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Good day everyone and a very happy Easter Monday in what is not a holiday out here in the Philippines; Thursday and Friday last week was for that designation. There will still be much to play for after this evenings match at Ewood Park, that much we do know. In the event City win, however, it seems likely our club will be playing Championship football in 2018 which, of course, means another year of Lee Johnson; all according to Steve Lansdown. Look forward or spit in my bucket, whichever is your predilection to that prospect. Blackburn, of course, are most people's laughing stock club. From the heady days of Jack Walker, Kenny Dalglish, Alan Shearer and top flight glory to the shambles of a bunch of Chicken farmers who look fresh out of the 'jungle', to be rightfully fair and condescending. And why not? Most of the overly paid footballers and football club owners and managers do there own fair share of bragadolio so why not we mere self deprecating mortals at the turn stiles? Notice my apostrophe's framing the word jungle however. Prior to hearing from a fellow Robin that Birmingham City had sent us down on two previous occasions all I wanted for Easter was to send Blackburn down (chicken, eggs, easter?! ) and, on reflection, that is still actually all I want. Birmingham did not 'send us down'. We sent ourselves down with 46 lousy games and not enough points garnered in those two particular seasons. 1998 and 3 years ago was it? No matter. The City players will likely turn up again this evening because they know another year in the Championship is what is required for their CV's. Lee Johnson will jog along for the ride of course. So, to tonight, and those visiting the old cotton town of Blackburn. According to the Lancashire Telegraph there are 10 key reasons to visit; Those who don’t know Blackburn may think in terms of dark satanic mills, but aerospace engineering long ago surpassed textiles here, and major redevelopment has changed much of the centre too. Many positive legacies of King Cotton’s reign remain, however, providing a fine contrast for more contemporary elements, nowhere more so than in the first of our 10 reasons to visit Cotton Town: 1. Cathedral of St. Mary's the Virgin with St. Paul. Sounds interesting and set in a green oasis so escape the squalor that no doubt this article glosses over for a brief moment before or after the game; mind you after dark might not be such a good idea. 2. The shopping: this includes a Mall where teenagers can hang out to their hearts’ content, with loads of big-name fashion-stores like Bank, a two-storey Primark, New Look, H&M, and Next. Loraine Jones, General Manager of The Mall is understandably enthusiastic about what the recent £66 million investment there has meant: ‘Blackburn has changed; the perception was that it was old, rundown, but now people are coming here to shop from Preston and the Ribble Valley.’ i would be interested to know if this is accurate fellow Robins. 3. In at number 3 my party poppers is of particularly interesting script I thought:- What the marketing types want us to call Blackburn’s ‘Gateway to Asia’ district (around Barbara Castle Way and Whalley New Road) has begun to rival the more famous Curry Mile in Manchester, the food ranging from cheap-and-cheerful takeaways to classier restaurants like Mai’da. 4. For a more eclectic eating experience head to the indoor market. You’ll find curry here too, but you can treat the heat with sarsaparilla and milk shakes or tuck in to older Lancastrian fayre like black pudding, parched peas, tripe with vinegar, and steak pies (now that’s a menu). Or go continental with pasta dishes, pannini and posh coffees. 5. Walk off your lunch in one of the town’s green-spaces that include the 480 acres of Witton Country Park. I was wondering when something not connected with gastronomy or shopping was going to make an appearance. Marvellous another green space. Oh and don't forget the Conservatory Park named after its glass house built in 1857. Was that not around the Great Exhibition? Maybe they had a mini version of Crystal Palace. 6. Mr Hart, whose generosity helped secure Witton Park for the town, had a hand in enriching another of its glories, Blackburn Museum and Art Gallery. The philanthropist donated his collection of illustrated manuscripts, rare coins, and early printed books to the museum, but it’s best-known for its dazzling display of Russian Orthodox icons - it has 61 of these religious images, 31 from two collections bought with national funding, another 27 arriving in a less saintly manner, seized from smugglers by HM Customs. The building – appropriately enough on Museum Street, also houses a renowned collection of Japanese woodcut prints. I have just found a reason for the Indians to sell out to a Russian mobster who can rebuild the club and bring it back from the 3rd tier. 7. There’s plenty of art outdoors here too - public art is a key component in Blackburn’s regeneration strategy. Don’t miss Transitions on the pedestrianised Church Street, or (especially when it’s dark) Simon Watkinson’s magical light-sculpture The Braid at Suddell Cross. 8. The Leeds Liverpool Canal. The waterway and the towpath alongside it give different perspectives of the town and its surroundings, from industrial landscapes to quiet countryside. The section between Whitebirk and Rishton is particularly scenic. 9. Really scraping the barrel now just inside the top 10 which just goes to show that even in what most of us consider a decrepit run down slum of a town, which I am sure it is not, a football club makes it into one of the top 10 attractions. It proves the relative worth, even if the place has improved, of a town desperate to attract visitors.. The bound to rise again Blackburn Rovers Football Club, where last season a manager of the month award was due to anyone lasting that long. Ewood Park, the club’s home since 1890, is a fine stadium of Premier League standard where in 1995 that competition’s domination by London and Manchester clubs was interrupted by this proud East Lancs institution. 10. And as if to labour the point this is literally what the Lancashire Telegraph placed at number 10:- There’s free on-road parking on Saturdays! I mean really, come on fellas. Oh well. To all those making the tedious journey via the battle of the M5/M6 interchange we all salute you. It truly is a magnificent effort even if it is a bank holiday today or perhaps that makes it more magnificent; Watch out for those north bound Winnebagos and caravans heading back to their homes up north from Easter breaks in the south and west. By the way, I saw again a rather jovial yet boisterous QPR fan last night who was adamant that his team would end higher than City. Still moody from his teams loss to ours on Friday he was boastful that such an endeavour would be completed with consummate ease. I made a rather paltry bet with him which only made him more confident. Later in the evening he remarked that QPR would never be a big team like Chelsea because 'our ground is tin pot and small'. At least he was modest of his ambitions beyond beating us in the table I thought. p.s. I believe I have set this up rather well for Big Tone and others to come up with 10 good reasons not to visit the town; far from me to besmirch an industrial heartland that gave Britain and the world so much in our gloriously industrial past. All I know is that the folks in such quarters are salt of the earth hospitable. God bless us all. UTC.

That will do nicely - anyone who wouldn't have taken the last three results is crackers Would have bitten your hand off for a point , even at one up

Adam Baker obviously checked into the thread today as he has just mentioned the 12 Swedish fans in attendance; good lad and well done to the Swedish contingent including the mad hatter.

Belters . Millwall end of season let's see if Bert and Ernie are giving it the big un then .

Or looking at this in another way Would anyone not have taken our current position and points after Preston ?

I sometimes almost feel that we're cheating by having Tammy. Like we hit some cheat code on FIFA and we shouldn't really be allowed him.

Good result. Happy with that. The job today was not to lose, we did that.

why is gazza having a massive bike sale

If the club have any sense they will do a "special" on Saturday. Get the top tier open and 25k in there!!

Bloody hell; haven't breathed in about five mins. Held on, and with the way results have gone, that is a solid point. Shame we couldn't take more chances, but if we are down the bottom for a reason, and that is one of them. Three games to go, four points from safety with only nine to win for those in the drop zone, and two matches at home where we're got an excellent recent record. Pleased with that; have a nice Easter Monday evening everyone!

Can people please stop biting each others hands off. We'll be like the Abu Hamza supporters club if it continues.

well being 3 up at derby for a start!

Had the roles been reversed we would be raging now saying this was a must win game against a team who couldn't beat an egg away from home. Blackburn didn't win their must win game, yes it sounds like we might have won it but difficult to tell how easy chances are 200 miles away from behind your keyboard!! Take the point, quick shower, on the bus and get the hell out of there knowing Blackburn need to get a minimum five points in three games (two away) to overhaul us.......and that's if we fail to pick up another point this season.

To give this point some context Blackburn's last 3 games are:- Wolves A Villa H Brentford A Even if we don't win another game, they will have to win 2/3 to overtake us. Despite chances to win, an excellent result for us.

Yessssss well done lads

Sky Sports saying since the equaliser they've been all over us, typical of us all season, failing to see out a game and then getting punished for it.

They have to be sold cheap because most people ride a normal size bike .

Kodjia sent off for villa

TBF calls for Johnson to go are centred around him leading us into a relegation scrap and on a record losing run; if we'd sacked him when level on points with sixth place, of course it would have been stupid. The Rowett/Zola swap bares no resemblance to a form-based firing: that's is a 'new broom' situation where the money-men want their boy in.

Or looking at this in another way. Would anyone have taken our current position and points at the beginning of the season, after the hype of the summer signing? It's a good point today but we shouldn't be in this position after the summer and January signing sprees. I hope we stay up but find it difficult to be enthused by next season.

I hope that's a typo.

Hoping we can be completely safe come the last day. Would be funny to send Brum down at AG after they did the same to us a few years back!

It feels nothing like a defeat. It's a crucial point away from home against a key relegation rival that suits us far better than them.

It's a good result. 4 teams have to overtake us and it's difficul with 2 home games and final season against teams with no objectives. Just hope we get a new manager, we need someone with experience to make possible what we all want.

7 points out of 9 is a great return much better result for us than Blackburn

one of the hardest matches to listen to ever.

Except everyone's saying we've created chances since and should be out of sight. So which is it? Is it LJ's fault if individuals don't take chances? If he has set the team up in a way that means they create more chances than the opposition then I'd say he's done his job and the rest is down to the players.

Bath 2-0, McCoulsky!

No - it is no time to be taking a team photo.

Isn't that an album by Nepalm Death?!

Oh my goodness that's exquisite. That boy has it all

You cheeky bugger Tammy, been watching Flinty. COYR!

Oh please not one up top... surely LJ has realised that now...

Difficult to be confident with our abysmal away record. Get out of there with a point and it's nearly job done in terms of survival.

Torquay 2-1 up. Yay!

Happy for Brighton, cracking side, stadium and manager who got shit on by Newcastle. Love Newcastle to cock it up but cant see it.

the starboard bow

Remember posting this when they sacked GR . Hasn't worked out for them has it . Idiots

It's ok if we are taking a corner.

There are some serious echoes in this thread today!

There are some serious echoes in this thread today!

Swedish flag prominent on City fans photo on BCFC tweets.

Kodja sent off.

Great Scott- I see what you did there Mike

Pretty sure three points is better than one....

Traffic was fine, about 3hrs 15 to get here. Hope it's a happy journey back

With respect, I don't buy into the 'free shot' point of view shared by some on here. A win for them would give them a huge boost following their win against Florist and with Brighton up next for us we could be right in the mire come 5pm next Saturday. I would be massively happy with a point right now and Im confident we can get it.

100%. Any team changes, unless enforced, would be moronic and indicate the tombola is fixed. Theres a decent understanding in the team at the moment. Two up top and carry on

Thank you Hav for an entertaining and educational start to my day. Good day City fans everywhere I fancy we will win 2-1 today although 2-2 (as SP mentions) might indeed be the outcome. Whatever the score I salute all the City travelling support and hope the team play really, really well and give 100% - can not ask for anymore than that. COYR!