Billy Whitehurst

[The Red Baron]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-3091672/Billy-Whitehurst-spilt-blood-Hull-City-Newcastle-United-d-love-fighting-spirit-relegation-battle.html

There's an article about Billy, who still lives in Donny, in today's Daily Fail. He doesn't mention his time with Rovers, which was punctuated by red cards!

[DRNaith]

....or punctuated with playing

[stevebarrass]

he also played at Hatfield Main with Dave Harle around 91-92

[jonnydog]

Lived in Warmsworth for years, maybe still there.

[DearneValleyRover]

Yep he's still there

[hamiltonrover]

Good article. I am pretty sure I saw Billy play every game for us and it's fair to say he was hard as f&@k.

[Nudga]

I'm sure his debut for us was against Burnley at home in which he scored. I remember the ball bobbling about around the six yard box and Billy flying into defender,  goalkeeper and the ball at the same time and the ball squirmed in.
I thought he was f**kin nuts and loved him for it.

[German Rover]

First person I ever heard use the word Kitson!

[The Red Baron]

My favourite Billy Whitehurst moment came in a pre-season game at Tadcaster Albion. A home defender tackled Tommy Tynan, who was clearly a mucker of Billy's, a little too enthusiastically. As the players lined up for the resulting free kick, Billy felled the offending player with a forearm smash.

The ref had seen it, but because he was only a local official allowed Billy to continue after a stern lecture. Soon after Billy Bremner decided to take him off and he came off glaring daggers at the chap he'd t**tted, probably offering to resume hostilities after the game.

And that was in a friendly!

[BillyStubbsTears]

I've told this story every time Whitehurst's name crops up but I have to tell it again. It's part of my therapy.

Whitehurst used to run the Butcher's Arms in Thurnscoe. I played for the Goldthorpe Hotel in the Sunday league. The morning we played the Butchers, one of the lads came running into the changing rooms with a white face, stammering, "Butchers have just turned up. Billy's wi' 'em and he's got his boots!"

My sphincter has been permanently loosened since that moment. Turns out the little bas**rd was winding us up. 

[PDX_Rover]

Is the drum still open in thurnscoe?

[roversdude]

Favourite Billy moment was his sending off at Hartlepool for nearly kicking someone - game was played in a swirly wind BW took an (innocent) swing at the ball just as nature co spired to move ball away

[rich1471]

I remember that game at Hartlepool to be fair it was freezing that night and it was Billy's 3rd attempt to to take someone out

[DearneValleyRover]

Is the drum still open in thurnscoe?

No it was demolished around 20 years ago

[Filo]

Is the drum still open in thurnscoe?

No it was demolished around 20 years ago

Is that Thurnscoe or the Drum?

[Theresonly1barrowrover]

the Drum is long gone, now a mini housing estate. Many years ago I lived in the same street as the Whitehurst family, Peartree Ave, Billy was only a lad then, just making his name as a budding schoolboy player and future thug ! Happy days.
Just as a side issue, Barrow won the Conference North title, so its upwards and onwards for my second choice team, who, it goes without saying can never replace the Rovers !

[The Red Baron]

Barrow have got a bit of money behind them, haven't they? A local boy made good. Will be interesting to see if they do well in the Conference next season.

How many of us went to Holker Street in 1998? Or even earlier when they were still in the Football League?

[idler]

I went on Boxing Day 1965. We lost 2-1 and all three goals were scored in the first five minutes if I remember right. It was freezing cold and Barrow was shut. We ended up in a WMC eating jars of cockles and mussels before the game. What a crap day.

[DearneValleyRover]

Is the drum still open in thurnscoe?

No it was demolished around 20 years ago

Is that Thurnscoe or the Drum?

Ha, that would be funny but Stainforth? It's looking better these days as a fair bit was demolished.

[RedRover45]

Barrow have got a bit of money behind them, haven't they? A local boy made good. Will be interesting to see if they do well in the Conference next season.

How many of us went to Holker Street in 1998? Or even earlier when they were still in the Football League?

I was there for the night match in 1998 and I was also there for the friendly in 2009 when we won 2-0

[craigdrfc]

I too was at Holker in 98 for the 2-2 draw. Big Nev in goal.

[bradford exile]

Is the drum still open in thurnscoe?

No it was demolished around 20 years ago

Is that Thurnscoe or the Drum?

Ha, that would be funny but Stainforth? It's looking better these days as a fair bit was demolished.

I really have to take time out and visit my old birthplace..Haven't been back since my mum passed on.

Sounds like it's changed a hell of a lot.

I remember the old Butchers Arms..used to go to the church youth club across the road and still crept out for a guinness or two while no one was looking in the old offie.

Regards

Ray

[Askern_reds]

I had to pick a lad up for work couldn't believe it was on coranation street lol, I went to barow with me dad must av been early 70s, I was kid beats me how the chuff does every body the score line and who scored from all those years ago

[RM452]

I've just cobbled together some highlights from an old VHS of Crewe vs Rovers from the first round of the Rumbelows cup in 1991.  We get hammered 5-2 but Billy Whitehurst scores a couple of great headers (and manages a yellow card) the second of which leaves the Crewe centre back in a heap on the floor..

http://www.justapubteam.co.uk/retro-doncaster-rovers-video-crewe-1991/

[idler]

I remember Jones running through us at will that night and then going to Liverpool not long after. He would have had a great career for England but for injury.
I remember the game kicking off late for some reason. In those days before mobiles Paul Gillighan asked me if I'd ring his wife to let her know he'd be late when I got home to Bradford.
It was one of those games where our fans decided we couldn't win so let's just sing and enjoy ourselves as much as we can. A bit like when we got beat away at Scunny the previous season.