[Archived] Blackburn Rovers v Stoke City

[Ozz]

January 2nd 1989, we played Stoke at home. I was stood on the Blackburn End terrace. The game was an eventful one, if i recall correctly we were 1-3 down at one point. Then a vintage Rovers come back ensued, first 2-3, then 3-3 and with minutes left we went 4-3 up. On leaping into the air to celebrate what was going to be our winner in a massive game, I landed badly and my ankle bent through 90 degrees on the edge of the terrace step, and I crumpled to the floor as my mates all jumped around and on top of me celebrating.

After it calmed down, I tried to stand up but the pain was excrutiating. A mate looked at me on sat on the terrace and said I had gone a very funny clour. It was clear I was in a bad way, so they signalled the St Johns Ambulance people up the steps and they carried me down to the edge of the pitch, and along the front of the Blackburn end, round past the John Lewis complex and along the side of the enclosure, past the away dug out and down the tunnel! By now I was delirious with a mixture of unbeleivable pain and wide eyed joy at going down the Ewood tunnel and under the stand.

They took me into the first aid room, and from there an ambulance took me to Blackburn Infirmary.

It was badly sprained, and I ended up in crutches, later picked up by a mate. He asked me if I was going out for a pint later as he dropped me off, and offered this sage advice, which I pass on to you all now.

"A couple of pints and you'll be alright mate."

Two hours later I was crutching my way up the road to The Rose and Crown for my medicine. What a great day.

I post this in the vain hope I can ignore the reality of what's going on at Ewood and Rovers today, and come Sunday god willing we can all have a similarly enjoyable day.

[Wild Irish Rover]

January 2nd 1989, we played Stoke at home. I was stood on the Blackburn End terrace. The game was an eventful one, if i recall correctly we were 1-3 down at one point. Then a vintage Rovers come back ensued, first 2-3, then 3-3 and with minutes left we went 4-3 up. On leaping into the air to celebrate what was going to be our winner in a massive game, I landed badly and my ankle bent through 90 degrees on the edge of the terrace step, and I crumpled to the floor as my mates all jumped around and on top of me celebrating.

After it calmed down, I tried to stand up but the pain was excrutiating. A mate looked at me on sat on the terrace and said I had gone a very funny clour. It was clear I was in a bad way, so they signalled the St Johns Ambulance people up the steps and they carried me down to the edge of the pitch, and along the front of the Blackburn end, round past the John Lewis complex and along the side of the enclosure, past the away dug out and down the tunnel! By now I was delirious with a mixture of unbeleivable pain and wide eyed joy at going down the Ewood tunnel and under the stand.

They took me into the first aid room, and from there an ambulance took me to Blackburn Infirmary.

It was badly sprained, and I ended up in crutches, later picked up by a mate. He asked me if I was going out for a pint later as he dropped me off, and offered this sage advice, which I pass on to you all now.

"A couple of pints and you'll be alright mate."

Two hours later I was crutching my way up the road to The Rose and Crown for my medicine. What a great day.

I post this in the vain hope I can ignore the reality of what's going on at Ewood and Rovers today, and come Sunday god willing we can all have a similarly enjoyable day.

Well, although I hope lightening doesn't strike twice in terms of your ankle, it would be heartwarming if we could fashion a famous victory a la 1989 eh?

I'd like to think that we'll do it, but my head tells me that Stoke (Stoke ffs!!) will do us on Sunday. 1-2 to the potteries and a bad case of indigestion all round for Rovers fans around the world..

[Tom]

Weirdly my main worry isn't losing but Steve Kean picking a similar team to last week and showing he's about as dynamic as a lettuce.

Dunn simply cannot start.

[Olveres]

After the West Ham game I hope I never see Benjani in a Rovers shirt again.

[Clitherover]

[beerwins]

If Kalinic does'nt start or at least feature in this game I think he will be off in January, as for the match 1-2 Stoke, they are a solid team that mix up play very well which I fear will be too much for us if we play like we did on Saturday.

[joey_big_nose]

Team for me:-

----------------------Robinson

Salgado-----Nelsen----Samba----Givet

-----------------------Nzonzi?

-------Hoilett-----Pedersen-----EH Diouf

----------------Kalinic----Roberts

We need a defensive midfielder in there. Is Nzonzi available? I am not a huge fan of his but he is probably the best we have. Also playing 2 up front against Stoke is a big risk the sort of shape our midfield is in, but it is worth a shot.

[92er]

Team for me:-

----------------------Robinson

Salgado-----Nelsen----Samba----Givet

-----------------------Nzonzi?

-------Hoilett-----Pedersen-----EH Diouf

----------------Kalinic----Roberts

We need a defensive midfielder in there. Is Nzonzi available? I am not a huge fan of his but he is probably the best we have. Also playing 2 up front against Stoke is a big risk the sort of shape our midfield is in, but it is worth a shot.

I'm sure I have read a recent posting that Nzonzi won't be fit till well into Jan.

[beerwins]

I'm sure I have read a recent posting that Nzonzi won't be fit till well into Jan.

And Roberts is injured too.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

A very drab 1-1.....boxing day games are never the best anyway.

[92er]

And Roberts is injured too.

Yes-that's a good point.

[Kelbo]

Now we know much abouts Stokes play, Jones and Fuller are a bit of a handful and the underated Etherington is having a good season, then we have the threat of Delap, right, first of all we leave as much snow round the pitch as possible or move the advertising boards forward to limit his run ups for his throws.

I would, in the absence of a defensive midfielder consider Salgado in there, bring Emerton back to right full back, with Nelsen and Samba in the centre (Jones would have started there if fit) we seriously lack pace at the back and Givet looked slow against West Ham, do we bring in Olssen on the left and play M Diouff on the right, two quick lads in wide positions may, just may force Etherington tp play a little deeper.

Midfield is the problem, certainly against West Ham we were struggling, though Pederson was by far the best player in Rovers team, so he would be there, so who is the second C midfielder? the choice is limited and Dunny should just play a cameo role late in the game, surely we have an energetic midfielder in the reserves who could do a job, run his b******* off for 60 minutes and then replace him.

Up front is difficult, If Roberts is injured, well, I would still go with Kalinic, width would help him and Huth is not the quickest, I have milk which would turn quicker than him, Shawcrass is a tough guy but makes rash tackles in and around the box, a yellow or red card waiting to happen, so I would drive into the box at every opportunity. The only downside is M Dioufs defensive work and he really does need to wear shinpads, he's going to get a bad one if he's not careful.

There will be differing opinions but thats how I would set Rovers up.

[m1st]

A very drab 1-1.....boxing day games are never the best anyway.

Boxing Day 1963 wasn't bad: West Ham Utd. 2; BRFC 8!!

[Kelbo]

Boxing Day 1963 wasn't bad: West Ham Utd. 2; BRFC 8!!

John Byrom Hat Trick

[m1st]

John Byrom Hat Trick

Are you sure he even played in that game, Kelbo?

Surely the line-up [in old-fashioned 1 - 11 order!] was: Else; Bray,Newton, Clayton, England, McGrath, Ferguson, McEvoy,Pickering, Douglas, Harrison?

Goals from: Pickering [3], Andy McEvoy [3], Douglas and Ferguson

[den]

John Byrom Hat Trick

No Kelbo. Pickering and McEvoy hat tricks I think. I saw John Byrom get a hat trick in a 3-3 draw at Upton Park in the FA cup in the early 60's. Rovers won the replay 4-1. By the way, John Byrom was marked by Bobby Moore in that first game. In the replay Andy McEvoy got a hat trick. That's how I remember things - although some statistician [aka Alan75] will probably tell me I'm wrong on all points.

Are you sure he even played in that game, Kelbo?

Surely the line-up [in old-fashioned 1 - 11 order!] was: Else; Bray,Newton, Clayton, England, McGrath, Ferguson, McEvoy,Pickering, Douglas, Harrison?

Goals from: Pickering [3], Andy McEvoy [3], Douglas and Ferguson

What a fabulous team that was. Best half back line I ever saw, along with that fantastic forward line of Ferguson, McEvoy,Pickering, Douglas, Harrison. Any rovers fan who saw that forward line will never forget it.

[jim mk2]

No Kelbo. Pickering and McEvoy hat tricks I think. I saw John Byrom get a hat trick in a 3-3 draw at Upton Park in the FA cup in the early 60's. Rovers won the replay 4-1. By the way, John Byrom was marked by Bobby Moore in that first game. In the replay Andy McEvoy got a hat trick. That's how I remember things - although some statistician [aka Alan75] will probably tell me I'm wrong on all points.

What a fabulous team that was. Best half back line I ever saw, along with that fantastic forward line of Ferguson, McEvoy,Pickering, Douglas, Harrison. Any rovers fan who saw that forward line will never forget it.

I won't forget it, IMO a better team than the 1995 title-winning side.

I think the 4-1 FA Cup replay win over West Ham was in 1965-66, the year we went down. Ewood was packed that night, missed the first 2 goals because we couldn't get in the ground.

[daveoftherovers]

I won't forget it, IMO a better team than the 1995 title-winning side.

I think the 4-1 FA Cup replay win over West Ham was in 1965-66, the year we went down. Ewood was packed that night, missed the first 2 goals because we couldn't get in the ground.

Well, just to be different, I say we're going to win this, their complacency will be their undoing, and we'll be linked with a couple of good signings in the interim.

What's everyone think of Sidwell btw?

[K-Hod]

Would love it if we went for Sidwell tbh. Isn't he pretty much nailed on for West Ham though?

[daveoftherovers]

Would love it if we went for Sidwell tbh. Isn't he pretty much nailed on for West Ham though?

Not necessarily, what's he doing, replacing Parker? They are big boots to fill IMHO, and they WILL go down, and we may not.

[Greedy_Crawford]

Have to say, with our poor record in recent years against them, and the turmoil over the last few weeks, its a nailed on home win for me. Flowing football and a 3-0 scoreline. Kalinic recalled and a 2 goal haul from the re-born front man.

Just waiting for my next dose of morphine....

Merry Xmas one and all

[K-Hod]

Not necessarily, what's he doing, replacing Parker? They are big boots to fill IMHO, and they WILL go down, and we may not.

Nah, I don't know- I just heard they were in advanced talks. Though this was on SSN and I've learnt (mostly over the last week or 2) not to believe everything reported on there!

[BRFC1995]

With sambas head really not in the right place and the owners surely not wanting him injured before they can cash in there doesn't seem anyway he can play.

Etherington will murder salgado all day long.

Givet looks a liability this season and nelsen clearly ain't happy.

Absolute banker this will be one of the few games kenwyne jones plays to his potential.

Can see Walters scoring for sure, kalinic won't get a kick all day amongst the land of the giants in stokes defence and our defence for the taking at throw ins and set pieces.

I think the nil on our side of the scoreline is a foregone conclusion, and I can't see stoke not scoring.

May be the game when the new owner lady has a huge wake up call that targeting 7th is insanity and something only an idiot would say.

[novella]

Can see us getting battered in this one, we will try to play football with players who are not adapted to a flowing system. Stoke will win this one in every department on the pitch. Ill hope and pray we get the 3 points but can see us coming up short again.

[philipl]

I have no idea how Rovers will be set up for this one but Pulis' tactics are going to be very obvious- into Rovers' faces from the off, get an early goal and turn the crowd.