Greatest player for a Lancashire club.

[AggyBlue]

5 hours ago, AllRoverAsia said:

My Dad was Rovers through and through but always said Tom Finney was the best complete footballer he had ever seen play live. He said Finney could have played in any position. Best I've seen play live in ''Lancs Traditional'' is Bryan Douglas.

Best footballer I've ever seen play live was Best.

Exactly the same.

[AggyBlue]

4 hours ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

Wow, you saw Best live. What was the game? 

I was at Wembley for the European Cup Final

[Mike E]

Bob Crompton. Best ever. Bar none.

[Stuart]

Surely...

Proper Lancashire = Cristiano Ronaldo

Pretend Lancashire = Sir Stanley Matthews

?

Or are we just talking about favourite players?

[AllRoverAsia]

10 hours ago, Bigdoggsteel said:

Class. A brilliant time to have been able to watch games like that live. I'd say a few of the tackles that went in then, would be instant red cards now ?

Burnley, for sure, never laid a foot on George. Lol.

[AllRoverAsia]

4 hours ago, Stuart said:

Surely...

Proper Lancashire = Cristiano Ronaldo

Pretend Lancashire = Sir Stanley Matthews

?

Or are we just talking about favourite players?

Sir Stanley was a one position genius.

Sir Tom could do magic all across the pitch.

(Sir) Bryan was ours and also a genius.

Ronaldo was very good in his time at MU but not as yet the finished article and nowhere near as good as Best, comparing their times in 'Proper Lancs'

Everything I've heard or read about Bob Crompton point to him being the superstar of his time.

Edited August 2, 2019 by AllRoverAsia
typo

[Oldgregg86]

11 hours ago, AggyBlue said:

I was at Wembley for the European Cup Final

You going tomorrow pal. 

[oldjamfan1]

3 hours ago, Stuart said:

Surely...

Proper Lancashire = Cristiano Ronaldo

Pretend Lancashire = Sir Stanley Matthews

?

Or are we just talking about favourite players?

I would agree on the Ronaldo part of it certainly Stuart, a good shout that and I was guilty of not even considering him. 

I never saw Matthews but my dad said Finney and Douglas were better than him and that’s good enough for me.

[AllRoverAsia]

11 hours ago, AggyBlue said:

I was at Wembley for the European Cup Final

You lucky, lucky man.

[oldjamfan1]

12 hours ago, AggyBlue said:

I was at Wembley for the European Cup Final

So was I but mine was in 1978. Little did I know then that two of that Liverpool side would go on to win things as manager of The Rovers 

[Stuart]

Just now, oldjamfan1 said:

I would agree on the Ronaldo part of it certainly Stuart, a good shout that and I was guilty of not even considering him. 

I never saw Matthews but my dad said Finney and Douglas were better than him and that’s good enough for me.

That’s some praise indeed. Matthews won an FA Cup Final on his own. Not to disrespect your dad but blue-and-white goggles on the Dougie part?

[AggyBlue]

Just now, AllRoverAsia said:

You lucky, lucky man.

I was eleven and all my mates at school in Chorley were jealous, most were Utd fans.

I tried to be a Utd fan after but soon realised I couldn't. Ha ha.

[AllRoverAsia]

Just now, AggyBlue said:

I was eleven and all my mates at school in Chorley were jealous, most were Utd fans.

I tried to be a Utd fan after but soon realised I couldn't. Ha ha.

I watched it on B&W TV with my Dad, a great game.

You got to see Bobby Charlton, live, scoring with a header! That's a collector's item.

I remember jumping up and down in front of the Telly when Best waltzed through and scored.

Some memories (note the "tackles" on Best early on): 

 

[oldjamfan1]

7 hours ago, Stuart said:

That’s some praise indeed. Matthews won an FA Cup Final on his own. Not to disrespect your dad but blue-and-white goggles on the Dougie part?

So did Steven Gerrard ?

[Exiled in Toronto]

On 01/08/2019 at 11:19, Bigdoggsteel said:

Wow, you saw Best live. What was the game? 

We played United in a friendly at Ewood in 1970 I think. I remember Charlton and Best playing, not sure about Law, Stiles and the rest.

[Waggy76]

13 hours ago, oldjamfan1 said:

I would agree on the Ronaldo part of it certainly Stuart, a good shout that and I was guilty of not even considering him. 

I never saw Matthews but my dad said Finney and Douglas were better than him and that’s good enough for me.

So did mine , Finney could play anywhere right wing , left wing and centre forward ...

[LWX]

On 01/08/2019 at 20:32, Vinjay17 said:

Marketing. 

I'm not talking about what it said on the scarf, I'm talkig about my gran's reaction to it as regards to what she considered to be Lancashire.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

On 01/08/2019 at 15:51, AllRoverAsia said:

My Dad was Rovers through and through but always said Tom Finney was the best complete footballer he had ever seen play live. He said Finney could have played in any position. Best I've seen play live in ''Lancs Traditional'' is Bryan Douglas.

Best footballer I've ever seen play live was Best.

I saw all of them play as well and your dad was right. 

An old time Rovers fan told me about a Central League game at Ewood when the reserves were playing Utd and very young Best was playing inside right for Utd. They kicked off at half time and their centre forward passed the ball to Best who just dribbled past most of the Rovers team and slotted it straight past our keeper, turned on his heel and walked back to the centre circle.

Apparently their centre forward had blasted Best at half time for being greedy and not passing to various team mates. He said " You think you can beat the whole bloody team and you can't ! "

Best said " When we kick off this half just give me the ball ".

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

On 01/08/2019 at 20:20, Bigdoggsteel said:

Class. A brilliant time to have been able to watch games like that live. I'd say a few of the tackles that went in then, would be instant red cards now ?

In those days you stayed on your feet at all costs. If somebody hurt you you did your level best not to show it. All this diving and play acting makes me tired.

[ossyian]

Best footballer I have seen live in Lancashire was Best closely followed by Bobby Charlton and Denis Law. All different types I know. England have been shite since Charlton was subbed at half time against W Germany Mexico 70 to save him for the semi final! That went swimmingly well ??. He was that important to us at age 32. He was my hero though as a kid so could do no wrong in my eyes

[DeeCee]

Been thinking about this, it's all subjective, I saw Best etc so when I was young, seen Ronaldo etc when I was older, passionate and dedicated to football, nowadays I'm objective and different players come to mind.

Or is that just me ?

Good thread!

 

[joey_big_nose]

On 02/08/2019 at 10:22, AllRoverAsia said:

I watched it on B&W TV with my Dad, a great game.

You got to see Bobby Charlton, live, scoring with a header! That's a collector's item.

I remember jumping up and down in front of the Telly when Best waltzed through and scored.

Some memories (note the "tackles" on Best early on): 

 

Tin hat on, but watching back these videos it's pretty obvious to me even modest Champions League players today are considerable technically better than the top players 50 years ago. Indeed, much as it pains me to say it, there has been a huge general improvement in the technical quality of football in the 20 years since Rovers won the league.

It's seems pretty daft to me to suggest Best was a better player than Ronaldo, but there you go. Just my opinion. 

[AllRoverAsia]

Just now, joey_big_nose said:

Tin hat on, but watching back these videos it's pretty obvious to me even modest Champions League players today are considerable technically better than the top players 50 years ago. Indeed, much as it pains me to say it, there has been a huge general improvement in the technical quality of football in the 20 years since Rovers won the league.

It's seems pretty daft to me to suggest Best was a better player than Ronaldo, but there you go. Just my opinion. 

I sort of still judge Best on his natural ability, same with the others I've mentioned in this thread.

You can only judge players in the context of the eras they played.

If George Best was playing today (and off the booze) he would be rated alongside Messi and Ronaldo. In past eras alongside Pele and Maradona. Bryan Douglas would fetch 100 million today, Finney probably more. The cream always rises and they were that good.

 

Edited August 4, 2019 by AllRoverAsia

[joey_big_nose]

Just now, AllRoverAsia said:

I sort of still judge Best on his natural ability, same with the others I've mentioned in this thread.

You can only judge players in the context of the eras they played.

If George Best was playing today (and off the booze) he would be rated alongside Messi and Ronaldo. In past eras alongside Pele and Maradona. Bryan Douglas would fetch 100 million today, Finney probably more. The cream always rises and they were that good.

 

Maybe I suppose, but it's speculative.

The fact is the general technical quality of the game today is vastly higher. I'm not saying it more exciting or worthwhile or anything, just that the skill is much improved. Ronaldo and Messi are absolutely extraordinary against other elite athletes from round the world funnelled through the best sports science etc etc. Its a totally different level I'd say.

[DeeCee]

The fitness level difference is incredible