Rip Stan Anderson

[Draytonian III]

Brian Taylor, always gave 100% can’t ever remember him wearing shin pads

[The Red Baron]

Brian Taylor wasn't the best of defenders but boy, did he have an eye for goal. During that 76-77 season I think he scored 9, a huge number for a centre back.

For me, defence was Stan's Achilles heel. He had two decent centre backs - Steve Uzelac and Steve Wignall - when he joined the club but for whatever reason he didn't fancy either. However the players he signed to replace them were not as good and we were always vulnerable at the back.

That said, thinking back to some of the turgid fare on offer last season, it was great to see Stan's Rovers when they were on song.

[Draytonian III]

Brian Taylor came from Middlesbrough with Peter Creamer who was a full back and rubbish,think the latter became a policeman and was involved with Penrith FC

[RedJ]

Brian Taylor wasn't the best of defenders but boy, did he have an eye for goal. During that 76-77 season I think he scored 9, a huge number for a centre back.

How does that compare to other defenders since then? I know (or rather I'm fairly sure and can't be arsed to look it up) Rob Jones scored 9 in 2012/13 (and should've been more, was it Walsall or Yeovil he shat the bed against about 8 yards out).

[RoversDave]

Remember going to Luton after Stan had been here for about 8 games and we'd been unbeaten, winning most of em.
We gave him a great reception as he took his seat which he played down modestly.
Needless to say we got tonked with Malcom McDonald getting a hat trick.

Think you've got your wires crossed there Tommy, we didn't play Luton in Stan's time.

[tommy toes]

Yes I have. Must be me age....
It was at Cambridge I think where we lost 4-1.
The Luton game was about 5 years before that!

[Dutch Uncle]

Brian Taylor wasn't the best of defenders but boy, did he have an eye for goal. During that 76-77 season I think he scored 9, a huge number for a centre back.

How does that compare to other defenders since then? I know (or rather I'm fairly sure and can't be arsed to look it up) Rob Jones scored 9 in 2012/13 (and should've been more, was it Walsall or Yeovil he shat the bed against about 8 yards out).

I think Jones scored 7 in the league and 8 in all competitions in 2012-13, compared with Taylor's 9 in the league and 10 in all competitions in 1976-77. The only other defender I can remember in my time scoring that many was Les Robinson with 8 in the league, 9 in all competitions in 1989-90 - although 7 of those were penalties.

This is of course not considering Glyn Snodin, who was also sometimes a left back rather than midfielder. Glyn's most productive season was 1984-85 when he scored 18 (19 in all competitions).

John Haselden, normally a centre-half, scored 10 in 1972-73, but he was played as a centre-forward for much of that season.

[Cantley Rover]

Nearly all Brian Taylors goals were from corners where he was always stood on the line and headed them in.

[Bezza]

sent a letter to Stan when he was manager of the Rovers recommending a young lad from Bentley for a trial, got a hand written reply within three days saying bring him down , he went down and within a few weeks was in the first team and played a few games before going to play in Australia, still got that letter it gave me great admiration of Stan as a manager.

[Draytonian III]

Stuart Cannell ???

[The Red Baron]

Stuart Cannell ???

Came from Bentley and later moved to Australia so that sounds like him.

[Bezza]

yes it was Stuart, played together quite a bit, good lad.

[The Red Baron]

Obituary now on the Official Site:

https://www.doncasterroversfc.co.uk/news/2018/june/stan-anderson-1933-2018/

There's also a tribute from Gavin Baldwin.

[Lifelong supporter]

It's not really a tribute from Baldwin, just offering condolences.
He couldn't be expected to offer anything else in fairness as he wasn't around when Anderson was.
The other piece looks as if it's been lifted from other sources.
There are better tributes in the Free Press today from Peter Kitchen, Glynn Snodin and Peter Catt.

[Bollinger]

sent a letter to Stan when he was manager of the Rovers recommending a young lad from Bentley for a trial, got a hand written reply within three days saying bring him down , he went down and within a few weeks was in the first team and played a few games before going to play in Australia, still got that letter it gave me great admiration of Stan as a manager.

I remember him asking in the programme for people to contact him about any young players the club should be taking a look at so I sent him a letter about a friend who was having trials with the two Sheffield clubs. He was playing with the Juniors within a couple of weeks (simpler times eh?) and spent a season and a half playing alongside Dave Wignall and others under the guidance of Laurie Sheffield. He didn't quite make the step up to the seniors but I ended up with a very nice letter from Stan Anderson,which I still have, and got to sit in the home changing room at BV.

[The Red Baron]

It's not really a tribute from Baldwin, just offering condolences.
He couldn't be expected to offer anything else in fairness as he wasn't around when Anderson was.
The other piece looks as if it's been lifted from other sources.
There are better tributes in the Free Press today from Peter Kitchen, Glynn Snodin and Peter Catt.

No, it's all my own work, although I did use an article I wrote about Stan Anderson several years ago as a basis.

I have to admit that although I enjoyed watching his teams I didn't know Stan personally, so in that sense the authors of the tributes in the Free Press have the advantage on me.