Top 5 Rovers games

[rog of the rovers]

Its an idea for a thread that I don't think has ever been done.

If it has, apologies, but I couldn't find it!

If not then I'll begin with my top 5, for starters I have only been going to the Rovers regularly since 1993, when I was 6! I did go to the playoff final in 92, but can't remember the game.

Top 5

5th - Rovers 3-1 Liverpool, Premier League 2011, maybe because it is fresh in the memory but what a fantastic performance. Freed from the long ball shackles, three magnificent goals put us 3-0 up against Liverpool, who in all honesty weren't in it. Then typically for Rovers they were hanging on towards the end, but great to beat Liverpool and a former manager.

4th - Rovers 3-2 Liverpool, Premier League 1994, another great game against Liverpool, in front of what was then (maybe still is) a record crowd at Ewood since the redevelopments (30,263). A see-saw game, Super Atko and Sutton had given Rovers a 2-1 lead, which was cancelled out by a magnificent John Barnes over head kick make it two each before Chris Sutton slid the ball under David James to steal the points for Rovers.

3rd - Rovers 7-2 Sheff Wednesday, Premier League 1997, Nine goals and a sending off, not bad entertainment, still during the summer holidays so it was a balmy evening at Ewood, and on Sky! Rovers were out of the traps in no time, Kevin Gallacher scored a brace inside 7 minutes to put Rovers 2 up, Benito Carbone made it 2-1, but a Graham Hyde own goal made it 3-1 almost immediately afterwards. Sutton and Wilcox made it 5-1 at half time, more was to come after the break though, including the goal of the game from Carbone! A wonder strike from 35 yards to make it 5-2, Bohinen, on as a sub, made it 6-2 moments later, before Carbone was then sent off for a second booking, Filan broke his arm in a collison, and was replaced by Flowers and the action finally ceased when Sutton added his 2nd and Rovers' 7th. I remember Stuart Ripley starting that season on fire and had a couple of near misses in the game as well. Unfortunately Rippers got injured playing for England and never really got his place back in the team after that!

2nd - Rovers 5-0 Burnley, First Division (now Championship) 2001, what more can I say but to beat your rivals is great, to batter them at home was fantastic, brilliant performance, brilliant goals and a scorcher of a day! Shorty's run down the wing, Jansen's double and Hignett's pile driver to make it 5! Also, the team were full of confidence and on the brink of promotion. It was also my sisters 16th birthday so we had a great barbeque afterwards, a great day.

1st - Rovers 4-3 Manchester United, Premier League 2005, the game had everything, a Bentley hat-trick, including a terrific third, just a day after signing for the club on a full time basis! Rio having an absolute shocker, Sav wound him up big time, Rovers coasting then United threw Ruud van Nistelrooy on and all over a sudden we were hanging on! A penalty, missed chances, great saves and ultimately a first league double over United for 50 years. An absolute cracking game, will live long in the memory. For me it was everything that being a Rover is about, upsetting the big boys, and ultimately leaving you happy and proud to be a Roverite, but bloody hell they put you through it!

[Presty On Tour]

My top 5 that I attended:

5/ Swansea 0-4 Rovers 2005 Friendly

Pre season friendly at the new liberty stadium, me in with the Rovers fans on my own and about 20 mates in the Swansea stand giving them so much abuse and a football lesson. Was a great day and was the start of my holiday as we were off to Magaluf the next day. Mickey Gray scored a diving too.

4/ Villa 1-4 Rovers 2004 FA Cup 3rd round

Jansen was back with a bang and netted twice along with Yorke. I think Angel scored for them.

3/ Charlton 0-2 Rovers PL 2006

Inflatable day at the Valley as it was the last away game of the season. Drinking in London all day and a 5:15 kick off. Just a small town in Europe and all that. Bellamy and Reid scored but it was an absolute masterclass by Tugay in midfield that day. I think Curbs resigned before the match too.

2/ Spurs 1-2 Rovers Carling Cup Final 2002

Jansen and Cole! Cardiff was bouncing and Friedel was outstanding. Amazing day!

1/ Man Utd 1-2 Rovers PL 24/09/2005

Pedersen with 2 goals. Game was on my birthday and was the best present ever. Also closest to my heart for personal reasons as my mate who was with me is no longer with us. Nothing could ever eclipse that game and day for me.

[Mattyblue]

Now we are talking!

5) Burnley 0 Rovers 2. December 2000. So much build up and hype, but we then gave them a lesson. Ball being sent off for that lunge and doing the walk of shame to the Rovers fans topped it off!

4) PNE 0 Rovers 1. May 2001. Rovers fans packed in to the paddock terrace going potty when Jansen scored, Flitcroft saying 'we did it for Jack' on his tshirt. 'Rovers are back, Rovers are back hello hello1'

3) Rovers 4 Derby county 2. May 1992. Two nill down after 10 minutes, blokes in the Riverside walking out, others almost in tears as it would be 3 play off failures in 4 years. Then Sellars, Newell and 2 from Speedie got us in control!

2) Rovers 1 Newcastle 0. May 1995. Ive never known tension like it, Newcastle bossed the game, Flowers had 'bottle', Shearer got the goal. Almost there!

1) Liverpool 2 rovers 1. May 1995. The away end was a nighmare, people shouting 'Cole's missed a penalty', 'United are winning' etc etc, Redknapp scored.... blur. Greatest day of my life.

[OJRovers]

5)Rovers v Newcastle, home cup game maybe 1992? Speedie scored right in front of the Darwen end.

4)Rovers 5 - 0 Burnley April Fools 2001 - Mini vs Ferrari humiliation

3)Rovers 2 - 1 Spurs Cardiff 2002 - winning the cup against Spurs who thought they'd already won

2) Rovers 7 - 1 Norwich 1993? Think they might have been top at the time

1) Burnley 0 - 2 Rovers Dec 2000 Never will a game be built up like this one again! Just a relief to win!

[MarkBRFC]

Looking forward to seeing some of the older members posts in here, as mine are all fairly predictable.

So many games i want/could include in this, but i'll go for the ones that meant the most to me.

5- 05/01/1991 Rovers 1 Liverpool 1 (FA Cup 3rd round)

This is where it all started for me, as this was my first ever game at Ewood, had a small interest in football, mainly liked Liverpool because a lot of my mates at school seemed to support them, my mum who has been a Rovers fan all her life decided this was the ideal time to take me to my first game, i was the envy of everyone at school as i was going to see Liverpool live. Sat in the old nuttal street stand, remember the atmosphere was electric, and within about 10 minutes of the game i was a fully converted Rover and was begging my mum to take me to the next home game, was gutted after Super Atko's last minute OG!

4 - 17/12/2000 Burnley 0 Rovers 2

Never seen so much hype going into a game, my first taste of the old east lancs derby too, great day as we were actually behind them in the table prior to this game, gave them a football lesson, and never looked back on our way to promotion.

3 - 08/05/1995 Rovers 1 Newcastle 0

Victory at Ewood day! Best atmosphere Ewood has seen since being all seater? If you didn't know any better watching the game you would have thought it was Newcastle who were top of the league and gunning for the title, very one sided and very tense, Tim Flowers had the game of his life, he has bottle you know. After this it really hit home and was possible that we could be champions of England.

2 - 24/02/2002 Rovers 2 Tottenham Hotspurs 1 (Worthington Cup Final)

Winning a domestic knock out cup is something i wasnt sure i'd ever see Rovers do to be honest, but it happened here, remember getting into Cardiff very early, must have been around 9-10am, thousands of Spurs fans were already there being there usual arrogant selves, remember it throwing it down all day, (much like at Wigan the other day, although maybe not quite that wet!) Friedal & Hughes had blinders, and the excellent Jansen/Cole partnership sent us into Europe following a up to that period, disapointing return to the Premier League. This spurred us on for the remainder of the season to easily survive relagation, and finish in 10th place.

1 - 14/05/1995 Liverpool 2 Rovers 1

For anyone who was there this day, how can it not be number 1? We didnt go to enough away games to get a ticket in the Rovers end for this, think you needed about 9 or 10 away stubs if i remember rightly? (ahh stubs, remember them days?!) so we managed to obtain two tickets in the Liverpool end (anfield road end right next to the rovers fans) through two dear freinds of my mothers, they were there season ticket seats and they kindly gave them to us for the day after they heard we missed out on tickets, a gesture that will never be forgotton thats for sure!

Anyway we were both there kitted out in blue and white, there was plenty of banter directed towards us, all good fun though as everyone in that stand genuinly seemed to want Rovers to win. That brief second of despair when Redknapp scored to the sheer joy just afterwards is just something i will never forget. Don't think i'll ever see this happen again, but a superb memory to look back on

[snatchymcsnatch]

Mine are:

Rovers 1 - 0 Newcastle - VE day 1995 (Victoria at Ewood)- A.K.A the Tim Flowers show. Tense battle where Rovers showed they had the guts as well as the guile to eventually be crowned champions.

Rovers 7 - 1 Norwich (94?) - Just mesmerising stuff, King Kenny's rovers at their very best.

Rovers 1 - 0 Leicester (Play off Final)- Not the greatest game in the world but will never forget that feeling when the final whistle went - still gives me goosebumps.

Rovers 4 - 2 Derby County - The play off Semi of the game above. 2 - 0 down and came storming back to win 4 - 2, should have been more - best atmosphere I have ever heard at Ewood. PS Be extremely grateful if someone can dig out a link where I can watch this.

Rovers 5 - 0 Dingles - April fools day - tremendous.

[Neil Weaver]

Rovers 4 - 2 Derby County - The play off Semi of the game above. 2 - 0 down and came storming back to win 4 - 2, should have been more - best atmosphere I have ever heard at Ewood. PS Be extremely grateful if someone can dig out a link where I can watch this.

Snatchy, courtesy of Whittle Blue on the Youtube Memories thread....

[berkshireblue]

Now we are talking!

5) Burnley 0 Rovers 2. December 2000. So much build up and hype, but we then gave them a lesson. Ball being sent off for that lunge and doing the walk of shame to the Rovers fans topped it off!

4) PNE 0 Rovers 1. May 2001. Rovers fans packed in to the paddock terrace going potty when Jansen scored, Flitcroft saying 'we did it for Jack' on his tshirt. 'Rovers are back, Rovers are back hello hello1'

3) Rovers 4 Derby county 2. May 1992. Two nill down after 10 minutes, blokes in the Riverside walking out, others almost in tears as it would be 3 play off failures in 4 years. Then Sellars, Newell and 2 from Speedie got us in control!

2) Rovers 1 Newcastle 0. May 1995. Ive never known tension like it, Newcastle bossed the game, Flowers had 'bottle', Shearer got the goal. Almost there!

1) Liverpool 2 rovers 1. May 1995. The away end was a nighmare, people shouting 'Cole's missed a penalty', 'United are winning' etc etc, Redknapp scored.... blur. Greatest day of my life.

Matty

Probably same 5 for me except i d put carling final ahead of the promotion game and perhaps the dingle FA replay ( just for best ever atmosphere at modern ewood ) ahead of the 0 to 2 game

[Plastic Head]

I can only get it down 10.....Oh wait,11.

Feb 15 1975 Home Plymouth Argyle 5-2 Beamish,Martin 2,Hickman 2 Att:17,818

April 20 1977 Home Southampton 3-0 Waddington 2,Blyth (og) Att:5,923

April 29 1980 Away Bury 2-1 Crawford 2 Att:13,369

Sep 10 1983 Home Derby County 5-1 Garner 5(1pen) Att:5,837

October 8 1988 Home Crystal Palace 5-4 Gayle 2(1pen),Garner 2,Hendry Att:8,022

April 23 1991 Away Barnsley 1-0 Sulley Att:8,648

May 10 1992 Home Derby County 4-2 Sellars,Newell,Speedie 2 Att:19,677

August 15 1992 Away Crystal Palace 3-3 Ripley,Shearer 2 Att:17,086

March 20 1994 Away Sheffield Wed 2-1 Newell,Wilcox Att:24,699

April 1 2001 Home Burnley 5-0 Short,Davis(og),Jansen(2),Hignett Att:23,442

Feb 1 2006 Home Manchester Utd 4-3 Bentley(3),Neill(pen) Att:25,484

[Plastic Head]

...and I should have included the 3-2 win at Burnley on Boxing day 1976 and the 3-0 win at Oldham on Boxing Day 1980.

[MarkBRFC71]

Another vote for the 5-4 v Palace. If my memory serves me correctly I'm sure we were 1-3 down after about an hour. Hendry scored the winner right at the death I think.

Also remember a game v West Ham around the same time which I think was 5-4 as well? Sure we were 4-0 up at half time, and their fans had a sit down protest which stirred them to a Liam Brady inspired almost-comeback.

Rovers 4 Man City 0 - when Garner broke the record, tempered somewhat by it being the same day as Hillsborough.

The 4-2 v Derby in the play-off semi. Classic game.

Last, either the 2-0 v Man Utd when Shearer scored twice, or the already much mentioned 4-3, Rio breakdown, Bentley hat-trick game.