Darius Henderson

[donnyplant]

Would you take him? Would you want him?

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Are you his agent ?

[Barmby Rover]

NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[donnyplant]

Just thought we wanted him before and wondered if people think he would fit into our squad.

[Norfolk N Chance]

Loads of aggression and id lve him here but out of price range i think!

Just thought we wanted him before and wondered if people think he would fit into our squad.

[Jonathan]

Yes and yes but doubt we could afford him.

A striker of his stature would offer us a completely new dimesion, in both boxes. His local connection would make him ideal but I think he would be out of our range in fee and wages.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Don't think him and Billy could play together. Billy's top dog at Rovers for now and should he be ousted from his 'target' man role then that's when he'll leave.

[BillyStubbsTears]

They were having a debate on BladesMad a couple of weeks ago about whether Henderson was a) the worst centre forward and b) the biggest tosspot they'd ever had.

Consensus seemed to be a) No, but not far off and b) quite possibly.

That said, as Jonathan says, we do need some physicality. Now, where have I heard that before?

[Standanista]

I guess a lot would depend on how him and Sharp got on when they were at the same club last time.  Potentially a great pairing.

Entirely hypothetical though IMO.  If that sort of money were made available I think we'd be better off strengthening at the back.

[Wellred]

They were having a debate on BladesMad a couple of weeks ago about whether Henderson was a) the worst centre forward and b) the biggest tosspot they'd ever had.

Consensus seemed to be a) No, but not far off and b) quite possibly.

That said, as Jonathan says, we do need some physicality. Now, where have I heard that before?

Weren't they having the same debate some time ago about a certain Billy Sharp?

[BillyStubbsTears]

They were having a debate on BladesMad a couple of weeks ago about whether Henderson was a) the worst centre forward and b) the biggest tosspot they'd ever had.

Consensus seemed to be a) No, but not far off and b) quite possibly.

That said, as Jonathan says, we do need some physicality. Now, where have I heard that before?

Weren't they having the same debate some time ago about a certain Billy Sharp?

In fairness to them, no. The majority of Blades fans were of the opinion that either Sharp had been unlucky, had been very badly used by Blackwell, or had never had the trust of Blackwell.

[Barmby Rover]

A lot on Football Heaven used to say he wasn't good enough for the Champoinship. A phrase I hear a lot when our moaners start up, it goes to show that fans rarely are correct when it comes to assessing players who they don't like for whatever reason.

[herouk87]

They were having a debate on BladesMad a couple of weeks ago about whether Henderson was a) the worst centre forward and b) the biggest tosspot they'd ever had.

Consensus seemed to be a) No, but not far off and b) quite possibly.

That said, as Jonathan says, we do need some physicality. Now, where have I heard that before?

Good luck winning that contest with Ched Evans pulling on the shirt

[Snods Shinpad 2]

Having a big lump like Henderson/Parkin on the bench would be a definite bonus as a Plan B and as experienced cover for when Sharp knackers his hernia again. A bit more height on the bench to help see out games would be useful too.

[southwestexile]

As above, the money needs to be going on players at the backto shut up our freebie shop.  I would prefer to see us go down with SOD developing a team around the likes of Mason and Copps feeding the bulets to Billy (and admittedly another scorer to cover his current fitness issues), but long ball, big lump up front?  Leo Fortunes-West anyone?  I've seen enough of that type of football thank you, get back to the pretty stuff of the last few seasons, stick to your instincts and beliefs SOD!

[BillyStubbsTears]

As above, the money needs to be going on players at the backto shut up our freebie shop.  I would prefer to see us go down with SOD developing a team around the likes of Mason and Copps feeding the bulets to Billy (and admittedly another scorer to cover his current fitness issues), but long ball, big lump up front?  Leo Fortunes-West anyone?  I've seen enough of that type of football thank you, get back to the pretty stuff of the last few seasons, stick to your instincts and beliefs SOD!

Is that the Leo Fortune West who won 5 promotions in his career and helped us to consolidate in the top half of Tier 3 at a time when our highest ever transfer fee paid was less than £200k?

I thought so.

[southwestexile]

maybe we should just re-sign him then?  everyone has their day and your assessment shows that Leo had more than his fair share but certainly not a way forward for us

[BillyStubbsTears]

maybe we should just re-sign him then?  everyone has their day and your assessment shows that Leo had more than his fair share but certainly not a way forward for us

And getting regularly outmuscled up front and at the back IS a way forward for us?

I know where you're coming from. When O'Driscoll's Plan A works, it is a delight to watch. But we have never had either physically dominating presence in defence or the option of having a battering ram up front when we are under the cosh.

Other managers aren't stupid. they've realised that if they stand off us and give us sapce, we have the players to embarrass them. So, more and more often, we are seeing opponents going out with the intention of blasting us off the pitch. We desperately need 2 or 3 players who can take that battle back to the opponents and intimidate THEM in the way that they try to intimidate US.

[Snods Shinpad 2]

I know where you're coming from. When O'Driscoll's Plan A works, it is a delight to watch. But we have never had either physically dominating presence in defence or the option of having a battering ram up front when we are under the cosh...

Exactly. And judging by the way SOD has used Webster/Kilgallon/Thomas (gulp) as late emergency strikers in games when Brooker has been on his weekly visit to the surgeon, he's recognised that fact too.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

I think we all know what we mean by Plan B, and basically it means give up all your footballing principles and lump it in to the box.

There aren't many teams who don't resort to these tactics when required but let's face it, it isn't a plan and you can't build a team for 'Plan B'. I'm sure Barcelona don't recruit for plan B.

We have just got to make sure we plan and recruit for plan A and have players on the bench who could make plan A work better on the day.

Getting Henderson to sit on the bench to put on if Plan A is failing would be a waste of money.

Pace, movement, good passing, hard work and good decision making should win the day every time.

[Barmby Rover]

I think we all know what we mean by Plan B, and basically it means give up all your footballing principles and lump it in to the box.

There aren't many teams who don't resort to these tactics when required but let's face it, it isn't a plan and you can't build a team for 'Plan B'. I'm sure Barcelona don't recruit for plan B.

We have just got to make sure we plan and recruit for plan A and have players on the bench who could make plan A work better on the day.

Getting Henderson to sit on the bench to put on if Plan A is failing would be a waste of money.

Pace, movement, good passing, hard work and good decision making should win the day every time.

Everything that Henderson isn't, he is a dirty player who doesn't fit the SOD ethos. A definite no.

[BillyStubbsTears]

I think we all know what we mean by Plan B, and basically it means give up all your footballing principles and lump it in to the box.

There aren't many teams who don't resort to these tactics when required but let's face it, it isn't a plan and you can't build a team for 'Plan B'. I'm sure Barcelona don't recruit for plan B.

We have just got to make sure we plan and recruit for plan A and have players on the bench who could make plan A work better on the day.

Getting Henderson to sit on the bench to put on if Plan A is failing would be a waste of money.

Pace, movement, good passing, hard work and good decision making should win the day every time.

Everything that Henderson isn't, he is a dirty player who doesn't fit the SOD ethos. A definite no.

Hark at us.

Haven't WE become the la-di-da metrosexual types then, eh?

Look at some of the Rovers heroes of yesteryear.

Mark Albrighton
Colin Sutherland
Gary Brabin
Ian Snodin
Alan Little
Alan Warboys
Syd Bycroft

As my late, lamented Grandad would have said, there's some warm buggers in that list. That's a set of players that would have kicked seven shades of shit out of the corpse of the Queen Mother if it would have helped us get three (or two) points.

Football is a MAN's game. A perfectly valid tactic is intimidation of your opponents. f**k knows we've had it done to US enough times this season. We have had no-one to do that since Leo and Sarge left. We cannot always rely on being able to out-play opponents - having the option of bullying them every once in a while would be a godsend.

[Standanista]

Bremner was hardly one out of the SOD mould either.

I do wonder what we would have achieved under him, had he had the finances and Board backing of today.  Good football manager and not one to put out a side of shrinking tippy-tappy violets, but as we know he was never allowed to hang on to his best players.

I still vividly remember Alan Little breaking that Huddersfield bloke's leg in a drop ball.  Which may have been taking it a little far however.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Good point. Bremner was able to put the whole deal together, given the budgetary constraints. His sides had pace, strength, skill and subtlty.

He made the fatal mistake of going to Leeds where they demanded success immediately. Getting to the play-offs to Tier 1 wasn't seen as success. If they had the hindsight of the last 25 years, they may have re-judged him.

For me, all things considered, Bremner is still the best manager in my 40 years watching the Rovers. O'Driscoll produced a more sophisticated side. Penney had a longer unbroken run of success. But Bremner produced sides that got your heart racing, week in, week out. And he did it with f**k all to spend. A miracle worker.

[BRMC_rover]

maybe we should just re-sign him then?  everyone has their day and your assessment shows that Leo had more than his fair share but certainly not a way forward for us

And getting regularly outmuscled up front and at the back IS a way forward for us?

I know where you're coming from. When O'Driscoll's Plan A works, it is a delight to watch. But we have never had either physically dominating presence in defence or the option of having a battering ram up front when we are under the cosh.

Other managers aren't stupid. they've realised that if they stand off us and give us sapce, we have the players to embarrass them. So, more and more often, we are seeing opponents going out with the intention of blasting us off the pitch. We desperately need 2 or 3 players who can take that battle back to the opponents and intimidate THEM in the way that they try to intimidate US.

Your bang on. And its worrying that the only player who does that job at the minute is little Simon Gillett.

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Don't get my point about plan A mixed up with the tippy tappy stuff, as that is a sign of plan A not working.

There is room for strong, ruthless, tough players in every team however, you have to be able to play football as well. Most on your list could play a bit.

Back to the original question, I think we can find a better front man, to fit in with Billy and Plan A, than Henderson.

For me, without his injury problems, Steve Brooker is the type I mean. Dean Windass was another who had more than one dimension to his game. Players who are comfortable with the ball anywhere on the pitch.

[Standanista]

Good point. Bremner was able to put the whole deal together, given the budgetary constraints. His sides had pace, strength, skill and subtlty.

He made the fatal mistake of going to Leeds where they demanded success immediately. Getting to the play-offs to Tier 1 wasn't seen as success. If they had the hindsight of the last 25 years, they may have re-judged him.

For me, all things considered, Bremner is still the best manager in my 40 years watching the Rovers. O'Driscoll produced a more sophisticated side. Penney had a longer unbroken run of success. But Bremner produced sides that got your heart racing, week in, week out. And he did it with f**k all to spend. A miracle worker.

\"Tier 1\" - Oh for the plain and simple days of Divisions 1, 2, 3 and 4.

I agree, Bremner has been the best manager, for me, in the years I've been watching 'em.

There are other might-have-beens, of course: Dave Mackay was no mug, having won the title with Derby, but walked for want of Board support as I remember.  Sammy Chung did okay on not much, albeit he was only around for a couple of years.  Would be interesting to see his record against Bremner's actually.  But nonetheless, Bremner was the man in my book.

[BillyStubbsTears]

I thought Mackay was a t**t. f**ked up big style with a half-decent squad that the took to the brink of the Conference. Then when he left, told the world* how he'd left us a legacy of a superb Junior team, when in fact it was Steve Beaglehole who'd done all that work.


* - Clarification: \"world\" here, means \"Donny Free Press\"

[AbsolutDRFC]

I thought Mackay was a t**t. f**ked up big style with a half-decent squad that the took to the brink of the Conference. Then when he left, told the world* how he'd left us a legacy of a superb Junior team, when in fact it was Steve Beaglehole who'd done all that work.


* - Clarification: \"world\" here, means \"Donny Free Press\"

I'd go further BST.
For MacKay, also read Kinnear.....

The undoing of Beaglehole was letting too many kids go at the end of 1991/92 season when with another year we could've and should've developed more of the players instead of bringing in 7-8 new players, most of which were poor (Mark Hine & Wing Commander spring to mind)....

[Wellred]

Any talk of us signing Henderson is absolute rubbish. It will never happen. He is taller than 5'9\" isn't he?