FRANKLY, I think they should be banned!
I mean, where's the fun in playing Wimbledon at home? It's a ticket seller's nightmare, enough to chill a cheerleader to the core. They bring about a 100 followers, hardly guaranteeing a great atmosphere or raucous rivalry in the ground. They're a team of no-stars, a bunch of hardworking artisans at best.
Wimbledon at home is the nearest we get each season to a non-event. Home supporters have nothing at the visitors end to bounce off and any life, any excitement, has to be generated out on the pitch.
In past seasons, as Wimbledon gradually transformed from the Crazy Gang to the Boring Bunch, they have come to Ewood offering stiff resistance, and three points. A few Vinny Jones tackles, a John Fashanu elbow, plenty of bruises -- and a home win. Not so this time.
Last week someone said to me that, for all their great recent form, Rovers were bound to turn in one more poor home performance before May. Let's hope Wimbledon was it. After the fine win at St Andrews, I reckon even the hardest-hearted Rovers fan could forgive their 'tired' performance against the Dons. Lucky? You're dead right we were lucky. In fact, I wasn't sure who was the luckiest: Rovers to scrape a point, Mark Hughes to stay on the pitch after his spat with Williams, or Keith Gillespie to get the sponsor's man-of-the-match award. Brad Friedel hasn't featured much in this column since his arrival. The giant American has been steady rather than spectacular, but in the last few games his contribution, like his frame, has been immense. His vital saves first gave Rovers a springboard for success at Birmingham, and then offered an escape from potential embarrassment on Saturday.
Now, a two week break beckons. Some of us will be going to work, some to Dubai. Don't think that I begrudge the players their holiday. If you'd told me back in October that we'd be entering the final straight as favourites for the second automatic promotion place, I'd have offered to pay for the Middle East trip myself!
As the manager says, the hardest tasks are ahead. If he's right, and he's been spot on most of the time since last autumn, the last few home games should be worth watching.
Luckily, none of them will be against Wimbledon.
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