You can change one result in Rovers' history....

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

6 minutes ago, renrag said:

Couldn’t agree more, it was still hurting when on holiday in July

It wasn't a result but finding out that Alan Shearer had left was pretty bad. We were on holiday with friends in the Cotswolds. My wife and I had gone into a supermarket leaving our friends in the car. When we got back to the car the news had just finished and my pal, who was a Darlington fan, said  " What do you want the good news or the bad news ? " I said " The bad news ". He replied " Shearer has gone,  but the good news is he hasn't gone to Man Utd ".

Edited April 15, 2020 by Tyrone Shoelaces

[Commondore]

I think we tend to underappreciate how Rovers were a measly four points from a Champions League qualification in the 05/06 season. If we had beaten Arsenal away instead of losing 0-3 earlier in the season, we might have been in the mix for those places for the final round of games. 

[Leonard Venkhater]

2 hours ago, matt83 said:

I’d go with the palace game.

Also the 1-1 vs West Ham that was seemingly the result that deemed Kean good enough to get the managers job. A hefty defeat there and who knows what might have been. 
 

Actually, I think we all need to stop beating ourselves up-well I do anyway-about this and results like the away win at Old Trafford under Kean. 

The awful truth is that Kean was staying, come what may... because it was..er.. before "they learned from their mistakes" Hahahahahahahahaha

[frosty]

Just now, Commondore said:

I think we tend to underappreciate how Rovers were a measly four points from a Champions League qualification in the 05/06 season. If we had beaten Arsenal away instead of losing 0-3 earlier in the season, we might have been in the mix for those places for the final round of games. 

That's a good shout. Spurs away that season too, they were 4th going into the final day yet we played extremely well at White Hart Lane, unfortunately losing 2-3.

[tomphil]

1 hour ago, renrag said:

We were sat in the front row of the stand and it was scary watching the crowd packed in below us. There was a dad standing just below,  with his very young son on his shoulders. I was able to reach over for the dad to pass the boy up, where he was able to stand safely in front of us for the full match. I can say there was a very relieved father taking his son back at the end of the game. There must have been a high proportion of Rovers fans there, because the rest of the ground seemed half empty

Think Stoke only averaged about 6 to 8k at the time. Crowd was probably about 14 thousand so not far off half the gate might be a fair estimate.

Sounds funny looking back but I'll admit as a skinny teen it was a bit scary at the time in there.

[Angry_Pirate]

Here is a hypothetical one.

Birmingham 4 - 1 Rovers (May 2008)

Had we won that game we would have qualified for the UEFA Cup for 2018-2019, and "perhaps" that may have kept the excellent Mark Hughes. That summer we sign Vincent Kompany and Pablo Zabaleta, and never have to suffer Ince, Kean, relegation in 2012, Bradley Orr, Leon Best, Danny Murphy, Owen Coyle, Relegation to L1 etc.

For wanting to win a game so badly, I'd maybe say the Leverkusen 0-0 back in 2006-2007. 

[speeeeeeedie]

Maybe it was because I was a kid but I don't have strong feelings toward the 3-0 result at Selhurst Park. I remember listening to it on the radio but shrugged and went outside as soon as the game was over. It never really bothered me, but to this day I don't get emotional over a football match.

The 0-0 Man U game at Ewood in May 1999 that sealed relegation is one I wish that could have been changed. It may not have mattered in the end but Rovers had them that night. Ashley Ward missed an absolute sitter late on that could have been a lifeline.

As a side what happened to Gallacher and Sutton during the campaign? Neither of them played much. My memory of the 1998-99 season is a bit fuzzy. I'm pretty sure that if they'd have played every week Rovers would have stayed up. 

[frosty]

6 hours ago, Angry_Pirate said:

Here is a hypothetical one.

Birmingham 4 - 1 Rovers (May 2008)

Had we won that game we would have qualified for the UEFA Cup for 2018-2019, and "perhaps" that may have kept the excellent Mark Hughes. That summer we sign Vincent Kompany and Pablo Zabaleta, and never have to suffer Ince, Kean, relegation in 2012, Bradley Orr, Leon Best, Danny Murphy, Owen Coyle, Relegation to L1 etc.

For wanting to win a game so badly, I'd maybe say the Leverkusen 0-0 back in 2006-2007. 

The Birmingham game is a good shout. After frustrations in the Jan transfer window, I think Hughes was casting glances elsewhere in the second half of 07/08, but yeah maybe another UEFA Cup campaign could have convinced him. 

Beating Leverkusen to get into the last 16 would have been quality - and something we’re not gonna get a chance to do for ages now ? the second leg against Celtic is another one too.

[Mattyblue]

It was a shame to lose against Leverkusen, but I went to all 4 European away ties that season (RB Salzburg, Feyernoord, Wisla Krakow and Bayer Leverkusen), and was a time I’ll never forget (and I was skint after!)

Edited April 16, 2020 by Mattyblue

[Blue blood]

7 hours ago, speeeeeeedie said:

 

As a side what happened to Gallacher and Sutton during the campaign? Neither of them played much. My memory of the 1998-99 season is a bit fuzzy. I'm pretty sure that if they'd have played every week Rovers would have stayed up. 

Injuries as I recall. Add in also we had 6 strikers on the books which is a fair whack now and back then was huge. 

I remember that Davis started the first two/three games and then Gallagher was brought back in. We then started getting a few points beating West Ham and Leicester. So yeah if they could have played regularly it would have helped. 

Kidd's tactics didn't help either. Remember us whacking it long to Jansen and Gally Vs Forest when needing a win. Sad times. 

[oldjamfan1]

2 hours ago, frosty said:

The Birmingham game is a good shout. After frustrations in the Jan transfer window, I think Hughes was casting glances elsewhere in the second half of 07/08, but yeah maybe another UEFA Cup campaign could have convinced him. 

Beating Leverkusen to get into the last 16 would have been quality - and something we’re not gonna get a chance to do for ages now ? the second leg against Celtic is another one too.

I'd conveniently forgotten about the Celtic tie. The first leg result is the one I would change - losing that game was an absolute travesty, we were well beaten in the second leg to be fair but the damage had been done by not scoring an away goal or two after dominating them in front of their own fans. Plus all my in-laws were Celtic fans and I lived and worked in Glasgow so it stung badly.

[LDRover]

20 hours ago, oldjamfan1 said:

There was a fair bit of aggro that day as I recall. 

There certainly was, I remember seeing a copper getting a bit of a hiding for being a bit heavy handed with Rovers fans. What a following that day and what a season it was.

[speeeeeeedie]

4 hours ago, Blue blood said:

Injuries as I recall. Add in also we had 6 strikers on the books which is a fair whack now and back then was huge. 

I remember that Davis started the first two/three games and then Gallagher was brought back in. We then started getting a few points beating West Ham and Leicester. So yeah if they could have played regularly it would have helped. 

Kidd's tactics didn't help either. Remember us whacking it long to Jansen and Gally Vs Forest when needing a win. Sad times. 

I still don't remember much. I was at university in the USA and it was a bit of a mad year. Also back then there was no NBC Sports showing game after game on easy to get to US TV. There was a game or two a week max on Fox Sports World.

I had a look on Wikipedia to get a refresher; Rovers 1998-99

Looking at the squad it's easy to see why relegation happened. Excluding Henchoz defenders who played that season included Darren Peacock, Christian Dailly, Gary Croft, Marlon Broomes, and Callum Davidson. Did Flowers get injured too?

Another result I'd like changed is the 2-2 v. PNE at Ewood in the 2016-17 relegation season. Conceding that late equaliser knocked the stuffing out of the team, and fans too. They lost the next 3 after that which really put the screws on.

[Blue blood]

50 minutes ago, speeeeeeedie said:

I still don't remember much. I was at university in the USA and it was a bit of a mad year. Also back then there was no NBC Sports showing game after game on easy to get to US TV. There was a game or two a week max on Fox Sports World.

I had a look on Wikipedia to get a refresher; Rovers 1998-99

Looking at the squad it's easy to see why relegation happened. Excluding Henchoz defenders who played that season included Darren Peacock, Christian Dailly, Gary Croft, Marlon Broomes, and Callum Davidson. Did Flowers get injured too?

Another result I'd like changed is the 2-2 v. PNE at Ewood in the 2016-17 relegation season. Conceding that late equaliser knocked the stuffing out of the team, and fans too. They lost the next 3 after that which really put the screws on.

Yes Flowers got injured but Filan was excellent and eventually ousted him from the number 1 spot. Filan was incredible that year and one of the few bright spots. It was his best season and he didn't keep up that form. 

Dailly was brought as a centre back but played all over. I don't think he was very good but that can't have helped. Peacock was very limited at centre back which really hurt us. 

We also brought a ton of players with varying success. I think Flitty may have been out and a big miss that year. There was a lot of change. Ward, McAteer, Blake, Carsley, Dailly, Jansen, Peacock, Perez, Davies - there was a lot of change to the team l, and a right mixed bag at that, and I think a lack of a settled team really hurt us. 

[speeeeeeedie]

38 minutes ago, Blue blood said:

Yes Flowers got injured but Filan was excellent and eventually ousted him from the number 1 spot. Filan was incredible that year and one of the few bright spots. It was his best season and he didn't keep up that form. 

Dailly was brought as a centre back but played all over. I don't think he was very good but that can't have helped. Peacock was very limited at centre back which really hurt us. 

We also brought a ton of players with varying success. I think Flitty may have been out and a big miss that year. There was a lot of change. Ward, McAteer, Blake, Carsley, Dailly, Jansen, Peacock, Perez, Davies - there was a lot of change to the team l, and a right mixed bag at that, and I think a lack of a settled team really hurt us. 

I'm still derailing this topic but the more I read the more I remember.

Sherwood was sold too. Was this the year he fell out with Hodgson, or was it the year before? Having the club captain leave half way through the season wouldn't have helped.

Nathan Blake and Ashely Ward weren't Premier league calibre. Davies never got going but he was an odd signing as he wasn't a Hodgson type player. I had a mate get Davies on the back of his brand new Rovers shirt almost as soon as he signed. He'd binned it by Christmas.

Hendry left for Scotland. There were plenty of rumours as to why he left too.

Was Rovers Kidd's only ever managerial job? Ferguson said in one of his books that he wasn't up to being a manager. He was right.

[Blue blood]

1 hour ago, speeeeeeedie said:

I'm still derailing this topic but the more I read the more I remember.

Sherwood was sold too. Was this the year he fell out with Hodgson, or was it the year before? Having the club captain leave half way through the season wouldn't have helped.

This was the year they fell out as I recall. Didn't help whatsoever. 

1 hour ago, speeeeeeedie said:

Nathan Blake and Ashely Ward weren't Premier league calibre. Davies never got going but he was an odd signing as he wasn't a Hodgson type player. I had a mate get Davies on the back of his brand new Rovers shirt almost as soon as he signed. He'd binned it by Christmas.

Davies was dropped 3 games into the season. It was a poor start and got worse. You would have thought after Dahlin that Roy would have known not to break up the Gally & Sutton partnership. 

1 hour ago, speeeeeeedie said:

Hendry left for Scotland. There were plenty of rumours as to why he left too.

Really, not aware of this. (The rumours). Please enlighten.

1 hour ago, speeeeeeedie said:

Was Rovers Kidd's only ever managerial job? Ferguson said in one of his books that he wasn't up to being a manager. He was right.

Yes. A classic great number 2 poor number 1. Although so many fall into that category. 

[tomphil]

A lot of Hodgsons over payed for trash wouldn't have looked out of place in the Kean/Anderson era.

Guy pissed tens of millions of Jacks cash straight down the pan.

[speeeeeeedie]

1 hour ago, Blue blood said:

 Really, not aware of this. (The rumours). Please enlighten.

I'll not get this messageboard in trouble posting unproven allegations but if you look at the way Hendry's life has unfolded since it explains a lot of the rumours. As renrag said; Hendry had signed a new contract then left shortly thereafter for a hefty fee - which would have included a nice signing bonus, and his Rovers contract being paid up. That's lots of cash in a short period of time. Some people need money quickly, others don't.

33 minutes ago, tomphil said:

A lot of Hodgsons over payed for trash wouldn't have looked out of place in the Kean/Anderson era.

Guy pissed tens of millions of Jacks cash straight down the pan.

He signed some dross, but I also wonder what else caused his demise. Rovers were flying when he first started but it didn't last long. He only lost 2 of his first 20 league games, one of which as at Old Trafford. His 1998 was awful. 31 games in charge, 19 losses, 7 wins.

I'll guess that players weren't used to his methods. Back then he was ahead of his time. I'll wager that what he learned in Europe around concentrating on fitness and diet as well as tactical discipline caused a mutiny.  

[hovis boy]

Definitely the palace game for me, truly awful day that was. 

[rigger]

The next game we loose 

[Leonard Venkhater]

Kidd certainly managed PNE..but way back I think he also managed a nonleague side, although I can't find proof!

. I remember a (bitter) supporter from that other club contacting Radio Lancs on his Rovers appointment to predict total disaster, saying how everything he touches, as a manager, turns to sh1t

It sent a chill through our whole house!..

[tomphil]

1 hour ago, speeeeeeedie said:

I'll not get this messageboard in trouble posting unproven allegations but if you look at the way Hendry's life has unfolded since it explains a lot of the rumours. As renrag said; Hendry had signed a new contract then left shortly thereafter for a hefty fee - which would have included a nice signing bonus, and his Rovers contract being paid up. That's lots of cash in a short period of time. Some people need money quickly, others don't.

He signed some dross, but I also wonder what else caused his demise. Rovers were flying when he first started but it didn't last long. He only lost 2 of his first 20 league games, one of which as at Old Trafford. His 1998 was awful. 31 games in charge, 19 losses, 7 wins.

I'll guess that players weren't used to his methods. Back then he was ahead of his time. I'll wager that what he learned in Europe around concentrating on fitness and diet as well as tactical discipline caused a mutiny.  I

I think some of his big money crap signings were the biggest reason. I've heard some of the established stars were less than impressed by what he was bringing in.

As for the other side of it it's true his methods were different. They got a good response in the beginning with some of the best football and fittest looking Rovers players I've seen. They couldn't keep it up though and he couldn't seem to put his finger on what was needed so just flogged them harder. Then he started desperately throwing the money about as plan b.

Started a lot of long lasting rot that did.

[tomphil]

The rumour I heard was a caught with the pants down job. So the missues demanded to go back home.

As always though that type of stuff was standard gossip back in the day.

[arbitro]

49 minutes ago, Leonard Venkhater said:

Kidd certainly managed PNE..but way back I think he also managed a nonleague side, although I can't find proof!

. I remember a (bitter) supporter from that other club contacting Radio Lancs on his Rovers appointment to predict total disaster, saying how everything he touches, as a manager, turns to sh1t

It sent a chill through our whole house!..

Kidd was the manager at Barrow for a spell. I'm sure they were in the Northern Premier League at the time.

[Leonard Venkhater]

15 minutes ago, arbitro said:

Kidd was the manager at Barrow for a spell. I'm sure they were in the Northern Premier League at the time.

Yes..It was Barrow..Well remembered!..The caller went on about both PNE and his own Barrow, as being Kidd shipwrecks and Rovers fans better beware etc