[Archived] The Messiah Returns

[Stuart]

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.

Agreed. Double-edged sword though when you've had the best. Everyone after will be compared to them - and fail. Same with Friedel.

[magicalmortensleftpeg]

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.

He won us the premier league. If that's not enough to consider him a hero then god knows what does.

[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

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

Everyones entitled to their opinion but was equally mystified myself at that one. Every Man U fan up and down the country, regardless of age, worship Cantona. A guy who wasn't in the same league as Shearer, karate kicked a fan and put in a number of tackles in his career purely designed to hospitalise an opposition player. And don't even get me started on Roy Keane.

And we've got our own legend, who for us mixed it with the likes of Cantona and Keane and then some, and we've fans who can't abide him. Simon Garner was before my time and I'm sure I could decide I couldn't abide his professionalism, but my dad would have thrown me out if I'd ever so much as suggested he wasn't a hero!

Anyway, thanks Alan:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ow_NDUsP_8

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

I just wish people would just say " He's the best I ever saw " and not " The best player we ever had ". You can't comment on the players that went before. Nobody can say who was the best Rover of all time .because nobody has seen them all play. There must have been players in the old days when we won Cups from time to time that must have been pretty special also. I didn't see them play so I can't say.

In my time Bryan Douglas was the best in my view.

[tomphil]

I just wish people would just say " He's the best I ever saw " and not " The best player we ever had ". You can't comment on the players that went before. Nobody can say who was the best Rover of all time .because nobody has seen them all play. There must have been players in the old days when we won Cups from time to time that must have been pretty special also. I didn't see them play so I can't say.

In my time Bryan Douglas was the best in my view.

That's a fair comment, I can only go back to the 80's so for me Shearer is the best I've ever seen live and probably one of the very best ever to grace Ewood including some huge opposition names in my time. So to see people who saw the likes of Duggie, Ronnie etc as well i'll certainly take their word for it that they must have been very good to be classed above the Shearers etc.

Just a final point though, for a period Shearer was Englands no 1 striker whilst at Ewood, arguably one of the best in Europe at the time and certainly in with a shout at being in the top 10 in the world in a golden period of class strikers. Hard for many to match up to that. Not the wisest lad though with the world at his feet he chose hometown loyalty over certain glory elsewhere. Must bug him a bit despite what he might say.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

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 would have loved him to pieces Amarillo,possibly THE best Striker in EUROPE in our famous Colours.

Broke Rovers fans hearts when he left and that's were the initial bad feeling came from...nobody wanted to lose him to any other club.

I can't ever remember such feelings of sadness when he departed for the Toon.

[Mattyblue]

We were on a ferry coming home from France when some Nobender asked if we were in mourning.

'All paper talk' we said, got back in the car in Blighty and turned on the radio just in time for the news headlines.

Now that was a quiet journey home.

[garnersfags]

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.

I've often wondered about the comparison between Shearer and our 50s/60s legends.

If Dougie was genuinely better than Shearer, you older Ewood regulars were bloody lucky.

I have a couple of questions.

Did Douglas single-handedly elevate us from a decent 1st division team to the level that Shearer took us to?

Did the general public and football media give him the profile and 'England's best' tag that Shearer was deservedly lauded with?

COYB

[magicalmortensleftpeg]

https://mobile.twitter.com/alanshearer/status/676427779043434496/photo/1

[AllRoverAsia]

Everyones entitled to their opinion but was equally mystified myself at that one. Every Man U fan up and down the country, regardless of age, worship Cantona. A guy who wasn't in the same league as Shearer, karate kicked a fan and put in a number of tackles in his career purely designed to hospitalise an opposition player. And don't even get me started on Roy Keane.

And we've got our own legend, who for us mixed it with the likes of Cantona and Keane and then some, and we've fans who can't abide him. Simon Garner was before my time and I'm sure I could decide I couldn't abide his professionalism, but my dad would have thrown me out if I'd ever so much as suggested he wasn't a hero!

Anyway, thanks Alan:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ow_NDUsP_8

And your Dad would have been right!

Best 3 goalscorers I've seen in a Rovers shirt are Pickering, Garner and Shearer.

Best footballer I've seen at Rovers and by a country mile - Bryan Douglas.

All are Rover Legends.

I've often wondered about the comparison between Shearer and our 50s/60s legends.

If Dougie was genuinely better than Shearer, you older Ewood regulars were bloody lucky.

I have a couple of questions.

Did Douglas single-handedly elevate us from a decent 1st division team to the level that Shearer took us to?

Did the general public and football media give him the profile and 'England's best' tag that Shearer was deservedly lauded with?

COYB

Shearer got a bit of help from the lads banging the crosses in! Brilliant all-round striker and the best in England at the time.

Duggie did however play in the 1963-4 Rovers team that would have given Brazil 1970 a good game.

Ramsey at England did Duggie no favours.

[Tom]

I'm 31 m, I was 11 when we won the league, this guy was my absolute hero; will never feel that kind of hero worship again.

Every lad my age in Blackburn had a new favourite meal - chicken and beans!

cried when he signed as he replaced my first hero - Speedie, was inconsolable when he left.

I hated how it ended up but enjoyed his last proper game at Ewood when he finally got the reception he deserved.

[Pedro]

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.

I'll second that. One of the most accurate crossers of the ball I've seen here. Absolute legend.

[only2garners]

Matty - I was in France too when Shearer was sold. I remember my lads running round breathless to tell me when they saw it on TV.

Anyway what about Bob Crompton? Nobody on here will have seen him but he played 500+ games for Rovers, 40+ times for England including many as captain at a time when there were hardly any internationals. Won the league twice as a player and the cup and the second division championship as manager.

[garnersfags]

Someone mentioned that he might be on the pitch at half time.

This is from the official site:

'For your chance to show your appreciation to a true Rovers great, make sure you buy a ticket for Monday’s big game and get to your seats early, as we welcome Alan Shearer out onto the pitch just prior to kick-off.'

This means unfortunately 30% of crowd won't see it, but most will at least hear it.

[gumboots]

Must have been a lot of us in france that summer because we were there too. The travel company rep left a big postcard on the tent of one of my daughters friends saying bye zoe. Off to Newcastle, love Alan. That's how we found out

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

And your Dad would have been right!

Best 3 goalscorers I've seen in a Rovers shirt are Pickering, Garner and Shearer.

Best footballer I've seen at Rovers and by a country mile - Bryan Douglas.

All are Rover Legends.

Shearer got a bit of help from the lads banging the crosses in! Brilliant all-round striker and the best in England at the time.

Duggie did however play in the 1963-4 Rovers team that would have given Brazil 1970 a good game.

Ramsey at England did Duggie no favours.

You're right about his face not fitting with Alf Ramsey. Dougie , along with Ronnie Clayton, was called up at the last minute into the " English League 11 to play the Italian League 11 at Highbury when these fixtures were big time games. He'd just started playing in midfield at no 10 for Rovers. I watched the game on TV and Dougie ran the show for the England team who beat the Italians 3-2. Ronnie Clayton who was in great form for Rovers at the time after going through a bad spell and being dropped as England captain had a good game that day too. Ronnie never played again for any Engand team and Bryan only got the odd game. His last cap came when again he ran the show and scored when Alf Ramsey gave the reserves a run out in a 8-1 thrashing of the Switzerland first team away ! That game was on TV also.

Shearer was without doubt the best goalscorer we've ever had although Fred Pickering would run him close. Pickering had the ability to beat players with the ball at his feet, one thing Shearer never had. Shearer could run past people and sometimes run through people but he couldn't take people on and leave them for dead like Pickering could. Shearer also had an outstanding temperament and mentality. If Pickering could have had Shearer's temperament he could have been a better player because he had more natural ability and he was two footed whereas Shearer's left foot was a bit of a swinger.

I'll second that. One of the most accurate crossers of the ball I've seen here. Absolute legend.

I agree. He was the best right footed crosser of the ball at the club at that time.

[Mike E]

Matty - I was in France too when Shearer was sold. I remember my lads running round breathless to tell me when they saw it on TV.

Anyway what about Bob Crompton? Nobody on here will have seen him but he played 500+ games for Rovers, 40+ times for England including many as captain at a time when there were hardly any internationals. Won the league twice as a player and the cup and the second division championship as manager.

By many accounts regarded as the greatest player in the world at the time, too.

[AllRoverAsia]

You're right about his face not fitting with Alf Ramsey. Dougie , along with Ronnie Clayton, was called up at the last minute into the " English League 11 to play the Italian League 11 at Highbury when these fixtures were big time games. He'd just started playing in midfield at no 10 for Rovers. I watched the game on TV and Dougie ran the show for the England team who beat the Italians 3-2. Ronnie Clayton who was in great form for Rovers at the time after going through a bad spell and being dropped as England captain had a good game that day too. Ronnie never played again for any Engand team and Bryan only got the odd game. His last cap came when again he ran the show and scored when Alf Ramsey gave the reserves a run out in a 8-1 thrashing of the Switzerland first team away ! That game was on TV also.

Shearer was without doubt the best goalscorer we've ever had although Fred Pickering would run him close. Pickering had the ability to beat players with the ball at his feet, one thing Shearer never had. Shearer could run past people and sometimes run through people but he couldn't take people on and leave them for dead like Pickering could. Shearer also had an outstanding temperament and mentality. If Pickering could have had Shearer's temperament he could have been a better player because he had more natural ability and he was two footed whereas Shearer's left foot was a bit of a swinger.

I agree. He was the best right footed crosser of the ball at the club at that time.

Did they play one of those televised 'English League 11' games a week before the FA Cup finals in the 1960's?

[Mattyblue]

Now it depends how you quantify 'best' or 'better footballer'.

Obviously we've had better 'footballers' than Shearer, even in the last 15 years we've had Duff and Tugay. Obviously Bryan Douglas is another.

However, Shearer was a force of nature, a goal scoring machine that by Euro 96 was up there with the world elite. I think the Cantona comparison is apt, Man Yoo have had better 'footballers', but he is still their number 1 hero.

The impact certain players have on a club at a certain time transcends simply how much natural talent they have.

[Mike E]

Now it depends how you quantify 'best' or 'better footballer'.

Obviously we've had better 'footballers' than Shearer, even in the last 15 years we've had Duff and Tugay. Obviously Bryan Douglas is another.

However, Shearer was a force of nature, a goal scoring machine that by Euro 96 was up there with the world elite. I think the Cantona comparison is apt, Man Yoo have had better 'footballers', but he is still their number 1 hero.

The impact certain players have on a club at a certain time transcends simply how much natural talent they have.

A good example is the regard in which I hold David Thompson. He was fairly talented but was ALWAYS up for a scrap when under the cosh. My pick for right wing in a 'best I've seen x1' even ahead of 'Second Beckham' Bentley.

I think Conway is our equivalent now.

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

Nice words from Shearer on TV...great memories of Ewood and wants the club to return to the Premier where it belongs.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Did they play one of those televised 'English League 11' games a week before the FA Cup finals in the 1960's?

No, that was an England 11 v England U-23 11. I'll find out what date this particular game was on.

[Veevs]

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.

I think the moment his work rate etc sank in for me was the 7-1 match against Norwich.. who happened to be top of the league at that point (until we won and overtook them). was my first ever match at Ewood as I was living in Norwich of all places.

His skill, pace, effort, strength and overall ability on that day in particular shone and it was the beginning of his Rovers days... Was a tad strange looking back, Sherwood the ex Norwich player in our midfield, Sutton playing in defence back then for Norwich.. lets hope our new ex Norwich addition in PL brings us some fortune. We certainly had some glamorous players in our lineup that day :S

[No Nay Never]

The best I've ever seen and the best I'll ever see. He had everything.

[ABBEY]

You would have loved him to pieces Amarillo,possibly THE best Striker in EUROPE in our famous Colours.

Broke Rovers fans hearts when he left and that's were the initial bad feeling came from...nobody wanted to lose him to any other club.

I can't ever remember such feelings of sadness when he departed for the Toon.

Nutshell !!

It was honestly as heartbreaking as my two divorces.