Tommie Hoban

[neophox]

Why did we not sign this proper centre back in january window? Think he was very good When he was here.

[roversfan99]

I'd have to disagree. He was constantly injured and has been throughout his career. He was at best average with some shockers in there, notably v Barnsley at home.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

He has had a lot of injuries since he left Ewood. We've already got centre halves who are not strangers to the treatment table. When I played if you kicked the opponents centre half you'd hurt your foot. Real centre halves are born and not made.

[tomphil]

I was never that impressed with him tbh although bad luck with injury but even on a good day he was best of a very bad bunch.

Edited February 4, 2019 by tomphil

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

1 hour ago, OnePhilT said:

What level of football did you make it to, if you don't mind me asking?

Manchester Industrial League Div 1 at 17. It was a tough league, lot's of guys playing that had been pros at various levels. The standards you had to be at regarding facilities were pretty high. You had to have a fully enclosed ground for instance. Some grounds had stands. One of the grounds in the league ( Manchester Ship Canal I think ) was used by Brazil as a training ground in the 1966 World Cup. Most of our opponents were large manufacturing companies that no longer exist. I think the league no longer exists either.

The centre halves in that league were pretty hard lads. You didn't antagonise them unless you wanted a battle. I was just looking at going to Bacup Borough were a couple of my pals were already playing and had got Borough interested in me when one of the big clumsy centre halves broke my leg. I played again after that but when I broke it for the second time I called it a day with serious football. I played in " fun " matches after that but the spark had gone.

A case of what might have been really, but plenty of players can say that.