BRFC - The Nostalgia Thread

[bazza]

5 hours ago, renrag said:

Pretty sure it’s Alan Bean pictured with Quigley and Douglas

Wow, Renrag!  Brilliant to recognise a player who was only a bit-part first teamer. He wasn't really good enough to command a regular first team place. His name is vaguely familiar to me. In fact he only played twice for the first team, once in 1952/53 season and once in 1954/55 season.

[bazza]

Look at the Blackburn End and the chimneys on Kidder Street.

[Gav]

Bryan Douglas looks about 12.

[Riversider28]

1 hour ago, renrag said:

Away trips were rare in those days, so the only way to keep up with the first teams score, was to watch the reserves at Ewood. Quite a few of the regular reserves became almost as recognisable as first team players.

I remember well following the Reserves during the 1966/7 season, which we won. It was a good way to ease the pain of relegation the season before. 

[unsall]

 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

4 hours ago, Riversider28 said:

I remember well following the Reserves during the 1966/7 season, which we won. It was a good way to ease the pain of relegation the season before. 

Ted McDougall playing for Liverpool  along with Ronnie Moran and Gerry Byrne. Some good players in those teams.

[arbitro]

2 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

Ted McDougall playing for Liverpool  along with Ronnie Moran and Gerry Byrne. Some good players in those teams.

I think three of that Liverpool team either managed Liverpool or were on the coaching staff. Roy Evans, Ronnie Moran and Doug Livermore are the three. I didn't know Ted McDougall played at Liverpool.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

Just now, arbitro said:

I think three of that Liverpool team either managed Liverpool or were on the coaching staff. Roy Evans, Ronnie Moran and Doug Livermore are the three. I didn't know Ted McDougall played at Liverpool.

Yeah he started out there before he went to York and then Bournemouth.  I’m sure I saw him playing for both those teams at Spotland. He was partnered with Phil Boyer at York I think. When he was at Bournemouth he had Harry Redknapp on the right wing and another good winger on the left.
 

 Alf Arrowsmith was going to be a top player but he got a bad knee injury.

[Riversider28]

1 hour ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

Yeah he started out there before he went to York and then Bournemouth.  I’m sure I saw him playing for both those teams at Spotland. He was partnered with Phil Boyer at York I think. When he was at Bournemouth he had Harry Redknapp on the right wing and another good winger on the left.
 

 Alf Arrowsmith was going to be a top player but he got a bad knee injury.

I saw Ted McDougall playing for Bournemouth in the 1970/71 season against Cambridge Utd at the Abbey Stadium. He was being touted as a future superstar and went to ManUre in 1972. He scored 259 goals in 542 appearances for a host of clubs and country. He didn’t make it at Liverpool due to a combination of Ian St John, Roger Hunt and Tony Hateley ahead of him.

[Claytons Left Boot]

6 hours ago, Riversider28 said:

I remember well following the Reserves during the 1966/7 season, which we won. It was a good way to ease the pain of relegation the season before. 

The first team game, also versus Carlisle, on the following day, was my introduction to Blackburn Rovers. Life was so much simpler then, as was the football. Fifty six years later, our patience is being tested to the full.

[Claytons Left Boot]

Had the good fortune to spend a pleasant half hour or so in the company of Mick McGrath and his lovely wife, a few weeks ago after seeing them in the Ribble Valley. His wife is a real character, a typical Darrener and it turns out she knew most of my family from way back when. Interesting to speak to Mick about Ronnie and Bryan and the wages that were typical (for top flight footballers) in the late fifties and early sixties. I could have sat and chatted to them all afternoon.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

2 hours ago, Claytons Left Boot said:

Had the good fortune to spend a pleasant half hour or so in the company of Mick McGrath and his lovely wife, a few weeks ago after seeing them in the Ribble Valley. His wife is a real character, a typical Darrener and it turns out she knew most of my family from way back when. Interesting to speak to Mick about Ronnie and Bryan and the wages that were typical (for top flight footballers) in the late fifties and early sixties. I could have sat and chatted to them all afternoon.

Mick was a very under rated player. He wasn’t flashy but he was always a steady performer. Never 9/10 but never 5/10 either. A terrier like tackler and he always found a blue and white shirt with the ball. We could do with signing one like him now.

[Wheelton Blue]

The Bradford game tonight reminded me of the Mackay era.

I remember playing Bradford at Ewood when Archibald played. The BBE gates were shut way before kick off, so we ended up in the DE with the visitors.

Those were great days watching the Rovers.

[jim mk2]

On 22/08/2022 at 10:42, Riversider28 said:

I remember well following the Reserves during the 1966/7 season, which we won. It was a good way to ease the pain of relegation the season before. 

 

Ian (?) Kendall in that Rovers team - a star of the Blackburn schoolboys side and tipped to go all the way but never progressed at a professional level and was eventually released. I saw him some years later on the Ewood terraces supporting Rovers. Ronnie Moran I presume in the Liverpool team 

[Riversider28]

1 hour ago, jim mk2 said:

 

Ian (?) Kendall in that Rovers team - a star of the Blackburn schoolboys side and tipped to go all the way but never progressed at a professional level and was eventually released. I saw him some years later on the Ewood terraces supporting Rovers. Ronnie Moran I presume in the Liverpool team 

You’re right with Ian Kendall. He represented the Lancashire County Schools F.A. at Under 15 level in 1962/3. Stuart Metcalfe did the same in 1965/6.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

8 hours ago, jim mk2 said:

 

Ian (?) Kendall in that Rovers team - a star of the Blackburn schoolboys side and tipped to go all the way but never progressed at a professional level and was eventually released. I saw him some years later on the Ewood terraces supporting Rovers. Ronnie Moran I presume in the Liverpool team 

David Helliwell was going to be the new Bryan Douglas. I saw him make his debut in place of Dougie in midfield. He was really impressive that day but he was very slight and never filled out. He drifted around the lower leagues. Maurice Whittle had a good career with Oldham. Roberts was an Aussie goalkeeper.

[jim mk2]

2 minutes ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

David Helliwell was going to be the new Bryan Douglas. I saw him make his debut in place of Dougie in midfield. He was really impressive that day but he was very slight and never filled out. He drifted around the lower leagues. Maurice Whittle had a good career with Oldham. Roberts was an Aussie goalkeeper.

Maurice Whittle, couldn't remember his first name. Roberts lived on Shadsworth - vague memories of going to a party at his house!  

[IrelandsRover]

On 03/08/2022 at 19:06, Gav said:

Having lived outside of the area for many years now, it’s always great to go back and pay respect to Jack. We will never forget what this man did for our town and our football club.

Deserves all the credit in world, extraordinary what he did for the club. 
Wasnt it odd though that the investment seemed to fall off a Cliff from 1996? When Shearer and Newell left we only had Sutton and Gallagher left up front and Sutton had played some games at centre back as we had no one to replace Hendry who was injured. We acquired players like Matty Holmes right when the foreign legion really started to influx into the league. I hate the idea that Jack saw us go down and then never got the chance to see us come back up or win the league cup which he would’ve loved. 

[Upside Down]

Great highlights from a fantastic game. Tugay totally bossing the game and showing he was absolutely world class. This was probably one of my favourite seasons. Back in the Premier League and won the League Cup. 

Proper stuff.

 

Edited August 27, 2022 by Upside Down

[Ianrally]

Great to see Grant McCann slashing it into his own net. 

[Riversider28]

On 23/08/2022 at 22:24, jim mk2 said:

Maurice Whittle, couldn't remember his first name. Roberts lived on Shadsworth - vague memories of going to a party at his house!  

Don’t worry. Everyone has vague memories of going to parties at Shad. 

[Upside Down]

7 hours ago, Ianrally said:

Great to see Grant McCann slashing it into his own net. 

He doesn't slash it, its far more hilarious than that. He misses the kick completely and it goes in off his standing leg. 

[den]

Seeing that we’re in the transfer window, would any of you guys who like me saw this team, like to put a number on the value of these players at todays prices?

Fred Else

John Bray

Keith Newton

Ronnie Clayton

Mike England

Mick McGrath

Mike Ferguson

Andy McEvoy

Fred Pickering

Bryan Douglas

Mike Harrison.

Individual Transfer values? It’s a lot of money isn’t it!

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

20 minutes ago, den said:

Seeing that we’re in the transfer window, would any of you guys who like me saw this team, like to put a number on the value of these players at todays prices?

Fred Else

John Bray

Keith Newton

Ronnie Clayton

Mike England

Mick McGrath

Mike Ferguson

Andy McEvoy

Fred Pickering

Bryan Douglas

Mike Harrison.

Individual Transfer values? It’s a lot of money isn’t it!

Well, Keith left for a record fee for a British fullback, Mike went for a British record for any defender and Fred went for the highest fee between two British clubs at that time. As for Dougie - Spurs offered to break the British record transfer fee for him after he master minded the 7-2 demolition of them.

That’s just four players, three from one youth team.

I was never a big fan of Fred Else, I’d rather have Kaminski. Too many times I was left thinking “ How did that get in ? “
John Bray was a bit rough and ready. Mick McGrath was a steady Eddie, very unsung but very consistent.

Ronnie was Ronnie, Mr Blackburn Rovers, one time captain of England. Andy Mac would be one to go for big bucks today, a goal scoring machine. The two Mikes, a great pair of real wingers. One fast and very direct with a tremendous shot, the other a tricky playmaker who was a match winner in his own right.

I’ll die happy that I saw them all in their prime.

Edited September 1, 2022 by Tyrone Shoelaces

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

1 hour ago, renrag said:

I’d agree with most of that but am surprised you don’t rate Fred Else. I would maintain his judgement was immaculate, and was very rarely beaten when he decided an attempt could be saved. His did suffer a lack of confidence after he broke a collarbone In 1965 and was never the same afterwards.

At the time Roger Jones was at Ewood, I remember discussing the merits of Else and Jones with Alf Thornton. He found it difficult to separate them, he considered George Marks the best he had seen in a Rovers shirt.

Personally, I would put Else in a bracket with Jones and Friedal

I only ever saw Fred have one game that would put him up there with Friedal. Away at the dingledome when we lost 1-0 to a disputed penalty. It would have been about 6-0 but for Fred, another game were the rest of them just didn’t turn up !