? If the people of Blackburn don't want entertaining at Ewood, the Jersey Trustees have no obligation to provide it. Everyone should understand, the pricing response of the club with all the reductions is a Trust reaction to the difficulties in paying what are basically similar prices to the ones an average gate of 26,000 paid just four short years ago but the difference is coming straight out of monies that would have been available for other parts of the club's development.

Well said Aggy- that was my immediate reaction. Particularly in the face of jeers from a tiny minority of Rovers supporters who will only disadvantage their own team by reacting that way.

Drama queens the lot of you.

He is referring to availability of players.

18th will collect 40 points whoever it is.

I'm no doctor but - skiing speciality injuries are not prone to worse recovery prognosis than football speciality injuries apart from certain sorts of knee and ankle injuries or hitting a tree at 90mph. - the medical bulletins are totally accurate and non-contradictory. No doubt Nelsen has been on a total fitness regime for the remainder of his body for many weeks now. The injured hammy will have been having its own programme so now the news is that it is strong enough for him to do the work footballers normally do in recuperation from a long lay off.

The Dunny supporters are looking forwards to Tris eating a humble mince pie.

I haven't ever seen the player but everything I have read points to Keita being rather special.

With only Hargreaves as a non-EPL England players, that means that 24% of the England-qualified players in the Prem will get called up to thye next England squad. No wonder the national team will not qualify for Swaustria.

Wait a minute, isn't the trip on Benni then in the same category as Tugay's trip he conceded a penalty and got sent off for? i.e. accidental

No Rovers player should be booed by Rovers supporters EVER.

From what I hear, Zulte-Waregem would probably play the homeleg at Club Bruge's ground. Be a chance to team up with the supporters of Cercle.

Bellamy is a far better forward player than any other they have got in my opinion. QED

Superstella has got it right. Interesting to see that by the look of things, EPL clubs will have finished top of all their Groups in the CL and the UEFA Cups. Even the Sunday Pub League clubs from north of the border did well.

My God! I totally agree with and applaud the drog's last two posts. Excellent result for Rovers. The club goes forwards with its head held high. The supporters have collectively got their heads totally muddled and befuddled and that is being kind.

Probably this thread.

We didn't- we had an OK first 20 minutes ruined by Benni getting offside in promising positions but we were opening them up very nicely, had a goal chalked off and forced a great save out of Given. Problem was the catastrophic 20 minutes before half time that stuck in everyone's memory. Even so. if I remember correctly we shaded the first half posession and territory figures.

This link has a current away fans' guide.

Next up (or down) in the Prem are Reading away at the Madejski Stadium. Anyone needing details of parkng (not good) or directions, click on Madejski Stadium here. To say that Reading FC are older than Rovers (135 years old now), games between the two clubs have been few and thankfully (given the leagues they have been playing in) far between. I remember a 4-0 thrashing they gave us at Elm Park once which presaged a thoroughly miserable season for the Rovers and a draw as games I've been to and that's about that. Reading have two nicknames- the Royals apparently because of their proximity to Windsor Castle; and the Biscuitmen- because they make biscuits in Reading with Huntley & Palmers the local scions of teeth rotting. Autotrader was set up by John Madejski and I often saw him in his knocked down Roller round the pubs and restaurants of the Thames Valley. He has bankrolled the club with careful support for many years and the 24,000 seat stadium bears his name. It is worth remembering that Jack was going to build Ewood on exactly the same design until he realised that the crowd support needed something bigger than the 24,000 capacity. (happy days!) Today Reading are looking to increase capacity by 50%. Reading also has the biggest stone statue of a lion in the world so it is famous for something! The town of Reading has been for many years the fastest growing urban area in Europe with the population having doubled to over 200,000 in less than twenty years. Notably part of the silicon triangle with numerous IT companies, the global headquarters of Vodafone are just down the road in Newbury whilst proximity to Heathrow is a huge boon to the area. If ever a town has been promoted to the urban premier league, Reading certainly has been. So the football club has caught up and this is Reading's debut season in the top flight and Rovers debut appearance at the Madejski as far as I can recall. And we all know what happens when Rovers go to a stadium for the first time? That's right, we christen it by getting beaten. I asked a few questions on "Off at eleven" a Reading fans site and got zero replies- not even a rude one. However "Hob Nob Anyone" (as their name would suggest) were much more obliging so here is a compilation of the collective wit and wisdom of Reading supporters: -What differences are you finding between the Coca Cola and the Premiership? Surprisingly few so far. The main difference is that you are more likely to be punished for a mistake at this level or an opposition player is more able to change a game with a moment of brilliance. Players seem to find more space in the prem and are capable of punishing the slightest mistake. Gamesmanship and diving are much more common than in the CHAMPIONShip. The players are physically more imposing and cynical. Teams are more defensive. A lot less hoofing the ball up the pitch, a lot more aimless passing across the back / through midfield. A lot of players run after the referee for about 15 minutes after any decision is given against them (chelsea, man u etc) this didn't happen as much in the championship The noise inside the Madejski for a start. Suddenly Reading fans seem to have realised that, actually, they do have the capability of vocally supporting the team! On the playing side, certainly a much higher standard of football, much better individual ability. On the sh*te sde though, much more lazy journalism, much more in the way of disrespect, and many more c*ntish fans like Chelsea's pack of dogs. Teams hold onto possession better and are generally take their chances better but football wise there really is little difference between the majority of the premiership and the top half of the Championship. The Championship pisses on the Premiership for value for money and atmosphere though. Apart from the expense, a better standard of cheating and ###### refs. Obviously more media attention, some people have actually heard of us now. Visiting fans to the mad stad don't sing so much There seem to be a lot less goals many more overpaid wasters One thing I have noticed is that refs do loads of favours for the so called top 4, Chelsea,Man u, Arsenal and Liverpool. There have been some diabolical decisions made. Why do you think the team is doing so well? Who are your outstanding players? We play as a team. Every player knows that they are replaceable and every player on the edge of the team knows that if they come in and play well they will keep their place regardless of who they have replaced. We have no real stars though obviously Kevin Doyle isn't doing too badly. We are a young team that has played together now for 2-3 years without a great deal of changes, this continuity has helped. Teamwork, consistency of playing together for a few years. The combined factor of us being a decent side and the premiership being overrated. The reason we are doing so well is Steve Coppell. The team is doing so well because because we play direct, fast paced football. You can see the passion and desire in the players to prove themsleves. Teamwork, spirit, buckets of ability and a brilliant manager capable of getting the very best out of his squad. Doyle is an obvious stand out player, full of running and an eye for goal but it's hard to pick out individuals. Our defence has a great understanding, not surprising considering it's been settled for 2 years and we have great options in midfield. Cos we're super Reading, super Reading FC, we're by far the greatest team the world has ever seen. Outstanding players are Hahnemann, Murty, Shorey, Sonko, Ingimarsson, Harper, Sidwell, Hunt, Seol, Little, Doyle, Lita, Convey etc... Simple. We have a quality side that very few people give us respect for. We play good attacking football, none of this in the air game that Watford and Chelsea like to play. We have the ability to score goals. And when we take the lead in a game (very often done over the last 18 months) we very rarely surrender that lead. Because nobody'd ever heard of us before we got promoted the majority of people thought the customary thing to do would have been to be relegated in 1 season and vanish without a trace. Of course, this is Reading. We don't do customary. Players to watch are Nicky Shorey (left back), Ibrahima Sonko (big black goon at the back), Glen Little (if he plays) and Kevin Doyle. Your keeper should also watch out for Stephen Hunt's knee. We were this good last season, only it seems nobody was watching! We've only signed one new first team squad for £1.5m (Soel Ki-Hyeon) and have a couple of key players out injured (Kitson & Convey) who would have been starters and most likely ever presents in the starting lineup. Glen Little can win matches on his day, but Kevin Doyle seems to be on fire when it comes to finding the back of the net. We are team who enjoy playing football, not a bunch of stars thinking out extending their mock-tudor mansions and their next appearence in OK magazine. We've got a lot of players who've spent years playing in the lower divisions and appreciate being here. The manager has built a team of players who can actually fit to a tactical system, and who have come here to play, not because the money's good. We have a manager who actually knows something about coaching, and doesn't think shouting a lot is a substitute for instruction. We also slip rohypnol into the away team's lucazade bottles. What are the weak links in the team? None. Lack of depth in the squad, to a certain extent the team picks itself. If we suffer injuries our form will dip. The first and last 5 minutes of any game. Stephen Hunt's hair. Our goalkeeper has a cr*p taste in music. Seriously, we probably lack height up front. With Kitson out we lack that target man, although having said that Kevin Doyle can more than hold his own, Leroy has springs in his boots and Seol's not exactly short either. Currently, with Kitson out, no height up front. we aren't passing as well as last season either, mainly because hardly anyone wants to play football. Unfare to single out individuals. However, we desparately lack cover at the back and up front. It's no coincidence that we've won every game when our first choice back 5 has played the full 90 minutes and struggled when it hasn't. Up front, Doyle's brilliant form has masked the fact that we desparately miss Dave Kitson. The caterers. What are the realistic targets for the Royals this season? To win the next game. Staying up and achieving mid table obscurity. Win the fair play league. Everyone would take mid table mediocrity if it was offered to them now, but if we can keep up this form there's no reason why we shouldn't at least aim to have an interest in the european spots. Injuries and the success of any potential January signings will have a massive baring on this though. When do you think Madejski will sell the Royals and how much for? If There's one thing JM loves more than RFC it's getting in the papers / on tv. I don't think he will sell, and if he does he will with the caveat he remains on the board of directors or some similar position. He would not sell it for money (unless it was a lot) but in the knowledge that someone else could take reading further. He's not prepared to throw money into the club on the same scale as the bigger clubs and will sell if it's in the clubs best interests, Sure he'll make a profit but if it was all about money he wouldn't of bought a football club as he can make more elsewhere. Whatever he can get if he finds the right person, I think he will be here for a few seasons more though. I can't see Madejski selling before the stadium redevelopment is complete. He's enjoying it too much at the moment. Whatever he sells it for, it will be a hell of a lot more than what he bought it for. I think that most fans hope that he'll never sell it, but he's a businessman, so he'll sell it when it's right for him. I hope that he'll see us right though and leave us in good hands. In terms of price, it really depends on whether he'll be selling the stadium with it. I would imagine something in the region of £50m. He'll sell for a profit, that's for sure and he'll only sell to the right person or persons as he won't want to tarnish his God like status by screwing the fans over. When a decent, honest, reliable and interested party shows some interest. I'm still waiting to hear back on my offer of £30 and Cilla's back catalogue of records. Any comments about Blackburn Rovers? Worthy Premiership Champions in their day. Good team, good manager IMHO. Am very surprised that you seem to be struggling this year. Established premiership outfit with a great manager. I like Rovers, a bit unsure about MH as Manager though. I can certainly think of at least 3 more teams that I would rather see relegated. Looks like you are struggling to cope with UEFA Cup and the League. A tough side to play against. I do see them as a physical team, and although that may be a cliché the fact that they are bottom of the fair play league does seem to back this up. Think they can play good football mind and rate McCarthy and Pedersen as players. A good side, not likely to go down anytime soon. Good manager, some very good players. If they had a Darren Bent, I think they could could make themselves regular participants of European football. Mark Hughes has done a great job. Where are all your fans?? I think blackburn have always been tarred with the brush of a strong physical dirty side. I doubt this is true, Not really seen enough of them to form a considered opinion - so don't want to fall into the same trap as most ignorant commentators who wrote off our chances before a ball was kicked - as if 106 points,99 goals, 33 game unbeaten run was a fluke! Horrible to watch, dirty, hard, annoying, poor support, over achieving, A couple of decent players. (another poster followed up- But apart from that you think they're quite good?) A team in the image of their manager. Capable of great skill but equally adept at kicking you in the ###### when the ref's back is turned. Perdersen is a brilliant player and given the chance, Tugay can boss the game. Ultimately thought, hugely underachieving given the talent available. Robbie Savage is a complete tart. Loves to dish it out, but can't take it. This game represents our greatest risk of injury to our small squad. This got the reply: Personally think we've just survived that one. Blackburn aren't as rough as people make them out to be. Another North West Team which struggles to fill the ground with OT and Anfield on the doorstep. Gutsy High energy team. Poor Disciplinary record. Bought your way to the title in '95, done pretty much nothing but mediocrity since. Now they're living within their means more I have a lot more respect for them. Excellent manager, and they have some excellent quality individual players; Benni McCarthy, Tugay, Morten Gamst Pederson to name but 3. I seem to remember us beating you 4-0 back in 1986/7. I wasn't at the game, but I was amazed to discover the score! I also loved it when you beat the Manc scum to the title in 1995 and Alan Shearer was a magnificent player for you. I have a horrible feeling they'll be another team who'll pack the midfield and try to grind out a result. As a club, full credit for staying up as finances must be stretched. Are we playing Bristol Rovers? I thought it was Burnley that we have in the FA Cup, (he got stick from fellow posters for this!) You'd be lost without Gamst-Morgen (where's wakefieldrawks?...) Score prediction? Yes there will be a score at the end of the game. Apart from that smart alec response, most posters were reluctant to predict. Those that did referred to Fortress Madejski, Rovers mid-week UEFA game and that Rovers would finish with 10 men. The scores were: 0-0 1 vote 1-1 1 vote 1-0 4 votes 2-1 3 votes 2-0 6 votes Reading like to play open football so for a full strength Rovers would be ideal opposition to get something from. But it looks like we will be 6 injuries (at least- there's Nancy still to play) and a suspension short. We could go down to another 4-0 reverse.

That was a sickener. Watching it with a bunch of Geordie ship workers didn't help either. First off- it was actually a cracking good game. The attempts on goal statistics were Rovers 13, Newcastle 16, which shows it was a real end-to-end open game and the corner count was Rovers 7, Newcastle 4. Everyone is forgetting that Rovers made a bright start and were on top for 20 minutes with a five minute spell they caused mayhem in the Newcastle defence, Benni had a goal chalked off and Given made an excetional save (one in the second half was even better). The killer first half statistic was on offsides- Rovers 5, Newcastle 0. Everyone of those 5 was Benni- everyone except the "goal" was avoidable and destroyed a great goal scoring chance. I'll forgive him the disallowed goal as he timed his move for the initial pass to perfection- problem was Nonda intercepted before playing it through in a single movement by which time Benni had gone offside and finished beautifully. However, chucking away five excellent attacking moves because Benni got his bearings wrong (or forgot to look) hurts at this level. When Newcastle got on top we had no answer. Sky didn't show any angle to make a definitive assessment of the rather offside looking Martins for the first. We were being ripped apart before Gray was pinioned to the floor in the set up which two players went for when the ball was crossed. Even then, the ball back had harmlessly gone back across the face of goal until MGP deliberately handled at the back post setting it up neatly for Taylor to slot home! Henchoz certainly fouled but the red looked harsh given where it was. Second half we pulled ourselves together and what a lovely right footed strike by MGP. GIVE THE LAD CREDIT. Immediately afterwards, Derbyshire was through with "just" Given to beat. He looked up for a pass along the six yard box, saw nobody but still passed instead of having a go! If we'd scored two in two, we would have gone on to win. The officials might even have seen the punch thrown by the Newcastle player. Concluding thoughts: Hughes did right with his half time double substitution. He needs to practise first halves though. Derbyshire would struggle if he were not facing the third choice players in one of the worst defences in the Prem- lets be realistic. Benni would be a cracking player if he got his offsides right. Last season our midfield could dominate games- not this season. Combination of Reid missing and the rest being sussed out. We are in heaps of trouble if the opposition runs strongly and quickly at our defence. How quick is Warnock?

Agents who didn't co-operate with Stevens' bung enquiry to be named and banned next week.

As I have explained elsewhere, in the longer term these investors coming into the EPL are interested in one thing- making money out of the clubs. Big money. So if you compare Rovers where the shasreholders contribute around £6m a year and Newcastle today where the shareholders probably already extract around £5m a year in dividends and inflated salaries for themselves, Rovers are ahead of the game and will continue to be so in the future withy their current ownership to an increasing extent. However, the picture looks very different this January and we all know what angst just one bad defeat/performance brings to these boards. Whether supporters go to Ewood or not is very much about the here and now. The Sky/Setanta bonanza is just around the corner with a probable value of £50m over 3 years IF Premiership status is retained. New owners have to be seen to be investing so there are going to be millions- no tens of millions sloshing around in the coming window looking for players, all of whom are within contract of some length or another. Transfer fees are going to go up and Sparky is probably already deeply sickened by talking to venal agents who will be more than exploiting the situation. I do think the Walker Trust will loosen the purse strings but what use will an extra £5m be when faced with: Villa £20m Sheff U £10m West Ham £10m Citeh and Everton doing refinancings? As Hughes says, you expect the Big 4 and Spuds to be splashing around but quite a few clubs in our bracket are going to be seriously funded giving Rovers a headache in the markets for players we have recently been operating in. If anyone wondered why an Egyptian and a Cypriot will be at Brockhall just before Christmas- this is one of the reasons.

Excellent news is that the scan shows Emo's hamstring pull to be nowhere near as bad as first feared and he should be back for the Christmas games.

There is nothing reational about this comment but I feel pretty certain we will take our first home three points off the barcodes since we did them 5-2 in 2002. A certain Tiny Taylor was the goal scoring revelation that day- Ooijer and Henchoz on the scoresheet tomorrow? Souness' preview

But when was the Brockhall facility built? I think the thing was given the Academy name in 1998 but substantially existed long before then. I remember Jack stating the objective of building up the club's youth strength the moment he arrived at Rovers and he didn't hang around for seven years before doing anything.