The Best Goal You Ever Saw A Rovers Player Score

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

I know which was the best goal I ever saw scored by a Rovers Player. I'm taken back to it every Easter Saturday. It was the goal the one and only Bryan Douglas scored against West Brom on Easter Saturday April the 13th 1963. Here's what Alf Thornton had to say about it in the " Last Sports " -  " At 80 minutes DOUGLAS brought the house down with a wonder goal such as only he of present day footballers can score. He picked the ball up on his wing at the half way line, shrugged off attempted tackles by Clark and Bannister, went inside at speed and beat Williams, Jones and Fairfax with beautiful body swerves as though they did not exist, before crashing in a terrific drive ".

" The Rovers players dashed to congratulate him and the crowd gave him a standing ovation ".

This is from Ian Holman in the " Daily Express " - It's headed -  " A Moment Of Magic From Douglas ". - The ball was snuggling gently at the talented feet of tiny Bryan Douglas just about the spot where the the centre circle curve ends. A player lunged twice, missed twice, and finally landed in the mud as Douglas switched feet and swept by. Another crimson shirted challenger zoomed into a fierce tackle but still Douglas wended his way towards the penalty area.

Inside the box two more men tried to stop him but failed just as miserably as the rest. So now Douglas was poised for the kill. His right boot flashed and the beautifully placed shot  whipped into the roof of the net.

This was one of footballs magic moments- an unforgettable goal to round off a match that Douglas had already made his own "

I was there that day in a really meagre crowd of 11,451 and I can tell you those reports don't really do it justice. I was stood behind and to the left of the goal at the Darwen End and I had a great view of the goal as it developed and of the finish. There can't be that many of us left now that witnessed the little fella in his prime but take it from me - he was the greatest Rover in my time.

For trivia fans the day before we'd played really well to beat Sheff Wed at Ewood 3-0 in front of 14,361. Maybe the expense of two games in two days was too much for some fans.

Two points from that game. There was a minutes silence before the game for the crew of the USS Thresher which had just been declared lost with all hands. 

Rovers got a penalty late on in the match. Fred Pickering strode up to take it. Sheff Wed had the current England goalkeeper in goal and he had a strategy for facing penalties were he didn't stand in the centre of the goal. He deliberately stood a yard to the left of centre. I've never seen any other goalkeeper adopt it. Obviously it dared the taker to go for the bigger gap but that was Springett's strongest side. Anyway Fred went for the biggest side and Springett got across and saved the shot.

 

 

 

Edited April 12, 2020 by Tyrone Shoelaces

[tomphil]

My earliest of a great individual finish was Simon Garner v Liverpool in the FA cup at Ewood. Back to goal, close control and spun on a 5p as he often did to smash it home. To score a goal like that in a game like that v Liverpool who were dominating football was something else, or so i thought anyway.

Backed up my constant schoolday arguments that Garner was better than Rush ?

Damien Duff and Matty Jansen scored some pearlers as well but one or two of Shearers stand out not surprisingly. QPR thunderbolt from 30 yards that had the bar wobbling for 5 mins afterwards and the volley/half scissor kick v Saints into Bburn end wasn't bad either.

[Gone to seed]

For me it has to be a toss up between Shearer's attempt to put Schmeicel through his own net (around 3 minutes in to the clip)

https://youtu.be/p9phlkdP7N0

or Pedersen's Rocket against our six fingered friends..

https://youtu.be/FCrNhj1xDLs

Or Stephen Reid's & MGP vs Wigan (when we could beat them!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sL7-qt2c1L4

[Blue blood]

1 minute ago, WIR Second Coming said:

For me it has to be a toss up between Shearer's attempt to put Schmeicel through his own net (around 3 minutes in to the clip)

https://youtu.be/p9phlkdP7N0

or Pedersen's Rocket against our six fingered friends..

https://youtu.be/FCrNhj1xDLs

Or Stephen Reid's & MGP vs Wigan (when we could beat them!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sL7-qt2c1L4

That Wigan game when Reid scored was fantastic. New Years Eve, a 3-0 win, a packed away end. We took my uncle and nephew from the States to that game, and they were shocked by the atmosphere (which in fairness was one of the best I have ever seen.) Brilliant performance as well. 

My Dad always says Mokoena's goal was the best, a hell of a belter from a most unlikely source. 

For me, and I may need help remembering this correctly, I think it was a Duff goal vs Spurs, 2-1 when we came back into the Prem (I think!!!). He started on the touchline from nothing, midway in their half, waltzed round half their team before scoring.  

[Mike E]

Personally has to be THAT Tugay goal vs Spurs.

Mickey Gray up on the right wing for some reason, cut back and crossed it in. The usual pinball heading occurred before a Spurs defender took the sensible decision: 'If in doubt, head it out'.

However, the phrase is not 'If in doubt, head it out to their best player.' But not even the most optimistic Rovers fan thought the next 5 seconds would happen.

So audacious was it, that as the ball dropped from the heavens, nobody truly thought even the maestro would attempt it.

And yet he made perfect contact with a horizontal volley, the ball unmoving, not spinning even slightly, as it flew past a flailing pre-Rovers Robbo.

https://youtu.be/_5oLISbbemA

Edited April 12, 2020 by Mike E

[McClarky]

3 hours ago, tomphil said:

My earliest of a great individual finish was Simon Garner v Liverpool in the FA cup at Ewood. Back to goal, close control and spun on a 5p as he often did to smash it home. To score a goal like that in a game like that v Liverpool who were dominating football was something else, or so i thought anyway.

Backed up my constant schoolday arguments that Garner was better than Rush ?

Damien Duff and Matty Jansen scored some pearlers as well but one or two of Shearers stand out not surprisingly. QPR thunderbolt from 30 yards that had the bar wobbling for 5 mins afterwards and the volley/half scissor kick v Saints into Bburn end wasn't bad either.

Was that in about 83?  I was there and have tried to find it online but there mustn’t have been cameras there at all.

maybe mine would be either of the 2 volleys against Fulham with MGP getting the slight nod.

[LeftWinger]

Loads to choose from. 

Always a fan of this Bentley one vs Salzburg:

Another Bentley one, at Reading:

Enjoyed this one from Cole:

Shearer in the hammering of Norwich. Lovely football, fantasic finish:

This from McCarthy was a top individual effort as well. MCCARRRRRTTTTHHYYYY!!!! 

Seem to remember David Thompson scoring a few belters as well. 

I've avoided mentioning the Tugay volley vs Spurs and Reid thunderbolt vs Wigan purely as they've already been covered. 

 

[tomphil]

46 minutes ago, McClarky said:

Was that in about 83?  I was there and have tried to find it online but there mustn’t have been cameras there at all.

maybe mine would be either of the 2 volleys against Fulham with MGP getting the slight nod.

Yes it would be 82/83 i think we ended up losing 2-1 after Garner put us in front.  

Same here iv'e ranted on about it but never been able to find it anywhere but it was surely on MOD or something.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

25 minutes ago, renrag said:

I know this is age related, but anyone fortunate enough to have seen it could only agree and endorse everything Tyrone had to say about the Douglas goal. Also re the attendance. That match was the radio commentary game which, back then, was not allowed to be announced in advance. Someone had slipped up during the morning and had said on air which game would be broadcast. Rovers supported by the Football League claimed that had a detrimental effect on the attendance

I didn't know that. I'm just glad I was there. My abiding memory is even some West Brom players joined in the ovation.

With all due respect I scored a couple of long range belters in my playing career, including a 30 yarder into the top corner but I never managed to dribble around over half a team like Dougie did that day. I never got near to that achievement. In my humble opinion that demands a different degree of skill.

Edited April 12, 2020 by Tyrone Shoelaces

[Rogerb]

Metcalfes own goal from 50 yards!

[Colt Seavers]

1 hour ago, tomphil said:

Yes it would be 82/83 i think we ended up losing 2-1 after Garner put us in front.  

Same here iv'e ranted on about it but never been able to find it anywhere but it was surely on MOD or something.

Yes it was the third round of the  FA  Cup, January 1983. The game was definitely televised. About ten or fifteen years ago a couple of moments were shown on TV from the match, including Garner's great strike and another incident involving Brotherston and Souness  if I recall correctly. 

Unfortunately I can't remember which TV  show it was, perhaps Fantasy Football. I've also tried to find it on YouTube but to no avail. 

A Rovers fan will have it on VHS in a cupboard somewhere. 

It really was a magnificent goal by Simon and probably led to the rumours Howard Gayle mentioned recently that Garner was considered as a potential transfer target around that time for Liverpool. 

Edited April 12, 2020 by Colt Seavers

[simongarnerisgod]

duffs goal against birmingham in circa 2001 was pretty special,marked tightly on the edge of the box,he shuffled the ball between the two brum defenders,gave himself half a yard and smashed it in the top corner,he was unplayable that night,we should have scored a dozen and it put birmingham,who were one our promotion rivals well out of contention,they never recovered from a beating that bad and limped in the play offs only to be beaten by moyes preston

[oldjamfan1]

1 hour ago, Colt Seavers said:

Yes it was the third round of the  FA  Cup, January 1983. The game was definitely televised. About ten or fifteen years ago a couple of moments were shown on TV from the match, including Garner's great strike and another incident involving Brotherston and Souness  if I recall correctly. 

Unfortunately I can't remember which TV  show it was, perhaps Fantasy Football. I've also tried to find it on YouTube but to no avail. 

A Rovers fan will have it on VHS in a cupboard somewhere. 

It really was a magnificent goal by Simon and probably led to the rumours Howard Gayle mentioned recently that Garner was considered as a potential transfer target around that time for Liverpool. 

It was on my 18th birthday. I was in the Darwen End with a couple of Liverpool supporting mates that day and stupidly jumped up when that Garner goal went in and got twatted for my trouble. Not to mention slaughtered when the scousers came back to win the game in the end. 

[simongarnerisgod]

1 hour ago, Colt Seavers said:

Yes it was the third round of the  FA  Cup, January 1983. The game was definitely televised. About ten or fifteen years ago a couple of moments were shown on TV from the match, including Garner's great strike and another incident involving Brotherston and Souness  if I recall correctly. 

Unfortunately I can't remember which TV  show it was, perhaps Fantasy Football. I've also tried to find it on YouTube but to no avail. 

A Rovers fan will have it on VHS in a cupboard somewhere. 

It really was a magnificent goal by Simon and probably led to the rumours Howard Gayle mentioned recently that Garner was considered as a potential transfer target around that time for Liverpool. 

there was supposedly most of the top flight  looking seriously at garner around that time,most likely the scouts saw how he lived his life and thought,**** that the guys trouble!!!!!!!!!,glad he did`nt leave,i don`t think he`d have hacked the big time,not because of lack of ability,just his lifestyle

[Oldgregg86]

Duffs goal at Anfield where he played about three one twos with Cole I think was a great goal.

bellamy at Portsmouth 

tugays rocket against spurs. 
 

so many great goals probably quite a few better but those where the three that instantly sprung to mind

 

[Sparks Rover]

Noel v Chelsea Fa Cup 3rd round  my first proper good goal memory live

[bluebruce]

7 hours ago, simongarnerisgod said:

duffs goal against birmingham in circa 2001 was pretty special,marked tightly on the edge of the box,he shuffled the ball between the two brum defenders,gave himself half a yard and smashed it in the top corner,he was unplayable that night,we should have scored a dozen and it put birmingham,who were one our promotion rivals well out of contention,they never recovered from a beating that bad and limped in the play offs only to be beaten by moyes preston

The only goals I've not seen mentioned that this topic made me think of are Duff goals (Tugay's Fulham goal was only mentioned as one of the two volleys in that game though, I expected it to dominate this thread!), and I don't know how much they're just in my head as it's difficult to find Duff's Rovers goals for some reason.

The way they play in my memory is that both were at Ewood against teams in claret and blue (Villa and West Ham I think) although the one you describe against Brum is similar so maybe not, and about a week or two apart. I remember him vanishing behind two or three players down near the corner flag area and thinking 'oh fuck he's lost it' only for him to somehow re-emerge moments later with the ball, skip past another and lash it into the corner (I think with his right foot). It blew my mind and I thought I might never see another goal like it...then he did practically the same thing next time I saw him at Ewood.

As I say, there may be some false memory construction going on here, to a degree! A few of the goals mentioned on this thread are more spectacular in my mind than they are when I re-watched them, though still great goals.

[Oldgregg86]

No that really did happen . Remember both goals well no idea who against though 

[MarkBRFC]

Those Duff goals mentioned above were at Ewood against Ipswich & Southampton in 2002, both evening games.

The Southampton one was actually Easter Monday, with nearly 30k on!

Edited April 13, 2020 by MarkBRFC

[Mattyblue]

£5 a ticket from memory.

 

[MarkBRFC]

It was.

We did similar the season before against Huddersfield & Sheffield Utd.

Those deals worked then, and although not to to quite the same numbers, they work now.

[Mattyblue]

Indeed they do, as proven with £10 Wigan, a December Sky night game, being our biggest home turnout in the Championship since 2012, yet the club will always piss about with deals proven not to bring folk in.

[tomphil]

Duff away at Sheff Weds in a night game, think it was a cup match, think we won 3-1 under Hodgsons time. Might have been Duffs first Rovers goal, it was in the opposite end to us but i'm sure he flicked it over someones head then ran round and slotted in.

[Gone to seed]

6 minutes ago, tomphil said:

Duff away at Sheff Weds in a night game, think it was a cup match, think we won 3-1 under Hodgsons time. Might have been Duffs first Rovers goal, it was in the opposite end to us but i'm sure he flicked it over someones head then ran round and slotted in.

Yes, was there for that game with an Owls fan mate from University and both our dads. Rovers ran away with the game, mainly due to Duff's unplayability. Great times. We have been spoiled over the years, with some outstanding players with that little bit extra. What would we give for a team with the likes of Duff, Shearer, Douglas, Hendry, Brad, Toogs... I'll have to stop typing now - tears running down my cheeks!!

[grinder]

I throw this one in for the 70s crowd

Ken Beamish v Luton 76

From memory Faz ? won ball somewhee near Rovers goal line at Darwen end- passed to Metcalfe - passed to Parkes took it over half way line passed out to Kevin Hird storming up right wing - clipped cross in met by Beamo on the voley into the top corner at BBE - (ok it may or may not have sliced off his foot being Beamo ?)

Whole move was probably less than 10seconds

Am I the only one that remembers this??