[Archived] 2000-2010

[Saltysellars]

Its pretty hard to believe that we're nearly 10 years into the new Millennium. To that end and whilst walking to work this morning, I was trying to come up with our best XI from the past ten years along with the best performances.

Feel free to add your own and to shoot my selections down but just as a bit of fun

GK Brad Friedel

RB Lucas Neil

LB Stephen Warnock

CD Henning Berg

CD Christopher Samba

CM David Dunn

CM Tugay

LM Damien Duff

RM Brett Emerton

CF Craig Bellamy

CF Matt Jansen

As for performances of the decade, I'm finding it difficult to pick a winner from the following

1) Beating Bolton 4-1 away in our promotion season

2) Beating Burnley 5-0 in above season

3) Worthington Cup Final vs Spuds 2002

4) Man United away 2004-2005 and winning 2-1

Thoughts?

[Majiball]

Feb 2006

Rovers 4-3 Manchester United.

[Saltysellars]

Feb 2006

Rovers 4-3 Manchester United.

D'OH Knew I'd missed one- I nearly cried when we went 4-1 up!!

[Eddie]

My team would be:

Friedel

Neill

Berg

Samba

Warnock

Bentley

Tugay

Savage

Duff

Jansen

Bellamy

Subs:

Robinson

Short

McCarthy

Cole

Santa Cruz

Dunn

Emerton

Almost made it:

Nelsen

Flitcroft

Bent

Thompson

The league cup win stands out as well as the 4-3 win over United. The one game I'll remember most though is the away leg against Celtic in the UEFA Cup. Oh and the 5-0 Burnley and 7-1 against West Ham.

[Majiball]

I like that team Eddie.

[LeChuck]

I was thinking about the team thing a while ago, I couldn't decide whether to for the players with the most ability or the players who have contributed the most. I'm still not sure what I'm basing this on...

Friedel

Emerton Nelsen Short Warnock

Bentley Tugay Dunn Duff

Jansen Bellamy

Bellamy was the hardest choice there as he was only with us one season.

[joey_big_nose]

I agree with Eddie. Very good team with only really Savage being a weak link comparatively (good player though he is). We have struggled to find quality midfield 'enforcers'. Nzonzi looks like he will change that.

Bellamy, despite being here only a season, was the best striker by a margin. Although I suppose Benni and Santa were brilliiant in the first twelve months and poor in the second, so maybe Craig got an advantage from going early. Genunely quality though, and he is starting to reproduce that for City.

I don' think a single supporter would leave Tugay, Friedel or Duff out of their XI which probably show you that they were our greatest players over last decade.

[Claytons Left Boot]

1) Beating Bolton 4-1 away in our promotion season

Winning the Worthington Cup was a dream come true because it was/is silverware in the trophy cabinet. Beating Burnley (any of them) is well, beating Burnley and wins against Man United are like hens' teeth.........but, for me, the defining moment that lead to our promotion and return to the top flight was that win at Bolton. We were a team on fire and like a runaway train. That win kept the momentum going, but had we lost it could have been different. I had my large Darwen Blues flag of St George right behind the goals and was just taking it off the fence at the death when the 4th went in. What is it about us and scoring late at Bolton?

[Exiled_Rover]

GK: Friedel

RB: Neill

LB: Warnock

CB: Short

CB: Samba

RM: Bentley

LM: Duff

CM: Tugay

CM: Dunn (the first version)

SS: Jansen

ST: Bellamy

Bench:

Robinson, Nelsen, Emerton, Santa Cruz, Cole, Chimbonda, Savage.

[magicalmortensleftpeg]

If all players are at the top of their ability:

Friedel

Emerton Nelsen Samba Warnock

Bentley Tugay Dunn Duff

McCarthy Bellamy

Robinson, Santa Cruz, Cole, Hakan Sukur, Neill, Berg, Savage, Pedersen.

Almost: Thompson, Short, Jansen.

Personal greatest moments:

Fulham 3 - 4 Rovers. Epic match.

Rovers 2 - 0 Arsenal. First ever Ewood match.

Rovers at Utd for the FA Cup semi - 500 miles, the noise made when Roberts scored will always be remembered.

[CrazyIvan]

Performance of the decade? 1-0 at Preston to go up, 2-0 at Burnley, 2-1 in the Worthy Cup final, 5-0 at home against Burnley, 4-3 v United and the 7-1 v Wet Spam. Probably in that order too...

Preston away purely because I live here, Nob Enders are so up their arses and it was a fantastic night. Jansen putting away that header was utterly brilliant. A nervous and scratchy performance that needed real character to win. That team had character in spades.