No disrespect, but it's a game West Ham need to win- and comfortably- if we have serious hopes of getting out of this league.

In that case, no disrespect, expect a long wait, it's not as easy as you all think when you leave the Prem!!!!!

West Ham have some great players, but I didn't like that defence a bit. The Rovers fans will tell you, I don't do predictions but a decent defence is a pre-requisite in this league if you want to get anywhere.

Best example of that was Leeds last season. If they could defend, they'd have made the play-offs at least. As it was they just missed out but look in the goals against column and you see a big, fat 70. 7th worst in the league.

Message for West Ham - Forget Cole, Carew and Piquionne and sort out your defence if you want to get out of this league.

FuzzyDuck,

Thanks for the image of the 1956 programme on the match thread - I bought one of them. I think for under 12s at the time it was about a Bob to get in. I had a big collection of Rovers programmes from about 1949, plus most Cup Final programmes from the 1950s, but I've no idea if they still exist - I gave them to my nephew when I left England in 1974.

Mick, Portland, Oregon

There wasn't much in the old programmes compared with today's though. I think the manager had a column and there would be a run-down on the opposition.

Mention of admission charges prompts arithmetical thoughts about gate receipts vs players wages at the time. I remember that it was less than a shilling at the Rossington end when I first went to matches. Based on as little as 1/- or 12 old pence to get in you would have needed only 20 spectators to generate a £1 and 400 to pay a player £20 per week, so only 4,400 to pay the whole first team and the total " gate" would be 3 times that. There would be plenty left for running expenses, the manager, the "trainer", the reserves and the directors' perquisites plus the expenses of the the Brodsworth Colliery Band who provided the entertainment. In those days the club also mantained "club houses" which the I think the players occupied rent free.

These would be a factor when a player was contemplating joining the club, the house he was being offered. The ones I was aware of were semi detached and located in the leafier suburbs such as Wheatley Hills and Bessacarr. Players in those days were financially comfortable, better off than the average spectator, but by no means wealthy. Some like centre half and captain Syd Bycroft ran a business too; cente forward Ray Harrison had a sports shop - rare in those days - at the top of East Laith Gate.

Anyone got the line up yet

Two changes from Tuesday - Mason and Hird out. Dumbuya and someone else in (my link to Radio Deedah went down at the crucial moment!)

Louthrover

Green, O'Brien, Tomkins, Reid, Ilunga, Nolan, Parker, Noble, Collison, Taylor, Piquionne
Subs: Boffin, Faye, Stanislas, Sears, Cole

Buimmer 0:1 Nolan. Sounded like we were sloppy at the back

That didnt take long did it

I think Nolan wants to prove a point

West Ham are going long with anything from Green. That's paying us a little compliment.

Nolan isn't paying us any compliments though

Bloody hell this is a good Long Island Iced Tea

Now would be a nice time to pop one in

Sounds like we've been fortunate to keep this to 0:1. We're sticking in there though.

C'MON ROVERS!

Cmon Irons, crush the Rovers..

Howdy folks,

Gutted to miss the first home game, especially agianst West Ham but got married yesterday and thought I could maybe get back in time. Conversation was quite short and went thus:

Me - I reckon we could get back in time to go to the Rovers.

Wife - A stare that said all I needed to know.

Me - suppose I could miss one game.

Come on you Reeeeeeeeeeds! About time we had a goal in the 97th minute!

Congratualtions Wheatley... timing could have been better though... could have got married in London when we were playign these guys away

Cheers Louth, hoping to make the trip to London for the return fixture. Yeah, timing stinks.

Never mind, it seemed we had a better second half than they did, and I would say they crushed us.

Oops........... missed out the "not" there

Have a good week boys, great blog as usual Fuzzy

You did right Wheatley, put your foot down and let her know how it's going to be, Oh, sorry, you did, just like the rest of us. I should look forward to buying a multi ticket instead ot a season ticket.

Sounds as though we have got the defence tightened, to lose to West Ham, after they score on 4 minutes is not a bad result. Drops us into the bottom three, above the mighty WEEDS, oh how Mr shirt must be feeling, not to mention Mrs Fuzzy. Won't be good night tonight Fuzzy.

NY.

Don't thinik there's much disrespect in that. We had a go in the second half. Probably should have scored where Copps got through but we gave it a go.

Trees next and they're not looking good - fingers crossed

Let's hope that Alex and ionly had a good, sober meeting, and did not get into any fights.