[Archived] Players Who Never Fulfilled Their Potential

[oldjamfan1]

Didn't even consider it. Heard he wouldn't even speak to Dalglish.

Liverpool were never really in the running for him, he wouldn't have had the option to speak to Dalglish, so I'm not sure where you heard that from. It was Man United that triggered his release clause and as far as I know that was the only club that did so. I'm simply saying that Liverpool would have been a better fit for him than the Red Rats.

[Baz]

He had talks with Liverpool and went to Melwood.

The day after he went to Old Trafford and signed.

[tomphil]

I think Jones has always been a boyhood closet Man Yoo fan like most of his age group when he was a young. Never bought this Rovers thing I think it was more his parents were big Rovers fans and took him along whilst he yearned to wear Red in the playground with his mates.

No doubt someone will tell me I'm wrong soon

[beanie]

He was an unbelievably good golfer, Callum Davidson!!

He played golf at international level for Scotland as a kid also would have had international recognition at either squash or tennis.

He's from dunblane where he was coached at tennis by Judy Murray

[only2garners]

Who was our young lad who Kean tipped to be the next Steven Gerrard? Robbie Cotton wasn't it? Guess he isn't going to be the next Gerrard then, Steve.

Never mind Kean, Michel Salgado told me Robbie was going to be a real star.

Jake popped up on my radar in the 4th round of the cup - as Colchester's keeper. Worst defence of the 92 apparently

To be fair that was his first game for Colchester on loan from Norwich.

[koi]

Do we not have to call Jones PJ4 now? He could be doing something like Prince did.

Alan Shearer. He didn't fulfil his career. Won sweet FA after leaving Rovers.

[arbitro]

Do we not have to call Jones PJ4 now? He could be doing something like Prince did.

Alan Shearer. He didn't fulfil his career. Won sweet FA after leaving Rovers.

It's quite pathetic that a grown man has this tag (if that's what they call them) of PJ4 because he plays number 4 (or maybe it's his IQ). What will he do if he is in the England squad for the Euro's and he can't have number 4 as his squad number? Will he re-brand himself as PJ?, will he sulk and not play?

In a similar way I have seen players autographs where they incorporate their number in the signature. Again quite pathetic.

[jim mk2]

Shearer scored a mountain of goals for Rovers, Newcastle and England and is regarded as one of the finest players in the Premier League era. As such, he certainly fulfilled his potential though he'll probably feel he should have more silverware on the sideboard.

But that's his fault for leaving Rovers where our championship team also never reached its full potential and Uncle Jack's fault for not letting him go to Old Trafford.

[koi]

Jim, it was tongue in cheek.

[Amo]

Shearer scored a mountain of goals for Rovers, Newcastle and England and is regarded as one of the finest players in the Premier League era. As such, he certainly fulfilled his potential though he'll probably feel he should have more silverware on the sideboard.

But that's his fault for leaving Rovers where our championship team also never reached its full potential and Uncle Jack's fault for not letting him go to Old Trafford.

Although the definition of success can be subjective, you've conceded that someone of Shearer's quality should've added more trophies to his cabinet. In that regard, it's entirely fair to argue that Shearer never lived up to his potential.

[rigger]

Although the definition of success can be subjective, you've conceded that someone of Shearer's quality should've added more trophies to his cabinet. In that regard, it's entirely fair to argue that Shearer never lived up to his potential.

If you honestly believe your statement, I cannot begin to understand your definition of, fulfilling their potential. My take on his potential, was that he was potentially the best striker in Britain. In my opinion he surpassed that target.

[JBiz]

Although the definition of success can be subjective, you've conceded that someone of Shearer's quality should've added more trophies to his cabinet. In that regard, it's entirely fair to argue that Shearer never lived up to his potential.

Success is certainly subjective but potential isn't. Potential is about ability, not reputation. Plenty of world class players have won sod all, and Franck Lebeouf won a World Cup.

Shearer fulfilled his potential. I'd find it entirely unfair to suggest otherwise, did he win everything he could? Probably not - but football is a team game ultimately and his decision to play for his boyhood club likely cost him more titles.

[Mattyblue]

Shearer could have won a hat full of trophies, however in the pre oil money era Newcastle did seem to be on the verge of big things, he wasn't to know that they'd not ever really come close to another title.

A big move in '96 to say Barca under Bobby Robson or Ferguson would have seen him laden with medals, but hindsight is a wonderful thing.

[MarkBRFC]

I'm sure if you asked Shearer what he treasures most, his PL winners medal with Rovers or holding the all time goal scoring record with Newcastle, it would certainly be the latter.

[tomphil]

Shearer would have been at Man Yoo like a shot if Jack hadn't played hard ball with them and probably Liverpool 2nd choice if they had the coin. Something I always like to remind my Geordie mates.

Ability wise Shearer certainly didn't under achieve he rinsed every last bit out of what he had and would have done wherever he played. Career wise I don't think there's a doubt he under achieved, even if he stayed at Rovers he might have won a cup

[koi]

Apart from Shearer's first season at Newcastle they were effectively a mid-table team when he was there. SAF should've broke the bank to get Shearer then Utd might have gone on to win something...okay, win things easier.

My tongue was slightly in cheek when I say Shearer, and I do love the guy from his time at Rovers, but like an ex, I also enjoy pointing out were things have gone wrong and Rovers won more that Newcastle did in the period Shearer played for them.

[neophox]

Oumar Konde

[VinjayV4]

Alan Fettis. Always thought he had some potential to make a save once in a while.

[LeftWinger]

Who remembers Gary Hamilton? Think he was in the same youth team as Dunn and Duff and scored in every round of the youth cup run where we lost to Everton in the final. Those three were the stand out players in that side IIRC, and Hamilton played his entire career in Northern Ireland I think. Always expected him to be a star.

[VinjayV4]

Shearer scored a mountain of goals for Rovers, Newcastle and England and is regarded as one of the finest players in the Premier League era. As such, he certainly fulfilled his potential though he'll probably feel he should have more silverware on the sideboard.

But that's his fault for leaving Rovers where our championship team also never reached its full potential and Uncle Jack's GREATNESS for not letting him go to Old Trafford.

Just a little wording edit there...

[Stuart]

It's quite pathetic that a grown man has this tag (if that's what they call them) of PJ4 because he plays number 4 (or maybe it's his IQ). What will he do if he is in the England squad for the Euro's and he can't have number 4 as his squad number? Will he re-brand himself as PJ?, will he sulk and not play?

In a similar way I have seen players autographs where they incorporate their number in the signature. Again quite pathetic.

Don't agree with the last bit. Sometimes it's the only way to know which player the autograph actually belongs to! (Thinking back to the old Rovers Christmas cards).

[VinjayV4]

Christiano Ronaldo uses CR7 presumably that's where Jones or his marketing "experts" got the idea from. Being a self-admitted egomaniac CR7 must be horrified at the thought of being eclipsed by the marketing phenomenon that is PJ4!

[Rover_Shaun]

Lets all stop giving the average injury prone Chorley gargoyle exposure and move on to the Brfccs VV4 branding

[davulsukur]

Christiano Ronaldo uses CR7 presumably that's where Jones or his marketing "experts" got the idea from. Being a self-admitted egomaniac CR7 must be horrified at the thought of being eclipsed by the marketing phenomenon that is PJ4!

Just out of interest (and i may well regret this) but why do you have a picture of Phil Jones (and Alex Ferguson) as your profile picture? Seems like you have a few issues with the lad

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

It's really hard to judge how young players will develop. A pal of mine used to play for Rochdale. When he was just starting out he played for their reserve team against Rovers " A " team at Spotland. I went along to watch him. He was a right winger and our left back was a tubby little kid who needed to lose a pound or two even at 17. My pal gave the kid a bit of a chasing and afterwards we both agreed the left back would never make a pro footballer as long as he lived. My pal said " Tyrone, you're a better full back than he is ".

A bit more than a year later the tubby kid had slimmed down and was playing in Rovers first team. He gave us years of good service and developed into a really good full back. That was Billy Wilson.

Our star player in that game was a lad called Roy Wilford. He was amazing, a box to box midfielder who just ran the show for us. Imagine a David Dunn who could tackle and run for 90 minutes.

Both of us again agreed on the player. We thought he couldn't fail, he had it all.

Again about a year later I opened my Saturday football paper and I read that Roy Wilford had just signed from Blackburn Rovers for Winsford Utd in the old Northern Premier League. What went wrong there I don't know but what a contrast in outcomes. He played at that level for years but never got any higher that semi pro.