First striker

[den]

First of all, sorry about the delay in getting this started again. My computer crashed two weeks ago and arrived back from repair today. I just hope the delay hasn't caused this topic to fall apart.

The team where we left of was:

Friedel

Crompton

England

Hendry

Le Saux

Douglas

Clayton

Forrest

Duff

We simply need two strikers to finish off. It's bloomin' obvious who will win the first slot, I'm still not entirely sure who will get the second striker position.

I struggled to get a decent list of left wingers together. Not so with the strikers. Take a look at this :

Alan Shearer,

Fred Pickering,

Andy McEvoy,

Derek Dougan,

John Byrom,

Chris Sutton,

Tommy Briggs,

Simon Garner.

David Speedie,

Mike Newell,

Don Martin,

Tony Field.

Andy Cole,

Andy Crawford.

Peter Dobing.

Matt Jansen,

chris thomson,

andy kennedy,

howard gale.

Roy Vernon.

Duncan McKenzie

Jim Fryatt,

Mick Hickman,

Jack Lewis,

Ian Lawther,

Paul Round,

John Lowey,

Martin Britt,

Ken Beamish,

John O'Mara,

Stuart Parker,

David Hargreaves.

Bobby Svarc.

Kevin Stonehouse,

Dave gregory,

Norman Bell,

Paul McKinnon,

Viv Busby,

Tony Diamond,

Sean Curry,

Terry Eccles,

Keith Fear,

Joe Craig,

Kevin Gallacher,

Roy Wegerle,

Have I missed anyone out?

OK, it's open for discussion before it will have to be pruned.

[S15]

KEVIN GALLAGHER!!

[den]

KEVIN GALLAGHER!!

Blimey that was quick!

[Blackburn Ender]

Just a reminder: the greatest strikers do not have to be players we've seen play.

As previous picks have shown, some of our earliest stars have been recognised in this poll as true blue greats.

The obvious answers (to me at least) would be Shearer and Garner, but I reckon I need to see some of the histories of older players, which our historians are no doubt already working on, before I vote.

It would be good to have another player stake a genuine claim for one of the two slots.

I'll go get me history books....

[den]

Just a reminder: the greatest strikers do not have to be players we've seen play.

Spot on BBE'r. For anyone who's new to this idea, we're looking for two players who can go down as the two greatest ever strikers.

As before, it's all a matter of judgement chaps. What is greatness to one person, isn't necessarily greatness to another. To me, the greatest player doesn't necessarily have to be the best player although he more than likely would be, but he would have to be someone who deserves to be remembered for a hell of a long time - ala Crompton and Forrest.

[brfcshabba]

Don't you mean KEVIN GALLACHER?

[den]

Don't you mean KEVIN GALLACHER?

Probably

[Nayef]

Where's Grabbi/Grooby option?

[Alan75]

Welcome back den.

The best striker I suspect recognised by all, even non Rovers supporters will be Shearer and whilst Garner's record of goals is second to none it has to be realised that these were gained in the lower divisions.

I'm still pondering and open minded about the second striker, but at the moment I'm wondering who would be the perfect foil for Shearer, with Jansen in his prime currently springing to mind.

This is going to taker some deep thought and research of the history books.

[John]

Have to agree with Shearer being the undipsuted king.

Also agree with Alan's remarks on Jansen- top scorer in our first season back up and before his accident he had sheer class.- I still believe......

[greggyk]

Alan75!Perfect foil for Shearer?

That Chris Sutton worked pretty well with him

[thenodrog]

Shearer and McEvoy for me.

But I guess lack of age and folklore will result in huge but uninformed support for Simon ......... although he was a very useful 2nd / 3rd Div striker and a fairly loyal servant he would not have 'cut it' in the old first div.

Edited January 20, 2005 by thenodrog

[Jim J]

Shearer and Garner for me.

Good to see the likes of Sean Curry and Paul McKinnon get a mention, but what about Nathan Blake and Ashley Ward?

[1864roverite]

shearer and garner

or

shearer and sutton

or

shearer and newell

[Brownie]

I'd select Shearer in a World XI, never mind Rovers.

[colin]

Get the red highlighter out Den.................

You want a tale of goal-scoring?

You want a tale of full-on blue and white?

Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you the story of David Speedie.

It's a short story and lasts for just one season, not much to qualify as a "great"

David Speedie joined us from Liverpool in August 1991. He was signed by Don McKay who was soon to lose his managerial post to Kenny Dalglish as the Uncle Jack era took over.

He had previously played at (in no particular order) Barnsley, Doncaster, Darlington, Chelsea, Coventry City, Liverpool, Leicester City, West Bromwich Albion, West Ham United, Birmingham City, Accrington Stanley,

Greendale Argyle, Weatherfield United, & Trumpton Psychopaths and had made a name for himself as a bad -tempered & petulant little sod.

Like this:

http://www.premierleague.com/fapl.rac?comm...playerID=699103

Then he arrived at Ewood where he became our bad -tempered & petulant little sod. He played for us for just one season. 43 games in all, 26 goals. Then he moved to Southampton in part-exchange for some bloke called Shearer.

Re-wind...........26 goals in 43 games? Indeed, that is very close to two goals for every three games.

As well as his aggression he has a great sense of positioning and movement, he seemed to be able to sense where the ball would be in a second's time and be there to meet it. For a relatively small player he won a remarkable number of headers.

I was thinking of commenting on one or two examples of games where Speedie's contribution turned the game on its head. The last day of the season hat-trick against Plymouth to get us into the play-offs. His brace in the play-off semis against Derby, and his *ahem* winning the penalty in the final itself. However these fade into insignificance against one game where he gave one of the greatest performances I have witnessed by a Rovers' striker.

15th February 1992, at home against the then struggling Newcastle who had just taken on Kevin Keegan as manager. Naturally the Geordies came down in their masses and filled the Darwen End. We filled the rest of Ewood. Newcastle took an early lead before Speedie smashed home his first, just before half time, in front of the Blackburn End. His second was the most spectacular flying header I have ever witnessed and to rub salt in the Geordie wounds he went and celebrated in front of them. The third was an equally spectacular volley and again he went over to the visitors and punched the air. These days he'd probably be on a three match suspension for that, but on the day he created one of the best atmospheres I've witnessed at Ewood.

So, there you are, my shout for Speedie. Not that it'll do much good because we all know which pair have got this one sew up like a kipper.

Edited January 23, 2005 by colin

[tcj_jones]

I would find it difficult to find a handful of people in the history of football that were/are better strikers than Shearer. Even at 34 he is easily amongst the top strikers in the world.

I will listen to other peoples opinions and hear the cases of the other candidates, but it will take something extraordinary to change my mind on this one.

[Florida Rover]

thanks for the read colin.enjoyable stuff.real drama.

Florida Rover

[AussieinUk]

Great post Colin, Im sure I have that games highlights on VHS.

I am going for Shearer and Newell.. *sigh*

[Ste B]

Alan Shearer..

Lets stop wasting time and start the vote now for his strike partner.

[neekoy]

Shearer 94 and Shearer 95

Otherwise Sutton is in for sure

[tchocky]

As for young Ciccio, it seems he has been without a club since Ancona were demoted because of financial trouble, but is now training with some club (rossoverde? the red-greens?). This could be Ternana, although I'm not sure based on the translation I got from the Babelfish (its funny if nothing else):

E' today the news that would want a return of Corrado Grabbi in Umbria, side rossoverde. L'attaccante, been born to Turin the 29/07/1975, grown nelle soccer juvenile ones della Juventus, currently is svincolato and its city is being trained nella, in order to find physical the shape better. On its traces c'è also Naples, but to Cerni is still in the heart of the tifosi, which have not never forgotten it after shocking season 2000/2001 when in B series realized 19 nets, making an impression for the numbers of high school proposals on the game land. Always as far as the advanced unit, the Ternana is following also Peter Relative (former Ancona, currently to For Immense in series C2 girone C). For the centrocampo, instead, it appeals to l'honduregno Rajcic Lion of the Chieti.

Maybe Hughes and co should have a look at Peter Relative, sounds a good prospect if Ternana are looking at him

[James No. 7]

My nominations are Shearer and Jansen.

[philipl]

Shearer- statistically must be getting towards being one of the top if not the top striker in English football since the war.

Will anyone ever equal scoring over 30 goals in three consequetive Premiership seasons?

I am keeping my powder dry to advance the case of my second nomination waiting for the second vote. But I am unhesitatingly opting for Simon Garner.

[Hughesy]

Alan Shearer and Simon Garner. Goals are what make a striker and they got plenty of them for us.