First centre half

[USABlue]

Best memory of him is the infamous tackle on Len Fucillo when he cut him in half on the ice that was Ewood Park !

What a beaut that was, was that the one about the half way line and most of the Riverside thought for sure the fella had a broken neck. What ever happened to that player, did he ever land on Earth or is he still in orbit?

Mike England, Hendry good as he was maybe just about fit to tote Englands kit bag.

[thenodrog]

England left for Spurs for more money, Hendry left for Rangers for more money. I'll vouch that more fans were fed up with Hendry's departure because of the way he did it, but we got £4 million for a 34 year old, we'd faint if that happened today.

Dont forget Hendry left us twice!

Anyway at that time I considered his 4m move to Rangers as a good bit of business and was a bit like Souness's move to the Mags, it was the best for all concerned.........except of course for Rangers who got a has-been and in truth had very few games out of him.

Ooops....sounds like Amo in reverse. Maybe we should call him 'Rangers Revenge'

[speeeeeeedie]

Theno, I completely forgot about his City adventures. He didn't do much there either, he should never have left, but £750,000 was a pot of gold for the club back then. Most fans thought that he was going to a better club, as City were 1st Division and we were still languishing in the second therefore everyone wished him well. He did come back far more accomplished though. I do agree that he was washed up when he left so maybe it was better for him doing the old comedian's trick of leaving the audience wanting more, helping preserve the good memories of him.

I disagree about Amoruso, I think he's good enough, get someone next to him with pace and he will really shine. Craig Moore would have been good as he is fast. Then we could have got rid of Neill becasue he is crap and also due to an unsubstantiated rumour that the club can only have 2 Aussie's on staff at any one time.

Edited September 30, 2004 by speeeeeeedie

[tcj_jones]

I will hold my vote until I have heard all cases for various players. At 19 I've never watched many of these players and really don't understand the "I haven't watched him play, so I'll vote for the one I have," arguement, even if that particular player is regarded in far lower esteem by the senior members of the board. If you cannot vote for somebody you have never watched, then don't vote, it makes it pointless. If however, you are capable of making a decision based on facts, statistics and the opinions of those that have seen them play and have a far more balanced view on various players, then do so.

Den, may I suggest that like the match preview thread, members put themselves forward to make a case for each player and then when the list is made, each player has a link to his particular case. For those senior members on the board annoyed at youngsters just voting for the player they've seen play, then this could be a deciding point - it certainly is for me.

Edited September 30, 2004 by tcj_jones

[billy]

The greatest centre half, what a lucky person l am being old enough to have watched the rovers for so long. For excitement the best was Willie Kelly, 50-50 balls food and drink to him, 20- 80 still a doddle, that man was hard, the pitch was usually thick mud, the ball a big black pudding, the centre forward, for example Derek Dooley, 6" taller and a stone heavier , he used the shoulder charge as he's weapon, but it never worked on Willie, every charge he bounced off him, and he ended up lying in the mud, when play got a bit dirty Willie never complained, but the player who fowled him never went near him again. Willie was a real 'stopper' .

Next was Matt Woods, this was a different type of player, still a stopper but with skill instead of shear brute strength, it was strange, Matt could take the ball of a forward but would leave him stood up, (at first we didn't understand why) Matt's strength was reading a game and playing to he's skills, a brilliant header, always down to he's half backs, as was most of he's passes, that brought into play the famous trio of Clayton, Woods, Mcgrath, Matt passed to them as he said "they can use the ball better than me", thats team, work l say.

Then came Mike England, tall, athletic, with some of Willie Kelly's strength,

which he needed against the likes of 'Blockhead' fom Burnley, and Matt Woods timing in the tackle, to keep 'Budgie Byrne' and Jimmy Greaves quiet, but add to that Mikes speed, and he's reading of the situation, brilliant, then when he had the ball it was always used to our advantage, the man was truly great. Colin? we all know how good he was, a centre half you want in your side for he's enthusiasm, and attitude, but l think he always needed a player next to him with a calming influence, to stop him straying out of position.

No 1 Mike England

No 2 Colin Hendry

No 3 Matt Woods

No 4 Willie Kelly

[dave birch]

Interesting, Billy. We picked the first three albeit in a slightly different order.

Mike England oozed class. What would his worth be in todays terms? Rooneyesque, I hazard a guess.

Matt Woods, solid as a rock, great header of the ball, the mainstay of the defence in his day, allowed others around him to play their own way because they knew he was always there.

Hendry, there's nothing more that I could add that hasn't already been said.

[den]

BILLY, that was a fantastic post. I remember mike England and vaguely remember Matt Woods. I don't remember Willie kelly at all, in fact I barely remember his name.

You are one of the few posters on here that can go back that far, I look forward to your recollections of players as we go through the rest of the team.

Thanks for that

den.

[den]

Den, may I suggest that like the match preview thread, members put themselves forward to make a case for each player and then when the list is made, each player has a link to his particular case.

That's what I had been hoping for! Before we start electing the midfield, I might just try a formal invite.

[thenodrog]

the centre forward, for example Derek Dooley, 6" taller and a stone heavier , he used the shoulder charge as he's weapon, but it never worked on Willie, every charge he bounced off him, and he ended up lying in the mud, when play got a bit dirty Willie never complained, but the player who fowled him never went near him again. Willie was a real 'stopper' .

Dooley. Hmmm used to be manager of the Owls didn't he? Thats a blast from the past Billy. I can rem my father telling me that he was the dirtiest bsrtd that he had ever seen on a football pitch. It finished his career when he broke his leg then had to have it amputated. The old man said that tragic though it appeared at the time it saved many other player's (gk's in particular) careers being brought to a premature end instead.

[jim mk2]

Nice posts by mick and billy in support of Mike England but whistling in the wind I'm afraid.

Hendry will win by default, not because he was the best centre half.

[Al]

Billy,

I too am privileged to have watched Matt Woods and Willie (iron man) Kelly and wholehartedly agree with your comments. However I also agree that they come 3rd & 4th in the all time greats centre halves to Mike England and Colin Hendry.

[tonyoz]

i guess i will be one of the older contributors too. my dad's hero was matt woods.......and i saw mike england at his best.........but come on.......there is only one choice......

the man who held the team together during the championship season.......the man who put his body on the line game after game.....who can forget his performance away at everton? ..........where he stuck his head in the melee of boots in the penalty area...simply because it was the only part of his body that he could put between everton and the goal......totally bloody inspirational.

its the clearest choice of all for me.......

colin hendry........sir!

[Tango]

On the basis of the ringing endorsments for Mike England, I will vote for him (when the time comes) even though I've never seen him play. I've never seen George Best play (well, not live or for more than a few minutes worth of video) but I appreciate he was a great player.

Colin Hendry was, however, a great favourite of mine - he looked like some Scottish tribal warrior and his physical presence and shear power were mightly impressive. He also made Mark Crossley look a right pillock with a header that Crossley managed to spoon over the line, so he can't be bad!

Hopefully the greatest ever Rovers XI will be a 4-4-2 and then both can be a part of it

[dave birch]

What a turnip John really is.

[billy]

Answer to Thenodrog.

l agree with your dad about Derek Dooley, he was a bit rough, and he did manage a team, but l think it was Sheffield United, whilst he played for the wednesday, he broke his leg on deepdale in a 'collision' with North Ends keeper, l think it was Harry Thomson, anyway gangrene set in and he tragically lost he's leg. But what a fierce looking man he was, flaming red hair, and built like a brick outhouse, he was the reason andrex was invented, it was said he scored against every centre half in the league 1951-52, except, yes youve guessed right, our Willie Kelly, he still broke three of Willies ribs though, and he missed TWO games through it, coming back against Newcastle in the semi finals, to mark another who put it about a bit, Jackie Milburn, he also bit the mud and couldnt score against our 'iron man' which was Willies name down Ewood, as Al pointed out, thanks Al.

One more thing, as you watched the 'iron man' Al, can you imajine Vinnie Jones holding him, as he held Gazza? Willie would have took Vinnies off, without anesthetic, and presented them back to him, still in their bag, but of no further use to him, what a man to watch.

[Ozz]

Derek Fazackerly.

[mhead]

My boyhood hero was Mike England and I found my scrapbook recently of his stoical efforts in Div 1 relegation season in 65/66.English football on the up and we get badly relegated!Plus the goal at Bumley when we won and he played centre-forward.Magic ..even after all these years.

BUT I will be voting for our Colin..Mr.Blackburn Rovers.The single best buy in my lifetime.The winning goal at Wembley resurrected BRFC.

Says it all really.True legend and nearly alongside Bob Crompton,Ronnie,Dougie and Uncle Jack.

[MCMC1875]

Is there room for Ian Pearce?

Memories include fine goal at Shrewsbury.

Some tremendous displays alongside Hendry including that rearguard action for the last 80 minutes, at Goodison in 1995.

[Blackburn Ender]

You could maybe have a side poll of Best Rovers XI with votes cast only for players whom members have seen play, thereby getting round this issue of older players/members.

I can accept that players such as Douglas or Crompton were great (my dad's told me often enough), but I find it hard to vote for them in a poll having no personal basis for making the vote.

That's why I'd plump for Hendry or Garner or whoever.

[American]

So, you're saying that Blair is a better PM than Churchill was? After all, it sounds as if you weren't alive when Churchill was in power....

[Kennysuperbuyer]

Got to be Hendry for me at the moment!

Can't remember much of Keeley to be honest, who would have to be seriously considered, so this is the main reason i'm plumping for Oooooh Colin Hendry!!

MIke England sounds ok though.

I'd like to hear a bit more about him from people who saw him play regularly.

I haven't voted yet. I will hold back until i've read more reports on England.

I saw Mike England on a regular basis and I can tell you he was a class act. He was a brilliant header of the ball as well as a skilful player with his feet.

He was that good he played at centre forward on one occassion against Burnley at their place and scored a hat-trick. Thats how good he was.

Colin Hendry was a Rovers player through and through, a 100% player, a joy for the supporter of the club so the question is who to pick?

In my opinion it is a straight choice between the two and I havent made my mind up yet.

[Glenn]

The fact the nobody who has seen England play has rated Hendry better than him speaks volumes.

[Alex Rover]

The fact the nobody who has seen England play has rated Hendry better than him speaks volumes.

I don't think that's the case Glenn. We just feel we're not in a position to vote against someone who embodied Rovers and was in fact a magnificent centre half, against Mike England. It would be easier if Hendry was a marginal choice and England didn't have this type of competition. However against such a superb centre half as Hendry, those that watched him every week just can't vote against him. Sorry

[den]

First of all - the formation for the greatest ever rovers team. 4-4-2 is the way we will go. No-one at all has put 3-5-2 as their preferred formation, so I don't think a poll is necessary.

I said a while ago, in response to a members question, that the way to go about selecting the centre halves, central midfielders and two strikers, is to submit a full list of the candidates for the first vote. After the first player is selected, the same list, minus the one just selected will be used to vote in the second player. This is the best way of ensuring we get the two favourites in. We will make this voting procedure as quick as possible, so it doesn't drag on too long.

[Alex Rover]

Blimey, how did Tony Gale get in ahead of David Mail! Anyway despite my bleatings for Hendry, I've gone for Kev.....Kev.....Kev.....Kev.....Kevin Moran.