Right back

[grizfoot]

Question for the Mods. I didn't think it was possible to register more than once on this Web site. It appears that one individual has now registered FIVE times!!

Pack it in Lucas!

LOL

My vote goes to Henning Berg as he's the best one that i've seen in my years watching rovers.

[Scotty]

LOL

My vote goes to Henning Berg as he's the best one that i've seen in my years watching rovers.

The question isn't "who's the best right back you've seen for the Rovers" it's who's the best Rovers right-back ever. Try to be objective (look it up).

[den]

LOL 

My vote goes to Henning Berg as he's the best one that i've seen in my years watching rovers.

The question isn't "who's the best right back you've seen for the Rovers" it's who's the best Rovers right-back ever. Try to be objective (look it up).

Thanks Scotty,

c'mon guys, it's a matter of working out, with the aid of a bit of guidance, who was the best EVER right back.

you may never have seen him yourself, but have a bit of imagination. The results of this poll will go down in history [on this site, at least]

[roversmum]

I've been looking through the history books and this 'greatest team' task is going to get harder. There have been some fantastic players through the years.

[den]

I've been looking through the history books and this 'greatest team' task is going to get harder. There have been some fantastic players through the years.

There certainly have been some great players, more than I imagined. From the sixties onwards, there have been, in particular, some great midfielders and strikers.

The difficulty is trying to get across to people who haven't seen these players in the flesh, exactly HOW GOOD they really were. It will be interesting to see the outcome. I just hope this topic, when it's finished, reflects the real great players rovers have had over the years. I'm sure it will.

[philipl]

Whilst the statistics for Bob Crompton are overwhelming, I have no idea how we are going to rate some of the other players who powered the Rovers to two Championships before the First World War or achieved the five FA Cup wins in the 1880s/90s. Will Souter, Forbes or Forrest make it into the greatest ever team?

In fact is there a case for Souter to be in the right back vote?

[SouthAussieRover]

Kevin Hird gets my vote.

I can't possibly vote for someone Ive never seen play and was from a totally different era of football.

[Claytons Left Boot]

Whilst the statistics for Bob Crompton are overwhelming, I have no idea how we are going to rate some of the other players who powered the Rovers to two Championships before the First World War or achieved the five FA Cup wins in the 1880s/90s. Will Souter, Forbes or Forrest make it into the greatest ever team?

In fact is there a case for Souter to be in the right back vote?

My thoughts exactly Phil. Whilst I know Crompton was probably the best right back we have ever had, I voted for Keith Newton because he is the best I have seen.

If folk are being asked to use a bit of common sense and do a bit of research it sorts of defeats the object of having a poll.

When voting for the best keeper, I wondered why there were not more entries from the period from the 1890's to WW2.

Not a criticism guys, it's still a very good thread.

[den]

Whilst the statistics for Bob Crompton are overwhelming, I have no idea how we are going to rate some of the other players who powered the Rovers to two Championships before the First World War or achieved the five FA Cup wins in the 1880s/90s. Will Souter, Forbes or Forrest make it into the greatest ever team?

In fact is there a case for Souter to be in the right back vote?

My thoughts exactly Phil. Whilst I know Crompton was probably the best right back we have ever had, I voted for Keith Newton because he is the best I have seen.

If folk are being asked to use a bit of common sense and do a bit of research it sorts of defeats the object of having a poll.

When voting for the best keeper, I wondered why there were not more entries from the period from the 1890's to WW2.

Not a criticism guys, it's still a very good thread.

Fair comments chaps.

I did ask for nominations from all era's on this thread., and got some good names put forward. If CLB wanted more 'keepers from the early 20th century, all he had to do was put his name to me. Obviously most of the players will come from the 60's onwards, Bob Crompton really had to be included, didn't he?

I don't remember asking anyone to do some researching. If I did, that wasn't my intention. What I have asked for, is for people who have seen some of the players from yesteryear, to try to put across exactly how good or bad these players were. That seems to be a reasonable approach and many people have accepted that it is possible to vote for a player that they have never seen. If that had been difficult, then only Jim mk2 could have voted for Crompton. , only Jim has seen him play.

It's all a bit of fun, but I still think it's interesting.

[92er]

Yes, Philip1 there is an argument for Souter(I think the spelling is Suter) to be included at right full-back.I didn't suggest him partly because the role of full back changed some time after Suter finished playing.

Forbes should certainly be considered for left back-although I think there might be even stronger candidates.

Many younger supporters won't know about the store that continued in business until approx the late 1970's that was started off by Johnny Forbes, nor will thet know about The Blackburn Times, for which William Westell wrote and in which there was reference to star players from the past-I believe these papers can still be read in the Refernce Library.

[den]

So will someone tell me about this Forbes guy?

[92er]

Forbes made 127 appearance between 1888 and 1894.

Apparently not only was he a quality player-a scottish international,but was also a born leader of men and a"gentleman" rather than from the "school of hard knocks", the provenance of players such as Suter.He retired early because of ill-health. He went on to open " a gentleman's store" but from what I remember, there was also a toy department and a sports department.

[92er]

And yes, Philip1, Forrest should also be seriously considered as he was the only player to feature in all our cup wins in the 19th century.But in what position-left-attacking/creative midfield?

[den]

Forbes made 127 appearance between 1888 and 1894.

Apparently not only was he a quality player-a scottish international,but was also a born leader of men and a"gentleman" rather than from the "school of hard knocks", the provenance of players such as Suter.He retired early because of ill-health. He went on to open " a gentleman's store" but from what I remember, there was also a toy department and a sports department.

127 appearances and a gentleman doesn't sound in the "best ever" class, does it, or am I missing something?

Forrest and Healess are being considered, but there is going to have to be a really good case put forward by someone, for them to stand a chance of winning.

[92er]

It sounds as though, as well as being an excellent player in his own right, he captained us to 2 winning cup finals.When the Rovers went for him, they were looking for him to take them back to their former glories, which he did.His leadership in the 2 finals was a demonstration of the great art of captaincy and was judged to have been the finest display of back play ever seen at the Oval.

So,should he be included as a left-back? In my opinion, yes.If he's not included-and I wouldn't expect him to win-it's more a reflexion on the person writing about him than the great man.

[colin]

Nope he was a right back - can't remember him ever scoring though.

Your not getting him mixed up with Tony Finnigan are you and his blaster against the Dingles?

R.Brown 30 appearances, 3 as sub. - goals 0

Thanks Capt & Alan,

That's me resigned to some hours watching some old videos to find something......I'll report back. No doubt with proof of my advancing senility.

[den]

It sounds as though, as well as being an excellent player in his own right, he captained us to 2 winning cup finals.When the Rovers went for him, they were looking for him to take them back to their former glories, which he did.His leadership in the 2 finals was a demonstration of the great art of captaincy and was judged to have been the finest display of back play ever seen at the Oval.

So,should he be included as a left-back? In my opinion, yes.If he's not included-and I wouldn't expect him to win-it's more a reflexion on the person writing about him than the great man.

So ist that JOHN Forbes? Actually, there is a dearth of top left backs.

[92er]

Yes.

Don't forget Arthur Cowell, Bernice's grandad.

[den]

Yes.

Don't forget Arthur Cowell, Bernice's grandad.

Pardon?

[philipl]

Yes, John Forbes of the shop in Northgate fame.

I cannot remember whether he was a left back but if he was, then both Souter and Forbes should appear in the voting lists next month.

Souter was the first acknowledged pro footballer and quite probably the first player to move clubs for a transfer fee when Rovers signed him from Darwen.

Returning to more contemporary times, I am sorry not more has been written about Kevin Hird. He was sensationl when he broke through into the Rovers first team and the goal he scored away at Hull is one of my all time favourites- breaking down the right wing at speed and hitting an unstoppable 25 yarder. He scored at least two more of the same ilk.

[FourLaneBlue]

philipl - Fergie Suter didn't move for a transfer fee- he just caught the train to Blackburn and said it was for "personal reasons". Unsurprisingly the Darwen contingent weren't too happy about this and the next game between the sides ended in a full-scale pitch invasion and riot by the crowd which had been triggered by on-field fighting by a Darwen player and, you guessed it, Fergie Suter.

Unless someone can give the time to make a similar case for other pre-war players they won't have a chance. Crompton is a legend but I don't have any spare time to do another appeal for a different player. An idea I had was to put a case forward for our first England international keeper, the cup-winning Herbie Arthur. As well as being a quality keeper he also created a legend. During a particularly storm-laden game at Turf Moor (it was about 1893 or around there) the players battled the elements. Matters got worse in the form of a guest, a snowstorm. After a while the Rovers players marched off the pitch refusing to play in such conditions. All except Arthur, alone in the Rovers goal against a full Burnley eleven. A Burnley player kicked off and passed to a colleague at which point Arthur succesfully appealed for offside. 'Herbie' then dawdled over the free kick for so long that the referee gave up and abandoned the game. Arthur must surely be the only Rovers keeper to play Burnley on his own; and keep a clean sheet!

There are some wonderful stories like this about Rovers if you can find the time to have a look in the library or just read some a history of the club. A few brain cells and a love of Rovers is all you need. Our club has a fine tradition, it'd be nice if more people cared enough to explore it.

[RevidgeBlue]

I'll have to agree with philipl and plump for Kevin Hird on this one.

Sold to Leeds for £357,000 in the late 70's which was an absolutely astronomical fee back then, very close to a domestic record as I recall.

[SouthAussieRover]

philipl - Fergie Suter didn't move for a transfer fee- he just caught the train to Blackburn and said it was for "personal reasons". Unsurprisingly the Darwen contingent weren't too happy about this and the next game between the sides ended in a full-scale pitch invasion and riot by the crowd which had been triggered by on-field fighting by a Darwen player and, you guessed it, Fergie Suter.

Unless someone can give the time to make a similar case for other pre-war players they won't have a chance. Crompton is a legend but I don't have any spare time to do another appeal for a different player. An idea I had was to put a case forward for our first England international keeper, the cup-winning Herbie Arthur. As well as being a quality keeper he also created a legend. During a particularly storm-laden game at Turf Moor (it was about 1893 or around there) the players battled the elements. Matters got worse in the form of a guest, a snowstorm. After a while the Rovers players marched off the pitch refusing to play in such conditions. All except Arthur, alone in the Rovers goal against a full Burnley eleven. A Burnley player kicked off and passed to a colleague at which point Arthur succesfully appealed for offside. 'Herbie' then dawdled over the free kick for so long that the referee gave up and abandoned the game. Arthur must surely be the only Rovers keeper to play Burnley on his own; and keep a clean sheet!

There are some wonderful stories like this about Rovers if you can find the time to have a look in the library or just read some a history of the club. A few brain cells and a love of Rovers is all you need. Our club has a fine tradition, it'd be nice if more people cared enough to explore it.

Is this a true vote or is it a call to vote for Den and FLB'S favourite players?

Just curious

[den]

I resemble that last comment.

[Ste B]

Is this a true vote or is it a call to vote for Den and FLB'S favourite players?

Just curious

If you can put an intelligent argument forward for any other player, then feel free to do so..

We've got another 9 positions + Manager to go yet.