David, your birthday is coming up over the Christmas period. Are you allowed to celebrate your birthdays properly under Big Sam, and if so, which Rover has had the strangest birthday party? (Dave Rushforth, Southampton)
We are allowed to celebrate birthdays but obviously mine is in the middle of the Christmas period, when we've got a lot of games so it's difficult to do anything. I normally tend to just go out for a meal or something with my family. Then when things are a bit quieter in January, I might do something then to celebrate. However, there will be plenty of time for birthday parties once I've finished playing so it's no big deal. As for the strangest party, Garry Flitcroft once had a fancy dress party to celebrate his birthday. The theme was cowboys and Indians and we had a good laugh.
David, it is great to have you fit and playing again, long may it continue. If Sam could sign any player in the world, who would you like it to be and why? (Ian Moon)
I'd have to say Lionel Messi because he's top drawer. He can create something out of nothing, he scores goals - he does everything. Other than him, I'd probably go for someone like Thierry Henry. It would be great to see someone like him in a Blackburn shirt.
How are you finding playing in your new role of support striker this season and how does that compare to a central midfield role and which do you prefer?
I've enjoyed playing in the hole this season and I prefer playing in that position. Ideally, I'd like to play in the hole behind two centre forwards but I appreciate that is not always possible. To be honest though, I'm happy playing anywhere, just as long as I'm in the team.
Who is the toughest and best central midfielder player you have played against and why?
The best all-round midfielder I've ever played against us would have to be Patrick Vieira. He has everything you'd want in a modern day midfielder.
Xavi was also a top, top player too. When I played against him with England U21s, I just came off the pitch and thought I'm a million miles off his level, and I wasn't the only one that night. Spain battered our U21 team and gave us a real lesson that day.
What are your chances do you think of getting an England call up? (Christopher Ward, Dalton-in-Furness)
Slim. But who knows? I've just got to keep doing what I'm doing for Blackburn, and the whole England thing is for other people to decide. I've just got to keep trying my best, keep playing well and scoring goals and hopefully earn myself another contract here. If anything else happens as a result of that, it would be a nice bonus.
How does it feel to be a professional Premier League footballer? (Hanne Jakobsen, Norway)
I feel very privileged to have played in the Premier League for so long. It's hard work at times but the sacrifices you have to make are totally worth it. I'm just glad I listened to my granddad and all the coaches I've had throughout my career. I've always tried to take on board everything they've told me.
Hi David, I think you are having a great season. Would you say your goal against Burnley is the favourite moment of your career? (Oliver Clark, Stevenage)
No I wouldn't. I'd say playing for England was probably my favourite moment. Or winning the Worthington Cup. Or getting promoted with Blackburn. Those things were something else. Obviously, beating Burnley was also special too. That was a one-off game and it was great for the fans because of everything surrounding it. The goal was important because we needed to get back on level terms quickly after going behind so early. However, in a funny way, I was probably happier after our recent victory over Portsmouth. It was really satisfying to come back in the way we did after such a poor first half performance.
Don't get me wrong, beating Burnley was still great, but it's not the be all and end all.
Did you ever imagine as a kid that you would one day walk out onto your home ground pitch at Ewood Park when you were older? (Kristian Roberts, Swansea)
It was weird really because everything seemed to happen so quickly. When I was growing up, I always thought I was going to be a player. It was only when I came here full-time at 16 that I began to have doubts. That's when it dawned on me that I was just one of 16-25 players in the Under18s who were all similar and chasing the same dream. You each have different bits of luck along the way but you have to be in the right place at the right time, and then obviously step up to the plate when your chance comes along. One of the big things for me was scoring a penalty in a cup-tie at Newcastle. I remember pestering Roy Hodgson to let me take a penalty and he kept ignoring me. But then no one else wanted to take one so he said, 'Right Dunny. Which one do you want?' And I said, 'I'll have the fifth one'. That was a real key moment in my career and it gave me a real push up the ladder.
If you had not become a professional footballer what do you think you would be doing now? (Rachel Mayo, New York)
I imagine I probably would have gone to live in America. My cousin works on MLS soccer camps over there, so I probably would have gone coaching over there.
Hi David, after watching the dance-off between you and David Bentley in Squires in Preston on YouTube, who actually won? Is it also true that you once performed a 'set' at a David Bentley Christmas party, and do you make a habit of this? (Emily Scott, Dubai)
Yes, it's true I did get up and have a bit of a singalong. I don't mind doing a bit of karaoke and there was a band playing so I couldn't resist doing a rendition of Mustang Sally. As for the dance-off, I still cringe when I see footage of that. It was after an end-of-season player of the year night and I wasn't drinking! I think I just crumbled. I didn't really want to do it but got sucked in. I don't think I had my mojo that night.
David, why did you decide to reject a move to Bolton at the last minute for a move back to Rovers? A decision that I was delighted with, as I thought you should have never left. (Gavin Matthews, South Wales)
I was very close to signing for Bolton and would have been more than happy to do so. At that time in my career, I really needed to get away from Birmingham and move back up here. But then as soon as Blackburn came in, there was only one place I wanted to go. I felt as though I had some unfinished business here. When I first started out, I wanted to spend my whole career here and stay long enough to have a testimonial. Looking back now, perhaps I should have just knuckled down and ridden out the storm. Me and Graeme Souness didn't have a massive fall-out - I don't know what it was really. I think I scored seven or eight goals that season but then he left me out on the final day at Spurs, when we needed to win to qualify for Europe. From that moment, I thought it's going to be like this from now on, and I think it would have been. However, if I had my time again, I don't think I'd act as rashly as I did.
Do you have any tattoos? If so, what are they, if not why not? (Andrea Mason, Buckinghamshire)
I've got two. I've got a Celtic cross on my arm. I've also got a silly little Chinese one on my shoulder, which I got when I was 16. That one is naff - it's really terrible. When I got it done, it was only meant to last five years, but it's still looking strong 14 years later!
What has been the funniest practical joke either played on you or a team-mate during your time at Rovers? (Gerry Croft, Ireland)
We were going to an away game once and some of the lads decided it would be funny to put some kippers in my shoes. They slipped them under my insoles and I didn't realise for about a week! I knew they were somewhere because of the smell but just didn't know where. Me and Flitty (Garry Flitcroft) constantly used to play pranks on each other. Because he was a dead ringer for Chesney Hawks, I once put a private number plate on his car, which said CHE 5NY or something like that. It was only when he was driving down Deansgate in Manchester and people started pointing at him that he realised something was wrong! He soon got me back though. I pulled up in Great Harwood a few weeks later and an old lady stopped me and said, 'What's happened to the back of your car?' When I got out to have a look, Flitty had put 'Fat Boy1' on the reg, or something like that.
