Tony Parkes Testimonial

[cletus]

A most enjoyable evening indeed!

Great to see alot of the old faces back...& also good to see the next generation.

TUGAY was absolutely brilliant....a true showman! He was like the pied piper of hamlyn when he walked round the pitch after he came off. The kids were flocking down to the front & followed him to the exit.

I`m glad the fans have buried the hatchet with SHEARER...after all, we`ll never see the likes of him again in a rovers shirt.

Don`t know if this has been mentioned before on this thread, but on Rovers TV last night, they said something about the game being released on DVD.Hope it`s not too expensive though! LOL!!

[Andy_f]

Just a few questions, there were several people missing that it would've been nice to see at least turn up (they might have done- just didn't see them):

Kenna - play offs

Sherwood

Batty

Berg

Wilcox - injured?

Pearce - play offs?

Sutton - Cup Final

Duff

316923[/snapback]

Wilcox and Sherwood were there - wilcox was injured, not to sure about Sherwood though

[brfcshabba]

Who is Pearce in the playoffs with?

He's at Fulham

[Jan]

Just a few questions, there were several people missing that it would've been nice to see at least turn up (they might have done- just didn't see them):

Kenna - play offs

Sherwood

Batty

Berg

Wilcox - injured?

Pearce - play offs?

Sutton - Cup Final

Duff

316923[/snapback]

Wilcox and Sherwood were there - wilcox was injured, not to sure about Sherwood though

317014[/snapback]

Sherwood also is injured. Wilcox is playing again but Leicester wouldn't let him play this game (which is why I suspect Pearcy wasn't there). Best moment was Dunny sitting in the current team dugout- where he should be. Second best moment was the entire evening in the suite. The meal was good, but the company fantastic. Of the current team, only Gally, Enks, Shorty and Matt Derbyshire came up after the game- but all the "old-timers" did. At the end of the night- the three friends (Shearer, Newall and Flowers) were holding court for the 12 or 13 remaining guests at their table. We left just after midnight and there was a whole crowd of people waiting for autographs. Those boys didn't look like they were leaving anytime soon.

Shearer was much more pleasant than the last time I met him- all smiles and being really friendly. However quite a number of people did notice that he was puffing quite early into the match- maybe his training regime has gone downhill recently??? Apparently the "we've bought them so they must be good enough and not need training except for 5 a side" attitude is quite common at clubs. When Davie Moyes first got Beattie, he has to make him train separately from the rest of the team for 2 weeks as he simply wasn't fit. Then he got injured and set back further. HIS preseason will be interesting!!!

At Garner's testimonial I remarked that Rippers was better than anything we currently had on the right. I still stand by that opinion. Neither the demented kangaroo or the mini-scouser have half his talent and skill even now. With a bit of training he'd blow them out of the team. Remembering his age that's very worrying. Heck, even Super-atko looks better than the midfield that was out at Spurs!

Was a brilliant night- lots of people getting over-emotional and just having fun.

[roversWASmylife]

Good laugh last night.

Good to see that Shearer got a good reception all game from the Rovers fans.

Hughes was there.

[rog of the rovers]

A most enjoyable evening indeed!

Great to see alot of the old faces back...& also good to see the next generation.

TUGAY was absolutely brilliant....a true showman! He was like the pied piper of hamlyn when he walked round the pitch after he came off. The kids were flocking down to the front & followed him to the exit.

I`m glad the fans have buried the hatchet with SHEARER...after all, we`ll never see the likes of him again in a rovers shirt.

Don`t know if this has been mentioned before on this thread, but on Rovers TV last night, they said something about the game being released on DVD.Hope it`s not too expensive though! LOL!!

316988[/snapback]

Duff is away with Chelsea in South Korea I think playing an end of season game.

[BRFC4EVA]

A excellent night and a very good crowd imo. The biggest crowds for these kinda games are usually for big name players who have only just retired. For Parkes to a crowd similar to the fa cup 1/4 final (- obviously away fans) i thought was pretty decent and well deserved from the legend.

There was lots of good parts to the night. Shearer scoring in front of a packed bbe lower, the encouraging finishing of gally, derbyshire & Garner, the appearance of so many legends from the mid 90's, but my fav bit was the parkes speach after the game. The emotion in his voice was special and you tell how much it meant to him. I almost broke down in bloody tears, let alone TP

A night for Parkes, but also a goodbye to so many Rovers legends!

[robbojohnno]

emerton got in the top 10 crossing accuracy in the prem this season surprisingly

[Anti Euro Smiths Fan]

Hughes was there.

I dare say that Hughes felt bad about the way Tony's departure was handled and has apologised to him for it.

Hughes probably now wishes he had done things differently and had informed Tony earlier before the news leaked in the press.

I hope that John Williams and the directors have also learnt lessons from the episode. With hindsight, it was a big mistake to have a board meeting on the Tuesday about sacking Parkes - and then nobody had the balls to inform Tony before the Friday, by which time it was in the back pages of The Sun.

As Tony said back in November: "Usually Blackburn Rovers do things the right way. This time they got it badly wrong."

After the circumstances of his departure, this testimonial was the least Tony deserved. Unfortunately, the match last night got little coverage in the national press - whereas the club got hammered (rightly) in the media for Tony's sacking.

I'm grateful for the job that Hughesy has done this season to improve our defence and keep us up, but from a public relations perspective, this season hasn't exactly been a resounding success....

Bottom of the Fair Play League with only 32 goals scored - (the worst goalscoring record in the Premiership - West Brom were the only other team to fail to hit 40 goals) , and unwanted press coverage about negative defensive tactics to go with headlines such as "The Worst Sacking in Premiership history" about Tony's departure.

For any floating fans in the Lancashire area, this season hasn't done a lot to improve our image and attractiveness as a team. Among other supporters in the rest of the country, we've probably become one of the most unpopular clubs in England, especially with Savage and Dickov in the side.

But as the old Millwall chant goes: "No one likes us. We don't care."

[blue phil]

I dare say that Hughes felt bad about the way Tony's departure was handled and has apologised to him for it.

Hughes probably now wishes he had done things differently and had informed Tony earlier before the news leaked in the press.

I hope that John Williams and the directors have also learnt lessons from the episode. With hindsight, it was a big mistake to have a board meeting on the Tuesday about sacking Parkes - and then nobody had the balls to inform Tony before the Friday, by which time it was in the back pages of The Sun.

317111[/snapback]

Hopefully Hughes and Williams apologised not only for the manner of the sacking but the far greater crime of sacking TP in the first place .

All water under the bridge now , but I'd like to think that the decent attendance last night reflected the outrage that was felt at the time ...

[ABBEY]

good night all round,but my little lads made up,he got tugay to sign his pot on his leg and then when he ruffled my lads hair my boy was like a chehire cat.

[RevidgeBlue]

Wonderful, wonderful night, didn't think I was going to be able to make it but skulked in at 8.15 and was delighted to see the kick off delayed so I didn't miss a thing.

Was a surreal feeling in the first half with the crowd willing on the 95 side as opposed to the current side! Shearer appearing and scoring and finally getting the reception he deserves totally made my evening, let's hope some enterprising young wag obtained his signature on a rolled up contract disguised as an autograph book!

Of our side it was a much more fitting send of for Shorty. Tugay did things with the ball that hardly seemed legal, plenty of life in the old dog yet. After a very disappointing campaign Gallagher also showed he has bags of natural talent if he can harness it with the right attitude. Conversely even at this level of play Stead failed to impress on the night and Jemal Johnson looked woeful.

The one thing that really caught my attention though was Matt Darbyshire's stunning strike, so clinical it made me shiver. Plenty of hope there for the future perhaps.

[Eddie]

Hopefully Hughes and Williams apologised not only for the manner of the sacking but the far greater crime of sacking TP in the first place .

All water under the bridge now , but I'd like to think that the decent attendance last night reflected the outrage that was felt at the time ...

317133[/snapback]

I think the decent attendance reflected how the Blackburn public appreciated the service Parkes has given to the club, I doubt very little turned up with the intention of showing their outrage for how he had been dismissed. In fact, I believe most on the messageboard here thought it unfortunate that the situation was handled so poorly but actually felt that the decision itself was the correct one. Tony had spent plenty of time at the club and was a wonderful and loyal servant for the club in an era when such longevity and loyalty are rare. Having said that, his time had probably come and it was important that Hughes and the new staff cleaned out the closet, both on and off the pitch, unfortunately I think that Parkes was one of those who had to go.

I hope he enjoyed the night as much as all of those who attended did. Unfortunate that he could not of been cheered off by a full house, that is what he truly would have deserved.

[PABBY]

I heard Radio Lancashire's interview with Parkes on my way home from work. He was asked to explain the comment he made during his speech at the end when he said something like "See you all next season". Rather than being back working at Ewood(!), he's simply going to come and support the team like the rest of us.

Anyway, like everybody's already said - what a top night and cheers, Tony.

[Neil Weaver]

Sid was a class above and played the full 90 despite being 46.

Where's he playing these days? Thought he was bloody excellent, maybe the oldies' best player, and that's even including those still playing pro. OK, it was hardly a fast game......... PS Scuse my naivety, but why's he called Sid?

[Lee]

Who was the lad at right back?

316915[/snapback]

Tony Kane

[Rover_Shaun]

Sid was a class above and played the full 90 despite being 46.

Where's he playing these days? Thought he was bloody excellent, maybe the oldies' best player, and that's even including those still playing pro. OK, it was hardly a fast game......... PS Scuse my naivety, but why's he called Sid?

317166[/snapback]

I can't remember why he was called Sid. In fact I had forgotten all about it until it suddenly popped back into my head during the match.

[PMT]

What a good night.

Though the game was obviously a friendly we can count our lucky stars as the Rovers defence in the first half that consisted of Short, Todd, Nelsen and McEveley were run fairly ragged. McEveley in particular will be praying to the gods he doesn't come up against Stuart Ripley every week who despite hanging is boots up over 3 years ago skinned Jay about 4 times....................Ripley was absolutely fantastic. The cheeky beggar even tried to do his old knock past and run on Jay Mac. One came off but the rest failed due to his lack of pace. but he still had the swivel and turn and very good touch and movement........and an excellent cross for Atko's header. We need this guy to train Emerton in how to cross. it was the first decent cross Ewood has seen for 2 seasons.

I agree with B&WA. The best part of it was getting to sing "Soooper Stu" again and watching him run down that wing...

I forgot to watch did Shearer raise his arm when he scored like he usually does?

[roversWASmylife]

I forgot to watch did Shearer raise his arm when he scored like he usually does?

317412[/snapback]

Probably, he always has done.

[LeChuck]

Few pictures available clicky here

Also got a couple of video clips including a part of the speech at the end, but someome technical will have to tell me how to make them available ...

316965[/snapback]

http://www.rapidshare.de/

You can use that site to host them, it's all fairly straight-forward. Click browse, choose your file then paste the address it gives you into here (at least I think that's all, I haven't used it for a while).

[T4E]

Gutted I couldnt be there, can't wait for the DVD to come out. Sounds like a fantastic night!

[Tris]

Few pictures available clicky here

Also got a couple of video clips including a part of the speech at the end, but someome technical will have to tell me how to make them available ...

316965[/snapback]

http://www.rapidshare.de/

You can use that site to host them, it's all fairly straight-forward. Click browse, choose your file then paste the address it gives you into here (at least I think that's all, I haven't used it for a while).

317436[/snapback]

Most clever (even if it makes you sit and wait 60 seconds for downloads).

Tony Parkes tear in the eye little speech at the end of the game can be re-lived here

(click free button, scroll to the foot of the page and wait)

Edited May 20, 2005 by Tris

[andy82]

emerton got in the top 10 crossing accuracy in the prem this season surprisingly

317075[/snapback]

maybe they counted most of 'em as off target shots

nah seriously it always strikes me as he leaves it too late for the cross and then gets into trouble, when he manages a cross they are not too bad, theres just no-one at the end of them.

[92er]

Who was the lad at right back?

316915[/snapback]

Tony Kane

317217[/snapback]

Lee-I thought the announcers said that Donnelly came on and the LET seemed to suggest he had replaced Kevin Hird.Did he not come on or did he play in a different position?

[bellamy11]

Who was the lad at right back?

316915[/snapback]

Tony Kane

317217[/snapback]

Lee-I thought the announcers said that Donnelly came on and the LET seemed to suggest he had replaced Kevin Hird.Did he not come on or did he play in a different position?

317625[/snapback]

Tony Kane played right back for the current team.