[Archived] Brad Friedel

[ABBEY]

john butcher

[Wild Irish Rover]

john butcher

20 pints on a Thursday night at the Beechwood Butcher, as I remember.

I used to live next door to Roger Jones as a kid. Nice fellow.

For me, you'd have to go a long way to beat Terry Gennoe as the zenith of Rovers goalkeepery. I think Brad is excellent, but Terry could handle crosses and dominate the area in a way that few I've seen since can match.

John Filan had (has?) immensely strong arms, was a great shot stopper but wasn't quite tall enough.

Bobby Mimms was very capable, yet never put the fear of god into attackers or gave the requisite levels of confidence to his defence - he always seemed a bit tentative.

Tim Flowers certainly had bottle and was very in tune with the Rovers fans. He'd always celebrate a goal (for us) and was often the last to leave the pitch after applauding the fans, particularly away from home.

I do like the football365 lookalike for Brad... http://www.football365.com/fun_downloads/l...ry_176798.shtml

Roll on August

[Fife Rover]

When all playing on top form who would you say was the better keeper between the sticks?

mimms.../...flowers.../...friedel.../...filan.../???

Between Harry leyland and Roger Jones! (just joking)

[yawnsie]

Wasn't Alan Fettis the one who played a few games upfront for Hull and scored for them?

[stuwilky]

Has to be Terry Gennoe for me, the first bloke I saw in a Rovers keeps shirt if I recall correctly.

Lived near me at the time as well.

Edited July 19, 2006 by stuwilky

[ABBEY]

he used to "bowl " with my ex witch in law.

I remeber going to hull away and we told gennoe to win for the wins because it was £4.50 to get in the ground (robbing gits) ,now you dont 10 mins footy for that.Always rember the away end had this great big thumping fence and they had screws stuck out on swivels at the top to stop you invading the ground...

[Al]

It's between 'Sir' Roger Jones and Fred Else.

[Ozz]

Went to Hull and back Abbey, they had a Normid supermarket or something similar built onto the back of the terrace, like Burnden used to have. Pretty grim, was a great 2-2 draw there once, Rovers were two down at half time.

[Ray-Von]

he used to "bowl " with my ex witch in law.

I remeber going to hull away and we told gennoe to win for the wins because it was £4.50 to get in the ground (robbing gits) ,now you dont 10 mins footy for that.Always rember the away end had this great big thumping fence and they had screws stuck out on swivels at the top to stop you invading the ground...

I remember that @#/? Payton mouthing off and celebrating when he scored right in front of the Rovers fans the last time we played there, 1990 I think.

[ihtd]

Fettis scored a cracker when he were at Hull, the fans of Hull City still go on about that goal today. Shame he were a crap keeper though!!!

Anyway top keepers it has to be

1.Friedel

2.Flowers

3.Mimms

[rover_groo]

Wasn't Alan Fettis the one who played a few games upfront for Hull and scored for them?

That was him yawnsie.

Also kept a clean sheet last nite against the dingles!!

ACCORDING TO THEIR CLOCKWATCH FROM THE GAME

18 Jones denied by terrific save by Alan Fettis

74 Mahon forces a flying fingertip save from Fettis

Flowers was the 1st player i saw at Ewood in a memorable 2-0 victory over Liverpool back in 1994.

I seen him a few times including Collymore's shot that hit a divot. Only other goal-keepers i've ever seen play in competitive games are Alan Kelly and Brad Friedel.

Friedel wins hands down for me. It took a while to convince me that he was a decent Keeper and not a Liverpool reject that i had initially thought! His performance in the Wothington Cup just done it for me.

[DP]

When I was a kid I remember thinking Gennoe was the best keeper in the country, but I also thought Scott Sellars should play for England.

Flowers was solid, and an amazing shot stopper, but he just didn't have the superman status that Friedel had for 2 or 3 years here. Mimms was good, but every now and again did a "Booby". Vince O'Keefe played half a decent season when Gennoe broke his leg, and had a stormer in the Full Members Cup Final.

All in all we've done well for Goalkeepers at Ewood over the last 20 years. Even Darren Collier began to win the fans over before we signed Mimms to replace him.

Who was the keeper who played instead of Mimms in our promotion season and let the ball float over his head and in. Against Wolves I think?

1. Friedal

2. Flowers

3. Gennoe

4. Filan

5. Mimms

[Rovers Air Force]

I mentioned this at the end of last season...I think brad will finish this season and return home for a couple of years before retiring.

His kid is of the age where a move would not affect her schooling too much etc...and Think he is not too far from hanging his gloves up!

We need to start a proper search for a first team keeper, Peter Enckleman, as good as he is, does not inspire confidence when he is between the sticks!

I only hope Brad remembers Blackburn and her fans with affection, and pays "us" the greatest compliment by returning in the future as head goal keeping coach!

[Rainmaker]

We need to start a proper search for a first team keeper, Peter Enckleman, as good as he is, does not inspire confidence when he is between the sticks!

Brown is young for a keeper and have been impressing the staff, as far as I can gather.

[Rovers Air Force]

Impressing is one thing, its a long way to go in one season!

[Darth Paul]

Think Matt Dickens was the keeper vs Wolves...

Generally Rovers have always been very well represented by keepers for quite a few decades now...

[OhmiBRFC]

I mentioned this at the end of last season...I think brad will finish this season and return home for a couple of years before retiring.

His kid is of the age where a move would not affect her schooling too much etc...and Think he is not too far from hanging his gloves up!

We need to start a proper search for a first team keeper, Peter Enckleman, as good as he is, does not inspire confidence when he is between the sticks!

I only hope Brad remembers Blackburn and her fans with affection, and pays "us" the greatest compliment by returning in the future as head goal keeping coach!

I read somewhere he's opened up a "soccer" academy so maybe he might stay and sort that for abit?

[Eddie]

I think Friedel has said that the only way he would leave us before he retires is if an MLS team is created in Ohio, which for the moment seems unlikely. I think he'll finish his career here, who knows maybe we can get him to stay on as a coach.

[blue/white]

He indeed did say that Eddie, but perhaps our Brad hasn't checked

his map recently-- as Columbus happens to be in Ohio.

[Eddie]

True, but isn't he from Cincinnati and I think hewas getting at if they had a team there he would consider going back. Can't remember the exact quote though.

[Fife Rover]

It's between 'Sir' Roger Jones and Fred Else.

You're right there Al; at least as far as the "best keeper" I have seen in Rovers team. BUT I would still seriously nominate Harry Leyland as the "Rovers Fans Favorite Keeper" in all the 60 years I have supported the team. He really was popular and could be absolutely relied on to provide a mixture of incredible saves and heart stopping blunders in virtually every game he played. What a character!

[zigman]

Brad is signed through 2008 (link below).

Brad is from Cleveland, OH which is chasing an MLS franchise, but in local articles he has distanced himself somewhat from MLS. He has said that his main focus will be his (European style football) academy that is currently being built in suburban Cleveland.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/t...ers/4250694.stm

[Eddie]

Brad is signed through 2008 (link below).

Brad is from Cleveland, OH which is chasing an MLS franchise, but in local articles he has distanced himself somewhat from MLS. He has said that his main focus will be his (European style football) academy that is currently being built in suburban Cleveland.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/t...ers/4250694.stm

That's what I was getting at. Thanks zigman.

[philipl]

Yes, I thought most of the posts on this thread had a tenuous relationship with the facts as presented in public.

[Blueandwhitemike]

When I was a kid I remember thinking Gennoe was the best keeper in the country, but I also thought Scott Sellars should play for England.

Flowers was solid, and an amazing shot stopper, but he just didn't have the superman status that Friedel had for 2 or 3 years here. Mimms was good, but every now and again did a "Booby". Vince O'Keefe played half a decent season when Gennoe broke his leg, and had a stormer in the Full Members Cup Final.

All in all we've done well for Goalkeepers at Ewood over the last 20 years. Even Darren Collier began to win the fans over before we signed Mimms to replace him.

Who was the keeper who played instead of Mimms in our promotion season and let the ball float over his head and in. Against Wolves I think?

1. Friedal

2. Flowers

3. Gennoe

4. Filan

5. Mimms

Scott Sellars should have played for England! What a player he was, dribbling passing crossing he had it all, was gutted when he left.

Flowers was a fantastic keeper for us, but Brad has been slightly better, incredible service he has given, long may it last.

Filan was very good too, and you have to love Mimms, he was brilliant on his day, Gennoe was great too, but probably past his best when I saw him, we had Shay Given too, shame we didn't see more of him.