Forgotten Players

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

8 hours ago, jim mk2 said:

 

OK so you've got a thing about Le Saux but there can be little doubt he had more to offer as a player than Wright (good though he was). For a start, he was left footed, which made the team more balanced, he was quicker, and he was far more of an attacking threat. In case you're in any doubt, England caps: Le Saux 36, Wright 0. Rovers were a better team with Le Saux

He was also bigger. Teams targeted Wrighties lack of height at time. Great little player though.

Oh and he didn’t shit on the club like LeSaux did.

Edited October 2, 2022 by Tyrone Shoelaces

[bazza]

8 hours ago, Tyrone Shoelaces said:

He was also bigger. Teams targeted Wrighties lack of height at time. Great little player though.

Wright was only small but he could out jump 6 footers better than Le Saux.

[riverholmes]

Marcus Bent is an interesting one for me. He was signed by Souness in November 2000, after a great season for Sheff Utd. This was when we would buy up other clubs' star men. We also signed Barnsley's best forward, in Craig Hignett, at this time. He came in to partner Matt Jansen and oust the struggling Nathan Blake, with other strikers, Ashley Ward and Kaba Diawara being let go.

Bent did decent for us that season, though, outshone by Duff, Dunn and Jansen, and helped us to promotion - only to struggle at the start of the following season in the Premier League and getting sold in November 2001.

He only lasted a year at the club and was sold for a fee not much more than we bought him for and went on to do quite well for Ipswich in the Prem, though they got relegated and then also scored goals for Leicester in the Premier League. It makes me wonder whether we sold him too quickly. He was never very prolific in the top league but was decent for struggling teams.

I don't recall the full circumstances of his departure but I suppose the deal was rushed through to finance the Andy Cole transfer. Seeing as we went on to win the League Cup and would also qualify for Europe, the next year, perhaps, the sale of Bent was arguably the right decision, on balance. Nonetheless, I'm sure, had we been able to keep him, I think he would eventually have done a job for us in the Premier League and a useful back-up.

Edit: It's a surprising, in a way, that we only came second that season of 2000-01, considering, in retrospect, the team we had (albeit, Fulham had great players too): Friedel, Curtis, Berg, Short, Bjornebye, Duff, Dunn, Flitcroft, McAteer, Bent, Jansen - Subs: Filan, Gillespie, Berkovic, Hignett, Hughes

Competing for the bench would have been Martin Taylor, Damien Johnson, Marlon Broomes, Alan Mahon, Egil Ostenstad, Nathan Blake

Edited October 2, 2022 by riverholmes

[Mattyblue]

We had a so-so start, didn’t really get going until November, whereas Fulham flew out the traps, and despite our fantastic form in the second half of the season we never really looked like catching them.

Edited October 2, 2022 by Mattyblue

[Oldgregg86]

31 minutes ago, riverholmes said:

Marcus Bent is an interesting one for me. He was signed by Souness in November 2000, after a great season for Sheff Utd. This was when we would buy up other clubs' star men. We also signed Barnsley's best forward, in Craig Hignett, at this time. He came in to partner Matt Jansen and oust the struggling Nathan Blake, with other strikers, Ashley Ward and Kaba Diawara being let go.

Bent did decent for us that season, though, outshone by Duff, Dunn and Jansen, and helped us to promotion - only to struggle at the start of the following season in the Premier League and getting sold in November 2001.

He only lasted a year at the club and was sold for a fee not much more than we bought him for and went on to do quite well for Ipswich in the Prem, though they got relegated and then also scored goals for Leicester in the Premier League. It makes me wonder whether we sold him too quickly. He was never very prolific in the top league but was decent for struggling teams.

I don't recall the full circumstances of his departure but I suppose the deal was rushed through to finance the Andy Cole transfer. Seeing as we went on to win the League Cup and would also qualify for Europe, the next year, perhaps, the sale of Bent was arguably the right decision, on balance. Nonetheless, I'm sure, had we been able to keep him, I think he would eventually have done a job for us in the Premier League and a useful back-up.

Edit: It's a surprising, in a way, that we only came second that season of 2000-01, considering, in retrospect, the team we had (albeit, Fulham had great players too): Friedel, Curtis, Berg, Short, Bjornebye, Duff, Dunn, Flitcroft, McAteer, Bent, Jansen - Subs: Filan, Gillespie, Berkovic, Hignett, Hughes

Competing for the bench would have been Martin Taylor, Damien Johnson, Marlon Broomes, Alan Mahon, Egil Ostenstad, Nathan Blake

I’ve heard a few tales of bent that he was a bit of a billy big balls and an arsehole from a few ex players and he was flash at the time. Maybe he just wasn’t right for souness and the dressing room because as you stated he did well and looked decent everywhere he went but never lasted long anywhere 

[Upside Down]

My dad used to call him the rubber man cos his first touch would be about five foot away from him.

His scored against the dingles. 

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

1 hour ago, Upside Down said:

My dad used to call him the rubber man cos his first touch would be about five foot away from him.

His scored against the dingles. 

A lot of so so strikers haven’t got a great first touch. I remember hearing Tommy Docherty talking about signing Ted MacDougall who was a prolific striker when he was managing Man Utd.  He said he couldn’t believe how bad he was when he first saw him in training. He could put the ball in the back of the net though.

[Armchair supporter supremo]

14 hours ago, riverholmes said:

Marcus Bent is an interesting one for me. He was signed by Souness in November 2000, after a great season for Sheff Utd. This was when we would buy up other clubs' star men. We also signed Barnsley's best forward, in Craig Hignett, at this time. He came in to partner Matt Jansen and oust the struggling Nathan Blake, with other strikers, Ashley Ward and Kaba Diawara being let go.

Bent did decent for us that season, though, outshone by Duff, Dunn and Jansen, and helped us to promotion - only to struggle at the start of the following season in the Premier League and getting sold in November 2001.

He only lasted a year at the club and was sold for a fee not much more than we bought him for and went on to do quite well for Ipswich in the Prem, though they got relegated and then also scored goals for Leicester in the Premier League. It makes me wonder whether we sold him too quickly. He was never very prolific in the top league but was decent for struggling teams.

I don't recall the full circumstances of his departure but I suppose the deal was rushed through to finance the Andy Cole transfer. Seeing as we went on to win the League Cup and would also qualify for Europe, the next year, perhaps, the sale of Bent was arguably the right decision, on balance. Nonetheless, I'm sure, had we been able to keep him, I think he would eventually have done a job for us in the Premier League and a useful back-up.

Edit: It's a surprising, in a way, that we only came second that season of 2000-01, considering, in retrospect, the team we had (albeit, Fulham had great players too): Friedel, Curtis, Berg, Short, Bjornebye, Duff, Dunn, Flitcroft, McAteer, Bent, Jansen - Subs: Filan, Gillespie, Berkovic, Hignett, Hughes

Competing for the bench would have been Martin Taylor, Damien Johnson, Marlon Broomes, Alan Mahon, Egil Ostenstad, Nathan Blake

Bent must clearly have been as much as a head case when he was a player as he has been in "retirement" just google his post football career shenanigans! 

Have to show him some empathy it does seem he's had long standing mental health issues which he's been self medicating for with alcohol & cocaine

Edited October 3, 2022 by Armchair supporter supremo

[rickard]

On 01/10/2022 at 13:06, roverandout said:

Dickson etuhu.  Awful signing 

And also an awful person... 

"In November 2019 he was found guilty of match fixing by a Swedish court, and said he would appeal. Both Defence and Prosecution said they would appeal the sentence."

[Nuttall is lost]

Gordon Cowans.  A very good player.

[Mike E]

Jonny Stead had my favourite 6 months of any Rovers player ever.

His impact undoubtedly saved us from relegation in Souey's final full season.

There first player that demonstrated to me the difference between class and form, but I'll be forever grateful for his contribution 🙂

[smiller14]

2 minutes ago, Mike E said:

Jonny Stead had my favourite 6 months of any Rovers player ever.

His impact undoubtedly saved us from relegation in Souey's final full season.

There first player that demonstrated to me the difference between class and form, but I'll be forever grateful for his contribution 🙂

 

Fully agree. Seemed like a great lad too. Remember he ended a long goal drought the next season at Goodison and I was chuffed for him. Always followed his slightly nomadic career afterwards. 

[rickard]

I was searching through older squads looking for a player who's name just escaped me (James Beattie). I found a player that I can't even remember his name at all; David Yelldell. Seems he was a goalkeeper in 04/05. Totally blank for me, don't even recognize the name, at all.

[Dreyski]

6 hours ago, Mike E said:

Jonny Stead had my favourite 6 months of any Rovers player ever.

His impact undoubtedly saved us from relegation in Souey's final full season.

There first player that demonstrated to me the difference between class and form, but I'll be forever grateful for his contribution 🙂

 

I've got it in my head that it was playing alongside Cole that helped him score as many as he did (as happened with Jansen a couple of years prior). After Cole left, Stead's form nosedived.

[Armchair supporter supremo]

7 minutes ago, Dreyski said:

I've got it in my head that it was playing alongside Cole that helped him score as many as he did (as happened with Jansen a couple of years prior). After Cole left, Stead's form nosedived.

Was Yorke there at that point🤔

[Dreyski]

Not sure, he might have fallen foul of Souness by that point. I've not checked, but I think Stead might have been alongside Dickov and/or Kuqi in his second season.

[simongarnerisgod]

anyone remember that humdinger of a match at fulham where we won 4-3,stead scored the winner,he played regularly under souness but when hughes arrived he certainly did`nt rate him and soon got shut,he scored vital goals for us at the time souness started to show signs of increasing madness and fury

[Oldgregg86]

29 minutes ago, simongarnerisgod said:

anyone remember that humdinger of a match at fulham where we won 4-3,stead scored the winner,he played regularly under souness but when hughes arrived he certainly did`nt rate him and soon got shut,he scored vital goals for us at the time souness started to show signs of increasing madness and fury

I always liked John stead and thought we gave up on him to early.

his goal in the Blackburn end against the red rats after Gallagher laid it off will always be a fond memory 😁

[Nuttall is lost]

David Bentley.  Got sick of football, retired and owns a pub now I think

[Gordon Gekko]

Robbie Slater, decent Aussie right winger but was always behind Stuart Ripley. Think he ended up playing for West Ham and Southampton. 

[JPTSwindon]

On 02/10/2022 at 09:20, jim mk2 said:

Wasn't Alan Wright one of the first signings of Kenny Dalglish's reign? Good playe  but we replaced him with an even better one - Le Saux. That's how we were then and how you win championships - always strengthening and signing better players than they ones you have

Yes his first signing - from Blackpool.

I remember as that was the 90 Minutes quiz question that I won to meet the players at the training ground. (90 Minutes were useless. They sent me the letter to say I won and details would follow, they didn’t so my mum had to phone up to sort out!)

[Nuttall is lost]

1 hour ago, Gordon Gekko said:

Robbie Slater, decent Aussie right winger but was always behind Stuart Ripley. Think he ended up playing for West Ham and Southampton. 

Traded for the legend Matty Holmes in 95

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

10 hours ago, Nuttall is lost said:

Traded for the legend Matty Holmes in 95

That was a mistake - Slater was a better  player.

Edited October 4, 2022 by Tyrone Shoelaces

[JC4LAB]

On 19/09/2022 at 01:05, jim mk2 said:

 

Lineker basically told Walker he was too good to sign for a small club like BRFC

"Shame Blackburn went down," he also said on a TV sports quiz show after we were relegated in 1999

You remember things like that. 

 

Yes..We were after Liniker & also Ronny Rosenthal of all people....Turned us down so we got Shearer..Thanks for not coming Gary 

[Admiral Nelsen]

17 hours ago, simongarnerisgod said:

anyone remember that humdinger of a match at fulham where we won 4-3,stead scored the winner,he played regularly under souness but when hughes arrived he certainly did`nt rate him and soon got shut,he scored vital goals for us at the time souness started to show signs of increasing madness and fury

 

I remember watching that game unfold on ceefax. Genuinely more enthralling than many actual games that I've seen since.