John McNamee RIP

[Tugayisgod]

Very sad to hear the news John McNamee has passed away. Older fans will remember him fondly as  a tough as nails Scot who took no prisoners back in the day ,!

Huge mentor to a young Faz , sadly missed

RIP Supermac

Edited November 29 by Tugayisgod

[Bronzed A Donis]

Heard many a tale from elders about John McNamee. 

Rovers getting smashed for 7 at Shrewsbury after relagation to third division, brought in McNamee and transformed the team.

An under rated part of our history .

RIP

[RevidgeBlue]

Wow, the original hard man in terms of my time watching Rovers.

Would be sent off before the end of the warm up these days.

Seem to remember he was instrumental in the start of the revival of our fortunes at the time.

RIP.

[rigger]

I think it was away to Tranmere, he was instrumental in stopping our rot. Thank you and your killing zone.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

He changed the attitude on the pitch at Ewood. No more feeling sorry for ourselves that we weren’t being allowed to play our football. He showed us you have to be prepared to fight for the right to play your football. You still do !  Nobody took liberties with us once he arrived.

Any chance of a minutes applause tomorrow ? Somehow I doubt it.

Thanks for the memories big fella

Edited November 29 by Tyrone Shoelaces

[Waggy76]

RIP Big Man 

[Waggy76]

2 hours ago, Bronzed A Donis said:

Heard many a tale from elders about John McNamee. 

Rovers getting smashed for 7 at Shrewsbury after relagation to third division, brought in McNamee and transformed the team.

An under rated part of our history .

RIP

Alf Wood scored 5 but I think Roger Jones was sent off or got injured ..

[arbitro]

He was as hard as nails and probably wouldn't have lasted five minutes in today's football. The centre forward certainty knew he had been in a match. I recall a screamer he scored from long distance against Bournemouth (I think).

RIP.

[rigger]

31 minutes ago, Waggy76 said:

Alf Wood scored 5 but I think Roger Jones was sent off or got injured ..

Got injured, The Don went in goals.

[pentelrobot]

2 hours ago, arbitro said:

He was as hard as nails and probably wouldn't have lasted five minutes in today's football. The centre forward certainty knew he had been in a match. I recall a screamer he scored from long distance against Bournemouth (I think).

RIP.

It was Brighton I think. Willie Irvine played for the opposition and scored.

[arbitro]

2 hours ago, pentelrobot said:

It was Brighton I think. Willie Irvine played for the opposition and scored.

I thought Bournemouth as I have a memory of John kicking Ted McDougall all over Ewood 🤣 

[Waggy76]

42 minutes ago, arbitro said:

I thought Bournemouth as I have a memory of John kicking Ted McDougall all over Ewood 🤣 

Against Bournemouth one year, Endean scored twice and we won , Easter time, I think.. 

[Exiled in Toronto Mk2]

7 hours ago, arbitro said:

He was as hard as nails and probably wouldn't have lasted five minutes in today's football. The centre forward certainty knew he had been in a match. I recall a screamer he scored from long distance against Bournemouth (I think).

RIP.

From inside the centre circle wasn’t it? Although it gets a few yards further back each time we talk about it 😂

If anyone deserves a minute’s applause it’s him, we were headed into the 4th division before he came. I remember him once dropping a centre forward in the centre circle when we had the ball in their box, then stamping on his hand for good measure.

[lraC]

I don’t remember loads about him, but he was a player, who was part of the team, when I fell in love with Rovers aged 7 in 1972..

RIP big man. 

[Parsonblue]

The significance of John McNamee in the club's history cannot be stressed enough.  The club looked destined for relegation to Division Four before he arrived.  He galvanised the club, the players and the supporters.  He literally dragged the club off the floor with his approach.  He brought self-respect back the the club.  He intimidated opponents and restored belief into players who were struggling to adapt to life in the Third Division.

Away from Rovers he had a great career - Celtic, Hibs, Newcastle - where he won the Fairs Cup - and had a spell in management with Workington.

Life after football didn't treat him kindly but he faced up to each blow he received with the same kind of determination he had as a player.  Like many players of his generation his final years were robbed by the cruellest of illnesses.

He remains one of my all time favourite players, a player who deserves far more recognition that he has received for his part in this club's history.  All of his former clubs, including Workington, had recorded his passing with tributes - as yet not seen anything from Rovers, or perhaps I've missed it.

R.I.P. Big John.  

[Paul Mellelieu]

RIP.  

I'll never forget the long distance goal he scored against Brighton (I think).  Close my eyes and I can see it 50 years later.

[wilsdenrover]

51 minutes ago, Parsonblue said:

The significance of John McNamee in the club's history cannot be stressed enough.  The club looked destined for relegation to Division Four before he arrived.  He galvanised the club, the players and the supporters.  He literally dragged the club off the floor with his approach.  He brought self-respect back the the club.  He intimidated opponents and restored belief into players who were struggling to adapt to life in the Third Division.

Away from Rovers he had a great career - Celtic, Hibs, Newcastle - where he won the Fairs Cup - and had a spell in management with Workington.

Life after football didn't treat him kindly but he faced up to each blow he received with the same kind of determination he had as a player.  Like many players of his generation his final years were robbed by the cruellest of illnesses.

He remains one of my all time favourite players, a player who deserves far more recognition that he has received for his part in this club's history.  All of his former clubs, including Workington, had recorded his passing with tributes - as yet not seen anything from Rovers, or perhaps I've missed it.

R.I.P. Big John.  

If you’d blinked you may have done:
 

https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2024/november/29/rovers-saddened-by-former-player-s-passing/

Edited November 30 by wilsdenrover

[Parsonblue]

24 minutes ago, wilsdenrover said:

If you’d blinked you may have done:
 

https://www.rovers.co.uk/news/2024/november/29/rovers-saddened-by-former-player-s-passing/

Thanks, I clearly missed it.  Somewhat shorter than Workington's glowing tribute!

[Leonard Venkhater]

On 29/11/2024 at 16:15, rigger said:

Got injured, The Don went in goals.

The trouble was Jones stayed in goal after he was injured (at 2-0 down I think).

Don didn't go in goal until we were 5 -0 down...

[Leonard Venkhater]

On 29/11/2024 at 21:02, arbitro said:

I thought Bournemouth as I have a memory of John kicking Ted McDougall all over Ewood 🤣 

From memory, I think it was a different game. The McDougall hand incident was v AFC (lol)Bournemouth and the  long distance goal was v Brighton....

[arbitro]

2 minutes ago, Leonard Venkhater said:

The trouble was Jones stayed in goal after he was injured (at 2-0 down I think).

Don didn't go in goal until we were 5 -0 down...

Alf bloody Wood eh. He was the one who smashed Roger Jones breaking his jaw or cheekbone if I recall correctly. He always sounded to me like a character out of the Hotspur (like Alf Tupper in the Tough of the Track).

[Leonard Venkhater]

On 30/11/2024 at 09:16, Paul Mellelieu said:

RIP.  

I'll never forget the long distance goal he scored against Brighton (I think).  Close my eyes and I can see it 50 years later.

So can I...

The same  with Johnny Price's long distance banger v Bradford from a similar position...

Memories!!

[arbitro]

2 minutes ago, Leonard Venkhater said:

From memory, I think it was a different game. The McDougall hand incident was v AFC (lol)Bournemouth and the  long distance goal was v Brighton....

Two South Coast teams both beginning with B. For an 'owd fella I didn't think it was a bad effort. 😂😂

[Leonard Venkhater]

2 minutes ago, arbitro said:

Two South Coast teams both beginning with B. For an 'owd fella I didn't think it was a bad effort. 😂😂

The games were within a couple of weeks of each other...and it was over 50 years ago.

To make it seem even worse, an 'owd fella making a similar post back then would have been recalling a game in 1922!

[arbitro]

14 minutes ago, Leonard Venkhater said:

The games were within a couple of weeks of each other...and it was over 50 years ago.

To make it seem even worse, an 'owd fella making a similar post back then would have been recalling a game in 1922!

Perspective Kenny as always 😂