Rovers pass two tests of character
BLUE-EYED BOY’S BLACKBURN VIEW
WE know from how we celebrate the stumblings of our promotion rivals how disheartening it can be when they keep on winning so Rovers, in my view, passed a couple of tests of character and struck a pair of wounding blows at both Shrewsbury and Wigan by winning a brace of testing away games this week.
Nothing is decided yet but I firmly believe that the psychological advantage Rovers have given themselves by embarking on another impressive run following that isolated defeat at Plymouth could not have put them in a better frame of mind to take on long-time leaders Wigan who must be wondering how the devil they can fit 15 league games in between now and the end of the season.
Not our problem, of course, and we can pile on the self-doubt and mental pressure which surely must be gnawing at Paul Cook’s side as they look forlornly at the table they had the City Gent from less victories there has dominated for months. Kent, Bradley Dack, who been a sizeable portion of
Wins for ourselves at nudged us ahead in an sadness among fans of my Ewood on Sunday and otherwise undistinvintage with sad news of Shrewsbury a day earlier guished first half with a the passing of two Rovers at home to Peterborough piece of typical skill only who formed an indelible would put the top two the sharpest football brain impression on my develnine and five points clear could persuade anyone to oping love for the club of the Latics respectively attempt. and for anyone who was and I don’t care who you His brilliantly directed privileged to wear the are, I insist winning games header from the unlikelifamous blue and white to catch up is much harder est of angles was one that shirt in my boyhood than winning them to Graham or Jordan Rhodes Billy Wilson, a classy extend a healthy league. would have been proud left-back who came to
All that’s assuming we of, as, if not quite to the Ewood as a kid from the do the business, of course. same extent, was his secNorth East, was a member Wigan, for all their cup ond, a consummate finish of the first side to imprint commitments, have had a which ended the match as their names on my conweek off after a rather roua contest. If you have been sciousness to the extent tine home win against backing the right players that I could reel their Rochdale while Rovers, to bag a brace in games names off: Blacklaw, comfortable through two this season you’ve made a Newton, Wilson, Clayton, pieces of routine but hapkilling. Coddington, Hole, Fergupens- too- often- to- beI’ve been having a punt son, Rogers, Gilliver, Darlucky opportunism from on generously-priced Elliling, Connelly. Danny Graham, faced a ott Bennett, who was due The first five of those rousing second half Walone, to do so but as usual have now passed, plus sall comeback then a taxhis rare strikes are eyeJohn Connelly, but Billy’s ing midweek journey to catching efforts so I’ll fordeath came as a real the frozen extremities of give him for not popping shock. the capital. up with another. I remember him as a
Never mind the beast I can’t imagine how good-looking blonde lad from the East though, cold it must have been by and somehow expected once the fans had negotihalf nine so well done to him to have remained ated a nervy day travelnearly 800 who braved it youthful and fit into his ling, anxious70s.toheartheandIhopeeveryonegot game would go on - every home safely and warmed He possibly holds one credit to AFC Wimbledon up. of the more curious Rovfor ensuring it did - we In a week of two price- ers records in that he failed to score in 246 league appearances, the first 40-odd of them in the first division of old, and 270 games altogether. I can think of no Rovers who played outfield so often without netting. He was a hell of a player though.
In 1971, clearly disillusioned after the sale of his erstwhile full-back partner Keith Newton (believe me there have been few better pairings) and relegation to the Third Division, he left for Portsmouth where he promptly scored in his seventh and 12th appearances and became as popular a figure as he had been at Ewood.
He was also the first Rover I ever saw sent off – you had to virtually commit ABH to do so in the 1960s – after a spat with Birmingham City’s John Vincent.
A few years ago I had a mind to try and put a book together about my first bunch of heroes, many of whom lived a few hundred yards from the estate I grew up in at Feniscowles, and Billy and Eamonn Rogers were the two I was most keenly anticipating talking to but my own health worries meant I couldn’t see it through.
I’m sad that I’ll never get to tell him how much I adored him. If you get the chance to talk to a boyhood idol I’d strongly advise you to take it.
Also passing away this week was Jeff Whalley, another distinctive blonde, a Rossendalian forward who made only a couple of first XI appearances but remained wellknown in local nonleague circles. He lived in Oswaldtwistle till his death last Friday.
Fondest memory of Jeff? Scoring in an extraordinary 4-0 win over Liverpool in the FA Youth Cup on New Year Day 1969 with a decent crowd on Ewood, one of my top 10 Rovers performances at any level.
What better send-off can Rovers give them other than a minute’s silence or applause (I prefer the former) and a significant Ewood victory on Saturday. grievance for us was the referee physically getting in the way of play and allowing Southampton to charge forward.
It’s more than tiring now to keep waiting through the week for a pretty boring performance ending either in a loss or draw. We absolutely have to win at the weekend to stay in 7th place.
This seems like an impossible task however given the run Everton are on, so again it’s a waiting and wishing game.
I’m also taken aback by Dyche making no changes whatsoever on Saturday. Why not a fresh pair of legs? Why not Vokes to get on the end of things that Ashley Barnes seem to be a minute behind of? Baffling but hopefully a lesson learnt for this Saturday’s game.
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