The Simon Garner column

I'M not one of these who likes to bang on about the crowd getting behind the players.

I mean, supporters aren't stupid. They pay their money to go and watch their team so of course they're going to cheer them on.

But as a former player, I have to emphasise how important a role the fans play - and they will be a major factor in tomorrow's game against Leeds.

I know it's a 'catch 22' situation and the fans will say they've had nothing to get excited about this season, but for a player it really hits home how important a game is if the crowd are right behind you from the off.

But the Leeds fans will play a big part in this too because they will bring a lot across and they will be really up for it. It will make the atmosphere much better for both sets of players.

I remember a game in 1986 when we played Sheffield United and had to win because we were near the bottom. We beat them 6-1.

But the main thing was I scored more or less straight from the kick-off, and if you score first it eases all the tension.

You need to get in front because it lifts everybody in the crowd and on the pitch. If the game drags on without a goal, however, the crowd get nervous and the players can sense that and it can get to them.

As for the game itself, if Rovers lose they are in big, big trouble. But I'm looking at tomorrow and Monday's game at Fulham and thinking they can get six points out of six over Easter.

What a boost that would be. It would not only lift us away from the relegation zone but really demoralise the teams below.

People talk about Alan Smith and Mark Viduka as being the Leeds men to stop and they're certainly not a bottom three strike partnership.

But just because they play together every week doesn't give them an advantage over Rovers and whoever they play up front will be good enough to do the job.

That's why clubs have big squads these days, so they have players who are good enough to come in.

Plus, you can get complacent if you play week in week out because there's no pressure to score if there's no-one to come in and replace you.

So my prediction is Rovers to win tomorrow and to get enough points to eventually stay up.

Anyway, have a good weekend. I'm spending the weekend in Spain.

Adios!