A fan's-eye view from Ewood Park, with Phil Lloyd

IT'S all very well for the new manager to be upset about Saturday's attempt to bore 17000 people senseless. He hasn't had to watch this kind of drivel all season!

We came expecting to see a committed, wholehearted show from Souness's side, pounding the opposition into submission. The only thing that took a pounding on Saturday was the credibility of the boss as the cure for all our ills.

Supporters react in different ways when served such cold, bland fare. Some display a true British stiff upper lip and sit in stony silence from first to last. Others make an even-earlier-than usual bolt for the exit gates.

Those who berate players and officials alike often reserve their sharpest criticism for those daring to venture close to their vantage point. Thus linesmen, full-backs and wingers become particular targets, as Wilcox will remember and Davidson is fast finding out.

But a disgruntled crowd plays subtler games too. For players now clearly unpopular with the fans (mentioning no particular Wardosauruses), there are loud groans at a misplaced pass, yet encouraging applause is the response if an identical pass by, say, young Burgess goes astray. Should the unfavoured one actually do something well, it's met not with relief or forgiveness, but with that most cutting of weapons, sarcasm. 'Oh, about time!' 'Why couldn't you manage that last time?' 'Hoo-bloomin'-ray!'.

It was maybe the sight of Steve Claridge in the opposing ranks that prompted an outbreak of spread betting. First Rovers attack that ends with a back-pass to Kelly (timed at 68 minutes). First header at goal by Ward and distance off target (79 minutes and eight yards respectively). Lowest 'jump' by a Rovers forward in an aerial duel (Ostenstad a clear winner despite strong competition, and his late appearance as substitute).

Former Rovers full-back Jim Branagan once replied to a football magazine's player survey by giving his height as '5' 10" but 5'6" if the ball is in the air.' Somehow it was amusing then. Now, on modern-day salaries and the cosseting and pampering that goes with them, the joke has worn very thin.

Strange that, at the season's start, most people (myself included) wouldn't have swapped our forward line with Charlton's Hunt, Pringle, Mendonca, etc. Yet by the time they visit Ewood next Monday, Charlton will have slotted home the rebound that takes them straight back to the Premiership.

While we've been missing a yawning open goal.