Rovers old boys

[Boz]

I find your original comment stranger. If Mellon should be embarrassed that Mullin did not perform under his management, then Bentley should be equally if not more embarrassed should not he ? He failed to score goals anywhere until he went to Cambridge. I thought your original comment was provocative and petty.

I can't be bothered checking the stats you quote, but ten games in a front two is a substantial run in the team and Mullin made virtually no impression in that period. He was given an extended run in the side and was not good enough. Vaughan played far fewer games in 19-20 after his arrival but clearly was good enough.

Mullin did not perform at any club until he got to Cambridge, so if Mellon is to be 'blamed' for that so should all the other coaches and managers Mullin worked under in the early years of his career.

I don't recall seeing Mullin play during his Morecambe career. but guess he'd be a Nevitt type. The fact that Jim Bentley picked him regularly during that time and managed to earn a compensation fee when he moved to Swindon suggests that he did reasonably well during that period. If MM got Jake Burton and Sam Taylor playing regularly for Rovers and earning us a fee when moving on, most of us would be very pleased.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

I don't recall seeing Mullin play during his Morecambe career. but guess he'd be a Nevitt type. The fact that Jim Bentley picked him regularly during that time and managed to earn a compensation fee when he moved to Swindon suggests that he did reasonably well during that period. If MM got Jake Burton and Sam Taylor playing regularly for Rovers and earning us a fee when moving on, most of us would be very pleased.

You are tying yourself in knots here. It was you who suggested that Mellon should be embarrassed by Mullin's recent 'success', whereas I made no reference to any of his managers.

Time to put this debate to bed I think.

 

[Boz]

Jim Bentley must be even more embarrassed then, given that Mullin did little at Morecambe in several seasons.........

You are tying yourself in knots here. It was you who suggested that Mellon should be embarrassed by Mullin's recent 'success', whereas I made no reference to any of his managers.

Time to put this debate to bed I think.

Really??

I agree with your last line though

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Really??

I agree with your last line though

Yeah, I mentioned Bentley after you brought Mellon into the argument in the previous post. Deary me.

Goodnight.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

I want to move off Mullin and Mellon, but it’s worth a general comment that Rovers have generally been mediocre to poor recently in developing strikers. The last one I remember is Ian Muir, who had done nothing previously at several clubs. One of our greatest, but it was a long time ago. Another Kingy special was Ronnie Moore, whom he converted from centre-half. Clayton and Clarke were around in the seventies. Before that, back in my day, you had another defender convert in John Manning who formed such a great partnership with Barry Dyson, a winger when he came to Rovers. Dave Russell was manager then.

 

[bigmart]

I want to move off Mullin and Mellon, but it’s worth a general comment that Rovers have generally been mediocre to poor recently in developing strikers. The last one I remember is Ian Muir, who had done nothing previously at several clubs. One of our greatest, but it was a long time ago. Another Kingy special was Ronnie Moore, whom he converted from centre-half. Clayton and Clarke were around in the seventies. Before that, back in my day, you had another defender convert in John Manning who formed such a great partnership with Barry Dyson, a winger when he came to Rovers. Dave Russell was manager then.

What about Norwood, for a few reasons he wasn't that good till he came to us and yet developed into one of the best strikers we have had a many a year

 

[Boz]

You could make an argument for Andy Cook improving his all-round game and Cole Stockton who did enough to earn a contract with Scots Prem side Hearts on the back of a good second half of the season

 

[ONIGP]

What about Norwood, for a few reasons he wasn't that good till he came to us and yet developed into one of the best strikers we have had a many a year

I think he spent a lot of time playing as a winger for FGR. We even (nearly) taught him how to finish one on ones!

@bring back the cowshed! , a good shout although Clarkey and Clayts were 1984/85 season.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

You could make an argument for Andy Cook improving his all-round game and Cole Stockton who did enough to earn a contract with Scots Prem side Hearts on the back of a good second half of the season

Yes, Cook and Norwood both improved under Mellon's tutelage, and both were dropped by him for extended periods interestingly enough.

 

[Keith Hill (Bolton)]

What about Norwood, for a few reasons he wasn't that good till he came to us and yet developed into one of the best strikers we have had a many a year

He was an England youth player.
He always had potential.
FGR, played him wide, which was how many coaches seen him, in a front three mainly on the left.
He wasn't known for his finishing at FGR, hence the barracking he took from their fans.
MM tried various combinations until the outcome of him being a mainly solo front man..
However, it was horses for courses as the squad had options up front. Depending on tactics.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Peter Clarke returns to Oldham.

He was never going to be a regular at Walsall and he clearly wants to play every week. Fair play to him.

 

[Sparky]

Peter Clarke returns to Oldham.

He was never going to be a regular at Walsall and he clearly wants to play every week. Fair play to him.

Since unsworth took over Oldham’s form has been poor so no surprise he’s gone for some experience to shore up their back line. Fair play to Clarke who isn’t far off 900 career appearances.

Tollit there too of course.

 

[bring back the cowshed!]

Peter Clarke returns to Oldham.

He was never going to be a regular at Walsall and he clearly wants to play every week. Fair play to him.

Fair play to Micky, we can discuss and disagree about his strengths and weaknesses, but he’s brilliant at taking players near the end of their careers, getting a season or two out of them and then moving them on as they approach their sell-by date. Soon after they go, they usually disappear into non-league.

Good examples are Clarke, Perkins, McNulty, Feeney and Ellis.

 

[Rockford's Love Child]

Fair play to Micky, we can discuss and disagree about his strengths and weaknesses, but he’s brilliant at taking players near the end of their careers, getting a season or two out of them and then moving them on as they approach their sell-by date. Soon after they go, they usually disappear into non-league.

Good examples are Clarke, Perkins, McNulty, Feeney and Ellis.

I broadly agree, although Feeney was actually past it before Mellon returned !

 

[bigmart]

Andy Cook scores again

 

[Sparky]

Oldham are turning into rovers reserves with tollit, Clarke, Maynard and hogan all starting for them. Dan Gardner on the bench too. Yellow cards for Peter and Lois

 

[O4anotherplayoff]

Sam Ilesanmi, who scored our winner when we fielded the kids in our VNL game at Maidstone, has resurfaced at Kendal Town. Scored a hattrick this afternoon!

 

[bigmart]

Jake Caprice playing against Janoi Donacien in the early tv game Exeter v Ipswich

 

[Ian]

Yeah, Exeter were pretty poor but Jake played quite well bombing down the flank.

 

[bigmart]

Yeah, Exeter were pretty poor but Jake played quite well bombing down the flank.

6 academy players in their starting line up.