[Archived] Fulham v Rovers 14th March 2017

[Mike Graham]

A match preview based on memories.  Skip back to 1979/80 season and the legendary Howard Kendall as Manager.

I was working at Leyland Motors on the 400 Engine Assembly Line (Den will know it well) and we had been to the home FA Cup game v Fulham at Ewood on the Saturday where we drew 1-1 (Andy Crawford.  9,826).

Four of us decided to do the replay at Fulham, this is when replays were held in the mid-week following the game rather than 10 or 11 days later.

I skipped off work (and was formally disciplined on my return) and we drove to to West London.  About 70/80 miles North of London it snowed heavliy.  We just made it to Craven Cottage on time to find it had been called off even though by that time the pitch appeared perfectly playable to me and my 3 mates who by that time had got on the pitch for a kick about.  Guess who stopped us.....Jimmy Hill!!  Jimmy was a gent, he gave us 4 main stand tickets for the following nights rearranged game and tickets for the FFC supporters bar (bad bad move Jimmy!!).

We bunked up at the friend of a friend who loaned us his one bed flat whilst the lucky sod shared a bed with the girl in the flat above, he even kept us awake with banging during our drunken stupor.

Low and behold the three not driving went on the razz the following day. One who shall be nameless as he still goes in The Brown Cow punched out a light fitting in the underground car park and needed 8 stitches where the glass shards went into the back of his hand (he by the way only has a half ear on one side after it was bitten off at Stoke).

We finally get to the ground, got chucked out of the the social club and later out of the main stand for swearing. We joined the Rovers contingent of about 20 Rovers fans to see Andy Crawford score the winner in front of 5,753.

The moral of the story was to not travel with those 3 lunatics again, and to also tell the foreman I had flu rather than boasting to the lads on the assembly line about Crawford's goal.

Jimmy Hill - what a star.  I have always found Fulham to be a great ground with decent, knowledgable fans.

 

I reckon a draw on Tuesday, heavy snow, and a complimentary ticket in the main stand (not).

See you at the 8 Bells.  I will be on public transport, not driving, with two intact ears.

[Mike Graham]

Sorry about the multiple posts.  A gremlin somewhere.  Will Mods please delete the other 2 posts?  Thanks.

[oldjamfan1]

Great memories PB, particularly love the "Chin wag with Jimmy Hill" one

[Mike Graham]

I will have a beer to remember Jimmy on Tuesday.  I always liked his knowledge of football and his love of the game.  He was a good un.

[dingles staying down 4ever]

Except for him picking on a ball boy when presenting MOTD v Liverpool

[darrenrover]

Just now, dingles staying down 4ever said:

Except for him picking on a ball boy when presenting MOTD v Liverpool

and prior to that castigating Glenn Keeley's tackling ability against Luton.

[oldjamfan1]

2 minutes ago, dingles staying down 4ever said:

Except for him picking on a ball boy when presenting MOTD v Liverpool

I always thought it was a girl he had picked on? Either way, yeah that wasn't his finest moment. He also had a right pop at Glenn Keeley on MoD in the late 70s for a tackle on a Luton player on a snowy Ewood (a Lou or Len Fucillo perhaps?)

 

Edit - great minds darrenrover

[Mike Graham]

No wonder he was called 'Killer Keeley'. It was a wee bit over enthusiastic from Keeley  does anyone have any footage please?

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Just now, preston blue said:

No wonder he was called 'Killer Keeley'. It was a wee bit over enthusiastic from Keeley  does anyone have any footage please?

I've seen one or two tackles in rugby league were I though there may  have been a fatality but that Keeley/Fucillo incident was the only one in football were I thought a player may have been killed. Fucillo went right over Keeley's shoulder and came down headfirst onto a bone hard frozen pitch. He was very lucky not to be seriously hurt. I wouldn't blame Keeley too much, the pitch was slippy and he couldn't pull up in time.

[oldjamfan1]

I don't know whether this shows the tackle or not, but it gives an indication of the conditions 

 

[AggyBlue]

Remember Brotherstons goal, I was in the Riverside that season. He provided many great memories, RIP Noel.

White ball on a snowy pitch! 

Wouldn't even play on that pitch thesedays.

 

[Neil Weaver]

Getting off the Fulham v Rovers theme here a bit, but here's Killer etc and more views from Jimmy Hill.... Not sure of the year - more tackling highlights

[1arC]

A very good post PB and it brought back a few memories. I think you might have given the identity of your mate away though, if he drinks in the brown cow and only has half an ear.

If I am not mistake, that game was the commentary game on Radio 2 which is the equivalent of todays 5 live. Back then, being the radio commentary game, was a big think and, as sad as this sounds, I recorded it on to a cassette, off my Dads radio. We were third division I think and Fulham were a second division side. I played the commentary back a few times, like any enthusiastic supporter would.  

 

Great days.

[Mike Graham]

An even bigger game now we are back in the bottom three.

However we have a far better chance of a point than we did 3 or 4 weeks ago.

I am looking forward to this game.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Fulham have been my dark horse team for the third spot for a while now. If we get anything it'll be a miracle.

[booth]

Hope Mulgrew is back.

[tomphil]

Think this one may be a step too far even for the new resolute tactics of Mowbray as someone in the side always manages to drop a clanger still.

Fulham 2   Rovers 0

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Just now, tomphil said:

Think this one may be a step too far even for the new resolute tactics of Mowbray as someone in the side always manages to drop a clanger still.

Fulham 2   Rovers 0

I agree, Fulham are going really well. They play the sort of quick passing football that will cause us problems. We can only hope for the best.

[RV Blue]

56 minutes ago, tomphil said:

Think this one may be a step too far even for the new resolute tactics of Mowbray as someone in the side always manages to drop a clanger still.

Fulham 2   Rovers 0

They didn't seem very resolute today judging by the goals... I can only see a defeat in this one unfortunately.

[Butty]

Great preview PB. This game is definitely going to be tougher than today's trip to Norwich. Fulham are absolutely flying at the minute and too be honest I'd be very surprised if we came away with anything and I can see our unbeaten start under Mowbray coming to an end. We've got to focus on our home games and try and pick the odd point up away from home. Can't see us getting one of those odd points in this game though unfortunately. 

[JPTSwindon]

Can tickets be bought on the night? I can't see any info on either official site?

[philipl]

Great memories Preston Blue.

This is both clubs' game in hand.

I fear that for us it will just be an opportunity to worsen goal difference significantly.

Mowbray has worked miracles but doesn't hide the fact that our back line is substandard. Fulham racing to a three goal lead at the barcodes could be a foretaste for us...

 

[Guest]

Such a huge change of importance on this game in hand after not being able to take the opportunity of all 3 points against Norwich. After going 2-1 up at Carrow Road, Fulham has gone from a game that we could afford to lose to stay out of the bottom three, to a game that is now a "must not lose" in order to achieve the same thing.

Mowbray has done wonders so far, but something tells me that we'll be regretting not taking advantage of Norwich by Tuesday night.

Fulham 3 - 0 Rovers

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Just now, Phil T said:

Such a huge change of importance on this game in hand after not being able to take the opportunity of all 3 points against Norwich. After going 2-1 up at Carrow Road, Fulham has gone from a game that we could afford to lose to stay out of the bottom three, to a game that is now a "must not lose" in order to achieve the same thing.

Mowbray has done wonders so far, but something tells me that we'll be regretting not taking advantage of Norwich by Tuesday night.

Fulham 3 - 0 Rovers

Err , we are in the bottom three if only on goal difference. Tuesday's game isn't a must not lose game although it would be great if we didn't. One way or another what we need is another decent performance. Keep performing and we'll have a fighting chance of staying up.

[chaddyrovers]

very tough game ahead. Would take a point here deffo.

Got to be defensive solid and tough to break down

I would go 4-4-2 and play on the counter

,My team would be

Raya Nymabe Lenihan Hoban Williams Bennett Akpan Guthrie Feeney Emnes Graham