WHERE are they now? In the last few weeks you have recalled Rovers' old players and teams, but may I bring back the World War II years and the guest players we had at Ewood Park - and there were some good ones.

First to mind is T Person, an outside left and Scottish international who played for Newcastle and could make a ball talk.

Also there was J Laing, an inside left from Luton Town; J Durante, of Brentford, a big centre forward built like a tank; Smith of Manchester United who was an inside right; Albert Nightingale of Chesterfield who later joined the Rovers; Jones, the Welsh international goalkeeper who played with Spurs; Ron Stuart who joined the Rovers from Blackpool and became player-manager of Wigan.

Other players I recall are David Wagstaffe, Alec Venters, Billy Guest and Jock Weir who joined the Rovers for £10,000 from Hibs and Jackie Oakes, the Powderhall sprinter from Scotland.

Local lads who made the grade were Fred Pickering, Leslie Cook, Derek Leaver and Bill Holmes, an amateur who played for Eddie Quigley at Leeds on a Monday afternoon in the 1952 FA Cup semi-final replay against Newcastle who had included the Robledo brothers and Jackie Milburn in their side.

How would they go on if they played with the old leather ball? Some would not be able to kick it.

Then there was the Rovers' forward line who all had double figures for scoring goals one season. But still did not get promotion - Mooney, Crossan, Briggs, Quigley and Langton.

J LIVESEY (Mr), Accrington Road, Blackburn.

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