[Archived] The 40 Greatest Ever Rovers Players

[sleepyjack]

Slater, Mimms, Savage, RSC, Benni, Samba, Bentley,

Whatever mate. Know your history.

Friedel, Flowers, Gennoe, Jones

Crompton, England, Hendry, Moran, Berg, Eckersley, Keeley, Newton, Woods, Price, Le Saux

Douglas, Clayton, Forrest, Duff, Parkes, Sherwood, Tugay, McKenzie, Brotherston, Wilcox, Latheron, Batty, Atkins, Ripley, Brotherston, Ferguson (M., not B.)

Shearer, Sutton, Garner, Jansen, Speedie, Briggs, Field, Pickering

[JAL]

Maybe not all time top 40 but I always enjoyed watching Lee Richardson spraying it around in the second division. The kind of player who always had a bit of natural quailty in the lower leagues even if he never really progressed.

Not a patch on Simon Barker.

[bazza]

Keith Andrews?

I'll get my coat.

[Threepenny Bit Foot]

Andy Crawford and David Hargreaves

[Roost]

CLB, thats a hell of a list of players!

[Sandiway Blue]

I`m surprised Damien Duff hasn`t been mentioned much,one of the most exciting wingers i have ever seen at Ewood before he went to Chelski.

[Bobby G]

Wouldnt you put Dunn in it?

[matts5]

Some great names included, as I'm only 29 I never had the pleasure of seeing many of the names already mentioned. I would include from those who I have seen (that have not been mentioned):

Scott Sellers, Gordan Cowans, Alan Wright, Billy McKinley,Lenny Jonrose,

[Claytons Left Boot]

CLB, thats a hell of a list of players!

Well, we are the most successful town team in the history of British football!

[rog of the rovers]

Tugay deserves to be in the greatest team ahead of Clayton or Forrest IMHO.

The poll was done in 2005, but he was terrific in 2006/07 and 07/08.

[Bobby G]

Yep, Tugay is definitely one of our best players of all time. Possibly technically the greatest player to wear the shirt.

[TAB]

How can anyone make such a judgment? It's like comparing Jack Johnson with Ali, it's not possible. My memories go back - I was nine - to Denis Westcott and Bob Pride and my favourite years were the fifties. No doubt that is the middle-ages to many on this board but it is still doesn't cover half of Rovers history and the game constantly changes. I don't love the modern game as I did the game of my youth but a player can only strive to be the best of his time. I believe the great players of the past were the equal of the best of today's stars, while the converse is true of today's top players. For what it is worth,the most unfairly forgotten Rovers player of my pomp is Eddie Quigley, a majestic inside-forward/midfielder, once the subject of the most expensive transfer in English football.

[Waggy76]

The Greatest footballer ever in a Blue & White shirt...

ALAN SHEARER

The other 39 need a lot of thought ..

Tony Field ,Roger Jones ,Keith Newton , Kevin Hird ,John Bailey , David Wagstaffe these 6 could all have played in the Premier league...

[tony gale's mic]

Surprised Dunn hasn't been mentioned. Probably doesn't qualify for the top

40 but worth a look in. Was instrumental in getting us promoted, has spent most of his career with us, is a local boy and finally is fulfilling his promise. If he's still playing like this in a years' time he ought to qualify.

[Claytons Left Boot]

Tugay deserves to be in the greatest team ahead of Clayton........

I think you'd be hard pressed to push Clayton out of it, as much as I like Tugs.

In the 10 year period between 1960 and 1970 England were probably in the top two or three teams in the world, as well as being Champiuons in four of them. In fact, the general opinion of the 1970 world cup side was that it was slightly better than the 1966 one. To play for England thirty odd times then is a feat in itself, let alone to captain the side in a fair few of them.

[den]

Tugay deserves to be in the greatest team ahead of Clayton or Forrest IMHO.

Based on what Rog?

[joey_big_nose]

It's pretty impressive that you could probably name a squad of 40 international players, 10 or so truely world class, just from when the Prem began in 1992. Shows how good English football is these days, and how well Rovers have done over the years

I find it hard to comment on these things cause I don't have the history. But I would say my top 5 players since Prem began would be:

1) Shearer

2) Tugay

3) Bellamy

4) Duff

5) Freidal

Seems stupid that only one of them played in the title winning team, but honestly the standard of the league now compared to 95 is so much higher that it is hard for the likes of Batty, RipleyWilcox, Sherwood etc to compete despite being superb for us.

[Ozz]

Good points, and this is something that needs to be remembered when discussing where we are this year.

For what its worth, from what I saw of him playing for Rovers, I would put Bellamy 2nd in your list Joey.

[broadsword]

It's pretty impressive that you could probably name a squad of 40 international players, 10 or so truely world class, just from when the Prem began in 1992. Shows how good English football is these days, and how well Rovers have done over the years

I find it hard to comment on these things cause I don't have the history. But I would say my top 5 players since Prem began would be:

1) Shearer

2) Tugay

3) Bellamy

4) Duff

5) Freidal *

Seems stupid that only one of them played in the title winning team, but honestly the standard of the league now compared to 95 is so much higher that it is hard for the likes of Batty, RipleyWilcox, Sherwood etc to compete despite being superb for us.

Why do so many people struggle to spell Friedel's name correctly?

[mellison24]

Why do so many people struggle to spell Friedel's name correctly?

I would have ###### my sides if you'd mis-spelt it hahaha

[rog of the rovers]

Based on what Rog?

Reasons

1. The most naturally gifted footballer of a generation

2. Tugay despite being over 30 would have got a game in any side throughout our history. including the Premiership winning team.

3. I never saw Clayton play so cant really judge, but then no one on the boards saw Forrest play.

A compromise?

4. Two good seasons from Duff shouldnt beat 7 good seasons from Tugay. RM - Clayton CM - Tugay CM - Forrest LM - Douglas

[den]

Reasons

1. The most naturally gifted footballer of a generation

2. Tugay despite being over 30 would have got a game in any side throughout our history. including the Premiership winning team.

3. I never saw Clayton play so cant really judge, but then no one on the boards saw Forrest play.

A compromise?

4. Two good seasons from Duff shouldnt beat 7 good seasons from Tugay. RM - Clayton CM - Tugay CM - Forrest LM - Douglas

'ang on.

You make a judgement that Tugay was better than Clayton, but you know nothing about Clayton? How can that be? Tugay would have got into any team in our history - don't think so Rog. and Clayton right wing and Douglas left wing? No way Jose.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Sorry Rog, Ronnie was the best central midfielder the club has had in my time. Tugay was a joy to watch and probably the best passer of the ball to wear the blue and white , certainly in my time. But he lacked that ability to get up and down the pitch that Clayton had. You didn't get to captain England in those days without being a top, top player.

My best 11 versus the next best.

Friedel

Newton

England

Hendrey

Le Saux

Ferguson (Mike)

Clayton

Douglas

Duff

Shearer

Pickering

Versus

Flowers

Berg

Woods

Moran

Warnock

Ripley

Batty

Bohinen

Harrison

Sutton

McEvoy

Subs for both sides, in no particular order - Jim Arnold, Roger Jones,Santa Cruz,Kevin Gallagher,David Speedie, David Bentley,Roy Vernon,Stephane Henchoz,Scott Sellars,Paul Warhurst,David Dunn,Mike Newall,Mick McGrath,Barry Hole,Chris Samba,John Byrom, David Wagstaffe,Noel Brotherston,Stuart Metcalfe, Alan Hunter.

There's 42, sorry about any I've overlooked.

Sorry Rog, Ronnie was the best central midfielder the club has had in my time. Tugay was a joy to watch and probably the best passer of the ball to wear the blue and white , certainly in my time. But he lacked that ability to get up and down the pitch that Clayton had. You didn't get to captain England in those days without being a top, top player.

My best 11 versus the next best.

Friedel

Newton

England

Hendrey

Le Saux

Ferguson (Mike)

Clayton

Douglas

Duff

Shearer

Pickering

Versus

Flowers

Berg

Woods

Moran

Warnock

Ripley

Batty

Bohinen

Harrison

Sutton

McEvoy

Subs for both sides, in no particular order - Jim Arnold, Roger Jones,Santa Cruz,Kevin Gallagher,David Speedie, David Bentley,Roy Vernon,Stephane Henchoz,Scott Sellars,Paul Warhurst,David Dunn,Mike Newall,Mick McGrath,Barry Hole,Chris Samba,John Byrom, David Wagstaffe,Noel Brotherston,Stuart Metcalfe, Alan Hunter.

There's 42, sorry about any I've overlooked.

Sorry, I managed to leave Tugay out of the subs, make that 43.

[Plastic Head]

John Waddington, Stuart Metcalfe, John MacNamee, Howard Kendall.

Have these been mentioned yet??

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

John Waddington, Stuart Metcalfe, John MacNamee, Howard Kendall.

Have these been mentioned yet??

A couple of names I forgot- Matt Jansen, Andy Cole, Hakan Sukur.