Chris Brown

[Dare to dream!]

Buzzing for him, think we should give Saunders some credit aswell for giving him a chance. Hope he can get us goals like he got us when he had him on loan all that time ago, sounds like we just couldnt score tonight

[pubteam]

Hopefully we can keep him fit for next season. Could have a big part to play if he's still here.

[dickos1]

Battled, chased, tackled, had a massive impact

[VixDRFC]

To be honest, thought he should have come on sooner than he did on Saturday

[acacia94]

I saw Brown come on at Southampton and the game was as good as dead but tonight he really made an impact. And we don't really do impact players at Donny do we? He is such combatitive player and he really stirred it up in their defence. He's a bit nasty, knocks the opposition around and when he didnt have the ball he created all sorts of mayhem and made space for others. Sorry, I think we're down, but on the bright side a fit Chris Brown could be a great asset next season in League 1. Good performance tonight and although it felt a bit Conference with the handful of brave souls rattling around in the away stand, quite enjoyable really.

[DRNaith]

Hopefully we can keep him fit for next season. Could have a big part to play if he's still here.

He left Preston when they were relegated, why would he stay with us?

[The Red Baron]

Buzzing for him, think we should give Saunders some credit aswell for giving him a chance. Hope he can get us goals like he got us when he had him on loan all that time ago, sounds like we just couldnt score tonight

He's been available for selection for several weeks- shame that Saunders didn't include him earlier. Ditto Keegan.

[hoolahoop]

Buzzing for him, think we should give Saunders some credit aswell for giving him a chance. Hope he can get us goals like he got us when he had him on loan all that time ago, sounds like we just couldnt score tonight

He's been available for selection for several weeks- shame that Saunders didn't include him earlier. Ditto Keegan.

Hammer on the nail and what about Robert ? Can we really say that DS has used the personnel at his disposal to maximum effect......I think not.

[pubteam]

Hopefully we can keep him fit for next season. Could have a big part to play if he's still here.

He left Preston when they were relegated, why would he stay with us?

Because he was out of contract at Preston and elected to leave, but he still has another year on his deal here. So unless another club comes in for him, he's got no choice but to see out his contract here.

[sedwardsdrfc]

he left preston because he is crocked and they dident want him so he decided to join the rest home for crocked footballers where they can come pick up their wages and do nothing else, we never put a unhealty footballer down.

[acacia94]

On Chris Brown staying, I'd say he is in a completely different situation this season compared to last. He's been out injured for ages and I doubt quite the commodity that he may have been last season at Preston. He's still not consolidated a position in the Championship as a consistent striker so not on lots of wish lists. And he's contracted to us so unless he's got a clause in there saying he has an option to go if he wants if we're relegated to League 1 he should still be at DRFC next season.
I think he could be a very good frontman in League 1 and give us a chance of a top third finish. I think we're going to need him and a nucleus of the present core squad to make a fist of next season. A top half finish would be a very realistic target. I wouldn't underestimate the job our club has got to do in rebuilding after the last 18 months 'wobbles'. Stick with it, it'll be fine.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Buzzing for him, think we should give Saunders some credit aswell for giving him a chance. Hope he can get us goals like he got us when he had him on loan all that time ago, sounds like we just couldnt score tonight

He's been available for selection for several weeks- shame that Saunders didn't include him earlier. Ditto Keegan.

Hammer on the nail and what about Robert ? Can we really say that DS has used the personnel at his disposal to maximum effect......I think not.

Hang on a minute. There's a lot of wonderful hindsight going on from TRB and Hoola here.

The players that Saunders was selecting had an excellent run of form earlier in the month, going undefeated for 5 games, handing Forest one of only two defeats in 9 games and picking up excellent and unexpected points against three promotion chasers. Prior to the Derby match, we were in form that was looking set to lead us to safety.

So, let's be straight here. What are you suggesting? That Saunders should ignored the perfomances that had given us that run? That he should have anticipated that we were going to have dreadful performances against Derby & Millwall and make wholesale changes? I don't remember you demanding that at the time.

He made changes last night and we got a good point. With a bit of luck, it could well have been three. I have my own criticisms of Saunders, but it's going way over the top to look back and say \"Well of COURSE he should have brought Robert, Keegan and Brown in several weeks ago.\"

[dickos1]

Hammer on the nail there billy..

[The Red Baron]

I don't particularly want to drag Robert into the argument because the first time I saw him look like he could have anything to offer was in the latter stages of the Millwall game- so he was hardly shining in a brilliant performance!

However, what have we all said is missing from the side? A midfielder who can add a bit of bite and a striker who can score goals. Keegan and Brown may not be the answer, but tthe fact they were available means they might have been worth trying earlier- at the expense of players (e.g. Oster and Hayter) who have been tried before and have not provided what we needed.

Anyway, this \"excellent run of form\" must have passed me by. Yes, we went undefeated for five games, which would have been fine if we were in the sort of position Millwall or Peterborough were in- not wishing to get dragged into a relegation dogfight. Sorry, but we've been needing to play catch-up since the first month of the season, and the only way you do that is by winning back to back games. Three wins in five might be excellent form- one isn't when you're where we are.

Finally- football's a squad game and unlike last season, when we were struggling to get 11 on the pitch at one point- we have around 30 professionals on our books. DS himself said he thought Derby might have been one game too far for some (presumably Millwall was two games too far!) Rather than flogging the same 11-14 players until they play badly, why not anticipate fatigue and rotate the squad? Keegan and Brown could have been useful additions BEFORE the wheels began to come off.

[dickos1]

I don't particularly want to drag Robert into the argument because the first time I saw him look like he could have anything to offer was in the latter stages of the Millwall game- so he was hardly shining in a brilliant performance!

However, what have we all said is missing from the side? A midfielder who can add a bit of bite and a striker who can score goals. Keegan and Brown may not be the answer, but tthe fact they were available means they might have been worth trying earlier- at the expense of players (e.g. Oster and Hayter) who have been tried before and have not provided what we needed.

Anyway, this \"excellent run of form\" must have passed me by. Yes, we went undefeated for five games, which would have been fine if we were in the sort of position Millwall or Peterborough were in- not wishing to get dragged into a relegation dogfight. Sorry, but we've been needing to play catch-up since the first month of the season, and the only way you do that is by winning back to back games. Three wins in five might be excellent form- one isn't when you're where we are.

Finally- football's a squad game and unlike last season, when we were struggling to get 11 on the pitch at one point- we have around 30 professionals on our books. DS himself said he thought Derby might have been one game too far for some (presumably Millwall was two games too far!) Rather than flogging the same 11-14 players until they play badly, why not anticipate fatigue and rotate the squad? Keegan and Brown could have been useful additions BEFORE the wheels began to come off.

The millwall game was 2 games too far that's why we made 3/4 changes for that fixture.  Nobody was calling for players to be dropped after the forest, west ham reading games.
You mention oster but he has only started the last 2 games, and to be fair has played well in both. We've had 2 poor performances out of the last 12/13 games.
We miss a goals corer, maybe brown should be ahead of hayter, but until recently not many people would have said that. Certainly not before the Leeds game

[steve@dcfd]

he left preston because he is crocked and they dident want him so he decided to join the rest home for crocked footballers where they can come pick up their wages and do nothing else, we never put a unhealty footballer down.

Wrong on all aspects. Chris was offered a good contract to stay at Preston but he wanted championship football. He was given an 8/9 hour medical which he came through. The contract he accepted here was no better than Prestons. Unless he scores another goal then he no better than Piqueonne. We cannot win games without goals and we have got to stop conceeding.

[The Red Baron]

I don't particularly want to drag Robert into the argument because the first time I saw him look like he could have anything to offer was in the latter stages of the Millwall game- so he was hardly shining in a brilliant performance!

However, what have we all said is missing from the side? A midfielder who can add a bit of bite and a striker who can score goals. Keegan and Brown may not be the answer, but tthe fact they were available means they might have been worth trying earlier- at the expense of players (e.g. Oster and Hayter) who have been tried before and have not provided what we needed.

Anyway, this \"excellent run of form\" must have passed me by. Yes, we went undefeated for five games, which would have been fine if we were in the sort of position Millwall or Peterborough were in- not wishing to get dragged into a relegation dogfight. Sorry, but we've been needing to play catch-up since the first month of the season, and the only way you do that is by winning back to back games. Three wins in five might be excellent form- one isn't when you're where we are.

Finally- football's a squad game and unlike last season, when we were struggling to get 11 on the pitch at one point- we have around 30 professionals on our books. DS himself said he thought Derby might have been one game too far for some (presumably Millwall was two games too far!) Rather than flogging the same 11-14 players until they play badly, why not anticipate fatigue and rotate the squad? Keegan and Brown could have been useful additions BEFORE the wheels began to come off.

The millwall game was 2 games too far that's why we made 3/4 changes for that fixture.  Nobody was calling for players to be dropped after the forest, west ham reading games.
You mention oster but he has only started the last 2 games, and to be fair has played well in both. We've had 2 poor performances out of the last 12/13 games.
We miss a goals corer, maybe brown should be ahead of hayter, but until recently not many people would have said that. Certainly not before the Leeds game

Yes, no-one was calling for changes, but I'm expecting the manager to be better informed about his squad than the average punter in the street. I expect him to see if players are running on empty and where necessary make changes to freshen up the team.

Oster was dropped after a stinker in the Blackpool game and has since been on the bench, returning to start in the Southampton game. Could Keegan not have been included on the bench? His sudden inclusion last night seemed almost an afterthought.

As for Hayter, we all know he's not a prolific scorer, so he was unlikely to take on the Sharp mantle. Brown offered another option, but he's only been brought into the squad for the last two games despite being available for several weeks. And I'm not the only one who has suggested that he might be worth a look.

[Chris Black come back]

On Chris Brown staying, I'd say he is in a completely different situation this season compared to last. He's been out injured for ages and I doubt quite the commodity that he may have been last season at Preston. He's still not consolidated a position in the Championship as a consistent striker so not on lots of wish lists. And he's contracted to us so unless he's got a clause in there saying he has an option to go if he wants if we're relegated to League 1 he should still be at DRFC next season.
I think he could be a very good frontman in League 1 and give us a chance of a top third finish. I think we're going to need him and a nucleus of the present core squad to make a fist of next season. A top half finish would be a very realistic target. I wouldn't underestimate the job our club has got to do in rebuilding after the last 18 months 'wobbles'. Stick with it, it'll be fine.

If Ched Evans can make a career in League One then Chris Brown should have no problem.

[timdrfc]

Buzzing for him, think we should give Saunders some credit aswell for giving him a chance. Hope he can get us goals like he got us when he had him on loan all that time ago, sounds like we just couldnt score tonight

He's been available for selection for several weeks- shame that Saunders didn't include him earlier. Ditto Keegan.

Hammer on the nail and what about Robert ? Can we really say that DS has used the personnel at his disposal to maximum effect......I think not.

Hang on a minute. There's a lot of wonderful hindsight going on from TRB and Hoola here.

The players that Saunders was selecting had an excellent run of form earlier in the month, going undefeated for 5 games, handing Forest one of only two defeats in 9 games and picking up excellent and unexpected points against three promotion chasers. Prior to the Derby match, we were in form that was looking set to lead us to safety.

So, let's be straight here. What are you suggesting? That Saunders should ignored the perfomances that had given us that run? That he should have anticipated that we were going to have dreadful performances against Derby & Millwall and make wholesale changes? I don't remember you demanding that at the time.

He made changes last night and we got a good point. With a bit of luck, it could well have been three. I have my own criticisms of Saunders, but it's going way over the top to look back and say \"Well of COURSE he should have brought Robert, Keegan and Brown in several weeks ago.\"

Spot on !

[hoolahoop]

I don't particularly want to drag Robert into the argument because the first time I saw him look like he could have anything to offer was in the latter stages of the Millwall game- so he was hardly shining in a brilliant performance!

However, what have we all said is missing from the side? A midfielder who can add a bit of bite and a striker who can score goals. Keegan and Brown may not be the answer, but tthe fact they were available means they might have been worth trying earlier- at the expense of players (e.g. Oster and Hayter) who have been tried before and have not provided what we needed.

Anyway, this \"excellent run of form\" must have passed me by. Yes, we went undefeated for five games, which would have been fine if we were in the sort of position Millwall or Peterborough were in- not wishing to get dragged into a relegation dogfight. Sorry, but we've been needing to play catch-up since the first month of the season, and the only way you do that is by winning back to back games. Three wins in five might be excellent form- one isn't when you're where we are.

Finally- football's a squad game and unlike last season, when we were struggling to get 11 on the pitch at one point- we have around 30 professionals on our books. DS himself said he thought Derby might have been one game too far for some (presumably Millwall was two games too far!) Rather than flogging the same 11-14 players until they play badly, why not anticipate fatigue and rotate the squad? Keegan and Brown could have been useful additions BEFORE the wheels began to come off.

In total agreement with you , that midfield was as weak as piss and we had a tough tackler available for ''crunch'' games .......I stand by my assertion that they should have been given more game time.
This is not hindsight BST but squad rotation and a particularly important part of a manager's role considering just exactly where things were going wrong for us. Fresh legs and mentalities had to be the way forward, is this not the way that any decent manager works ?

[BillyStubbsTears]

TRB

Forgive me, but your assessment of that run at the start of the month is unfair. In fact, your conclusion is wrong.

Before the Derby match, we had picked up 7 points in 5 games. Those five games included 3 against top 6 sides, (one of which was having the best run of form of any side in the division this season) and one against a Forest side running into their best form of the season. Seven points was an excellent haul.

At that time, we had 31 points with 11 games to go. Had we continued form of 7 points from 5 games to the end of the season, we'd have ended up with 46-47 points, which will comfortably avoid relegation.

It is easy with hindsight to say that we should have made wholesale changes 3-4 games ago. At the time it would have been madness.

Hoola. As I say. The person who isn't perfect with the benefit of hindsight is a fool. Things weren't \"going wrong\" before the Derby match. Was the midfield \"weak as piss\" against Forest? West Ham? Reading? What change would you have made AT THE TIME after those games?

[The Red Baron]

Where did I call for wholesale changes? I said squad rotation, something we now actually have the luxury of being able to do. I also think Keegan and Brown, who I admit were out for long periods of time, had (have) the potential to offer something different. Keegan to actually get a foot in in midfield, Brown to offer a bit more physicality and perhaps a goal threat up front.

There's another thing: in that Reading game, where we played the form team in the Championship and achieved one of our best results of the season, the whole starting XI played for 90 minutes. I've no problem with that, in fact I think making substitutions for their own sake (something SO'D was guilty of) has cost us in the past. But you have to be aware that when your players have done that and then have to play again a few days later, they may be lacking in freshness.

[Red wizard]

I think its fair to say had he made changes and we lost or played like we had then everyone would of said why change the side.

[The Red Baron]

I think its fair to say had he made changes and we lost or played like we had then everyone would of said why change the side.

That is true, which is why I made the point about anticipating fatigue. But how many times have you heard a manager say \"that was one game too many.\" What he means is \"I didn't appreciate how knackered they were.\" My other point surely still stands- Brown and Keegan bring something different to the party.

[Red wizard]

Tbh i was well pleased when i saw Keegan was playing. I still can't belive we never got a hard man in the Jan window.

[pubteam]

he left preston because he is crocked and they dident want him so he decided to join the rest home for crocked footballers where they can come pick up their wages and do nothing else, we never put a unhealty footballer down.

I don't think you've got that right.

I seem to remember Phil Brown offering Chris a new contract over the summer. P.Brown was keen to keep him at Deepdale, but he left to take up the offer of Championship football with Rovers.