For fans of Brian Stock

[BobG]

I came across this tomight:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTmrsvkasdU

It's about 4 minutes, partly an interview with Brian on the day he retired from playing, and then a rather nice presentation to him on the pitch. He must have made as big an impression at Havant & Waterlooville as he did at the BV and the KM.

There's nothing new or exciting or important in the clip. But it's a nice send off for a guy I will always remember with affection and respect.

BobG

[CJK]

Thanks for sharing that Bob, although not really much mention of Rovers it’s good to see him speaking.

Stock was class on the pitch and class off it, much like the majority of that squad; Jimmy, Hayts, Gaz Roberts, Sully to name a few. It’s somewhat quite emotional to see most of that squad have now reached then end of their playing careers.

[Branton Rover]

Stocky was a class act as a bloke- he contacted me when I lost my mum - I think he was at Burnley at the time - he had some really kind words to say about myself which was incredibly touching which I won’t forget -

[Bentley Bullet]

What quality we had in the side back then. I doubt we'll ever see the likes of it again at Rovers.

[idler]

He was always a joy to watch and still pinged it all over the pitch in charity games. He was very good on Copps podcast. His mam and dad used to go to Rovers away games on the coach after they moved up here. Lovely people.

[keyser_soze]

Yeah really enjoyed the podcast with Copps, and was suprised to hear he was gutted to leave after the Experiment and how it hurt him to see someone else in the #8 shirt. I had always assumed most of the players were desperate to get away after it all went tits up.

Nice touch with the guard of honour he's obviously well thought of there. We have to do something similar for Copps when the crowds are back in (even if its after he has retired!)

[Branton Rover]

His mum and dad Margaret and Peter used to travel on the Retford supporters coach - his parents were both lovely and I can’t remember why but I once went to their house in Hatfield & thought to myself - this is a bit weird I’m stood in the front room of the bungalow with the parents of the Rovers Captain, it was quite surreal.

[Pancho Regan]

What quality we had in the side back then. I doubt we'll ever see the likes of it again at Rovers.

Quite a stark statement that BB but you could be right.

They were halcyon days indeed; I used to absolutely love watching that team and I appreciated every minute of it because I knew I was witnessing something very special.

Stocky was sublime to watch and what a top bloke. I haven't finished watching the Copps podcast with Stocky yet but I'm thoroughly enjoying it. An intelligent, articulate guy who really has me glued to every word.

Interesting to note that he spent a similar time at Havant & Waterlooville that he did at Rovers, with a similar number of appearances, which I was surprised at.

I wonder if we'll see him back at Rovers in a coaching capacity at some future point? He's got an excellent philosophy about how the game should be played.

[Colin C No.3]

One of my all time favourite player in the hoops. Stocky was our version of Colin Bell, our Nijinsky.

I don't want to spoil his podcast with Copps for Pancho but adding a little to what keyser_soze said, the season we got relegated after the experiment back fired, Stocky said that although he had a relegation clause in his contract whereby his salary dropped 30%, he still wanted to stay at Rovers because he had enjoyed his time there, his family were settled, he 'loved living in Doncaster' & he wanted to try & help us bounce straight back into the Championship.

He didn't go actively looking for a transfer & when his agent told him Burnley wanted to offer him a contract he was still reluctant to leave but he said 'I guess Doncaster wanted me off the payroll'.

Clearly those halcyon days, as Pancho rightly refers to them as being, had a lasting effect on him as indeed it did to so many other players who were part of those magical 4-5 seasons.

Good luck in your fledgling managerial career with Wealdstone Stocky. The pleasure was all ours.

[BobG]

I too am part way through the Copps/Stocky podcast.  And I too love his demeaour, his intelligence, his ability, and above all, his elegance. As a player he simply entranced me. Right from the off he captivated me. The only other Rovers player with a similar elegance was Stevie Lister. The other, none Rovers player, with that style was Glen Roeder of Orient, QPR & Newcastle amongst others.

They were a very special bunch that group. Every single person on the podcasts has said that that team, that time, was the best of their career. It was the best Donny Rovers of my lifetime too. And, of course, it is their continuing absence now that brings home the breadth and the depth of the qualities that side possessed. And all to be brought to its abrupt end by fallings out inside the boardroom. A tragedy.

BobG

PS Colin: I'd never made the connection, but Colin Bell? Yes!!! Perhaps not quite the amazing box to box stamina of Colin Bell, but everything else for sure. And Colin Bell was my all time footballing hero when I was a teenager!

[Wiltshire Exile]

One of my all time favourite player in the hoops. Stocky was our version of Colin Bell, our Nijinsky.

I don't want to spoil his podcast with Copps for Pancho but adding a little to what keyser_soze said, the season we got relegated after the experiment back fired, Stocky said that although he had a relegation clause in his contract whereby his salary dropped 30%, he still wanted to stay at Rovers because he had enjoyed his time there, his family were settled, he 'loved living in Doncaster' & he wanted to try & help us bounce straight back into the Championship.

He didn't go actively looking for a transfer & when his agent told him Burnley wanted to offer him a contract he was still reluctant to leave but he said 'I guess Doncaster wanted me off the payroll'.

Clearly those halcyon days, as Pancho rightly refers to them as being, had a lasting effect on him as indeed it did to so many other players who were part of those magical 4-5 seasons.

Good luck in your fledgling managerial career with Wealdstone Stocky. The pleasure was all ours.

Manager of Weymouth, actually, Colin...but you got the first two letters correct!   

[turnbull for england]

My lad saw him play in the legends charity game pre season couple of years back against Leeds  and said he was head and shoulders best player on pitch

[Bentley Bullet]

And to think the likes of Stock, Wellens, Copps, O'Connor, Roberts & Sharp etc were all in their mid 20's. Top players in their prime, not before their best or past their best, All at the peak of their careers. And all ours!

[Padge_DRFC]

Stock and Wellens now that was something. Best 2 centre mids by a mile I've seen play for Rovers.

[keyser_soze]

Stock and Wellens now that was something. Best 2 centre mids by a mile I've seen play for Rovers.

Loved Wellens. Going on again about the Podcast, but everytime someone mentions Wellens the players give a wry smile. Must have been an absolute Kitson to play alongside and kept all of them honest.

[idler]

One of my abiding memories of Richie in a very tight space demanding the ball from a teammate under pressure. He was totally unworried by having close markers on him and just received the ball and passed it out of danger.
He would never hide away or automatically always take the easy option. I would always have him in my side. I bet that there were some great training sessions in those days. J.J. Price fitted me a new tap the other day and looks as trim and fit now as when he was playing. He says his two favourite clubs are Rovers and Hull. He was very reasonable price wise as well (pun intended).

[Monkcaster_Rover]

I don't even know what the moves called but Richie pulled the ball down in mid air and span 180 degrees and flicked it through the kids legs whilst on his own bi-line.

There was a clip floating about at some point. A home fixture vs Charlton springs to mind but I could be wrong!

Its been on here before.

[keyser_soze]

Didn't Ritchie score from the halfway line on his first Rovers appearance at Retford United or somewhere? He was definitely far more than just an enforcer. Great player.

[Jonathan]

Wellens was one of the most exciting signings we’ve made - going out and getting arguably the best opposing midfield player in the division to add to our team. And he more than justified the effort taken to bring him in.

Back to Brian Stock - what a player. It was like he played in a different time zone to everyone else. Everything he did was so instinctively calm and smooth, he made it look effortless. The vision and the ability to strike the ball was truly top class. Massively underrated at winning the ball back, too. He had the timing, intelligence and knack of knowing where to be to intercept and get us on the front foot. Never seen a Rovers player control and dictate games as effectively as that.

To think we had Stock and Wellens in the same team, with Coppinger too, is mind blowing really.

[DonnyNoel]

I've probably posted this one loads before but Stock's winning goal in the last minute at home to Boro on the frozen pitch was one of my abiding memories of him. Not for the fact it was a winning goal per se but the thought of it - didn't smash it, just a 3/4 pace volley along the ground knowing it would go through a sea of legs into the corner and the keeper wouldn't be able to react due to the pitch.

[idler]

I've probably posted this one loads before but Stock's winning goal in the last minute at home to Boro on the frozen pitch was one of my abiding memories of him. Not for the fact it was a winning goal per se but the thought of it - didn't smash it, just a 3/4 pace volley along the ground knowing it would go through a sea of legs into the corner and the keeper wouldn't be able to react due to the pitch.

I always thought that Mark Wilson got that one.
I'm amazed that the game was allowed to finish. I'd have been well miffed if we had lost in the last minute given how cold I was by then. I think that I was back in Bradford before I was anywhere near warmed through.

[vaya]

I've probably posted this one loads before but Stock's winning goal in the last minute at home to Boro on the frozen pitch was one of my abiding memories of him. Not for the fact it was a winning goal per se but the thought of it - didn't smash it, just a 3/4 pace volley along the ground knowing it would go through a sea of legs into the corner and the keeper wouldn't be able to react due to the pitch.

I always thought that Mark Wilson got that one.
I'm amazed that the game was allowed to finish. I'd have been well miffed if we had lost in the last minute given how cold I was by then. I think that I was back in Bradford before I was anywhere near warmed through.

I was sat level with the six yard box that night. You could see it gradually freeze over like a timelapse photo. The Boro keeper started complaining to the ref about it quite early on in the second half.

[ravenrover]

An insider in the dressing room  during SODs reign told us that Wellens and Stock had bit of a tear up in the showers at half time in one game, neither re-appeared after 1/2time. Can't for the life of me remember which game it was

[Spud]

Who showers at half time? Maybe why they were having a tear up.

[Ronnie Dovers]

As a young(ish) fan, Stock at his peak is the best player I've ever seen play for us, and definitely my personal favourite. He absolutely ran games in the Championship without seeming to break a sweat, he somehow always seemed to have time to do things at his own pace, and he scored the occasional screamer too.

To back up others, he lived next door to a good friend of mine for a few years, who would go over pretty regularly to do his gardening, and my mate said he was a really sound guy. He would invite him in to watch rugby quite often, as apparently he actually preferred watching that to football. No one is perfect I suppose...

[Bentley Bullet]

I heard he had a lot of back problems too. What would he have been like without that restriction?

[Lesonthewest]

What a player, up there with my favourite player of my time watching Rovers, the play between him, Wellens, Coppinger, & an attacking O'Connor was almost telepathic, mesmerising at times & an absolute joy to watch. He could sit in midfield spraying the ball all over the place & control the game. Used to deliver to him when he was at Cantley, & then Bessecar, always willing to have a chat about all things Rovers, top man, cracking player.

[deksykes]

What quality we had in the side back then. I doubt we'll ever see the likes of it again at Rovers.

I agree,that team was a joy to watch

[idler]

An insider in the dressing room  during SODs reign told us that Wellens and Stock had bit of a tear up in the showers at half time in one game, neither re-appeared after 1/2time. Can't for the life of me remember which game it was

I think on Richie’s podacast it was Birmingham. He said that him and Stocky went to far and Sean was right to take them off. He also said that whatever was said on the pitch was forgotten at Monday training. All of the podcasts so far have stressed how close and strong the squad was.  They also said it was the best time of their careers.

[Padge_DRFC]

We getting Diouf on the show soon?