[Archived] Could have Simon Garner made it in the Premier league of the 80's

[darwenblueswearehere]

I think Mark Patterson arrived just as the photo was being taken, Terry Gennoe was getting kitted out, maybe Mick Rathbone was around too. I recall that not all the players had arrived.

Great Link

Patty would have been smoking one of my fags probably, that's why he was late!

[tomphil]

Atkins is an example of what a top manager can do.

Under McKay he was awful, yet under Dalglish he became the mainstay in midfield. The play off final being the prime example. The guy ran midfield that day.

I may be wrong but i seem to think it was Tony Parkes who first switched Atko to midfield ? where he looked miles more comfortable.

[tonyoz]

Still I ask though, in those days clubs amost always bought British Players. Strikers were always in demand. Why, in 14 years did no first division club come in for him? Every first division manager would have looked at Garns, so IMO they saw weaknesses in him, otherwise it was an absolute no brainer to give him a miss.

Come on den, you can't have it both ways! When our mate jonnolad says that keith must be good because Ince, Trapattoni, Sam, Hodgson and Kean all rate him - you always reply that you have seen him many times with your own eyes and he is cack.

I think you should apply the same logic to SG. Thank God Division 1 managers didn't have the balls - that's our great fortune. Just click onto Bob's youtube links if you need a reminder. By the way, thanks Bob for those references - wonderful stuff!

[den]

Come on den, you can't have it both ways! When our mate jonnolad says that keith must be good because Ince, Trapattoni, Sam, Hodgson and Kean all rate him - you always reply that you have seen him many times with your own eyes and he is cack.

I think you should apply the same logic to SG. Thank God Division 1 managers didn't have the balls - that's our great fortune. Just click onto Bob's youtube links if you need a reminder. By the way, thanks Bob for those references - wonderful stuff!

Thanks Tony.

I don't need a reminder and haven't a clue what point you're making, except possibly it was just down to every first division manager for 14 years not having the balls to sign him. Simple as that? Maybe, maybe not.

[DavidMailsTightPerm]

And I'm also pretty sure that Ian Rush also notched 5 for Liverpool that day as well. But it was a while ago.

What a great thread, a welcome distraction from the current madness.

Gennoe, Branagan, Keeley, Faz, Branagan, Miller, Randall, Barker, Brotherston, Garner, Thompson. No point guessing back then! Take it or leave it! It was like that for years, give or take a couple of players (Quinn, Lowey, Bell, Mail, Patterson, I'll have missed a few no doubt).

I wonder how many of the current team I'll remember in 25 years?

Bob - thought I would look back - I only remembered Caldwell - so I thought I would check on Rush, from another web site :-

"Rush scored five goals in the game against Luton on 29 October 1983"

The game against Derby was 10 Sept 83 - and only 5837 hardy souls witnessed one of Simon's greatest day (though his goal against Liverpool must have been up there).

I loved Brotherston - he would beat his man - wait for him to catch up - and then beat him again. I will always remember his scorching header away at Huddersfield (struggling to remember if that is the game when it snowed and they let the fans in the open away end come in the posh seats because the weather was that bad (I was in the posh seats - only young at the time )

[Doug]

I was at that game (Garners 5), usually went to watch us at Uddersfield, can't remember the game you mention, but remember being there when you could barely see the half way line due to fog! My fading memory tells me garner was in the enclosure to our left, smoking and bantering with the Rovers fans. Can anyone remember that game?

[DanLad]

Thanks Tony.

I don't need a reminder and haven't a clue what point you're making, except possibly it was just down to every first division manager for 14 years not having the balls to sign him. Simple as that? Maybe, maybe not.

No-one came in for him. I think that's a fact. He must have been viewed as a gamble and no-one wanted to roll the dice.

Maybe try this is the question instead, had someone taken the gamble, how do we think he would have done?

I think he would have done alright.

[Ozz]

No-one came in for him. I think that's a fact. He must have been viewed as a gamble and no-one wanted to roll the dice.

Maybe try this is the question instead, had someone taken the gamble, how do we think he would have done?

I think he would have done alright.

Good post.

[Tyrone Shoelaces]

First game I saw was Rovers 7 v Spurs 2, 1963. Rovers team was:

Fred Else, John Bray, Keith Newton, Ronnie Clayton, Mike England, Mick McGrath, Mike Ferguson,Any McEvoy,Fred Pickering,Bryan Douglas, Mike Harrison.

A lot of Internationals in that team!

You know how to pick your games ! Best Rovers performance in my lifetime for your first game ? Nice.

[den]

You know how to pick your games ! Best Rovers performance in my lifetime for your first game ? Nice.

and mine.

If he didn't get hooked on rovers after that, well....

[AllRoverAsia]

You know how to pick your games ! Best Rovers performance in my lifetime for your first game ? Nice.

I was very lucky. Dad came from Blackburn but we lived miles away and this was our first family holiday. Grandma lived in Hope Street and we all descended on her. Mum, Dad and 5 kids plus Grandma in a 2 up 2 down terraced house with outside loo. Dad had always been a Rovers fan so I knew the about Rovers. Dad had been to the Cup Final with relatives but didn't take me as he said I was too young. I can still visualise parts of that game v Spurs, I was 11 at the time.

I've never lived in Blackburn but since the Spurs game have seen Rovers many many times Home & Away. Nowadays I have to travel back from Bangkok so try to time it when we have a couple of home games close together. Last Season I saw the Home games v City and Bolton.

At the Bolton game I met up with a sister and her son and ex-husband (all BBE STs), another sister and her son and also my son - all Rovers fans. They had travelled to the game from all over the British Isles and I'd come from Bangkok.

That was all because my Dad took me to see Rovers v Spurs game in 1963 - now that's what I call FAMILY

[m1st]

I was very lucky. Dad came from Blackburn but we lived miles away and this was our first family holiday. Grandma lived in Hope Street and we all descended on her. Mum, Dad and 5 kids plus Grandma in a 2 up 2 down terraced house with outside loo. Dad had always been a Rovers fan so I knew the about Rovers. Dad had been to the Cup Final with relatives but didn't take me as he said I was too young. I can still visualise parts of that game v Spurs, I was 11 at the time.

I've never lived in Blackburn but since the Spurs game have seen Rovers many many times Home & Away. Nowadays I have to travel back from Bangkok so try to time it when we have a couple of home games close together. Last Season I saw the Home games v City and Bolton.

At the Bolton game I met up with a sister and her son and ex-husband (all BBE STs), another sister and her son and also my son - all Rovers fans. They had travelled to the game from all over the British Isles and I'd come from Bangkok.

That was all because my Dad took me to see Rovers v Spurs game in 1963 - now that's what I call FAMILY

You're dead right, ARA. Don't we of that generation who were didn't live in the town, but had family there, owe a lot to our Dads?

And, at the risk of drifting off-topic onto things being covered on other threads, isn't that what's is being jeopardised by the current set-up at Ewood?

I can't imagine any 11-y-o making his Ewood Park debut next Sunday will see Spurs lose 7-2. Or will wax eloquent about it on this Board in 48 years' time.

[AllRoverAsia]

You're dead right, ARA. Don't we of that generation who were didn't live in the town, but had family there, owe a lot to our Dads?

And, at the risk of drifting off-topic onto things being covered on other threads, isn't that what's is being jeopardised by the current set-up at Ewood?

I can't imagine any 11-y-o making his Ewood Park debut next Sunday will see Spurs lose 7-2. Or will wax eloquent about it on this Board in 48 years' time.

You're right and it's sad.

Members of my family will be at Ewood on Sunday but will I'm sure be there to call for Kean's head.

The raw enjoyment of watching ''your'' team play a game of football has all but gone.

[m1st]

You're right and it's sad.

Members of my family will be at Ewood on Sunday but will I'm sure be there to call for Kean's head.

The raw enjoyment of watching ''your'' team play a game of football has all but gone.

Apologies for straying really off-topic now; but what follows is a quote from the "Venky's - Do you trust them ..?" thread, which chimes in with the way this discussion has developed:

The worst thing about Venky's time at the club so far is how they have got fans arguing amongst each other. We have never, I feel, had owners that seem to have put so little value on the feelings of the fans. I remember when I first started going to Ewood in the 80s, when Bobby Saxton's time was up. The crowd had turned and you knew there was no way back.

Later on, similar occurrences happened under Kidd and Ince. There reached a limit, and action was taken.

The same happened a while back under Kean yet, this time, nothing. Due to this, those fans who traditionally don't like displaying overt anger are put against those who want Kean out whatever. I can't see how it would have ever got so far in the past. Kean would already have been sacked by now. Actually, he wouldn't have been appointed in the first place but that's another thing...

You can see it on here in microcosm. Posters who would usually firmly agree with each other have been arguing amongst themselves. The support is angry and, thanks to Venky's mismanagement and in their absence, they are taking it out on each other.

At the moment, the heart of the club is being ripped out of it. Until - and only when - Kean is sacked, the will be a dysfunctional, bickering shadow of the begrudgingly respected, well-run, family club that was Blackburn Rovers. Give us our Rovers back Raos, sack Kean and start doing what any half-competent ownership would have done months ago.

[Tooogs]

I'm currently taking my level 2 coaching badge with Glenn Keeley as my tutor. He's had some stories to tell!

[m1st]

I'm currently taking my level 2 coaching badge with Glenn Keeley as my tutor. He's had some stories to tell!

You big tease, Tooogs!

[broadsword]

I'm currently taking my level 2 coaching badge with Glenn Keeley as my tutor. He's had some stories to tell!

Is he still scary?

[SIMON GARNERS 194]

If only we had a Simon Garner in this present side..I'll say no more!