[Archived] The Messiah Returns

[old darwen blue]

http://www.rovers.co.uk/news/article/alan-shearer-blackburn-rovers-nottingham-forest-2847762.aspx

[SoldierMo]

A ledgend

[garnersfags]

Any news on whether we can watch the Shearer Way ceremony?

Can't really see him cutting a ribbon at the entrance to the traveller site. (The road wasn't finished when we were there on Friday night).

May just be a civic function at the Town Hall.

Any info gratefully received as I'll have a wander down if it's an actual little public ceremony.

[MCMC1875]

Emergency loan?

[Amo]

I wouldn't want to live at 'Alan Shearer Way'. You'll probably get your head kicked in.

[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

God incarnate, my personal footballing hero. I think a few managers in British football at the time could have won us the title, but only 1 striker could have. The reception he received on his return with Newcastle has left a sour taste in my mouth ever since it happened. Hopefully he'll get the hero's welcome he deserves tonight. The greatest player there will ever be in a Rovers shirt.

[Mattyblue]

I'm hearing that the ceremony is at 3pm

[BlueMonday]

A legend and the best player Ive seen wearing the Blue & White halves.

Im sure he'll get a stirring welcome.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

God incarnate, my personal footballing hero. I think a few managers in British football at the time could have won us the title, but only 1 striker could have. The reception he received on his return with Newcastle has left a sour taste in my mouth ever since it happened. Hopefully he'll get the hero's welcome he deserves tonight. The greatest player there will ever be in a Rovers shirt.

You never saw Bryan Douglas then ?

[oldjamfan1]

The reception he received on his return with Newcastle has left a sour taste in my mouth ever since it happened.

I think that was rectified when all four sides of the ground stood and applauded a penalty he scored for Newcastle to make it 2-1 a few years back (I think it was his 300th career goal or something like that). We ended up beating them 5-2.

[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

You never saw Bryan Douglas then ?

Nope.

How about the most underappreciated player ever to put on a Rovers shirt then? Its possible to deny Shearer was the greatest, its surely not possible to deny he was in the top 3-4 in our 140 year history. 2 have stands named after them. Big Al has 9 people interested in his return, and I use interested in the loosest possible sense as I'm including people like you there who only seem interested in pouring cold water on it.

[Amo]

Shearer was slightly before my time, and personally I can't abide the man, so I won't be joining in with the hero worship.

[K-Hod]

One of the best players I've seen play for Rovers in my lifetime and my hero as a child. A fantastic player.

Even if he made a silly pro-Kean comment it doesn't undo the above imo.

[oldjamfan1]

One of the best players I've seen play for Rovers in my lifetime and my hero as a child. A fantastic player.

Even if he made a silly pro-Kean comment it doesn't undo the above imo.

"One of" suggests that he wasn't necessarily the best. I'd be interested to hear who challenges him for 'best ever' in your lifetime mate, given you were only a child when he played? Notwithstanding the fact that 'who's the best' is entirely subjective, I would have thought he beats anyone in the modern era. Duggie and Clayton were before my time so Shearer is easily the best player I've ever seen wearing blue and white halves.

[Scotty]

Shearer was slightly before my time, and personally I can't abide the man, so I won't be joining in with the hero worship.

Aye, best to forget all them goals and helping us win the league stuff.

[K-Hod]

"One of" suggests that he wasn't necessarily the best. I'd be interested to hear who challenges him for 'best ever' in your lifetime mate, given you were only a child when he played? Notwithstanding the fact that 'who's the best' is entirely subjective, I would have thought he beats anyone in the modern era. Duggie and Clayton were before my time so Shearer is easily the best player I've ever seen wearing blue and white halves.

Fair point. In terms of ability he was definitely the best, and I'm delighted I got to see someone of that calibre play here, even if it was only for a short time!

[tomphil]

The hatched was buried when he came back for Parkes testimonial and it clearly meant a lot him. He also did get a great ovation when he scored that pen. The first few times he came back the treatment was harsh but it tailed off by most after that.

Souness got pelters as well but most of those boo boys have probably long since disappeared since our slide from the Prem

[oldjamfan1]

Fair point. In terms of ability he was definitely the best, and I'm delighted I got to see someone of that calibre play here, even if it was only for a short time!

Fair do's K-Hod. Some folk around your age think Tugay is the best they've ever seen, and they are perfectly entitled to hold that view because he was magnificent as well.

[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

The hatched was buried when he came back for Parkes testimonial and it clearly meant a lot him. He also did get a great ovation when he scored that pen. The first few times he came back the treatment was harsh but it tailed off by most after that.

Souness got pelters as well but most of those boo boys have probably long since disappeared since our slide from the Prem

Yeah I couldn't understand the Souness one either, there's clearly a lot of very bitter people out there. The only players some are willing to applaud are the ones we bin off. I was a big fan of Savage here but the fact that his reception far eclipsed that of the likes of Shearer, Souness, Le Saux, Sherwood etc is a bad joke.

[Hasta]

The thing with Shearer, his goals only told half the story. He supplemented that with work rate and physicality to give defenders nightmares. He would back into them, bully them, run the channels, run in behind. He could tackle and cross better than a lot of other outfield players too. Apart from possibly not being able to dribble he had everything.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

I've seen 'em all since 1962 and if I had to chose a player to play to save my life it would be Bryan Douglas. There's not many players out there who could beat teams on their own but he could. For the kids - imagine a very fast Tugay playing just behind the strikers when Douglas played in midfield or a trickier version of Damian Duff when Douglas played on the wing. That's what you had. Nearest player to him playing in the Premier League is Eden Hazard when he's on top form. He still scored the best goal I've ever seen at Ewood Park. A mazy dribble from the half way line through almost the entire WBA team finished off into the top corner, cool as you like.

Plus the fact he didn't crap on us.

[tomphil]

True, he was a fantastic all round player who probably could have played centre mid or centre half without too much bother. Hard to describe how good he was to anyone who didn't see him in the flesh week in week out. Not Tugay skilful and not that quick in a sprint, certainly after his ACL injury but a real powerhouse, fantastic engine and he had all the basic skills to perfection.

The balls aimed down the throat of Rhodes we saw too much of under Bowyer and the constant missiles launched forward under Allardyce would have been food and drink for big Al. Target man. strike partner playing off someone else, laying off for someone else or lone front man rattling the oppos entire back line, he had the lot in his pomp.

[Mattyblue]

And until the sucession of knee injuries, he was fairly quick too.

Though he then amended his game in his later days to that of a physical hold up man whilst still banging them in.

Christ, if he can't be seen as a hero, lets give up.

[ABBEY]

Shearer was slightly before my time, and personally I can't abide the man, so I won't be joining in with the hero worship.

YOU CANT ABIDE THE GUY WHO WON US THE TITLE?...........er ok

[RibbleValleyRover]

Best player I have ever seen play for Rovers. Douglas and Clayton were both well before my time, you could make a case for Tugay but the achievements made by the club with Shearer give him the edge for me. The last time I really enjoyed following the England national team was in Euro 96 and he was also a big part of that.

He was a great all round forward and like others have said in his prime before the knee injuries robbed him of his pace (he wasn't rapid but he was no slouch) there were not many better strikers in European football maybe even worldwide. What further enhances his greatness was his ability to change his game because of injuries and focus on other areas of his game to remain a consistent scorer week in week out.

People unfairly tend to downplay his achievements or how great he was because of his departure and the way it happened but I had no problem with him going when he did. Rovers had clearly peaked at that time and when the club you idolized as a boy comes calling you simply aren't going to turn that down.

Naming a road is the least we could do, there should be a statue outside the ground if I had my way.