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

APPARENTLY David Jones, the Southampton manager, is a good mate of Brian Kidd. With friends like that, who needs enemies?

His team basically mugged us on Saturday, by playing Wimbledon-style tactics better than the Crazy Gang themselves.

Already Mr Jones has played a significant role in Rovers' post-Championship history. Home defeats inflicted by his Stockport and Southampton teams were the final, depressing chapter in the Ewood managerial books of Messrs Harford and Hodgson.

Now, after the Saints' stunning recovery from 3-1 down, where does that leave Rovers? On the edge of the precipice, in my view.

To score three goals at The Dell put us in dreamland after our nightmare record there - and wasn't it great to see Gally back, looking sharp and tormenting opposing defenders?

But to lose three goals, in the way we did and when we did, wasn't just unfortunate - it was downright carelessness.

Despite the impression given by MOTD, which chose to edit out a full 15 minutes of Rovers domination, we were in complete control before that crucial second goal.

Four weeks to go but, in our predicament, I'm already mulling over some of the season's lowlights. These assorted memories come with a label 'Things I wish I hadn't said - at least, not with witnesses present'! After the pre-season friendly against PSV Eindhoven: 'I think Dahlin will be a real force this season'. Or, 'I think we've won this one', in the Chelsea home match, just before we failed to go with the Flo.

'I've seen Everton and they're awful - even Rovers can't lose to them'. Oh no, Bakayoko!

'Mark Hughes isn't going to score his first goal for Southampton against us'. This column, last week.

And, true to form on Saturday, in a chilling reminder of the phrase used by former England cricket coach David Lloyd (no relation, honest!): 'We're flippin' murdering them' to my daughter, two minutes before the aforementioned Mr Hughes found himself on the end of a chance that even he couldn't miss.

My family, considerate as they are, have suggested a vow of silence. You may agree with them. But here's one prediction on which I can stake what little reputation I have left: next season, Rovers will play away at Selhurst Park.

Question is, will it be against Wimbledon or, perish the thought, Crystal

Palace?

Never before has the prospect of a game against the Dons seemed like paradise.

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