Your best 5 and worst 5 Rovers games!

[Dreyski]

Losing 2-1 at home to an already relegated Nottingham Forest crushed me.

Battering Crewe but losing the following season.

[Husky]

Best ever.

Rovers 2-1 Spuds (Worthington Cup)

 

Worst ever.

Rovers 0-1 Bournemouth (Championship)

 

It's actually hard to chose others as some memories of games fade and other newer ones take over etc.

[The Mighty Chaffinch]

1-0 v Newcastle in 95, possibly the reason why I've looked older than I am for many years...thankfully fitbits with heart rate monitors were about 15 years from invention 

5-0 v Villa in 1998, 3 for Gallacher and I seem to remember even Ripley got in on the action. Savo Milosevic spitting at the Villa fans

1-0 v Liverpool, Tugay putting Gerrard on his arse

2-1 at Bolton with Roberts scoring a Weahesque winner in the last minute. Legging it back to Horwich Parkway and jumping on the train to find plenty of home fans thinking the game had finished 1-1

3-2 v Wolves in 2011, feels wrong including a game with the clueless one in charge, however the first 45 minutes and the atmosphere in the Steve Bull stand...the surreal sight of both teams downing tools with a few minutes to go!

The worst:

0-3 v Everton, Flitcroft's very short-lived debut as Kanchelskis tore us a new one 

0-1 v Bolton circa 2005, 2 missed penalties, frustration personified 

1-2 v Bolton in 2012, the atmosphere, the realisation that we were probably doomed, Nigel Rep-Coker scoring...the pits 

0-3 v Wigan (twice), under Coyle and Ince. Poisonous atmospheres at both, schoolboy defending ditto (although that might be an insult to schoolboys!)

[old darwen blue]

Apart from when we lost to b***ley for the first time in decades the worst game has to be at Selhurst Park in 89. 

Another candidate for worst was the next home game after we lost Sir Jack, Norwich City? No one would leave the Blackburn End after the game we were still singing Jacks name and it took Souness to come out to get us to leave the ground. The whole afternoon was just surreal. 

I know it wasn’t a proper game but anyone remember that night when the ground was opened up for free and we paraded the premier league trophy? I swear there must have been 35-36,000 on Ewood that night, there were a hell of a lot more people on than seats! 

I took my beers to my seat on the Riverside and got merrily pissed. Which was nice.  

[AJW]

Best 

Liverpool 2-1 Rovers

Burnley 1-2 Rovers

Rovers 5-0 Burnley

Rovers 2-1 Spurs (cup final)

Rover 5-4 Cystal Palace

Worse , don't tend to stick in my mind much but ...

Defeats by  Burnley 

 Utd hammered by 7 once

peterbrough putting 4 past us at home 

and Coventry away in the snow think we lost. That by 5 

[DraytonRover]

Best

Roves 3 Charlton 1 74/75 season - first game after being taken to several Lancashire grounds by my Dad. Guess it was the kit!!

Rovers 7 Norwich 1 - memorable for my Dad's comment at half-time about Shearer "alright he'll do" - this after not being convinced he was worth signing!!

Bury 1 Rovers 2 79/80 - watching the terrace roof moving as '000's of Rovers sang "10,9,8 more minutes to go and we'll be in the 2nd"

Burnley 2 Rovers 3 - standing on the Bee Hole End at Burnley trying to look miserable (just pips the 2-0 in 2000)

Rover 2 Man Utd 0 93/94 - watching Pallister panic as the ball sailed over his head and Shearer smashed it past Schmeichel

(Sorry I know this makes 6 but couldn't leave this one out!) Rovers 4 Derby 2 - play-offs. Best performance I've seen 'pound-for-pound' by a Rovers team. Worked with Derby fans at the time who were honest enough to admit that 4-2 flattered them and it could have been 6 or 7 easily

Worst

Palace away play-off final 2nd leg - nuff said (and our car got clamped by the Met!)

Chelsea FA Cup SF - Pederson's miss and thinking that might be nearest I get to a Rovers FA Cup final

Preston 1 Swansea 3 - couldn't get to Bristol!

Rovers 0 Wigan 1 - watching Jack's dream being trashed

Rovers 0 Stoke 2  2010 - only 2nd game I've ever taken my Stoke-born wife to!! Still haven't heard the last of it :-)

 

[Bigdoggsteel]

1 hour ago, DraytonRover said:

Best

Roves 3 Charlton 1 74/75 season - first game after being taken to several Lancashire grounds by my Dad. Guess it was the kit!!

Rovers 7 Norwich 1 - memorable for my Dad's comment at half-time about Shearer "alright he'll do" - this after not being convinced he was worth signing!!

Bury 1 Rovers 2 79/80 - watching the terrace roof moving as '000's of Rovers sang "10,9,8 more minutes to go and we'll be in the 2nd"

Burnley 2 Rovers 3 - standing on the Bee Hole End at Burnley trying to look miserable (just pips the 2-0 in 2000)

Rover 2 Man Utd 0 93/94 - watching Pallister panic as the ball sailed over his head and Shearer smashed it past Schmeichel

(Sorry I know this makes 6 but couldn't leave this one out!) Rovers 4 Derby 2 - play-offs. Best performance I've seen 'pound-for-pound' by a Rovers team. Worked with Derby fans at the time who were honest enough to admit that 4-2 flattered them and it could have been 6 or 7 easily

Worst

Palace away play-off final 2nd leg - nuff said (and our car got clamped by the Met!)

Chelsea FA Cup SF - Pederson's miss and thinking that might be nearest I get to a Rovers FA Cup final

Preston 1 Swansea 3 - couldn't get to Bristol!

Rovers 0 Wigan 1 - watching Jack's dream being trashed

Rovers 0 Stoke 2  2010 - only 2nd game I've ever taken my Stoke-born wife to!! Still haven't heard the last of it :-)

 

it would be funny if there was a message board from back then and we could see the comments.  "Not sure about this Shearer guy.." "waste of money!" 

Edited January 23, 2019 by Bigdoggsteel

[tomphil]

That would've been exactly some of the comments because he replaced Speedie ?

[oldjamfan1]

I suppose it depends what you mean by 'best' games - I have many memorable ones that might not necessarily have been the best game (Exhibit A was the Full Member's Cup Final, a turgid game but my God what a day!).

So I think I will have two lists if that is okay?

List 1 - Most memorable, though not necessarily the best/worst games:

Good

Charlton 0, Rovers 1. 29th March 1987 - Full Members Cup Final. The first time I had ever seen Rovers play at Wembley and to top it off, one of my mates was playing (or to be more accurate, came on as a sub). I cried when we lifted that trophy.

Rovers 1, Leicester 0, 25th May 1992 - Second Division play-off final. The polar opposite of Selhurst Park 1989, including George Courtney giving us one dodgy penalty and one nailed on one as well. Many of us had waited such a long time for this. Ee aye ee aye ee aye oh!!

Liverpool 2, Rovers 1, 14th May 1995. Premiership (or whatever it was called at the time).  I know we lost the game but WHAT. A. DAY!! Capped off by witnessing two scousers knock fook out of each other in a pub after the game.  

Rovers 5 (FIVE) Burnley 0, 1st April 2001. Championship (or whatever it was called at the time). I still have the t shirt.

Spurs 1 Rovers 2, 24th February 2002. Worthington Cup Final. There's still a part of me wishes the final had been at Wembley, but what a fantastic day and Mark Hughes at the age of about 57 was awesome in the middle of the park that day. Wonderful stuff!

Bad

Crystal Palace 3, Rovers 0, 3rd June 1989. Second leg of the Second Division play-off final. Having won the first leg 3-1 at Ewood (and crucially missed a late penalty to boot), Rovers fans were confident that this was to be our year. It wasn't. And I still can't listen to Glad All fooking Over to this day. I was on the train and you could hear a pin drop all the way back to Lancashire, I felt as though my house had been burgled. The irony of Palace away being our first fixture back in the top division three years later wasn't lost on any of us that were there on both occasions.

Celtic 1 Rovers 0, 31st October 2002, UEFA Cup. I was married into a Celtic-supporting family and my sons have season tickets at Celtic Park and Ewood so it was a big tie for me. Rovers actually played Celtic off the park that night, but Super Henrik popped up with a late winner, as he so often did. I was gutted (I was also sat with 3 Rovers mates in the Celtic end...)

Rovers 0, Celtic 2, 14th November 2002, UEFA Cup. I still fancied us to knock Celtic out but frankly we didn't turn up in the second leg, and Larsson (again) and a returning Chris Sutton made the next fortnight at home and work a misery for me. Even the Rangers fans I worked with were giving me stick.

Chelsea 2, Rovers 1, 15th April 2007. FA Cup Semi Final. Morten Gamst Pederson. Normally a decent header of a ball but missed a far post sitter late in the game to win it and send us to Wembley. Instead it went to extra time and Michael Ballack gave us all a kick in the Ballacks by firing the winner for Chelski. We lost plenty of other semi finals during that period but I remember being really gutted by this particular loss.

Rovers 0 Wigan 1 7th May 2012. Premier League. The game that relegated us under K**n. There was more than one chicken on the Ewood Park pitch that night. Unlike the previous relegation in 1999 I think we all knew that it would likely be a long way back for us from there. Horrific.

List 2 - Best/worst performances

Best

Oldham 2 Rovers 3, December 26th 1973, Third Division. My first away game and Rovers, resplendent in black and red stripes, came back from 1-0 and 2-1 deficits to win with goals from John O'Mara, Tony Field and Kit Napier. I was a happy 9 year old!!!

Rovers 5 Plymouth 2, 15th February 1975, Third Division. Plenty of other people will also be picking this one. A classic game with Rovers coming back from 0-2 down against our nearest promotion rivals. 

Rovers 5 Crystal  Palace 4, 8th October 1988, Second Division. Rovers emerged victorious against the team that would ultimately break our hearts thanks to a last gasp winner from (I think) big Col. I remember walking up Cravens Brow after the game and one old fella said "Eee, I won't even care if t'wife hasn't me tea ready when I get in after that!"

Rovers 4 Man City 0, 15th April 1989 Second Division. The day Simon Garner broke the club goalscoring record, though overshadowed by events elsewhere that day (Hillsborough). You remember odd things at times - that day was a trial for TV cameras on little tracks along the side of the pitch.

Rovers 4 Derby County 2, 10th May 1992. Second Division Play Off Semi Final First Leg. 2-0 down after less than 15 minutes and we all thought "Here we go again"..a couple of blokes near us actually walked off at that point. However, Scottie Sellars , Mike Newell and David Speedie dragged us back into the game and we actually ran out comfortable winners. Newell's goal in particular was a belter.

Worst

Pick any 5 from K**n's reign.

Edited January 23, 2019 by oldjamfan1

[speeeeeeedie]

Good topic.

My regular Rovers watching was from 1990-2000. Since then I've been living abroad so only get to sporadic games, or TV.

I don't have a favourite, but have some memorable ones, all of which have already been mentioned.

2 that haven't are Rovers 2-0 Oldham spring 1990 or 91. Oldham were on their way up, Rovers were scrapping down at the bottom. Steve Livingstone bagged 1 if I remember, and Rovers played Oldham off the park. Both sets of fans left happy as it essentially kept Rovers up, yet didn't hurt Oldham's promotion charge.

Wigan 0-3 Rovers. NYE 2005. Reid's thunderbolt. MGP's finish from a tight angle. 5,000 away fans. A great day out. 

I agree with many of the bad ones too. Three Wigan games (Kean, Ince, Coyle), and losing to Bolton at home under Kean left me with particularly awful feelings. 

A few others;

The 0-0 against Man U at Ewood in 1999 that confirmed relegation. Ashley Ward missed a hat full of chances. Man U were coasting as they had bigger fish to fry. They were there for the taking.

Rovers 1-2 Ipswich. Early 1991-92 season. It may have been Don Mackay's last game. If not, it wasn't far off. Rovers were woeful, the crowd was flat. Chris Kiwomya scored for Ipswich. I have a weird memory of the tannoy announcer calling him Chris Kiwomski. Anyone else?

Rovers 0-1 Crewe Alex. 1999-2000. A horrible game. Losing at home to Crewe. A typical post relegation reality check.

 

 

 

Edited January 23, 2019 by speeeeeeedie

[Neil Weaver]

12 hours ago, old darwen blue said:

I know it wasn’t a proper game but anyone remember that night when the ground was opened up for free and we paraded the premier league trophy? I swear there must have been 35-36,000 on Ewood that night, there were a hell of a lot more people on than seats!

Certainly do.  Travelled over the hills and got to Ewood well before the start of the festivities but got turned away - already full.  So went up to The Manxman and watched from there.

 

1 hour ago, oldjamfan1 said:

 

Rovers 5 Crystal  Palace 4, 8th October 1988, Second Division. Rovers emerged victorious against the team that would ultimately break our hearts thanks to a last gasp winner from (I think) big Col. I remember walking up Cravens Brow after the game and one old fella said "Eee, I won't even care if t'wife hasn't me tea ready when I get in after that!"

Courtesy of a former poster on here.....

There are highlights from the 1989 play off game on Youtube but not posting those.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

2 hours ago, speeeeeeedie said:

 and the scoreGood topic.

My regular Rovers watching was from 1990-2000. Since then I've been living abroad so only get to sporadic games, or TV.

I don't have a favourite, but have some memorable ones, all of which have already been mentioned.

2 that haven't are Rovers 2-0 Oldham spring 1990 or 91. Oldham were on their way up, Rovers were scrapping down at the bottom. Steve Livingstone bagged 1 if I remember, and Rovers played Oldham off the park. Both sets of fans left happy as it essentially kept Rovers up, yet didn't hurt Oldham's promotion charge.

Wigan 0-3 Rovers. NYE 2005. Reid's thunderbolt. MGP's finish from a tight angle. 5,000 away fans. A great day out. 

I agree with many of the bad ones too. Three Wigan games (Kean, Ince, Coyle), and losing to Bolton at home under Kean left me with particularly awful feelings. 

A few others;

The 0-0 against Man U at Ewood in 1999 that confirmed relegation. Ashley Ward missed a hat full of chances. Man U were coasting as they had bigger fish to fry. They were there for the taking.

Rovers 1-2 Ipswich. Early 1991-92 season. It may have been Don Mackay's last game. If not, it wasn't far off. Rovers were woeful, the crowd was flat. Chris Kiwomya scored for Ipswich. I have a weird memory of the tannoy announcer calling him Chris Kiwomski. Anyone else?

Rovers 0-1 Crewe Alex. 1999-2000. A horrible game. Losing at home to Crewe. A typical post relegation reality check.

 

 

 

Yeah I was at the Ipswich game. It was my youngest son's second game and he was still thrilled to be at Ewood in spite of the game and the score. I think Kiwomya scored both their goals and Speedie scored our goal right at the end as we were making our way up the steps  at the Blackburn End, but it was too little too late. If my memory serves me well Don got fired after that game. 

Edited January 23, 2019 by Tyrone Shoelaces

[LDRover]

I always remember a game at Elland Road in 1988. We were well into the 23 game unbeaten run and took a good 5000 fans packed in behind the goals. We went 2-0 down but played brilliantly to pull back level in the 2nd half (Hendry equaliser I think) The scenes when that equaliser went in will never leave me. Finished 2-2 and we nearly snatched a win with a Sellars 30 yarder only for Mervyn Day to make a worldie of a save.

Great times.

[Exiled in Toronto]

14 hours ago, oldjamfan1 said:

Oldham 2 Rovers 3, December 26th 1973, Third Division. My first away game and Rovers, resplendent in black and red stripes, came back from 1-0 and 2-1 deficits to win with goals from John O'Mara, Tony Field and Kit Napier. I was a happy 9 year old!!!

Excellent non-obvious choice. Late winner from Napier who intercepted a head down backpass and ran quite a distance on his own before slotting it in, not unlike Brothetston getting our third at t’turd on Boxing Day ‘77. I think Lockhead got both of theirs - a player who could never miss against us.

[Oldgregg86]

On 23/01/2019 at 11:48, Bigdoggsteel said:

it would be funny if there was a message board from back then and we could see the comments.  "Not sure about this Shearer guy.." "waste of money!" 

I'm sure his debut brace would have put an end to that pretty quickly 

[OJRovers]

Best games i've been to:

1992 play-off final v Leicester at Wembley

1993 7-1 v Norwich

1995 VE day v Newcastle

2000 Burnley 0 Rovers 2 (Burnley smash up their own town afterwards!)

2002 League Cup final v Tottenham in Cardiff

2018 Doncaster v Rovers

 

Don't want to think about the worst.....

 

[Hasta]

On 22/01/2019 at 22:50, The Mighty Chaffinch said:

0-1 v Bolton circa 2005, 2 missed penalties, frustration personified 

 

Forgot about that horror. That's been erased from my memory banks.

Whilst I don't view Bolton in the Burney / Preston rivalry bracket, I sat next to a Bolton fan at work around then and met him before and after the game. Horrible.

 

[arealbrfcfan]

The best

Vs Leeds 2018 2-1 - "After putting the tweet out, Leeds deserved it!"

Vs Newcastle United 1996 2-1 "Geordie & Weep

Vs Liverpool November 1997 3-0 "Sutty & Weep"

Vs Notts For  November 1996 7 - 0

Vs Man U  February 2006 - 4 - 3

 

The worst (no point linking..no one wants to see that)

Vs Man u 7-1 2010 - "What's that managers name? I want him fired after that.."

Vs Man City 5-0  January 2018 - F**k the cup!

Vs Preston 4-1 2018 - ewww

Vs Bolton ?? cant remember when but we lost and Taylor scored in the last minute? can anyone remember?

 

 

 

 

[Bigdoggsteel]

I attended the 7-1 away defeat to Arsenal under Kean with one Arsenal fan and one obnoxious United fan who reveled in the scoreline. A bad, bad day for me.  We were sitting in the Arsenal end and my United supporting mate took great joy in standing up, pointing at me and saying loudly "BLACKBURN FAN, WE'VE GOT A BLACKBURN FAN HERE". All I got were looks of pity from the Arsenal fans. An awful day...  

Edited January 24, 2019 by Bigdoggsteel

[speeeeeeedie]

47 minutes ago, starscascade said:

The best

Vs Man U  February 2006 - 4 - 3

 

It's been a while since I've watched those highlights. What a game. Imagine a team with Mickey Gray and Shefki Kuqi beating the likes of Ronaldo, van Horseface, Ferdinand and the like. Brilliant.

[Gone to seed]

That kit...(yay!), that team...(wow!) that crowd....(c'mon you BLUES!!), that result.... (get in!).

When shall we see the like again...? 

 

Soon. I hope in my heart, perhaps never again...says my more objective rational self..

38 minutes ago, speeeeeeedie said:

It's been a while since I've watched those highlights. What a game. Imagine a team with Mickey Gray and Shefki Kuqi beating the likes of Ronaldo, van Horseface, Ferdinand and the like. Brilliant.

 

[benhben]

Best - My first ever game at Ewood, about 10 years old, beating Nottingham Forest 7-0. Shearer got a hattrick and Le-Seaux hit a 30 yard screamer. What a first game! I also really enjoyed the last game last season v Oxford when we had the promotion party. Was great to feel the community supporting the club again. 27,000 fans. Local school kids parading round the pitch with flags. 

Worst. Probably either watching us on Sky losing to Wigan at home to confirm relegation from the prem. Went out without any fight or passion, and having to watch Steve Keans smug face at the end.  Or same season when there was a 3 games for 20 quid deal or something, watching us get beat at home by WBA and Bolton. No passion, care or ability. Horrible atmosphere in the ground. Steve Kean in the dugout. Not a good place to be. Didnt bother going to the third game. 

Edited January 24, 2019 by benhben

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

17 hours ago, benhben said:

Best - My first ever game at Ewood, about 10 years old, beating Nottingham Forest 7-0. Shearer got a hattrick and Le-Seaux hit a 30 yard screamer. What a first game! I also really enjoyed the last game last season v Oxford when we had the promotion party. Was great to feel the community supporting the club again. 27,000 fans. Local school kids parading round the pitch with flags. 

Worst. Probably either watching us on Sky losing to Wigan at home to confirm relegation from the prem. Went out without any fight or passion, and having to watch Steve Keans smug face at the end.  Or same season when there was a 3 games for 20 quid deal or something, watching us get beat at home by WBA and Bolton. No passion, care or ability. Horrible atmosphere in the ground. Steve Kean in the dugout. Not a good place to be. Didnt bother going to the third game. 

Yes that Wigan game was awful. we had nothing. What summed it for me was when we got a free kick out wide with about a minute to go to full time. Pedersen gets set to take it, everybody crowds into the penalty box, the ball has to go into the mixer, he puts the ball into row "  H " straight out of play ! Bloody unbelievable !

[SBlue]

I have fond memories of pasting West Ham 7-1 in 2001 and looking fantastic.

By the time we got back to @Biz‘s grandmas house Glenn Roeder has had a heart attack I believe, or am I making that up? Felt a bit guilty as I recall.

 

Edited January 25, 2019 by S8 & Blue

[frosty]

50 minutes ago, S8 & Blue said:

I have fond memories of pasting West Ham 7-1 in 2001 and looking fantastic.

Here's a 25 minute highlights video of that game on YouTube, it's well worth a watch from time to time. Some great goals and players on show.