[Archived] The Life Of A Legend

[67splitscreen]

Is it me or is that a typo by the LT ?(surely not ) I always thought it was ROY Vernon the Wales striker who went on to sign for Everton?

They are getting better though (less mistakes)

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Nothing much changes though doe's it ? Santa Cruz is just the latest in a long line. Roy Vernon was " unsettled" when he was in his prime and went to Everton for big money , leading them to the league title a couple of years later on. Dobing was " unsettled" and went to 'City to replace Denis Law, just when he was starting to approach his peak for Rovers. Derick Dougan had a brain fart at Wembley, became " unsettled" and drifted down the leagues until he came to his senses and salvaged his career at Wolves. " Noddy" MacLeod went back to Scotland when he seemed to have a year or two left at top level.

Who knows what they might have done if they could have stuck together.

They were just before my time. My favourite line up was the one that came after- Ferguson, McEvoy, Pickering, Douglas, Harrison. If Bryan reckons the earlier line up was better they must have been good.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Is it me or is that a typo by the LT ?(surely not ) I always thought it was ROY Vernon the Wales striker who went on to sign for Everton?

His full name was Thomas Royston Vernon, maybe Bryan and the players used his first name.

[67splitscreen]

Nothing much changes though doe's it ? Santa Cruz is just the latest in a long line. Roy Vernon was " unsettled" when he was in his prime and went to Everton for big money , leading them to the league title a couple of years later on. Dobing was " unsettled" and went to 'City to replace Denis Law, just when he was starting to approach his peak for Rovers. Derick Dougan had a brain fart at Wembley, became " unsettled" and drifted down the leagues until he came to his senses and salvaged his career at Wolves. " Noddy" MacLeod went back to Scotland when he seemed to have a year or two left at top level.

Who knows what they might have done if they could have stuck together.

They were just before my time. My favourite line up was the one that came after- Ferguson, McEvoy, Pickering, Douglas, Harrison. If Bryan reckons the earlier line up was better they must have been good.

Thats the line up that most of us will remember.

McEvoy scored his share but I always seem to remember the ones that went into the top of the Darwen/Blackburn ends

[Kelbo]

Nothing much changes though doe's it ? Santa Cruz is just the latest in a long line. Roy Vernon was " unsettled" when he was in his prime and went to Everton for big money , leading them to the league title a couple of years later on. Dobing was " unsettled" and went to 'City to replace Denis Law, just when he was starting to approach his peak for Rovers. Derick Dougan had a brain fart at Wembley, became " unsettled" and drifted down the leagues until he came to his senses and salvaged his career at Wolves. " Noddy" MacLeod went back to Scotland when he seemed to have a year or two left at top level.

Who knows what they might have done if they could have stuck together.

They were just before my time. My favourite line up was the one that came after- Ferguson, McEvoy, Pickering, Douglas, Harrison. If Bryan reckons the earlier line up was better they must have been good.

Douglas, Dobing, Dougan Vernon and McLoud was the very best I have seen at Rovers, scored for fun and with Ronnie Clayton and Matt Woods in the same side it was awesome,could have done with a better keeper though!!

[modes98]

For future reference there is a report button on the left hand side of the screen

[bazza]

I've been very privileged to have seen four wonderful forward lines of yesteryear.

1) Mooney, Crossan, Briggs, Quigley, Langton. Frank Mooney was replaced by a very young Bryan Douglas.

They were a delight to watch but, don't forget, they were 2nd division and never won promotion.

2) Douglas, Dobing, Dougan, Vernon, McLeod. A first division line up and exciting to watch. Vernon had just left before the 1960 cup run so Louis Bimpson came from Liverpool to outside right with Douglas moving to inside left.

3) Ferguson, McEvoy, Pickering, Douglas, Harrison. Superb line. In 1963 they went to Anfield and won 2-1 to go top of the 1st division. Then went to win at West Ham 8-2 on Boxing Day. John Byrom was also with us. Perhaps Fred Pickering had left by then.

4) Ripley, Sherwood, Shearer, Sutton, Wilcox. First division (Premier League; same thing) champions. Top four in three consecutive seasons.

Surely they must rank as the best.

The game has speeded up over the years. I enjoyed it more when it was slower.

The forward line that is closest to my heart is the Ferguson one, probably because I was around 20 years old at the time.

[Billinge End Blue]

Far too young to have seen BD play for Rovers but always remember a large photo of him scoring in the Blackburn End goal on the wall of the Bank Hotel off Montague Street (probably from the Lancashire Evening Telegraph).

The look of pure glee on his face with the ball in the onion bag was a sight to behold ( perhaps it was against Burnley !?!)

[mick]

anyone else remember the injury time winner against liverpool at ewood. dougie danced along the goal line breaking in from the right wing and toe poked the ball past a mesmerized liverpool keeper. i was exiting the darwen end via nutall street and on tiptoes on the last step before descending out. that goal sent us home in a dream.circa 1965-66?

[47er]

I've been very privileged to have seen four wonderful forward lines of yesteryear.

1) Mooney, Crossan, Briggs, Quigley, Langton. Frank Mooney was replaced by a very young Bryan Douglas.

They were a delight to watch but, don't forget, they were 2nd division and never won promotion.

2) Douglas, Dobing, Dougan, Vernon, McLeod. A first division line up and exciting to watch. Vernon had just left before the 1960 cup run so Louis Bimpson came from Liverpool to outside right with Douglas moving to inside left.

3) Ferguson, McEvoy, Pickering, Douglas, Harrison. Superb line. In 1963 they went to Anfield and won 2-1 to go top of the 1st division. Then went to win at West Ham 8-2 on Boxing Day. John Byrom was also with us. Perhaps Fred Pickering had left by then.

4) Ripley, Sherwood, Shearer, Sutton, Wilcox. First division (Premier League; same thing) champions. Top four in three consecutive seasons.

Surely they must rank as the best.

The game has speeded up over the years. I enjoyed it more when it was slower.

The forward line that is closest to my heart is the Ferguson one, probably because I was around 20 years old at the time.

Saw all of them--------no 3 did it for me. Had everything--------power, pace and skill.

No 2 was let down by Noddy who in all honesty wasn't very good----but Ewood loves a trier (after he's gone!). Also Dobing always promised more than he delivered----------bit soft really.

As for no 1--------Mooney wasn't much, Quigley and Langton were in the twilight of their careers but still great to watch, Crossan was a very hot and cold player and Briggs was a lump. Honestly his abilities increase with every year that goes by!

I honestly preferred watching the 1963-4 side to the side that won the Premiership. We were the side that would have won it had the Board not sold Pickering. It all went flat after that.

[Al]

I've been very privileged to have seen four wonderful forward lines of yesteryear.

1) Mooney, Crossan, Briggs, Quigley, Langton. Frank Mooney was replaced by a very young Bryan Douglas.

They were a delight to watch but, don't forget, they were 2nd division and never won promotion.

2) Douglas, Dobing, Dougan, Vernon, McLeod. A first division line up and exciting to watch. Vernon had just left before the 1960 cup run so Louis Bimpson came from Liverpool to outside right with Douglas moving to inside left.

3) Ferguson, McEvoy, Pickering, Douglas, Harrison. Superb line. In 1963 they went to Anfield and won 2-1 to go top of the 1st division. Then went to win at West Ham 8-2 on Boxing Day. John Byrom was also with us. Perhaps Fred Pickering had left by then.

4) Ripley, Sherwood, Shearer, Sutton, Wilcox. First division (Premier League; same thing) champions. Top four in three consecutive seasons.

Surely they must rank as the best.

The game has speeded up over the years. I enjoyed it more when it was slower.

The forward line that is closest to my heart is the Ferguson one, probably because I was around 20 years old at the time.

I've missed out on most of this discussion because of being in hospital for an operation that turned out to be a waste of time due to a wrong diagnosis (but that is another story). I must say that I agree with Bazza all along the line. My favourite line up was Ferguson, McEvoy, Pickering, Douglas, Harrison. mainly because Douglas played the 'quarterback' role and fed through balls to McEvoy and Pickering who were both deadly finishers. It was brilliant to watch but it helped that in those days teams played with only one centre half and whichever striker the centre half marked Duggie was quick enough to feed the other one with an accurate through pass, usually leaving them one on one with the keeper. They usually finished with ease.

[mellison24]

I've missed out on most of this discussion because of being in hospital for an operation that turned out to be a waste of time due to a wrong diagnosis (but that is another story).

With that story and that witty intro, are you Gregory House off Sky One?

[Al]

With that story and that witty intro, are you Gregory House off Sky One?

Not meant to be a witty intro. I'm fuming about being cut on an operating table for nothing. I don't want to go into details as I'm contemplating legal action. Anyway it's not a football issue.

[mellison24]

Not meant to be a witty intro. I'm fuming about being cut on an operating table for nothing. I don't want to go into details as I'm contemplating legal action. Anyway it's not a football issue.

My apologies, that was stupid of me. I just imagined it being said very 'dryly'. Sorry again.

[67splitscreen]

Part four

Munich and his England career.

Duggie.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

anyone else remember the injury time winner against liverpool at ewood. dougie danced along the goal line breaking in from the right wing and toe poked the ball past a mesmerized liverpool keeper. i was exiting the darwen end via nutall street and on tiptoes on the last step before descending out. that goal sent us home in a dream.circa 1965-66?

Must be the 1962-63 season, the only goal Bryan scored against them at Ewood was in this match. Saturday 25th of August 1962.

I remember Bryan's last match for England, he'd gone on the usual summer tour with Alf Ramsey's emerging team. They beat Czechoslovakia 4-2 in Bratislava, East Germany 2-1 in Leipzig. Arsenal's George Eastham played in Bryan's place in midfield with Terry Paine of Southampton on the right wing in those two games. For the final game against Switzerland in Basle Alf Ramsay played the " reserve" eleven who promptly battered Switzerland 8-1 !!!!!!" I remember watching it on T.V. England were awesome and Duggie on the wing and Everton's Tony Kay on his debut in midfield absolutely dominated the game. Bryan scoring his last England goal in what turned out to be his last game.

Watching that match I thought that both of those players had plenty of caps still to come but for differing reasons neither played for England ever again. Nobby Stiles got lucky, Tony Kay was a much better player.

For the old timers on here the England " Reserves " that day---------

Ron Springett

Jimmy Armfield

Ray Wilson

Tony Kay

Maurice Norman

Ron Flowers

Bryan Douglas

Jimmy Greaves

Johnny Byrne

Jimmy Melia

Bobby Charlton

Scorers Charlton 3, Byrne 2, Douglas , Kay , Melia.

Only Wilson, Norman and Charlton had played in both the previous games. What strength in depth we had then.

To answer the question posed earlier a right footed Messi is the nearest to Bryan playing today.

anyone else remember the injury time winner against liverpool at ewood. dougie danced along the goal line breaking in from the right wing and toe poked the ball past a mesmerized liverpool keeper. i was exiting the darwen end via nutall street and on tiptoes on the last step before descending out. that goal sent us home in a dream.circa 1965-66?

Must be the 1962-63 season, the only goal Bryan scored against them at Ewood was in this match. Saturday 25th of August 1962.

I remember Bryan's last match for England, he'd gone on the usual summer tour with Alf Ramsey's emerging team. They beat Czechoslovakia 4-2 in Bratislava, East Germany 2-1 in Leipzig. Arsenal's George Eastham played in Bryan's place in midfield with Terry Paine of Southampton on the right wing in those two games. For the final game against Switzerland in Basle Alf Ramsay played the " reserve" eleven who promptly battered Switzerland 8-1 !!!!!!" I remember watching it on T.V. England were awesome and Duggie on the wing and Everton's Tony Kay on his debut in midfield absolutely dominated the game. Bryan scoring his last England goal in what turned out to be his last game.

Watching that match I thought that both of those players had plenty of caps still to come but for differing reasons neither played for England ever again. Nobby Stiles got lucky, Tony Kay was a much better player.

For the old timers on here the England " Reserves " that day---------

Ron Springett

Jimmy Armfield

Ray Wilson

Tony Kay

Maurice Norman

Ron Flowers

Bryan Douglas

Jimmy Greaves

Johnny Byrne

Jimmy Melia

Bobby Charlton

Scorers Charlton 3, Byrne 2, Douglas , Kay , Melia.

Only Wilson, Norman and Charlton had played in both the previous games. What strength in depth we had then.

To answer the question posed earlier a right footed Messi is the nearest to Bryan playing today.

Sorry for the repeat post.

[67splitscreen]

I have to hold my hand up here, even at the of 55, I can't remember half the stuff of some you, you just seem to rhyme it off as though it was last season, amazing stuff.

Who needs the LET.

Any one up for doing a detailed topic on Ronnie Clayton, there's lots of snippets here and there but have a fans view would be great.

These stories really should be kept alive for the future generation of Rovers supporters.

Trying to find information on the Internet prior to the 80's is useless.

[OhmiBRFC]

Can I ask - was it the 'norm' for teams to play with 5 strikers?

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Can I ask - was it the 'norm' for teams to play with 5 strikers?

The way teams set up when I first starting watching and playing was as follows . You had two wingers ( no 7 and no 11 ) who played out wide in an advanced position hugging the touch lines. They were attacking players (Pedersen are you listening ? ). The centre forward ( no 9 ) played up front through the middle. The inside forwards ( no 8 and no 10 ) dropped back when the opposition had the ball and broke forward when we had the ball. So it wasn't unusual to attack with all five forwards. ( strikers).

As time went by teams started keeping one of the inside forwards up the field supporting the centre forward and dropped the other inside forward deeper to supply the passes for the front four.

As with the early sixties Rovers team, Ferguson who was a tricky clever ball player played on the right wing ( No 7) whilst Harrison who was a bigger, more direct, hard running type of player played on the left ( No 11). Pickering ( No 9) led the attack, he was a big , strong striker with a great touch for a big guy, a good change of pace and a booming shot in both feet. Andy McEvoy ( no 8 ) played up almost alongside Pickering and played a sort of Benni Mc Carthy type role, snapping up chances as and when they came.

Duggie ( no 10 ) played in a deeper role, sort of Tugay-esque but further up the field. He received the ball from the defence or defensive midfielder, usually on or around the half way line. His job was then to carry the ball to the heart of the oppositions defence before creating chances for the other four or himself. Take it from me , you couldn't have had a better player in that position than Bryan. Given the fact that this was the key role, the "playmaker" was closely and heavily marked man to man . Also referees let things ride most of the time the so you can see the Duggie's of this world came in for some tremendous stick.

Most teams only had two players in centre midfield- the playmaker and a defensive midfielder and Alf Ramsey Realised that if he played three in there he could out number the oppositions two/. So began the move from 3 up front to 4-4-2 to the current one up front even when you're playing a rubbish team at home. I know which way of playing I'd prefer to watch !

In 63-64 season league games alone Ferguson got 5 goals, McEvoy an amazing 32, Pickering 23 in 34 games, Douglas 6 and Harrison 14.

[OhmiBRFC]

Cheers for going into such depth!

I really do wish I could have seen football in the 50's/60's rather the crap we get served up today.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Cheers for going into such depth!

I really do wish I could have seen football in the 50's/60's rather the crap we get served up today.

Me too, I hope my explanation was understandable.

Just checked in Mike Jackmans " Blackburn Rovers , a complete record ". The Douglas, Dobing, Dougan, Vernon, McCleod forward line only actually played together eight times- six games in the league and twice in the F.A. Cup. Memory is a funny thing !

[67splitscreen]

Me too, I hope my explanation was understandable.

Just checked in Mike Jackmans " Blackburn Rovers , a complete record ". The Douglas, Dobing, Dougan, Vernon, McCleod forward line only actually played together eight times- six games in the league and twice in the F.A. Cup. Memory is a funny thing !

How good is that Jackman book and where can you buy it.

Edit just googled it. Amazon £86. 40 2nd hand £30.

Best start saving, Urm! whens Father's day

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

How good is that Jackman book and where can you buy it.

Edit just googled it. Amazon £86. 40 2nd hand £30.

Best start saving, Urm! whens Father's day

It's pretty good. I got mine when it came out about 20 yrs ago , £16.95 then ! I thought I read somewhere they're bringing out an up dated edition shortly. I might get that, if it's not an arm and a leg.

[bazza]

Cheers for going into such depth!

I really do wish I could have seen football in the 50's/60's rather the crap we get served up today.

I watched the womens European cup final at Ewood Park between Germany and Norway and that game was similar to how football used to be played.

Obviously the men were a lot rougher but that game was slower, plenty of skill, no spitting, no diving, no arguing with the ref, no surrounding the ref etc.

In the 50s and 60s full backs were a lot slower. There were more cloggers in a team who could be easily beaten by a twinkletoes. Nowadays a team is full of superb athletes and three of them don't play for 90 minutes. A truly gifted player now isn't allowed to show his skills. He is conveniently man handled off the ball. A player like Ronaldo would have been unstoppable and opposition players would have applauded him on occasion.

Finally, don't denounce today's football as crap. Look at Barcelona; Arsenal a couple of seasons ago; the complete teamwork of Manchester United.

Appreciate what you can see in the present.

I didn't really appreciate Matt Jansen enough until now that he has gone.

[bazza]

Me too, I hope my explanation was understandable.

Just checked in Mike Jackmans " Blackburn Rovers , a complete record ". The Douglas, Dobing, Dougan, Vernon, McCleod forward line only actually played together eight times- six games in the league and twice in the F.A. Cup. Memory is a funny thing !

That's amazing! I suppose Dougans predecessor was Tommy Johnston and who succeeded Roy Vernon when he was transfered to Everton?

Ah! Got it! Bimpson Dobing Dougan Douglas McLeod?