[Archived] Favourite Rovers Player To Watch?

[RovertheHill]

Having been attending matches regularly for a couple of decades I was discussing some of the players who I've enjoyed watching over the years and we tried to come up with a favourite. So, for me it was players like

Garner - obvious reasons

Brotherston - didn't look like a footballer to me but in a weird way that made me like him more

Batty - very neat and precise, never complained when hard challenges were flying in - just quietly got his own back!

Sherwood - heartbeat of the team - again, simple, neat passes and with an eye for goal

Shearer - always looked like scoring

Hendry - throw himself in front of anything

Berg - clever and usually dependable

Bohinen - thought he had great skill - perhaps a bit unfulfilled

Flitcroft - basic skills but made the most of what he had and gave it everything

Dunn - touch of arrogance and skill

Duff - great winger - think we saw the best of him

Friedel - what can you say - a legend

But out of all the great, and not-so-great, players I've seen, I reckon that the one who I've enjoyed watching the most has probably been Tugay. Yes, he occasionally brings his imaginery friend along, but over the years we have seen some great performances from him. Skill, passing, dictating play, volleys from corners - he's done the lot, and when he's in the modd he basically runs games

So that's mine, what about yours?

[pksrover]

mine would be...

Matt Jansen - bags of talents, a shame that all went wrong for him when things looked so bright..

Tugay - a legend! his skills on the ball is very rare, and Ewood have the pleasure to see him play every other week! wish he was 10 years younger!!

David Dunn - lots of talents again, but didn't seem to get his priorites right..

Andy Cole - a top goalscorer! although his career might have been pointing downwards when he played at Rovers, he still did a excellent job for us. A shame that Souness forced him out

Brad Friedel - we're fortunate to have one of the best goalkeepers in the business!

[ihateburnley]

Ashley Ward - at the age of 21 I am still convinced that I could have a future in Premiership football. What an inspiration to slow, untalented but hardworking individuals that they could earn thousands a week doing something they love to an audience of thousands.

[Nayef]

Ashley Ward - His sitters always managed to make me laugh despite the circumstances.

Edited October 9, 2006 by Nayef

[colin]

Having been attending matches regularly for a couple of decades I was discussing some of the players who I've enjoyed watching over the years and we tried to come up with a favourite.

But out of all the great, and not-so-great, players I've seen, I reckon that the one who I've enjoyed watching the most has probably been Tugay. Yes, he occasionally brings his imaginery friend along, but over the years we have seen some great performances from him. Skill, passing, dictating play, volleys from corners - he's done the lot, and when he's in the modd he basically runs games

So that's mine, what about yours?

I've got to agree with you with Tugay & I've also been watching for a couple of decades. It's simply that you know that when he gets the ball 9 times out of 10 he will trap it, have it under control in a flash, and then pass it.

It's just his skill and vision and confidence that I like. I also like the fact that at the age of 36 he can still make an opposition midfielder look a complete fool with a quick shimmy and move.

I used to like Jason Wilcox & Stuart Ripley banging in those pin-point crosses for Shearer & Sutton too.

[Jan]

Gary Croft, Lucas Neill and Ashley Ward. Very pretty.

[Eddie]

Since I've really been able to appreciate football I would have to say it would be between Duff, Dunn, Jansen, Cole, Sutton, Tugay and Friedel.

[Scotty]

Duff

[colin]

Duff

Was that because you have been watching The Simpsons or you going to offer something more in the way of justification in your usual erudite manner?

[joey_big_nose]

IMO Tugay is not only the most pleasing players to the eye at rovers over the last 15 years (I wouldventure ever, but i have only watched for 15 years), but also one of the very finest in the premiership.

Right up there with the likes of zola, bergkamp, henry, cantona and giggs.

It seems his primary aim, above even winning, at the start of a game is to look good playing. Luckily he has such talent that he gets away with it.

Others who challenge but lack the outrageous panache include Duff, Dunn and Jansen. Shearer was brutally brilliant too, of course.

Out of the current lot Benni McCarthy offers hope of a bit of class in coming months and Bentley seems willing to entertain if given the opportunity.

[steven]

1. Shearer - for the confidence you'd have when he was bearing down on goal

2. Garner - for his no nonsense attitude and passion for the shirt

3. Lenny Johnrose - for pure comedy value!!

[Scotty]

Was that because you have been watching The Simpsons or you going to offer something more in the way of justification in your usual erudite manner?

Well, I wrote the main piece about him in the Greatest Team section so I guess people can read that if they want to know why.

The season we finished 6th under Souness was probably the best in terms of entertainment I've seen at the Rovers. Watching the likes of Duff, Dunn, Jansen, Tugay and Cole all playing together was fantastic. It may not have been our most successful team, but it was certainly the most enjoyable to watch in my Rovers lifetime.

Of course, I worshipped Shearer and the rest of the Championship winning side, and Garner, Sellars, Price, Barker, Keeley etc etc before them. But there's something different, something special about watching a player who can take the opposition players on and beat them as regularly as Duff did. Add to that the fact that he came through our youth ranks, that he looked so awkward and funny at times, and that he seemed such a down-to-earth character all made him stand out for me.

[neekoy]

Tugay, Shearer, Berg, Sutton, Duff and Dunn

And in that order, all so different yet when they were/are in top form a pleasure to watch

[Cocker]

Shearer - Would always be the first name down on my personal great football list

Hendry - throw himself in front of anything (cant argue with that)

Bohinen - I used to love watching this guy - Ronaldo PAH we had Lars Bohinen

Friedel - Liverpool Liverpool Liverpool - your loss our gain

Matt Jansen - I always felt that he would score for us (still do )

[sijoco]

I'd have to say Sellars. Stood on the terracing as a lad watching Scottie weave his magic with that left foot. Definately not the best left sided player we've had but he stands out for me cos of the memories l have of him terrorising some poor right back.

Others would have to be Tugay, Shearer, Duff and 110% Hendry who still gives it everything after watching The Match on Sunday)

[14May1995]

I'd have to say Sellars. Stood on the terracing as a lad watching Scottie weave his magic with that left foot. Definately not the best left sided player we've had but he stands out for me cos of the memories l have of him terrorising some poor right back.

Others would have to be Tugay, Shearer, Duff and 110% Hendry who still gives it everything after watching The Match on Sunday)

Go along with the Sellars bit.

But also:

Speedie - for a small bloke he couldn't half jump and somehow always seemed to hang in the air. Always felt we would score with him playing.

Duncan MacKenzie - especially against Coventry in the FA Cup - still one of the greatest individual performances I've ever seen. He destroyed them.

[rossyste]

1.scott sellars

2.david speedie

3.shearer

4.tim sherwood

5.ian millar

[Cheshireblue]

I can't believe that nobody else has mentioned Tim Flowers. Made great saves, and fantastic errors (ball hitting divot, going over shoulder), but always played with a smile on his face.

Shearer for pure excitement and anticipation. Somehow you knew something was going to happen whenever the right chance came through to him.

Colin Hendry always gave his all and stopped the ball with whatever he had to stop it with. Always good to watch, if a little tear jerking for the male members of the crowd from time to time.

My personal favourite will always be Simon Garner though. He looks as much like a footballer as I do, but kept being in the right place at the right time game after game.

[LeftWinger]

Stuart Ripley - vastly underated by non-Rovers fans, fantastic old fashioned winger.

Colin Hendry - would throw his face in the way of a fierce shot to save a goal

Tim Flowers - Great personality

Alan Shearer - Best striker ever to grace the Premiership

Tugay - Technically amazing

Jansen - Wonderfully skilfull, goals to take us to promotion, the goals against Burnley, goal at Deepdale, goal against Spurs at Cardiff. Legend - such a shame he got on that moped

Duff - Home-grown, pure genius. So exciting to watch him run at defenders

Dunn - Home-grown, Blackburn lad, eye for goal

Keith Gillespie - Controversial one maybe - but on his day there wasn't a better winger in the Premiership - terrified defenders

Brad Friedel - Not as great a personality as Flowers - but a better Keeper. Unbeatable at times.

Lars Bohinen - we never had much creativity in midfield when I first started watching Rovers - then Bohinen arrived. His performance in the 7-0 against a Forest side unbeaten in 26 was amazing.

[Cocker]

Tim Flowers - Great personality

Not a lot of bottle though

[HugeChin]

Stuart Ripley - that first season in the Prem other teams had to mark him with two players such was the skill he possessed in those feet.

[Duff's Minder]

Got to be Scott Sellars first and foremtost, a touch of class in a pretty messy division (and I've still got his signed shirt on my office wall).

For completely different reasons I always enjoyed watching Hendry and Moran throw themselves in front of anything. Moran's goal against Derby when he took half the Derby defence into the net with him is still my favourite goal of all time.

[FourLaneBlue]

Sellars, Cowans, Batty, Tugay.

[BrianPotter]

There's quite a few I've enjoyed watching over the last 20 years or so:

Scott Sellars - Fantastic on his day, could single handedly destroy teams and very skillfull. Anyone remember the slot on Kick Off when he landed the ball on a 50p from 50 yards or something.

Simon Garner - For obvious reasons - the 30 yarder he scored in a 5-0 destruction of Barnsley still sticks in my mind.

Steve Archibald - Gave the club a lift and a certain buzz around the place from what I remember.

David Speedie - Excluding the Champsionship season the 91 - 92 season we got promoted has to be my favourite. Speedie was lethal that season. Travelled down to Plymouth on the last day on a dodgy Aspdens coach which got a puncture on route. Still worth it though to Speedie stick three away.

Alan Shearer - Enough said. The two goals on his debut at palace showed what was to come.

Stuart Ripley - Old style winger who always got his cross in.

Paul Warhurst - Probably a strange inclusion, but for me a player who had huge ability and potential that was never really fullfilled. On his day again great to watch. If it wasn't for injury and being lazy could have been great. Still really enjoyed wathcing him play though.

Batty - Joined rovers and showed he wasn't just a battling midfielder.

Chris Sutton - In particular after Shearer had left.

Lars Bohinen - Brought some much needed skill and flair to our team.

Duff - Probably the greatest player the acadamey has produced.

Matt Jansen - Fantastic spell for us and totally comitted to the club.

I could go on with more but I better do some work !

[pick32]

got to be tugay just his pasing ability and how he creates space is amazing, friedel when were playing against unite dhe always has a good game. mccarthy looks good i enjoy watchin him some of the skill he does on the ball is good no to fancy just enough to beat his man.