[Archived] Premier League World: Bellamy Special

[Butty]

Just caught up on this on sky on demand. Half an hour programme on Bellamy's career in the prem. His time at Rovers doesn't get a particularly long mention but there's an interview with Sparky about him. As much as he was a controversial character that made me like him more, he's the best striker that's played for us in my lifetime even if it was only for one season. I was born in 1996 so never got too see Shearer live! The programme is worth a watch I'd say if you're a fan of the guy. 

[frosty]

Bellamy was superb in that one season for us, I'm with you in saying that he's the best striker I've seen for us - I never saw Shearer either unfortunately.

What was his release clause in his contract here, £6m was it? It was a bargain back then for Liverpool but even more so when you compare it to today's market, players with a fraction of Bellamy's talent going for £15m+. 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

I go back a long, long way but  talking in Premier League terms Bellamy just about shades the " Best Striker Apart From Shearer " award for me. 

Matt Jansen was really great, could have been an all time legend but for the bike accident. Andy Cole, a terrific finisher. McCarthy, could be a real handful on his day, Chris Sutton, probably the best all round footballer of the lot, Santa Cruz, terrific for us in his first spell.

Having said all that Bellamy had the " X " factor for me. He could make a goal out of nothing and no ball in his direction was ever a bad pass. He had pace to burn and for a small guy he wasn't easily knocked off the ball. He didn't suffer fools gladly but he'd run until he dropped for the team.

[Batman.]

He was a great player, but I'd put Sutton in at number 2 just ahead of him. Aside from the Championship winning season, he was phenomenal in the Tony Parkes survival season, even better in the Hodgson "title challenge until March" season, and would have kept us up had he been fit for even half of the following season.

Think his overall career beats that of Bellamy's, in terms of success and the esteem in which he's held at the clubs his played for. Saying that, maybe I could be swayed by a quick look at some of those goals Bellamy got us during that season.

Talking of incredible individual performances, the one from Bellamy that stands out was Boro at home. We were down to 10 men, as Savage got sent off. Bellamy scored a great goal that he had no right to score, and played like a man twice his height with twice his limbs in order to fight us to a 3-2 win. He got two goals in that game.

It's a shame we don't have fans that are good at making players feel special and loved, as if we'd have kept Bellamy and paired him with the following season's McCarthy, we'd have had a cracking time.

The reason I say that about Bellamy is that he always gave the impression he was doing us a favour by being here. If we could have humbled him a bit, maybe he'd habe stayed. I think we always felt a bit small time to him.

[AllRoverAsia]

We got a great season out of Bellamy but I too felt that he thought we were beneath him and just a stepping stone.

In reality Rovers gave him the platform to resurrect his career which had been badly blighted by his behaviour at NUFC forcing him into his Celtic sabbatical.

Nevertheless he never gave us less than his all.

My money would have been on Shearer in  head to head in a fair fight in the days before he became 'The Nutter with the Putter'.

[Mattyblue]

I was at Portsmouth away, ran them ragged and slammed in a couple of crackers.

His type seem a dying breed, today's players largely just don't seem to have that edge to them.

[Batman.]

3 minutes ago, Mattyblue said:

I was at Portsmouth away, ran them ragged and slammed in a couple of crackers.

His type seem a dying breed, today's players largely just don't seem to have that edge to them.

Yes. Him and Dickov up top must have been a nightmare to play against.

Also Bellamy provided me with one of my all time favourite Rovers related headline, when he was ruled out with a hamstring injury...

"Hughes suffers Bell blow."

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Just now, Batman. said:

He was a great player, but I'd put Sutton in at number 2 just ahead of him. Aside from the Championship winning season, he was phenomenal in the Tony Parkes survival season, even better in the Hodgson "title challenge until March" season, and would have kept us up had he been fit for even half of the following season.

Think his overall career beats that of Bellamy's, in terms of success and the esteem in which he's held at the clubs his played for. Saying that, maybe I could be swayed by a quick look at some of those goals Bellamy got us during that season.

Talking of incredible individual performances, the one from Bellamy that stands out was Boro at home. We were down to 10 men, as Savage got sent off. Bellamy scored a great goal that he had no right to score, and played like a man twice his height with twice his limbs in order to fight us to a 3-2 win. He got two goals in that game.

It's a shame we don't have fans that are good at making players feel special and loved, as if we'd have kept Bellamy and paired him with the following season's McCarthy, we'd have had a cracking time.

The reason I say that about Bellamy is that he always gave the impression he was doing us a favour by being here. If we could have humbled him a bit, maybe he'd habe stayed. I think we always felt a bit small time to him.

I'm not sure that Bellamy would have got on with McCarthy.

[Batman.]

1 hour ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

I'm not sure that Bellamy would have got on with McCarthy.

Even better!!!

[JacknOry]

13 hours ago, AllRoverAsia said:

We got a great season out of Bellamy but I too felt that he thought we were beneath him and just a stepping stone.

In reality Rovers gave him the platform to resurrect his career which had been badly blighted by his behaviour at NUFC forcing him into his Celtic sabbatical.

Nevertheless he never gave us less than his all.

My money would have been on Shearer in  head to head in a fair fight in the days before he became 'The Nutter with the Putter'.

McCarthy who came after him was the same as well. One good season and some alleged interest from Chelsea and he was not the same again.

[joey_big_nose]

Bellamy to me was a similar player to Henry, if not quite as good. Extremely quick, very skillful, a strong passer, and could score from anywhere. If his temperament was better he could have been a top European player. Its a real shame he won so little in his career, but he only has himself to blame.

Best striker after shearer for me. On his day utterly unplayable - that performance against Boro was ridiculous.

[joey_big_nose]

14 hours ago, Batman. said:

He was a great player, but I'd put Sutton in at number 2 just ahead of him. Aside from the Championship winning season, he was phenomenal in the Tony Parkes survival season, even better in the Hodgson "title challenge until March" season, and would have kept us up had he been fit for even half of the following season.

Think his overall career beats that of Bellamy's, in terms of success and the esteem in which he's held at the clubs his played for. Saying that, maybe I could be swayed by a quick look at some of those goals Bellamy got us during that season.

Talking of incredible individual performances, the one from Bellamy that stands out was Boro at home. We were down to 10 men, as Savage got sent off. Bellamy scored a great goal that he had no right to score, and played like a man twice his height with twice his limbs in order to fight us to a 3-2 win. He got two goals in that game.

It's a shame we don't have fans that are good at making players feel special and loved, as if we'd have kept Bellamy and paired him with the following season's McCarthy, we'd have had a cracking time.

The reason I say that about Bellamy is that he always gave the impression he was doing us a favour by being here. If we could have humbled him a bit, maybe he'd habe stayed. I think we always felt a bit small time to him.

I think McCarthy was signed specifically to play with Bellamy. Hughes was quoted as saying so at some point.

They would have been a cracking partnership.

[Batman.]

8 hours ago, joey_big_nose said:

I think McCarthy was signed specifically to play with Bellamy. Hughes was quoted as saying so at some point.

They would have been a cracking partnership.

McCarthy definitely signed after Bellamy left.

I think I rememver the story of Bellamy signing being something along the lines of Hughes meeting him at a wedding and asking him to come for a year, have a good season and then leave for a bigger club.

I mean, we even put in a release clause to sell him for the same fee that we bought him for, which is unheard of for a player of that ability.

I think he did everything to ensure he wouldn't get trapped at Rovers.

[roverandout]

For me shefki kuqi and ashley ward rank higher

[Mike E]

58 minutes ago, Batman. said:

McCarthy definitely signed after Bellamy left.

I think I rememver the story of Bellamy signing being something along the lines of Hughes meeting him at a wedding and asking him to come for a year, have a good season and then leave for a bigger club.

I mean, we even put in a release clause to sell him for the same fee that we bought him for, which is unheard of for a player of that ability.

I think he did everything to ensure he wouldn't get trapped at Rovers.

Might even be the reason he was so awesome; a year-long shop window.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Just now, roverandout said:

For me shefki kuqi and ashley ward rank higher

Mm, are you sure you meant " rank higher " ? I suspect a miss spelling there.  I did like Kuqi 's effort and willingness to work for the team.

Ashley Ward - how he ever became a footballer I'll never know.

[jim mk2]

Ashley used the millions he made from football to become a property developer and now lives in a £15m "footballers' wives" type home. 

Clever lad. 

Bellamy was a fantastic player for us, and Mark Hughes was an excellent manager. Brickbats to the idiots in the boardroom who stifled his ambitions for the club.