Kelvin Wilkins

IT is not a must-win match for Blackburn Rovers, but sadly, it may well be for Gary Bowyer.  

It’s a long season and whilst a winless start isn’t ideal, it does not determine the whole season.

Teams go through peaks and troughs throughout the season and we won’t be the only team to go four or five games without a win.

The pressure, however is mounting on Gary Bowyer, which is incredibly unfair as he is still suffering from the poor management of those before him, and has done incredibly well to maintain our Championship status with the challenges he has had.   

Paul Yates

If we lose the derby there is only ‘one direction’ Gary Bowyer and the Rovers are heading.

A win would ease the psychological pressure everyone must be feeling at the club and placate some of the more disgruntled fans.

Home defeats are often a sure indication that you will be involved in a relegation battle so in that sense it's a ‘must-win’ encounter However, we are not suddenly going to turn the corner and become a top-ten team.

We had all better get used to clutching at straws whoever the manager is come Christmas.

Sam Jones

IN a word, no. Although it may seem like we’re heading for a relegation battle, the 46-game season gives Rovers the opportunity to put a good run together and be right in the mix.

The loss of key players was pretty much out of the club’s control and the new arrivals still need time to gel with the rest of the squad.

For Bowyer, I believe the owners would have sacked him already if they were going to. Some Rovers fans now want him to go but who would we get to replace him? The hotseat at Ewood is not what it once was and I doubt we’d be any better off, bar the initial good run a new manager usually brings.

Every team goes on a bad run – ours just happens to be at the start of the new season to dash 
any optimism of a potential promotion push.

Getting rid of Bowyer could very soon lead to another managerial merry go round similar to the post-Kean era. More instability would only plunge Rovers further into trouble.