Old Gold - players at the age when many others would have retired, but through a combination of desire and professionalism come in and do the business. I give you Paulo Di Canio Christian Dailly And, going back a bit, Chris Whyte
Going back further still Cliff Holton.
And even further.. John Hewie
John Hewie was indeed a great player for us but, as our third highest appearance maker, can it be said that he "came in" (as a veteran) and did the business?
This is true LG, he came as a frisky youngster and left as a friskier oldster.
Harry Cripps?.. come on you old lions
Cripps a great shout on this - wouldn't have been easy to win us round, yet he did thanks to some surprisingly handy performances, even nicked a goal or two.
I'd put Mark Bowen & Mark Bright in this category - if only we could unearth a couple like that now.
And for deepest Brown (players you knew were crap and wondered what the hell we were doing paying any money at all for them) I give you Djimi Traore
Hi Stig ......re Barry Endean. Well, it was 40 years ago now, but my recollection is of a player who was carrying a bit too much weight, lacking mobility and sharpness.
Funny thing, he did the biz for his previous club. And also the one we sold him to.
Cheers Oggy.
I was reading about this. Apparently when we got rid of Endean it was in a swap deal for Eamonn Rogers. Rogers' record as a forward for Charlton was played 43, scored 3. So it sounds as if we even didn't get much out of Endean when he went.
Hi Stig,
Eamonn Rogers was a midfielder not a forward, so can't really compare him with Barry Endean. I remember him, bushy beard and long hair, as a pretty solid unit and a bit one paced.
But he had a good 1st touch and an eye for a pass. Softly spoken Irishman, remember talking to him on the train coming back from Plymouth in 1973 after the team were slaughtered 0-5.
Just checked out to see what Wiki says: "Born in Dublin, He turned professional at Ewood Park in May 1965 and made his First Division debut in Rovers' 3-2 defeat at Stoke City four months later.
He was Rovers' joint top scorer in 1967-68 and 1970-71 seasons. Rogers made 177 Appearances for Rovers and scored 39 goals in all competitions. In 2006 he was voted into the Rovers fans team of the decade (1960's). He was also shortlisted for a place in the greatest of all time team.
He made an ill advised move to Charlton Athletic in an exchange deal involving Barry Endean in October 1971. Where he spent two injury hit seasons. He retired from professional football at the end 1973-74 season aged just 27.
He made his international debut for the Republic of Ireland national football team on 22 November 1967 in a 2-1 away win over Czechoslovakia and went on to win a total of 19 international caps and scored 5 times."
Another player forced to retire early while at Charlton, aged only 27.
Comments
Cripps a great shout on this - wouldn't have been easy to win us round, yet he did thanks to some surprisingly handy performances, even nicked a goal or two.
I'd put Mark Bowen & Mark Bright in this category - if only we could unearth a couple like that now.
And for deepest Brown (players you knew were crap and wondered what the hell we were doing paying any money at all for them) I give you Djimi Traore
Eamonn Rogers was a midfielder not a forward, so can't really compare him with Barry Endean.
I remember him, bushy beard and long hair, as a pretty solid unit and a bit one paced.
But he had a good 1st touch and an eye for a pass.
Softly spoken Irishman, remember talking to him on the train coming back from Plymouth in 1973 after the team were slaughtered 0-5.
Just checked out to see what Wiki says:
"Born in Dublin, He turned professional at Ewood Park in May 1965 and
made his First Division debut in Rovers' 3-2 defeat at Stoke City four
months later.
He was Rovers' joint top scorer in 1967-68 and 1970-71 seasons.
Rogers made 177 Appearances for Rovers and scored 39 goals in all
competitions. In 2006 he was voted into the Rovers fans team of the
decade (1960's). He was also shortlisted for a place in the greatest of
all time team.
He made an ill advised move to Charlton Athletic in an exchange deal
involving Barry Endean in October 1971. Where he spent two injury hit
seasons. He retired from professional football at the end 1973-74 season
aged just 27.
He made his international debut for the Republic of Ireland national
football team on 22 November 1967 in a 2-1 away win over Czechoslovakia
and went on to win a total of 19 international caps and scored 5 times."
Another player forced to retire early while at Charlton, aged only 27.