WELL, it's that time of year when I deliver my half term report.

And I have to say Rovers have done well on their return to the top set but there's still plenty of room for improvement.

Let's start with the positives and say I've yet to see a side play Graeme Souness's men off the park this season.

In virtually every single game, Rovers have proved their Premiership credentials by mixing it with the best.

And if manager Graeme Souness can unearth a proven target man to complement Matt Jansen and Ciccio Grabbi up front, then we could be looking at a charge for Europe over the second half of the season.

Player wise, Souness already had a decent crop of young players in Jansen, Damien Duff and David Dunn who all starred in Rovers' march to promotion last term.

But on top of that, he's managed to draft in quality performers like Tugay and Lucas Neill who must surely rank as two of the best pound for pound signings in the Premiership at present.

Tugay, in particular, has been a revelation in midfield and, given today's prices, the fact we managed to sign him for £1.3 million already looks like the bargain of the century.

And what about the form of Keith Gillespie? This time last year, the 26-year-old was plying his trade at Wigan.

But in a remarkable turnaround, he's now transformed himself into one of the deadliest wingers in the business.

On the negative side, Grabbi has been a major disappointment since his £6.75 million move from Ternana.

And the fact he has yet to complete a full 90 minutes for the club is a staggering statistic considering it's now after Christmas.

Let's just hope he enjoys a far more productive second half to the season because Rovers could certainly do with a return on their money.

I still believe he has the ability, he just needs that bit of luck and a regular run in the side for us to see the best of him.

All in all, though, there have been many highlights over the last six months.

Walloping West Ham 7-1, sinking Spurs at Ewood, sneaking a last minute winner at Southampton and annihilating Arsenal in the Worthington Cup, to name but a few.

But my favourite memory of the season so far was seeing the net ripple at the Blackburn End when Gillespie's shot exploded past Fabien Barthez in the monumental clash with Manchester United.

For sheer drama alone, that was an amazing moment from a player desperate to prove a point against one of his former clubs.

As for the lows, well, the dreadful 0-0 draw against Leicester must surely rank as the poorest performance of the season so far. That game was so dull, it would have sent a glass eye to sleep.

And what about the away day blues suffered at both Derby and Sunderland? Surely the biggest two injustices since Deidre Rashid was wrongfully imprisoned!

From a Press point of view, the trip to Newcastle must rank as the best so far -- apart from the result of course.

The Geordies certainly know how to put on a pre-match spread and their new stand wasn't bad either.

Atmosphere wise, I also rated St James's the best but then the Rovers fans who made the trip might disagree with me considering how far they had to sit from the action.

The biggest disappointment in terms of atmosphere had to be Sunderland's Stadium of Light, particularly given all the hype surrounding it.

Forget the old 'Roker roar', it's now been replaced by the Wearside whimper.

Southampton's new ground The St Mary's Stadium also deserves a mention but not for its architectural qualities, more for the lack of signs around the town telling you how to get there.

And Charlton has to be the coldest place Rovers have been to this season -- so much so that even a streaker in the second half decided to keep her clothes on!

In the end, Rovers provided their own pair of double Ds that day in the form of goalscorers Damien Duff and David Dunn.

Merry Christmas one and all and here's to a very Happy New Year.