I remember having my bedroom wallpapered in S&S posters but I’ll always remember meeting Stuart Ripley in 1996 (I was 14 at the time) and being starstruck! It was the first time I’d met a proper footballer. I meant to ask him for his autograph but ended up mumbling something. He must have thought I had mental issues cos he felt sorry for me and signed my book without me asking.
From a footballing point of view, it has to be Tugay. Just an out and out legend and Matt Jansen too. I thought he was a top player
Wild, your story reminds me of one of my own:
I remember Christmas 1994. My dad had bought me and my siblings Rovers shirts for Christmas. He asked what numbers & players everyone wanted on their back to which everybody replied Number 9 - Shearer.
Wanting to out-do my older brothers and sisters, I went one better and asked for number 10 (which happened to be Newell at the time).
A couple of weeks after Christmas, I was in the town centre where there used to be an electrical store. Shearer and Newell were both inside. I ran over and asked Shearer to sign my shirt (the one with Newell on the back), to which he obliged. Newell then took the pen off Shearer to sign it and I snatched it out of his hand and said "I don't want you to sign it, I don't like you."
Admittedly, I was only 5 at the time, but my mother tells me that Newell looked extremely confused and Shearer was in hysterics.
On subject, Tugay, technically brilliant and seemed to love the club. Other players that I simply loved because I enjoyed watching them: Savage (for comedy value), Dickov (to see him running 100mph at the opposition keeper to put him under pressure), Jansen (mainly due to the promotion winning season)...so many haha.
Nice thread, goes without saying for me and reading the comments on Tugay he had the same effect on the game and our supporters. But if I wasn't Duggy-eyed I would say in that 1960's era when life impressions are formed it would be Mike England as he was so different to every other centre back up to that point, including the famous Jack Charlton, who was just a superior stopper basically. England was tall slim, square shouldered and elegant. He was calm and always had time to play his pass, never a hoofer, and the first of his kind to go up for set pieces.
An unsung hero of the 1960s was Fred Else the goalie after Leyland. he didn't throw himself around a lot because his sense of positioning was so good. "Fred just stubbed his Woodbine out on that one" was a common refrain after an opposing forward launched a cannonball shot at goal. Fred picked a lot of balls out of the net as we went into the depths!
In the more modern era, Fazackerly for Roversness? and Shearer for effectiveness, Friedel for fitness.
Duggy
Duggy....what about Billy Wilson, Barrie Hole, George Sharples and Don Martin?
oh so very many
Garners, forgot about Barrie Hole... great Rover. I watched Billy Wilson get turned inside-out by an unstoppable George Best and that just about ended his career, Sharples! fine physique of a man, and Don Martin, wasn't he the guy that would head a penalty if they let him?!
Good suggestions, now what about Bobby Craig?
I haven't posted on this board for ages having been driven away by he likes of WOW and sinking ship. I've also been totally devastated by what has happened to the club I've followed since 1963. (venky take-over/Kean fiasco)
However, following the plaudits expressed by Duggy about Mike England, it brought back some great memories of truly superb players who wore the blue & white halves.
I remember Fred Pickering, Keith Newton, Mike Ferguson, Mike Harrison, John Connelly (RIP) and many others but for me the two stand-out players were Ronnie Clayton and Bryan Douglas both true gentlemen and top quality England internationals of the highest order.
Nice Thread - bringing back some great memories for me.
Tugay. I could literally watch that man play football all day every day.
Glad it is bringing back some memories guys, that was the aim Remembering the good times Rovers have given us!
AFC hope you start posting again, nice to have the board filled with Rovers!
Some of the stories on here are great, been proper laughing at them
Also, thanks for bringing up some of the older players, is great to hear about all the great players that have played for the club over the years and who some of the older fans regard as their own heroes!
Tugay seems to be loved though, well deserved! Glad he is a lot of peoples favourite, he was truly a footballing great, who is way to under-appreciated in the mainstream!
Keep them coming guys, stories and players, loving reading it all!
The player who instantly comes to mind when I look back is always Noel Brotherston.
I Will never forget his chip goal against Plymouth to win in the early eighties.
A tragedy he died so young at 38.
Late 1970's - Don Martin and Derek Faz.
1980's - Terry Gennoe, Simon Garner, Scotty Sellars and Derek Faz.
1990's - Alan Shearer, Hendry as a player,
2000's - Brad Friedal, Tugay, Damien Duff, Matty Jansen.
2010's - Goodwillie, Ribeiro, Anderson and the rest just don't cut it for me.
2010's - Just remembered Morten. Classy guy, very loyal, like his style, but not his tackling.
In the 2000s I'd add Nelsen onto that list as well. Someone I admired as a player (I too am a shorter centre half), made of New Zealand stone, uncompromising as a player and a never-say-die attitude. Speaks like a gent off of the pitch and thoroughly likeable. I honestly think his departing the club in the manner it went symbolised the low of the Venkean alliance.
Aside from that the 1990's team just for the optimism of watching the Rovers then - Ripley and Wilcox made me want to be a winger, Berg and Hendry sowed things up at the back, atkins was an unsung hero and Shearer and Sutton showed the art of good strikers. And then I always liked Newell and Gallacher too.
Forgot about Nelsen. Brilliant player, role model and professional.
Just remembering some of our great players puts the current shower in perspective.
Great memories all, funny how the early heroes stick isn't it. I'd forgotten all about N Brotherstone, heckuva player in a poor side
But no one has answered my Q about Bobby Craig, am I the only one that old??!! Looks like the Bovril did everyone else in!
Well, somebody good like Pickering(?) left for pastures bigger and the Telegraph had an exclusive about a Scottish star being snapped up as at least an equivalent standard. At the first home game we couldn't believe it, he was so small we thought he was the mascot. Needless to say he didn't stay too long in those days of craggy defenders.
Poor start today though for Berg-man
Duggy
AFC ey up and welcome back;
All the way since 1963, good stuff, you and I can share stories about Bovril and "Noddy", I'd forgotten about Mike Harrison, each leg wider than my entire body at the time; the man with the 50 yard pinpoint pass, stunning but unnecessary.
But what does AFC stand for, you are shy about yersel in the profile, (Accrington, Altham, 'Apton, 'Aslingden...?)
Duggy
Hya Duggy, thanks for the welcome back whilst I haven't posted during my absence I still regularly read the comments posted on the board.
AFC are my initials and 2701 is my "old" police number. I think I once mentioned this a while ago along with the detail of my first visit to Ewood at the age of 11. My Grandad took me to an evening match where we played Leeds Utd and I sat with him in the old riverside stand sitting on the ancient wooden benches. I still remember the smell of cigar smoke and the fantastic atmosphere in there. It was cold that night and the thunder in the stand of stamping feet is still a vivid memory for me.
I was just thinking about Barry Hole what was that chant again?
"Give Us a Goaaal, Give us a Goaaal; Barry Hole or something on those lines- happy days at Ewood.
In later years I was fortunate to meet both Bryan Douglas and Ronnie Clayton at Ewood a few times when I was a member of the 100 club prior to match kick-off. One time was when we were playing against Huddersfield I think during the Souness era. They were circulating with the club members at the time and they came and sat with me and my brother.
I think I was a bit "star-struck" in their presence to be honest because I spilt my coffee over Ronnie Clayton. He was so gracious about it and I felt a total idiot.
Both very nice guys great players in their day and totally loyal to the Rovers cause.
I thought long and hard about all the players that have come and gone!Like Duggy we have seen 4/5 decades of Rovers so I tend to think in decades.If it came to choosing one player then I would say Ronnie Clayton and then Bryan ( Duggy ) Douglas would be a close second.Modern eras Shearer without a doubt ,the best striker/forward we have ever had at Ewood Park.
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Favourite Player to ever play for Rovers?
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posted on 2/11/12
I remember having my bedroom wallpapered in S&S posters but I’ll always remember meeting Stuart Ripley in 1996 (I was 14 at the time) and being starstruck! It was the first time I’d met a proper footballer. I meant to ask him for his autograph but ended up mumbling something. He must have thought I had mental issues cos he felt sorry for me and signed my book without me asking.
From a footballing point of view, it has to be Tugay. Just an out and out legend and Matt Jansen too. I thought he was a top player
posted on 2/11/12
Wild, your story reminds me of one of my own:
I remember Christmas 1994. My dad had bought me and my siblings Rovers shirts for Christmas. He asked what numbers & players everyone wanted on their back to which everybody replied Number 9 - Shearer.
Wanting to out-do my older brothers and sisters, I went one better and asked for number 10 (which happened to be Newell at the time).
A couple of weeks after Christmas, I was in the town centre where there used to be an electrical store. Shearer and Newell were both inside. I ran over and asked Shearer to sign my shirt (the one with Newell on the back), to which he obliged. Newell then took the pen off Shearer to sign it and I snatched it out of his hand and said "I don't want you to sign it, I don't like you."
Admittedly, I was only 5 at the time, but my mother tells me that Newell looked extremely confused and Shearer was in hysterics.
On subject, Tugay, technically brilliant and seemed to love the club. Other players that I simply loved because I enjoyed watching them: Savage (for comedy value), Dickov (to see him running 100mph at the opposition keeper to put him under pressure), Jansen (mainly due to the promotion winning season)...so many haha.
posted on 2/11/12
Nice thread, goes without saying for me and reading the comments on Tugay he had the same effect on the game and our supporters. But if I wasn't Duggy-eyed I would say in that 1960's era when life impressions are formed it would be Mike England as he was so different to every other centre back up to that point, including the famous Jack Charlton, who was just a superior stopper basically. England was tall slim, square shouldered and elegant. He was calm and always had time to play his pass, never a hoofer, and the first of his kind to go up for set pieces.
An unsung hero of the 1960s was Fred Else the goalie after Leyland. he didn't throw himself around a lot because his sense of positioning was so good. "Fred just stubbed his Woodbine out on that one" was a common refrain after an opposing forward launched a cannonball shot at goal. Fred picked a lot of balls out of the net as we went into the depths!
In the more modern era, Fazackerly for Roversness? and Shearer for effectiveness, Friedel for fitness.
Duggy
posted on 2/11/12
Duggy....what about Billy Wilson, Barrie Hole, George Sharples and Don Martin?
oh so very many
posted on 2/11/12
Garners, forgot about Barrie Hole... great Rover. I watched Billy Wilson get turned inside-out by an unstoppable George Best and that just about ended his career, Sharples! fine physique of a man, and Don Martin, wasn't he the guy that would head a penalty if they let him?!
Good suggestions, now what about Bobby Craig?
posted on 2/11/12
I haven't posted on this board for ages having been driven away by he likes of WOW and sinking ship. I've also been totally devastated by what has happened to the club I've followed since 1963. (venky take-over/Kean fiasco)
However, following the plaudits expressed by Duggy about Mike England, it brought back some great memories of truly superb players who wore the blue & white halves.
I remember Fred Pickering, Keith Newton, Mike Ferguson, Mike Harrison, John Connelly (RIP) and many others but for me the two stand-out players were Ronnie Clayton and Bryan Douglas both true gentlemen and top quality England internationals of the highest order.
Nice Thread - bringing back some great memories for me.
posted on 2/11/12
Tugay. I could literally watch that man play football all day every day.
posted on 3/11/12
Glad it is bringing back some memories guys, that was the aim Remembering the good times Rovers have given us!
AFC hope you start posting again, nice to have the board filled with Rovers!
Some of the stories on here are great, been proper laughing at them
Also, thanks for bringing up some of the older players, is great to hear about all the great players that have played for the club over the years and who some of the older fans regard as their own heroes!
Tugay seems to be loved though, well deserved! Glad he is a lot of peoples favourite, he was truly a footballing great, who is way to under-appreciated in the mainstream!
Keep them coming guys, stories and players, loving reading it all!
posted on 3/11/12
The player who instantly comes to mind when I look back is always Noel Brotherston.
I Will never forget his chip goal against Plymouth to win in the early eighties.
A tragedy he died so young at 38.
posted on 3/11/12
Late 1970's - Don Martin and Derek Faz.
1980's - Terry Gennoe, Simon Garner, Scotty Sellars and Derek Faz.
1990's - Alan Shearer, Hendry as a player,
2000's - Brad Friedal, Tugay, Damien Duff, Matty Jansen.
2010's - Goodwillie, Ribeiro, Anderson and the rest just don't cut it for me.
posted on 3/11/12
2010's - Just remembered Morten. Classy guy, very loyal, like his style, but not his tackling.
posted on 3/11/12
In the 2000s I'd add Nelsen onto that list as well. Someone I admired as a player (I too am a shorter centre half), made of New Zealand stone, uncompromising as a player and a never-say-die attitude. Speaks like a gent off of the pitch and thoroughly likeable. I honestly think his departing the club in the manner it went symbolised the low of the Venkean alliance.
Aside from that the 1990's team just for the optimism of watching the Rovers then - Ripley and Wilcox made me want to be a winger, Berg and Hendry sowed things up at the back, atkins was an unsung hero and Shearer and Sutton showed the art of good strikers. And then I always liked Newell and Gallacher too.
posted on 3/11/12
Forgot about Nelsen. Brilliant player, role model and professional.
Just remembering some of our great players puts the current shower in perspective.
posted on 3/11/12
Great memories all, funny how the early heroes stick isn't it. I'd forgotten all about N Brotherstone, heckuva player in a poor side
But no one has answered my Q about Bobby Craig, am I the only one that old??!! Looks like the Bovril did everyone else in!
Well, somebody good like Pickering(?) left for pastures bigger and the Telegraph had an exclusive about a Scottish star being snapped up as at least an equivalent standard. At the first home game we couldn't believe it, he was so small we thought he was the mascot. Needless to say he didn't stay too long in those days of craggy defenders.
Poor start today though for Berg-man
Duggy
posted on 3/11/12
AFC ey up and welcome back;
All the way since 1963, good stuff, you and I can share stories about Bovril and "Noddy", I'd forgotten about Mike Harrison, each leg wider than my entire body at the time; the man with the 50 yard pinpoint pass, stunning but unnecessary.
But what does AFC stand for, you are shy about yersel in the profile, (Accrington, Altham, 'Apton, 'Aslingden...?)
Duggy
posted on 4/11/12
Hya Duggy, thanks for the welcome back whilst I haven't posted during my absence I still regularly read the comments posted on the board.
AFC are my initials and 2701 is my "old" police number. I think I once mentioned this a while ago along with the detail of my first visit to Ewood at the age of 11. My Grandad took me to an evening match where we played Leeds Utd and I sat with him in the old riverside stand sitting on the ancient wooden benches. I still remember the smell of cigar smoke and the fantastic atmosphere in there. It was cold that night and the thunder in the stand of stamping feet is still a vivid memory for me.
I was just thinking about Barry Hole what was that chant again?
"Give Us a Goaaal, Give us a Goaaal; Barry Hole or something on those lines- happy days at Ewood.
In later years I was fortunate to meet both Bryan Douglas and Ronnie Clayton at Ewood a few times when I was a member of the 100 club prior to match kick-off. One time was when we were playing against Huddersfield I think during the Souness era. They were circulating with the club members at the time and they came and sat with me and my brother.
I think I was a bit "star-struck" in their presence to be honest because I spilt my coffee over Ronnie Clayton. He was so gracious about it and I felt a total idiot.
Both very nice guys great players in their day and totally loyal to the Rovers cause.
posted on 4/11/12
lee carsley
posted on 8/11/12
I thought long and hard about all the players that have come and gone!Like Duggy we have seen 4/5 decades of Rovers so I tend to think in decades.If it came to choosing one player then I would say Ronnie Clayton and then Bryan ( Duggy ) Douglas would be a close second.Modern eras Shearer without a doubt ,the best striker/forward we have ever had at Ewood Park.
Page 1 of 1