First centre half

[den]

The results of the vote for the Left Back position finished as this:

Graeme Le Saux 73 votes [48%]

Bill Eckersley 56 votes[36%]

Keith Newton 11 votes[7%]

Therefore Le Saux joins Brad Friedel and Bob Crompton in the greatest ever team.

Now to move onto the centre half. No-one objected to the suggestion that the team played in a 3-5-2 formation, in which place we require only one central defender. I've got together a short list of the following players:

Mike England

Colin Hendry

Matt Woods

David May

Glenn Keeley

Derek Fazackerley

Graham Hawkins

Kevin moran

Stephane Henchoz

John McNamee

Tony gale

Henning Berg

More than likely some quality centre halves aren't on that list. Please let me know if anyone else should be there.

We can use a few days to browse over the topic and maybe someone will come forward with a few thoughts about their own favourite.

[Brownie]

Might as well wrap this one up now Den, Colin Hendry will win this by a country mile.

[colin]

Might as well wrap this one up now Den, Colin Hendry will win this by a country mile.

Yes, you've got that one by the scruff of the neck Brownie. No discussion needed.

Maybe it should read "Who were the second & third best centre backs?"

I'd go for Kevin Moran.

[Oklahoma]

No doubt for me... It has to be Colin Hendry!!!

[Brownie]

I'd go for Keeley and Fazack.

Whilst watching the great pairing, aged 8, my older brother told me if they were playing in the 1st division, (we were in the 3rd Division at the time), they would be playing for England............I believed him.

[Scotty]

I think the team should be 4-4-2.

[Tris]

Colin who ?

where's Amoruso ?

[dave birch]

There can only be one winner here and that is Mike England.

Absolutly no question about that.

If my memory serves me correctly he was the first 100,000 pound transfer from the Rovers to Spuds. Always had a commanding presence in both boxes, good on the ground, good in the air.

Oh to have him now.....

The next would be Matt Woods, just for nostalgic reasons. A nuggety player who gave his all for the Rovers. I remember him scoring a couple of cracking goals... unfortunately, they were own goals....

Then Hendry..... no need for comment there...

[Oklahoma]

Colin who ?

where's Amoruso ?

[tchocky]

I think the team should be 4-4-2.

Definitely. Can't remember seeing a vote for the formation

It is most certainly the dominating formation in Rovers history and must be used for this as well IMO. The two centre halves with the most votes should get to join the team.

Some people wanted Keith Newton in this list as well.

[Alan75]

Mike England

I only ever saw him play for Spurs and Wales, so I cant comment on his days at Ewood.

He could control the ball well, pass accurately and bring the ball out of defence in the days when all that was usually required of the position was to head or hoof it out of danger. His aerial ability was second to none and at that time there were some excellent, hard central defenders around. His transger fee of £95,000, when Spurs bought him from Rovers, was a record for a defender at the time.

He was skilful with the ball and also had the speed to recover should a player get away from him. His strength in the tackle was obviously another asset that put fear into the forwards he had to face, but his dominance in the air could not be doubted.

His service to the game at all levels was rewarded with the MBE in 1984 and he went on from being captain of Wales, to take over as manager when he finished playing.

However, there was a rumour that Rovers didnt want to sell him at the time he went to Spurs and he threatened to quit the game.

[Manchester Blue]

I think the team should be 4-4-2.

It's the formation that won us the league and the one that most can associate with.

As for centre half we were chatting about it the other day. Mid 80's was the start of my Rovers following but I never took to Faz that much but always loved Keeley, not in a funny way you understand. Kevin Moran was the one that stood out for me and made Hendry the player he became. That first season in the Premier I thought Moran oozed class.

However despite that it would be wrong not to say Hendry even though he blotted his copybook with me. A great servant, some great memories I can still remember my dad singing 'one Bobby Bolder' to the Charlton fan who had been singing it all game at Wembley.

Colin Hendry no doubt.

Edited September 29, 2004 by Manchester Blue

[stevos]

Hendry all the way

[philipl]

Mike England was a sensational player. My first Blackburn Rovers hero as my passion for the club developed with his emergence as a world class player.

That is the rub, whilst Hendry was an all action hero, England waas probably the best centre half in the world at his peak- he was that good.

I had hoped we would see a Hendry/England combination at the centre.

A special plea to see the names of John McNamee, John Waddington (played over 300 games for us), Graham Oates, and Dick Mulvaney in the list- they were all favourites of mine.

Lets not under play the importance of Faz who holds the Rovers' all time appearance record.

Edited September 29, 2004 by philipl

[bubblerrovers]

Colin Hendry!!!!!! The minute my time machine is complete i will bring him to mark hughes at his peak.

[Cocker]

HEY Where's Darren Peacock

[thenodrog]

Hmmmm difficult. Mike England was a better player than Hendry without doubt and his clashes with the Burnley bruiser Andy Lochead were legendary with no place for all of this puffy elbowy stuff that we have nowadays. In the 60's use of the elbow was compulsory! Hendry on the other hand was his equal if not his better as a defender and became something of a talisman / cult hero, especially after Wembley and Everton away.

Anyway whats the point of worrying about it? If Keith Newton cannot get in the team then these two have no chance. This board'll prob settle on Keeley and Amo.

Edited September 29, 2004 by thenodrog

[den]

4-4-2 or 3-5-2?

We might need a poll to decide. Let me explain the thinking behind me wanting to go 3-5-2:

3-5-2 is the nearest formation that would allow all the older players a chance of selection. It is very similar to the old "W" midfield formation of the 60's. Most of rovers best players come from the 60's or 90's. It evens out the chances. Nor is it biased towards the older players, as it is a formation played today in modern football. The obvious drawback is that it is a formation not often used by rovers nowadays.

Now, look at this list of central midfielders midfielders:

Ronnie Clayton, Tim Sherwood, Tugay, Barry Hole, David Batty, Ken Knighton, Super Atko, Roy Vernon. Stuart Metcalfe, DuncanMcKenzie, Howard Kendal, Tony Parkes, Eddie Quigley, Eamonn Rogers, Healess, forrest, bradshaw, Mickey speight, simon barker. Mick McGrath, Gordon Cowans. Peter Dobing.

There are probably more. After all those, we have to find room for two wingers.

Playing just one C.H. would allow three of these top midfielders into the side. Playing two centre halves would mean keeping only two of them.

As Jim pointed, 4-4-2 could mean the loss of one of the GREAT midfielders, or result in Clayton or Douglas for example missing out, and let's be honest, attacking midfielders are far more popular than centre halves.

The attacking/defensive balance of these teams never works out, I reckon we need a team of players that fans will pay good money to watch - midfielders/ forwards, which means 3-5-2.

I'm serious, we might need a poll to decide. As for now let's just vote the first centre half in and then we will decide.

Edited September 29, 2004 by den

[jim mk2]

Might as well wrap this one up now Den, Colin Hendry will win this by a country mile.

Yes, you've got that one by the scruff of the neck Brownie. No discussion needed.

Maybe it should read "Who were the second & third best centre backs?"

I'd go for Kevin Moran.

.. and there speaks someone who has never seen Mike England play.

Hendry will win because the pimple-faced oiks on here can only see as far as the end of their nose.

Those who have been watching Rovers down the years know better though. Welshman England is the best Rovers centre half I have seen.

[ABBEY]

just for hannah who seems to have dissapeared....pearce:)

[ABBEY]

Might as well wrap this one up now Den, Colin Hendry will win this by a country mile.

Yes, you've got that one by the scruff of the neck Brownie. No discussion needed.

Maybe it should read "Who were the second & third best centre backs?"

I'd go for Kevin Moran.

.. and there speaks someone who has never seen Mike England play.

Hendry will win because the pimple-faced oiks on here can only see as far as the end of their nose.

Those who have been watching Rovers down the years know better though. Welshman England is the best Rovers centre half I have seen.

jhc jim you never fail to a knob...PIMPLE FACED OINKS??

HOW CAN PEOPLE WHO WERNT BORN BE ABLE TO PASS JUDGEMANT,ITS LIKE ASKING YOU HOW THE TEAM PLAYED IN OUR 1ST EVER GAME.

OHHH COLIN HENDRY.

[Hughesy]

Colin Hendry!

[philipl]

Colin Hendry!

Now what was jim saying?........

[Scotty]

Perhaps if some of the old giffers on here actually pull their fingers out their arse and make a case for why we should vote for England (or whoever) rather than constantly moaning they might see a more balanced poll.

None of us saw Bob Crompton but he got voted in with a landslide because of the case FLB made. I, for one, don't know much about Mike England. Tell me why I should vote for him.

[den]

Might as well wrap this one up now Den, Colin Hendry will win this by a country mile.

Whoa, Brownie, don't be so sure. Colin Hendry isn't the best centre half to have played for rovers and I'll tell you why in the next few days.