I completely agree with both of you about our Turkish genius.

Sheffield United are reported as asking to take Matteo on loan to cover an injury crisis. Will be interesting to see what the Rovers' answer would be given he must be first choice cover for Gray and an option if we lose two central defenders.

They have formalised the position so five clubs can enter- see post 105 above.

An insight into the sad condition known as being a Sunderland fan.

Probably best to quote the person you were disagreeing with as there were other posts in between. But there is a theoretical set of circumstances in which 5th in the Prem would not get a UEFA slot- Arsenal come 6th and win Champs League Wigan 7th and win League Cup Somebody other than 1st to 7th in the Prem win the FA Cup or are runners up to a Champs League qualifier winner of the FA Cup.

oh no here we go again- Champs League Group stages- 1st and 2nd Champs League 3rd qualifying round- 3rd and 4th Champs League Group stages- winners of the Champs League if not 1st or 2nd knocking the winners of the tenth rated country (Scotland) into the 3rd Qualifying round. If 3rd or 4th, one fewer club in the 3rd Qualifying round, if outside top 4, an extra place in the Champs League and one less UEFA slot. FA Cup winners or runners up- UEFA Cup League Cup winners- UEFA CUP Three places in the UEFA Cup unless there are five teams in the Champions League (see above) in which case there are two places. The places NOT taken by the domestic cup competitions go to the next highest League positions not yet in Europe. Intertoto entry to be nominated by the FA from the highest placed club applying which finishes in one of the next four Premiership places not already taken by a Champs League or UEFA Cup qualified club through league placement. There could be all kinds of quirks- for instance, Arsenal come 5th and win the Champs League, Wigan come 6th and win the League Cup, Bolton lose the FA Cup Final to Chelsea and come 7th and neither Rovers, Everton or Boro come 8th. Where do UEFA start counting the four places for the Intertoto qualification? Oh and just for fun, Boro stay where they are in the League but win the UEFA Cup and demand the right to defend it!!! So I don't know whom Bobby is saying is wrong nor do I think he is right.

Anyone who wants the Deloitte report on football revenues, just register at this site. No mention of the Rovers. Just out of interest, has anyone seen anyone wearing a Real Madrid shirt? I haven't.

Sorry, I cannot bring myself to want anything but a humiliation for the Mancs at Cardiff. We were reffed out of that semi-final. No way do the Mancs deserve their place against Wigan.

http://www.uefa.com/competitions/intertoto...rmat/index.html 383584[/snapback] I made it up! (see the second paragraph from my earlier link above- in England that was being reported as 8th or above). In 2006 there will be one entrant per Association- last year up to three were allowed. Actually, it's not me making it up as I go along- UEFA seem to be! According to this story, clubs coming in the four places below the automatic Champs Leage/UEFA Cup places can have a go- obviously the highest placed gets the one slot. Boro are feeling very optimistic about making up the 12 points deficit on us. Either that or they are banking on us getting automatic European qualification in which case they still have a lot of work to do to make 9th, 10th or 11th.

The club have opened talks with Gray about a new contract. Looking more and more that Amo and Gresko will go and Matteo and McEveley (and Taylor?) will be all part of the back up.

Glenn Keeley put our poor performances at the back against West Brom and Everton in part to the fact that Nelsen and Todd are both only 6 ft tall. Coming up against 6 ft++ strikers puts them at a disadvantage. Anyone know what happened to Nelsen's charge from the FA for speaking the truth?

Come on, the Geordies couldn't handle Shearer wearing the medal he won with us. As it is, Keane will send him into retirement with a broken leg- there's bound to be unfinished business between those two.

Frightening to say but that ranks Rovers only about half way up or down the Premiership's pay league.

All those semi-finals; he is having to work hard.

About 20 players get through £500K a week- ish. Divi it up how you want to.

So if we finish above Everton, we are on our European holidays in late July. Well, we also need to come above 8th although would UEFA ban all English clubs if neither Rovers or Everton came 8th or above? ...then there is a risk we might make it into the UEFA through the front door.

Hope you are right salothsar! Both Kyle and Stead looking for their first goal in aeons so we've got to score at least three.

No Joey- I've guessed a generous £6m ($10m) out of the £31m ($50m) total wage bill for everybody else.

The Wrexham fan will be enormous by now- Matt Derbyshire has scored twice in the first half against Rushden & Diamonds.

Since he made his debut, he seems to have been on every Brum team sheet I could be bothered to look at.

He's not- he's spending Gaydamuk's money and he's the guy who is rumbling to the press.

Milan Manderic is taking legal action for comments by Rupert Lowe whilst his soon to be successor is talking about sacking the "unimpressive" 'Arry. Shame we are playing the improving Sunderland and not Pompey tomorrow night.

Nicky Butt walked out when he found out that a Bruce had taken his place in midfield. Anyway, another product of the Academy is playing regular Premiership football for those doubting its worth.... (We'll get the sell-on when Bruce senior gets fired)

Yes the rest of them start their hols at the beginning of May- actually make that 31 January.

McClaren is a tactical genius... according to David Pleat.