If Sparky guides us into Europe, I'd be in favour of giving the lad a rise and doubling the length of his rolling contract. That would push him into the sort of bracket where the cost of poaching Hughes would be edging towards the sort of numbers which forced Fat Freddie to delay firing Souness and using Roeder when he eventually did so. Given a choice between splashing cash they haven't got and hiring which ever "big name" Italian/German/Swede was between jobs, hopefully the Glazers would see the sense of going Italian etc. A very nice appreciation of Mark Hughes' achievements with the Rovers thus far.

"Did you cry when Speedie dived" sung with gusto to the ever-deserving Leicester fans when they eventually came up to the Prem. I can remember some cheating footballers on Match of the Day even in the days TV was steam driven (Black and white). So what's new? Anyway, Barca are another level beyond Chelski so expect the Mancs Liverpool and us to be looking upwards at an even more mega-starred Chelski next season. Could be a good thing if it encourages the rest of the Prem to raise their game.

All the answers are here including details of the National Stadium in the centre of the island. What you saw was the old Empire Stadium in Gzira which was abandonned 20+ years ago and is now the home to stray cats although Sliema Wanderers are trying to take it over as a "new" home for themselves. The Gzira Stadium saw England as World Cup Winners win 1-0 there in a European Nations qualifier in 1970. The crowd was 15% of the nation's population! Anyway with a Maltese Rover, I am trying to find out where Zura is to say hello.

Sadly there has been a real career threatening injury. Sisoko of Liverpool will probably lose his eye as a result of the collision in Benfica.

I'll see if I can look him up but as the Libyans withdrew yesterday it seems that the whole event is in some doubt.

OK they switch on the sprinklers at one end a quarter of the pitch at a time whilst the divot boys work at the other end. Then after seven minutes, they swap ends. That's what I meant by sections. A bit like football really. Perhaps the Mancs have an advantage if the water is fresh and divots were flattened seven minutes ago (or the other way round). Depends how paranoid you are.

OK- my hunch was that there will be a British clean sweep against the three Spanish clubs but that Benfica will add Liverpool to the Mancs. ... and I am absolutely certain Rovers will win in a high scoring game on Saturday. If it doesn't happen, it's your fault trueblue!

Sorry to rain on your pitch but the cheapskates Maltese TV take the games but not the half time package from Sky. So we get treated to a static camera view of the pitch at half time- all 15 minutes of it. What happens at OT is that they sprinkle the pitch by sections at HT whilst the bump flatteners and divot replacers do their stuff in the bit where its not raining. So they were watering their end when you were getting your pie Tris. Very impressed with how they get the water to appear without pipes- must be painful landing on one of those subterranean nozzels.

I thought Henry was well up for it last night. He has always been a player who saved his energy in games for the explosive moments. What was un-Henry like was his lack of accuracy; had been on his usual form, Henry would have notched at least one more. In the English game, Arsenal are being frustrated by two solid lines of four forcing them to knock it about sideways and a lack of midfield and defensive bite when the opposition breaks out. I suspect Saturday will be cat and mouse at Ewood although it could be a rip-roarer. I had expected Arsenal to win in Madrid and I am keeping shtum about what I am certain will happen on Saturday.

Two other good results for us at the week-end were the need for Bolton v West Ham and Villa v Citeh replays. Rev's concerns about West Ham mirror mine. Bolton's fixture congestion might do for the ugly awkward squad down the road but West Ham are looking the genuine article as a top Prem side from what I have seen.

Rovers have said no to loaning Matteo on loan so Sheff U have got Collins (who?) from Sunderland for the rest of the season. Have to say I expect Sheff U will be next season's Sunderland- Warnock has assembled a very good Championship side and Sunderland have shown what happens to very good Championship sides in the top flight. Reading have real class, Watford seem to have some good ones, PNE (sorry Abbey) are better than Championship in all aspects except up front, Palace would survive if they win the play-offs whilst Leeds are another good Championship side with nothing to equip them for life in the Prem.

Danns angling for a Premiership transfer.

McEvely is going back to Ipswich on Monday to complete his rehabilitation there. Andy Todd scored with a header for Accy Stanley this evening. Very public spirited of him to fly back from Dubai to give the neighbours a hand.

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.