[Archived] Previous Game: Brentford v Rovers. 7th May

[Ryan]

22 hours ago, RV Blue said:

It hasn't sold out. You can still get tickets online.

Wasn't showing online when I tried. Have since seen the Rovers twitter say that you have to call them tomorrow if you want a ticket. 

[Mercer]

1 hour ago, philipl said:

I am struggling to think of any Rovers team I have known apart from the one that started our first season in the Third Division in 1971 which wouldn't beat the current "set up".

Hold on a minute.

That squad started with players like goalie Sir Roger Jones, Billy Wilson at full back, centre backs Faz & Allan Hunter, midfielders Tony Parkes and Metcalfe and forwards 'The Don' Martin and Eamon 'his hair hangs over his shoulders' Rogers.

Any of those individuals would stroll into the present Rovers' team.

You have done them a gross disservice there Philip.

[cn174]

1 hour ago, Ryan said:

Wasn't showing online when I tried. Have since seen the Rovers twitter say that you have to call them tomorrow if you want a ticket. 

I don't think the online tickets are working very well for this game. I tried to get two the week before they went on sale, with two season tickets and it said I was trying to buy too many. Then I tried to get a single one and it still said I was trying to buy too many!

[Ryan]

Just now, cn174 said:

I don't think the online tickets are working very well for this game. I tried to get two the week before they went on sale, with two season tickets and it said I was trying to buy too many. Then I tried to get a single one and it still said I was trying to buy too many!

I'm guessing that's a problem with the E-Tickets website then as the same thing happened to me with Celtic last week.

[Parsonblue]

2 minutes ago, Mercer said:

Hold on a minute.

That squad started with players like goalie Sir Roger Jones, Billy Wilson at full back, centre backs Faz & Allan Hunter, midfielders Tony Parkes and Metcalfe and forwards 'The Don' Martin and Eamon 'his hair hangs over his shoulders' Rogers.

Any of those individuals would stroll into the present Rovers' team.

You have done them a gross disservice there Philip.

In fairness Mercer, Wilson was on his way out as was Hunter.  Faz was a young inexperienced defender whilst Parkes was an ineffective centre-forward who hadn't yet made the switch to midfield.  Rogers was no longer interested to the point where Furphy was more than happy to swap him for Endean.  In their prime they were great players but at the start of 71-72 they were a long way from the players who served the club so well.

[jim mk2]

Just now, Parsonblue said:

In fairness Mercer, Wilson was on his way out as was Hunter.  Faz was a young inexperienced defender whilst Parkes was an ineffective centre-forward who hadn't yet made the switch to midfield.  Rogers was no longer interested to the point where Furphy was more than happy to swap him for Endean.  In their prime they were great players but at the start of 71-72 they were a long way from the players who served the club so well.

Don't remember Parkes as a centre forward but as an inside left, No 10. 

[Mercer]

Just now, Parsonblue said:

In fairness Mercer, Wilson was on his way out as was Hunter.  Faz was a young inexperienced defender whilst Parkes was an ineffective centre-forward who hadn't yet made the switch to midfield.  Rogers was no longer interested to the point where Furphy was more than happy to swap him for Endean.  In their prime they were great players but at the start of 71-72 they were a long way from the players who served the club so well.

Wilson was still a better left back than Williams. 

Hunter soon left for Ipswich where he excelled in Div 1 (PL now) for a number of years - some way out that ! 

Yep accept what you say about Faz and Parkes but Parkes had already moved back to midfield although he did join Rovers from Buxton as a forward.

As for Rogers, he'd become hacked off with the mismanagement of Quigley and Carey and didn't fancy Div 3.  Don't forget, he was only about 25 when he left Rovers - sadly at his new club he picked up a couple of really bad injuries and I think he retired from football before he was 30.  However, he delivered in both Div 1 (PL) and Div 2 and there is not a forward at Ewood now who had his mercurial talent.

[Parsonblue]

Just now, jim mk2 said:

Don't remember Parkes as a centre forward but as an inside left, No 10. 

Should have worded it differently - he was played as a striker alongside either Conlon or Martin.  Then Furphy switched him to midfield and his career took a completely different path.

[jim mk2]

 

Billy Wilson ended up playing in midfield for Portsmouth. Remember his debut for Rovers - Mike England passed the ball to him from the kick-off to settle his nerves and Wilson promptly miskicked it into touch. He got better after that. Good player. 

[Parsonblue]

Just now, Mercer said:

Wilson was still a better left back than Williams. 

Hunter soon left for Ipswich where he excelled in Div 1 (PL now) for a number of years - some way out that ! 

Yep accept what you say about Faz and Parkes but Parkes had already moved back to midfield although he did join Rovers from Buxton as a forward.

As for Rogers, he'd become hacked off with the mismanagement of Quigley and Carey and didn't fancy Div 3.  Don't forget, he was only about 25 when he left Rovers - sadly at his new club he picked up a couple of really bad injuries and I think he retired from football before he was 30.  However, he delivered in both Div 1 (PL) and Div 2 and there is not a forward at Ewood now who had his mercurial talent.

Can't argue that Wilson was a superb full-back and Hunter was clearly destined for better things once we dropped into the Third Division.  Parkes was still a forward at the start of 71-72 and made the switch during the course of the season.  Loved Rogers, a real maverick - bit like Fergie - but whose career simply fizzled out.  Agree that we have nobody with a tenth of his talent today.

[Mercer]

1 hour ago, Parsonblue said:

Can't argue that Wilson was a superb full-back and Hunter was clearly destined for better things once we dropped into the Third Division.  Parkes was still a forward at the start of 71-72 and made the switch during the course of the season.  Loved Rogers, a real maverick - bit like Fergie - but whose career simply fizzled out.  Agree that we have nobody with a tenth of his talent today.

One of the tragedies is that we got relegated in 1971 with some of the players we had!

Quigley should have been moved upstairs and replaced with a young dynamic manager (not a has been like Carey) who would have got much more out of the players we had. 

Quigley was an enigma in that I believe he did have an eye for a player - okay, he signed one or two duffers - and that's how he should have been used; the likes of Roger Jones, Allan Hunter, Barrie Hole, Ken Knighton, Jimmy Kerr (his career ending injury was a tragedy), Don Martin and even Tony Parkes were top, top signings and let's not forget, Rovers did not throw the cheque book about in those days. 

[Mercer]

1 hour ago, jim mk2 said:

 

Billy Wilson ended up playing in midfield for Portsmouth. Remember his debut for Rovers - Mike England passed the ball to him from the kick-off to settle his nerves and Wilson promptly miskicked it into touch. He got better after that. Good player. 

He was.  Think he clocked up 50+ appearances in old Div 1 (now PL) and was still some years less than 30 when he left Rovers.  Pretty sure was he was also capped at England U21/23 level and in those days was no mean feat.

[bazza]

2 hours ago, Mercer said:

 

As for Rogers, he'd become hacked off with the mismanagement of Quigley and Carey and didn't fancy Div 3.  Don't forget, he was only about 25 when he left Rovers - sadly at his new club he picked up a couple of really bad injuries and I think he retired from football before he was 30.  However, he delivered in both Div 1 (PL) and Div 2 and there is not a forward at Ewood now who had his mercurial talent.

And, sadly, he has never wanted to be reminded of it. He totally abandoned the game and his involvement in it.

[Leonard Venkhater]

15 minutes ago, Mercer said:

One of the tragedies is that we got relegated in 1971 with some of the players we had!

Quigley should have been moved upstairs and replaced with a young dynamic manager (not a has been like Carey) who would have got much more out of the players we had. 

Quigley was an enigma in that I believe he did have an eye for a player - okay, he signed one or two duffers - and that's how he should have been used; the likes of Roger Jones, Allan Hunter, Barrie Hole, Ken Knighton, Jimmy Kerr (his career ending injury was a tragedy), Don Martin and even Tony Parkes were top, top signings and let's not forget, Rovers did not throw the cheque book about in those days. 

My recollection is that we went down with a whimper in '71. That squad had over 12 months of poor form after a terrible nosedive from Christmas 1969.

[4000Holes]

23 minutes ago, Mercer said:

He was.  Think he clocked up 50+ appearances in old Div 1 (now PL) and was still some years less than 30 when he left Rovers.  Pretty sure was he was also capped at England U21/23 level and in those days was no mean feat.

Hi Mercer

when did Kevin Hird and John Bailly appear on the scene?  Was that our div 3 days or had we got back to div 2.

[RevidgeBlue]

Just now, 4000Holes said:

Hi Mercer

when did Kevin Hird and John Bailly appear on the scene?  Was that our div 3 days or had we got back to div 2.

Not directed at me so apologies for butting in but from memory they surfaced in 76 when we were in div2.

[rigger]

Just now, 4000Holes said:

Hi Mercer

when did Kevin Hird and John Bailly appear on the scene?  Was that our div 3 days or had we got back to div 2.

John Bailey used to play snooker for the Sportsmans arms, Four lanes end, mid to late seventies.

[Snowman54]

Dont know if already mentioned but SKY Sports are showing this game LIVE

[Mercer]

From recollection, Hird and Bailey came to the fore under Jim Smith's reign which began in 1975 after we'd just been promoted from the old Third Division under Gordon Lee.

Jim converted Hird from midfield to right full back with Bailey playing left full back.  Both lads liked to storm forward, often with good effect given their pace.  Hird was very skilful and tricky, a good reader of the game, whilst Bailey was a typical scouser, confident and ebullient.  Some of the football under Jim was great to watch, although kamikaze at times but they were good times with some great memories.  No memory better under Jim than Boxing Day 1977 at 'The Turf' where we won 3-2 having torn them to shreds in the first half leading 3-0 - we then contrived to miss a penalty but hung on in the end with at least 10,000 Rovers' fans on that day.  Anyone remember Keith Fear....................wow, what a debut - don't think anyone knew Rovers had even signed him until he ran out. 

[RevidgeBlue]

In those days the managers had to walk across the pitch to get to the respective dug outs. The ovation the "Bald Eagle" received from the travelling support in one half of the Longsight that day before the game made the hairs on the back of your neck stand on end.

Ironically think it was also Fear who missed a penalty to make it 4-0 Just after HT which sparked a mini Burnley revival back to 2-2.

[jim mk2]

Yes. I liked Jim Smith. Went on to manage Birmingham and Oxford, where he performed great feats. Met him once - very honest and straightforward. Jim also brought with him from Lincolnshire a certain Simon Garner - think I saw his debut away to Fulham too where he scored the winner. Might be wrong on that though. 

[Uddersfelt Blue]

1 hour ago, rigger said:

John Bailey used to play snooker for the Sportsmans arms, Four lanes end, mid to late seventies.

Aye, he used to lodge in Rhodes Avenue so the Sportsmans was his local. Bails used to pop in on a Friday evening for half a Guinness (not sure he would be able to do that now on the night before a game). He wasn't as good at snooker as he was at football. What a character and cracking player. 

[Claytons Left Boot]

I worked at Ewood in the summer of 1974, painting the crush barriers, touching up the advertising hoardings and other such tasks. We had plenty of time to chat to the groundsmen and others who worked for the club. We never really saw the first teamers (unless my memory is playing tricks) but the reserves/youth players were around. John Bailey was a real character, telling jokes and larking around, a proper scouser. Not long after he broke in to the first team and never looked back.

[rigger]

3 hours ago, Uddersfelt Blue said:

Aye, he used to lodge in Rhodes Avenue so the Sportsmans was his local. Bails used to pop in on a Friday evening for half a Guinness (not sure he would be able to do that now on the night before a game). He wasn't as good at snooker as he was at football. What a character and cracking player. 

I lived on Rhodes Ave for some time, and frequented the sportsmans.

[Mattyblue]

As did I!