A fan's-eye view from Ewood Park, with Phil Lloyd

I SUPPOSE it's a bit like your kids growing up, or your parents growing old. You see them so often that it's hard to appreciate the changes that are gradually taking place.

Then Christmas comes. Distant relatives who only visit once a year remark on the differences that are so pronounced in their eyes. 'My, how he's grown!' 'Isn't he quick on his feet now, and so much more energy than he used to have!'

Or, quietly: 'He's quite a bit slower than I remember him. Haven't the past 12 months taken their toll'.

So it was with Rovers on Boxing Day. Distant fans, home for the holidays, made the inevitable comparisons with the team the saw the last time they were at Ewood.

It was hard to argue with their judgements. Yes, hasn't Martin Taylor grown.

No, I don't think he has stopped growing yet. Yes, it isn't as entertaining or involving watching a Division One match, compared with a Premiership game.

No, Rovers still don't look entirely convincing, even at the lower level. Yes, Ashley Ward (even before the injury) does seem pretty slow these days. No, we never look remotely like scoring from corners.

And then there's Damien Duff. Even making allowances for the lesser quality defenders opposing him, you don't need to be an occasional visitor to Ewood to see that this is a player rejuvenated. 'Isn't he quick on his feet now, and so much more energy than he used to have!' Under Kidd, Duff flickered fitfully, wearing the cares of the world on his sloping shoulders.

Suddenly, the slouch has become a swagger and with it has returned all the trickery that marked him out as a rare talent when he first came into the spotlight.

As my visiting relative on Boxing Day said: 'I only hope he can keep it up all season, before opponents work out that if they stop Duffy, they stop Rovers'.

Fair comment, but I'm happy to enjoy it while it lasts. In our Premiership days, you could drool at the skills of so many players from so many countries. In our new, downwardly-adjusted circumstances, with our modest Millennium team, I still reckon it's worth the admission money just to admire Damien's silky skills.

May he continue to terrorise and torment the opposition long into the next decade.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.