Sir Joe Samuel Ironside

[mushRTID]

I absolutely adore this man!!!

What a player, what a warrior, what a bloke.

20 goals and after seeing the highlights and the way he celebrated like none of the other 19, it means a lot to him.

Congratulations big man but save a couple for Wembley!

[StocksArmy]

I love him but, if we pull off the miracle, IMO we need to bring in a striker as well as offer Biamou another contract

[andyst79]

Irrespective of his goals , the fact that he's remained fit and given us an outlet pretty much for the entirety of the whole season is quite astounding

[Pancho Regan]

Is that 19 League goals now for Joe?

What an amazing return for him, and what a season he has had.

[drfchound]

Isn’t it 21 league goals?

[Colin C No.3]

Isn’t it 21 league goals?

Don’t stop counting yet!

[NickDRFC]

Isn’t it 21 league goals?

19, 23 in all comps (1 each in the FA & League cups, 2 in the EFL trophy). Fingers crossed he gets one at Gillingham for 20 league goals!

[andyst79]

Some of his hold up play yesterday was up there with a prime Chris Brown .

[Paul Simpson]

Fantastic performance again by Big Joe! Love watching him play !!

[Alan Southstand]

Last night he turned into ‘sniffer’ Ironside!

[JonWallsend]

He was absolutely  immense last night.

[Mike_F]

Utterly superb last night. The way he tracked back, offered an outlet and held up the ball with two or three players climbing all over him - he must've been talking to club chaplain, Barry Miller because he was like the rock of Gibraltar!

[mushRTID]

He is player of the season for me, and by some distance.

[Pancho Regan]

He is player of the season for me, and by some distance.

Can't argue with that Mush.
Joe is ending the season in brilliant form, he's on fire.

His work-rate is phenomenal, he just runs his heart out for the team. And to weigh in with +20 goals is a superb achievement.

[Colin C No.3]

So much to admire about his game.

He’s used to shielding the ball from some ‘ape of a centre back’ but last night at one point he had two of them all over him & still held the ball up until he could lay it off to a team mate.

I have never seen a No.9 (or in this case No.20!) in a Rovers shirt (Chris Brown comes closest) ‘look after’ the ball like Joe does AND we’re not talking about a 6’ 4” man mountain here.

He wins 90% of his heading duels & not only wins the ball but flicks it left or right into spaces for his team mates. His work rate is second to none, you’d think he was a 20 year old the amount of ground he covers.

And then his goals. One more & he’s hit the ‘magic 20’ league goals in a season.

I don’t give a monkey’s if it is a penalty. He’s scored some real ‘pressure’ ones this campaign so they ALL count for me.

A hat-trick would be nice on Saturday Joe!

[adamtherover]

Nothing was more pressurised than the penno on satdi, Joe didn't even flinch an inch!!!

[drfchound]

Penalties are never a gimme.
Anyone who puts five out of six of them in the net is doing very well and Joe is there for us.

[donnievic]

For me he has overtook Owen Bailey now for player of season

[StocktonRover]

Some of his hold up play yesterday was up there with a prime Chris Brown .

I said exactly the same at the game last night. He was immense.

[StocksArmy]

My MOTM last night.

[ncRover]

20 league goals (14 open play) topped off with a very brave header today.

A lot still said we needed to sign a “proven goalscorer” but the goal scoring form of Joe, Haks and Moly since February show that it’s more important to get an attack that gels than simply going off previous track records.

More goals for Ironside this year than proven League 2 goalscorers such as Andy Cook, Paddy Madden and David McGoldrick.

He must be in illustrious historical Rovers company to be in the 20+ in the league club. I think in my time it’s only been Paul Barnes and John Marquis.

[jmt23]

Did heffs or Blundell not do it too ? Joe is a different player than most of the 20 + strikers we’ve had. He was very good today for me, his back to goal play was really good under extreme pressure!

[NickDRFC]

Did heffs or Blundell not do it too ? Joe is a different player than most of the 20 + strikers we’ve had. He was very good today for me, his back to goal play was really good under extreme pressure!

Heffs is an odd one, never had a prolific league season with us - 11 was his best in 06/07 but he did get 21 overall (with 9 in the paint pot trophy). I don’t recall Blundell being particularly prolific, and doubt he got that close to 20 goals even in all competitions in any season.

Ironside is something else. He has hold up play on a par with Neil Roberts or Chris Brown (maybe not quite Browny levels, but not far off) but with the goals to boot. He’s been absolutely tremendous for us.

[Chris Black come back]

Blundell had his best season in 2003/4 when he got 18 league goals. Best season for Heffernan was 2006/7 with 11 league goals.

[Chris Black come back]

Did heffs or Blundell not do it too ? Joe is a different player than most of the 20 + strikers we’ve had. He was very good today for me, his back to goal play was really good under extreme pressure!

Heffs is an odd one, never had a prolific league season with us - 11 was his best in 06/07 but he did get 21 overall (with 9 in the paint pot trophy). I don’t recall Blundell being particularly prolific, and doubt he got that close to 20 goals even in all competitions in any season.

Ironside is something else. He has hold up play on a par with Neil Roberts or Chris Brown (maybe not quite Browny levels, but not far off) but with the goals to boot. He’s been absolutely tremendous for us.

Blundell scored 20 goals in all competitions in 2003/4 (18 of which were league goals). He was easily our top scorer that season.

[NickDRFC]

Did heffs or Blundell not do it too ? Joe is a different player than most of the 20 + strikers we’ve had. He was very good today for me, his back to goal play was really good under extreme pressure!

Heffs is an odd one, never had a prolific league season with us - 11 was his best in 06/07 but he did get 21 overall (with 9 in the paint pot trophy). I don’t recall Blundell being particularly prolific, and doubt he got that close to 20 goals even in all competitions in any season.

Ironside is something else. He has hold up play on a par with Neil Roberts or Chris Brown (maybe not quite Browny levels, but not far off) but with the goals to boot. He’s been absolutely tremendous for us.

Blundell scored 20 goals in all competitions in 2003/4 (18 of which were league goals). He was easily our top scorer that season.

Fairs, my memory obviously playing tricks on me. Recall he was our top scorer but thought we shared the goals around a bit - LFW not far off Blundell’s total, Akinfenwa & Brown joining later and bagging a few, Macca and Doolan and the defence (shoooooooooot!) also chipping in. I stand corrected.

[Pancho Regan]

I’m so chuffed that Joe got his 20th today, a fitting finale to the regular league season for this fantastic warrior of a player.

What a bloody hero.

[DRFC_AjA]

Ironside again ole ole
Ironside again
Ironside again
Ironside again ole ole

 

[Colin C No.3]

I’m so chuffed that Joe got his 20th today, a fitting finale to the regular league season for this fantastic warrior of a player.

What a bloody hero.

He epitomises the fighting spirit of this set of players.

It’s sometimes a thankless task leading the line, winning headers, shielding the ball until your teammates are in a position to enable you to lay a good ball off to.

Add to that lung bursting, never say die attitude & to be always in the right position to ‘snaffle’ a goal chance, I give you Joe Ironside.

Much underrated by the few who wouldn’t know a good footballer if they kicked them up the arse.

A player who will kick your xg’s out of the stadium.

[Paul Simpson]

Yes well done big Joe! He’s been an absolute rock since he arrived