First central midfielder

[Nuclearsox]

People seem to be dismissing one of my all-time favourites, Nicky Reid. He wasn’t the most gifted footballer but he was undoubtedly entertaining and, what he lacked in talent, he more than made up for in running up and down a lot. I’ve posted similar before but it’s worth repeating here.

Nicky Reid was born in Manchester (or somewhere else) at some time or other and from the moment his father showed him how to kick a ball, he ignored him and ran up and down a lot. Nicky had a great engine …and some matchbox cars and one of those wooden blocks you push different shaped pegs into but, despite that, he preferred to run up and down a lot and that was to stand him in good stead in his chosen career.

Nicky was lucky that the managers he played under at Ewood recognised his strengths and weaknesses. He was never asked to do anything he wasn’t capable of and that brought out the best in him. The pre-match team talk must have gone something like:

Terry, I want you to play in goal today. Don’t let anything past you.

Simon, you’re up front. Score some goals for us.

Nicky, erm… …Run up and down a lot.

He was a box-to-box player with the emphasis on “box-to-box” and not so much on “player”. He’d run from penalty spot to penalty spot for 90 minutes and if anything got in his way, he’d kick it, hard, in the direction he was facing. He didn’t care if he ran offside. He didn’t care if he played the opposition onside. He didn’t care if 8000+ spectators were saying “Where the ******* **** is Reid going?” He had his job and he’d stick to it. Even his pre-match warm up consisted of running up and down a lot.

Once, against Cambridge I think, he was nearing the end of his Darwen End to Blackburn End run when the ball inexplicably landed at his feet. Instinctively he kicked it, hard, in the direction he was facing. To a man, the Blackburn End ducked as the ball rocketed towards them. Very few people actually saw what happened but when they regained their feet, there was Nicky Reid standing absolutely still, arms aloft on the penalty spot. That, coupled with the lack of falling masonry from the Blackburn End, alerted people to the fact that he’d scored.

Reid himself was clearly stunned – that 5 seconds was the longest he ever stood still on a football pitch and he never really recovered from it. From that moment on, he was always 5 seconds out of sync and, sadly, his runs never coincided with the ball ever again.

So that’s my case for Nicky Reid. Personally, I’ll be voting for Clayton.

[CAPT KAYOS]

People seem to be dismissing one of my all-time favourites, Nicky Reid. He wasn’t the most gifted footballer but he was undoubtedly entertaining and, what he lacked in talent, he more than made up for in running up and down a lot. I’ve posted similar before but it’s worth repeating here.

Nicky Reid was born in Manchester (or somewhere else) at some time or other and from the moment his father showed him how to kick a ball, he ignored him and ran up and down a lot. Nicky had a great engine …and some matchbox cars and one of those wooden blocks you push different shaped pegs into but, despite that, he preferred to run up and down a lot and that was to stand him in good stead in his chosen career.

Nicky was lucky that the managers he played under at Ewood recognised his strengths and weaknesses. He was never asked to do anything he wasn’t capable of and that brought out the best in him. The pre-match team talk must have gone something like:

Terry, I want you to play in goal today. Don’t let anything past you.

Simon, you’re up front. Score some goals for us.

Nicky, erm… …Run up and down a lot.

He was a box-to-box player with the emphasis on “box-to-box” and not so much on “player”. He’d run from penalty spot to penalty spot for 90 minutes and if anything got in his way, he’d kick it, hard, in the direction he was facing. He didn’t care if he ran offside. He didn’t care if he played the opposition onside. He didn’t care if 8000+ spectators were saying “Where the ******* **** is Reid going?” He had his job and he’d stick to it. Even his pre-match warm up consisted of running up and down a lot.

Once, against Cambridge I think, he was nearing the end of his Darwen End to Blackburn End run when the ball inexplicably landed at his feet. Instinctively he kicked it, hard, in the direction he was facing. To a man, the Blackburn End ducked as the ball rocketed towards them. Very few people actually saw what happened but when they regained their feet, there was Nicky Reid standing absolutely still, arms aloft on the penalty spot. That, coupled with the lack of falling masonry from the Blackburn End, alerted people to the fact that he’d scored.

Reid himself was clearly stunned – that 5 seconds was the longest he ever stood still on a football pitch and he never really recovered from it. From that moment on, he was always 5 seconds out of sync and, sadly, his runs never coincided with the ball ever again. 

So that’s my case for Nicky Reid. Personally, I’ll be voting for Clayton.

One missed point here on Nuclear - his action man style of running.

Anyway are we including Matty Holmes in this or on the left hand side when it comes

Edited October 29, 2004 by CAPT KAYOS

[bob fleming]

That's a fantastic recommendation 'Sox. Brought back some happy memories there. A mate of mine could often be heard shouting the refrain "Bring on the Animal!! Animal Reid!!" at the back of the Blackburn End. He certainly took no prisoners and if we ever do a Rovers "Hard Man" XI he should certainly get a game.

Reid or Clayton? It's tricky but I have to agree, Clayton still sneaks it by several million miles.

[den]

OK, Dunn and Eyal are in the full list. There are now 32 midfielders in that list and we can't find two. I know Colin has two and SG has two, but what about the rest of us. I'm struggling like the rest of you.

I suspect some of the Old Giffers know a thing or two about the likes of Eamonn Rogers and Ken Knighton, but they're not telling. . In all honesty, they would [again IMO] walk into today's team, even if, as Theno pointed out, they didn't play in the top division. If Steven Reid is a premiership player there's another 25 on that list.

What about "give us a goal, Barry Hole"? Hammered two blinders past PNE at Deepdale in a 5-3 win and made my life sheer bliss.

No-ones even mentioned Tony Parkes - life long rover and certainly not a bad player.

His mate Meccy? A better player than some that have been touted.

Graham Oates, what quality that guy had. Big lad for a medfielder, but again real skillful player.

Or there again, maybe my minds playing tricks again.

[Brownie]

Clayton and Sherwood for me.

Close calls for Barker, Speight ,Metcalfe And Batty.

[speeeeeeedie]

Good memories. I do remember Bob's mate shouting for the Animal Reid every game. I was only young but always looked what Reidy would do afterwards. It normally involved him battering someone. A mate of mine went to Millwall one year in the playoffs, we tubbed them 4-1 and he says that Reidy was left on the pitch at the end of the game with only his jock strap on as the fans had taken souvenirs. He was club captain the year Dalglish took over.

Lee Makel also could have made it. "the next Gazza" was signed from Newcastle and played for years in the reserves. Played one game our first season up and got man of the match, never played again.

I'm still with Clayton and a toss up between Latheron and Batty.

[Brownie]

Not going for the sympathy vote here but turned yp an interesting snippet about our former skipper whilst Googling for Tim Sherwood stories.

Tottenham's Tim Sherwood is to donate his win bonuses for the season to the disaster fund set up for the families of those killed by the terrorist attacks in America.

Sherwood's bonus payments could reach £100,000 and he hopes his actions will prompt other players into similar moves.

"Along with everyone else in the country, I was saddened and horrified by the events of last week in America," said Sherwood.

There has been a lot of talk about what we may do as a team towards the disaster fund

"I wanted to do something to help and this is the best way I can think of.

"Hopefully it will spark other players into doing something for the people who are suffering in America and for the families of those British people who have also lost loved ones in the attacks."

[billy]

When Ronnie Clayton started playing for us I think he was 17 years old, but he made such an impression, like Colin Hendry did in later years, he was being called a future England player right from the start, Duncan Edwards was the newspapers favourite, obvious, he played for Man Utd, and he was good, but not better than Ronnie, they both played attractive fair football, far better to watch than later England 'greats' such as Stiles, Robson, and Batty, who had to have a new rule brought in for their tackles, not from the back and not two footed, as if they ever listened. But there is not much you can say, thats not already been said about Ronnie, brilliant in attack or defence, read a good game, and geed up the team when he was captain, even wrote a book on he's football stories.

The other central player is quite a problem, I liked both Atkins and Sherwood and enjoyed reading their praises here on the board, but my problem is between Mick McGrath and Eddie Quigley, Mick was brought up from a youngster at Ewood, and played from the middle fifties to middle sixties, in ten years of some of the best, consistant football I've ever watched down Ewood, scoring vital goals and the partnership with him Ronnie and Matt Woods/ Mike England was a joy to watch.

Now its Eddie Quigley, who played inside left, the Rovers best ever passer of a ball, and with either foot, but he was an inside forward, and as such won't qualify as a striker though at times he did play at centre forward, so this is he's only logical position, he's passes are burnt into my mind, from the centre circle he would drop the ball a yard, in front of a speeding Bobby Langton who would take it in he's stride, run to the byline and cut it back to Quigley who would be running through the centre, what a sight that was.

One last story of this tale of when Eddie was the rovers trainer. He assembled the Rovers squad in the Blackburn end penalty area, and said to them "I am fed up about the way we waste indirect free kicks in the penalty box, we just blast them goalwards hoping for a rebound, what I want you to do is hit the crossbar, then the rest of you rush in, and one of you can then head in the rebound", the players just looked at each other and laughed, hit the crossbar? your joking they said, Quigley looked at them, placed a ball on the penalty spot, a quick kick and the ball rattled the crossbar, " what are you all gaping at, and why havent you headed in the rebound?"he said, thats how accurate he was.

So my problem is Ronnie Clayton and Mick McGrath,

or Ronnie Clayton and Eddie Quigley, I am still thinking.

[bazza]

BTW - no-one REALLY believes Atkins was one of our best ever midfielders, do they?

was pivitol in us winning the premiership - Id say so

And I would say that Den is absolutely correct. No way was Atkins pivotal to our winning the championship. He played a part at best.

I wouldn't class Atkins as a great player. The "pivotal" man to us winning the championship was surely Shearer.

But having said that I remember sending Mark Atkins a "Sorry you've gone" card to him at Wolves, and on it I told him something I'd perceived which was :- when he was out of the team we didn't win but when he played we did.

Be interesting for a statto to check that out.

[Paul]

On Sunday March 29th 1987 I stood at the back of Wembley Stadium, having left my wife at home with the 9 month old - "this could be the only time I see Rovers play at Wembley" - as 30,000 Rovers fans celebrated Colin Hendry's winning goal and winning the Full Members Cup. It was gut-wrenching and I came close to smacking the steward who said to his mate "You'd think they'd won something" We had!

In that team, and Man of the Match that day, as he was on many, mnay other occassions was Simon Barker. For me Simon was a bit like Dunny in our spell in Division One - they where shining lights, a small ray of hope that things would get better.

Simon Barker hails from Farnworth and worked his way through the youth teams to make his full debut in October 1983; he had bags of potential and was one of the best young midfielders of his time in the old Second Division. His role was as a creative, right-sided player who would frequently just appear in the penalty area to knock in yet another goal for Rovers. During the time Barker was at Ewood the club was constantly under great financial pressure and after we had missed out on promotion twice he was sold to QPR for the then club record fee of £400,000. From what I remember his last season was curtailed to 30 odd games but he still managed 9 goals. Simon went on to be a regular member of the then QPR First Division side.

League:---------180 + 2 scoring 35 goals

FA Cup:----------11

League Cup:----9 scoring 4 times

FMC:--------------6 scoring twice

Other Games:---2

In five seasons Barker made 208 appearances for Rovers plus two as sub. In that time he scored 41 goals. In my view he'd walk into the current side.

I'm not good at waxing eloquently as so many of you have about your favourite players but hope I've jogged a few memories. Simon was not our greatest midfielder but for this fan he represented a lot, gave me some faith in the future and I was very, very sorry to see him go.

Simon Barker deserves a proper mention in this thread. He was a footballer and these days I'd give my right arm to see a few more real footballers at Ewood Park.

[92er]

He was very good for us, he always tried his best, he was desperately upset when we didn't get promoted and he left to further his career- I was a bit surprised Uncle Jack didn't bring him back.

During his last season with us we played Liverpool-probably in the league cup. Mcmahon did him and he missed a number of games.In fact he didn't seem the same player.In fact I saw him play for QPR the following season and I didn't think he would make it for them-he just didn't look the same player.But eventually he shook it off and did well for them.

[bryson]

This is a great thread.

Once The Team has been voted upon why not The Squad.

But, I would suggst, under the recently discussed changes to UEFA's rules.

Squad: maximum 25

from that Squad:

8 minimum with same "nationality" as team.

4 minimum from that team's youth academy.

The Team's looking..... good

[MarkisaRover]

Sherwood followed by Clayton for me

[den]

To move on.

What I'm proposing is that these players will be the voting options:

Tim Sherwood,

David Batty,

Ronnie Clayton,

Mark Atkins,

Howard Kendal,

Eddie Quigley,

Jimmy forrest,

Simon Barker.

Eddie Latheron

Harry Healess,

David Dunn

Tony Parkes,

Stuart Metcalfe,

These players will miss out:

Tugay,

Barry Hole,

Ken Knighton,

Roy Vernon.

Duncan McKenzie,

Eamonn Rogers,

Alan Bradshaw,

Mickey speight,

Peter Dobing.

Graham Oates

Scott Sellars

Barry Ferguson

Garry Flitcroft

Paul Warhurst

Nicky Marker

Nicky Reid

Eyal Berkovic

Gordon Cowans

Mick McGrath,

__________________________________________________________

Any "serious" objections?

[millionpints]

Any "serious" objections?

Personally I think Scott Sellars should be in the short-list, but you're never going to get 100% agreement without making the 'short' list about 30 long.

My earliest Ewood memories feature Scott quite prominently

[Brownie]

Any "serious" objections?

Personally I think Scott Sellars should be in the short-list, but you're never going to get 100% agreement without making the 'short' list about 30 long.

My earliest Ewood memories feature Scott quite prominently

You'll get your chance to vote for Scott when we select the greatest left winger.

[bazza]

I know this is a bit late but what the heck!

The problem is that in the old days there were no midfield players ; only wing halves and inside forwards.

Wing halves were defensive and play-making grafters who were box-to box players but not generally goalscorers.

Inside forwards were attacking play-makers who were expected to score goals as well as creating from midfield.

Here are my choices in each category:-

Inside Forwards:- 1) Roy Vernon 2) Eddie Latheron 3) Jimmy Forrest 4) Eddie Quigley 5) Peter Dobing 6) Eamon Rogers 7) Albert Nightingale 8) jointly Roy Isherwood and Eddie Crossan.

Vernon was terrific in most games he played. Quigley could hit a ball harder than anyone else and sprayed pin-point passes around the pitch. Dobing was absolutely brilliant on his day which was about four games a season. Rogers was another really good player, skilful; Eire international.

I think he lives near me but I've not seen him. He tends to keep to himself.

Wing Halves:- 1)Ronnie Clayton 2) Harry Healless 3) Mick McGrath 4) Barrie Hole 5) Graham Oates 6) Eric Bell 7) Ken Knighton 8) George Sharples.

Enough has been said about "Sir" Ronnie.

Healless, captain of the 1928 cup-winning side. When I was a little boy my dad pointed out a tall (as I thought) man outside the Nuttall Street stand wearing a long brown overcoat and a trilby(?) hat. Dad said "That's Harry Healless" and I just gawped. I was too shy to go up to him. Besides he didn't look like the man holding the cup in the photo I'd seen in the book.

Hole was a really good player and so was Oates but the latter played in a lower league.

It DOES make a difference.

Defensive Midfielders:- 1)Paul Warhurst 2)David Batty 3)Nicky Marker.

I remember commenting to my mate during a Rovers game that in my opinion there were only two "world class" players in the Rovers team; that is, players who looked comfortable on the ball and could "do" things with the ball and "knew" they could do things with the ball. One was Shearer and the other was Warhurst. Shame Paul's career didn't go as it should've; two broken legs for a start.

Attacking Midfielders:- 1) Tim Sherwood 2) Duncan McKenzie 3) Simon Barker 4) Scott Sellars 5) Gordan Cowans 6) Tugay joint 7) Dunn, Berkovic, Ferguson joint 8) Parkes, Flitcroft

Others who I cannot place in any category:- 1) Mark Atkins 2) Stuart Metcalfe 3) Howard Kendal joint 4) Micky Speight and Nicky Reid.

[mattyboy6000]

as much as i love super atko i can't make sense of his cult status putting him ahead of Cowans for example- he was a breath of fresh air at ewood - it had been a long long time that we had seen anyone with that range of passing in midfield for us.

Clayton by a country mile for first pick, many from that generation would probably wince at the exclusion for consideration of Vernon

As for Sherwood, i once had the displeasure of dining at the same restaurant as him and his family once and yes he seemed extremely arrogant as his children ran amok in the restaurant. On the pitch however I think he was excellent until Roy 1 took over. It'd be interesting if anyone could find some of Shearers comments and thoughts about him, i'm sure he holds him in very high regard. Although he left in somewhat unforutnate circumstances I can't complain about him going to the press about Hodgson - who as a complete nincompoop needed dumping.

Batty's first game agianst spurs- fantastic. in his post-match interview all he could say was that he wasn't fully fit and he'd get better- damn that was good to hear. I swear i rememeber so clever forward passes off him too- however the guy must've had saome form of hypnotherapy, if you put a goal in front of him and a shot was required he couldn't make the connection - how many of us winced when he walked up against Argentina in the World Cup shoot out??

Lee Richardson was never one of our greatest midfielders but he was a class act for us for a short time before promotion- hard tackling and stylish on the ball- but he didn't seem to be one of Kenny's chosen ones.

If Le Saux stick in the craw of some then I'd say the same about Berkovic- even when he was at the club I could never forgive him for feigning injury and havin kevin gallacher sent off at Upton Park

oh, and whoever was wondering about jimmy hill's hatred for rovers- remember he had recently taken up a position on the Charlton Atheltic Board (or similar) in 1987 when we beat them in the full members cup final, when 8k charlton fans and 27k+ rovers fans turned up

[bazza]

Here's a snippet about Healless taken from "Things about Blackburn Rovers" by Harry Kay, published in 1948.

" Harry Healless is a native of Blackburn, and he was the only Blackburn man in the Cup winning team he captained in 1928. He first played for Blackburn Trinity, and then for the Rovers as an amateur in 1914-15, becoming a professional in May, 1919. His last league appearance for the Rovers was against Chelsea at Ewood on December 31, 1932, and his last match with the Reserves was at Stoke on April 15th, 1933.

Harry was one of those footballers who did not develop early; in fact, far from being a star in his teens, he was unknown. When he became a professional for the Rovers he was a centre forward. He played in six other positions. After a period as leader of the attack he went outside right, and later he was right full back, right half, centre half, left half and inside right. In those various berths he was usually good but seldom brilliant. Eventually he became centre-half, and, when big "Billy" Rankin came from Dundee, Healless moved to right half.

During his long career with the Rovers, Harry was capped by England twice.

His capable generalship often pulled the Rovers through when things seemed to be going badly against them. He could last through the most arduous game, and the team often derived encouragement from the fact that he never seemed to tire.

In summer he likes a game of cricket, and was one of the leading batsmen in the Alice Street Wesleyan team, who played in the Blackburn Sunday School League."

[philipl]

Nothing scientific about this post- just a few rambling reminiscences.

Someone somewhere in the last eight pages said we have been badly served for central mid-fielders. I disagree. Many of my all-time favourite Rovers players have played there but I own up to being unmoved by most of those operating in that area during the Premiership years-

Yes, super Atko is iconic and was an excellent clinical finisher in front of goal (his supporters have over looked that aspect of his game), Batty the ultimate enforcer, Flitcroft has played a lot of games, Fergie looks promising but only Sherwood makes it into the pantheon for me.

Back to my younger days, Vernon and Dobing had gone before I sarted watching Rovers but the awe with which they were referred to showed what good players they were.

Eamon Rogers (don't even know if I spelt his name correctly) was a star. Scruffy, unshaven, unkempt, he looked like a tramp had got a game but what a brilliant dribbler. One of the best I've seen in the blue and white.

Stuart Metcalfe- very nearly a one club man for his native Blackburn. Useless left foot but his right foot was one of the best in the game during the '70s. Had the uncanny knack of making space, he could go past players with dazzling unpredictability despite being so one footed. He could score goals too, brilliant accurate screamers against Chelsea and Palace come to mind not forgeting the juggling og he potted at St James' Park when he returned to Rovers for his final appearance!

Micky Speight was really a Sheffield United hero but he was marvellous for us in two seasons at the end of his career. Tough, uncompromising but a reliable passer and could score- how we need one of his ilk this season.

Also a hero elsewhere but magnificent for us at the end of his career was Howard Kendall. Great leader, steel and class. He scored a stunning 30 yard drive that almost ripped the net off the Darwen end in a League Cup game gainst Bury and a fabulous header at Bloomfield Road against Blackpool.

Mark Patterson was a home grown player who was not as talented as the others mentioned here but was a great favourite. A 35 yard volley to win and enliven a dull game against Boro in front of a sub-5,000 crowd stands out.

Simon Barker was a great talent and why he did not go onto really great things at QPR following his £250K transfer to the then First Division glamour team was always a puzzle. Simon was a complete midfielder, good in the tackle, vision, organisation, passing, excellent composure on the ball and able to beat several players on the run; he too scored memorably spectacular goals. A very quiet unassuming lad off the field as well.

Tony Parkes- how could we write so much about midfielders and so little about TP. He was Mr Blackburn Rovers even before he hung up his boots after 500 odd games for us. TP never looked an athlete- there was something awkward about how he moved- but he was 100% effective. Scored some cracking goals- a volley at Mansfield comes to mind- but his 100% never give up attitude was summed up by the last minute equaliser against the great Forest 1980 side when he overlapped the forwards to get onto a cross and cooly chip an onrushing Peter Shilton. Suffered a bad broken leg which kept him out for about a year towards the end of his career.

I always used to believe that any Rovers' greatest team had to include Duncan McKenzie. What a magician and supremely gifted player he was. For younger supporters, think of Lars Bohinen at his best then imagine that sort of skill and wizardry being produced regularly and sometimes for a full 90 minutes. McKenzie could dribble, dance round a standing ball with two opponents too scared to move, throw outrageous feints, receive a pass with the back of his thigh, hit driven volleys with a back heel flick and jump higher than any player I've seen. His goals were stunning- the 30 yard bender against West Ham, the over head flick from a ridiculously tight angle at Mansfield, the glided volley against Sheff U and so on. His destruction of first division Coventry at Ewood in the FA Cup was one of the best individual performances I have ever seen from a Rover.

But along came Uncle Jack and King Kenny and later the good part of the Souness era to remind us that football is about winning things as well as about supreme entertainers.

So I will be divided when it comes to voting for the second midfielder between three outstanding candidates:

Forrest who more than anyone put five FA Cup trophies into the Ewood Park cabinet- half the number of senior competitions we have won in our entire history.

Latheron the lynchpin of the Championship winning sides before the first War.

Sherwood, captain of the Premiership winning team and a truly complete midfield player with no small amount of skill (remember the swivelled flick at Elland Road which prompted the trvelling Rovers fans into a mock self-deprecating chant of "Blackburn are boring"?)

For the first vote, the winner by a country mile is Ronnie Clayton. I won't add to the praises already heaped on this giant but if you get to be taken round Ewood by this lovely man, just ask him about playing against Pele.

[AlanSheppard]

Not sure about David Dunn in the shortlist. There seem to be a lot of pre-90s midfielders who sound like they contributed more than he did.

[den]

Since I put the shortlist for voting up, there have been some more great posts. I've added more players because of these posts.

We now have 13 players up for selection- we are allowed 15. So if anyone feels strongly enough for another player to be brought back into the voting list, then let us have your reasons for them being included.

[Brownie]

Come on Den, forget that, there's only about 5 in with a shout anyway, let's get voting !

[den]

Come on Den, forget that, there's only about 5 in with a shout anyway, let's get voting !

OK,Ok, as soon as I get the chance, I'll put the vote up.

[den]

Time to vote.