Joe gone

[Branton Red]

He was brilliant in his first year here including in the first half of the season in a seriously struggling side.

Would the manager have kept his job, and would therefore the club be where it is now, without Ironside's goals and performances in that first half season?

His performances were strangely significantly worse last year in a successful, winning side. I remain at a loss as to why but it certainly wasn't through a lack of effort.

Correct decision all round for him to leave IMO but he certainly played a big part in Rover's revival. Thanks Joe.

[Red wizard]

I don't think our system most weeks suit's his strength's and there for there was a drop in performance and most importantly confidence. He's played his part in his time here and he must do what's best for him and his family. Wish him all the best and if they play to his strengths they have a striker good enough to be spoke about in the better strikers on L2.

[Ian Nimmo]

to Tranmere Rovers, 4th in line he can try to make it in Lg.2. I still think he lost it after one season, his only use was to wrestle with centre halves last season. Good luck Joe but you will not be missed I reckon.

You have got to be joking, obviously you don’t appreciate a good player.

[Usher wide.]

Ironside by name ‘Iron of a centre forward’ by nature.

He gave everything in the hoops, left nothing out there on that pitch.

I can only echo ncRovers’s post & but add, thanks Joe, you never had it easy leading that line as a 5’10” centre forward but all those 6 foot plus centre backs you tussled with for the ‘Rovers cause’ knew to a man that they’d come up against a warrior.

I wish you nothing but the best at your new club (still a certain poster on here who’s parting comment after all you’ve done here is to question the length of contract you’ve been given by Tranmere. Perhaps he’s still ‘smarting’ after having to part with his money after you scored more than 10 goals from ‘open play’ but sod him Joe) & I for one will follow your career with interest & a warm heart for a true Rover.

As for the OP’s comments, they’re worth nothing more than a ‘falling elbow’ across the bridge of a nose.

[ChrisBx]

I'm a big fan of his and wish him all the best. His contribution to our ridiculous run during the 23/24 season (scoring in 5 consecutive games in the run in), in particular his 2nd against Barrow, will live long in the memory.

[tommy toes]

He’ll be missed. Was dying to see him get a chance to head home some of Middletons crosses.
Now we’ll never know.
Tranmere have a good un there.

[rover-n-out]

I'm sorry Barmby but your opening post is completely disrespectful to a player who gave his heart and soul for this club. Battered and bruised time and time again by some absolute thugs, but his goals still managed to contribute greatly to our success in getting to where we are now. No, he's not had the best of times last season and the start of this, but I have nothing but admiration for his determination and never say die attitude. Joe, you leave us with my utmost respect and good wishes for you and your family in your next venture. Thank you for everything you gave to our great club.

[bigallan]

Rovers n out i totally and utterly agree

[Draytonian III]

Likewise, he gave 110% on the pitch every game he played

[philsky]

Absolutely loved this guy and the OP was seriously unfair.

In my mind it was Blundell of many years ago; was an absolutely pivotal focus of attacks, worked his socks off, fans favourite but, sadly, it was time for a fresh challenge.

Best of luck Joe.

[graingrover]

The type of player that immediately gets the fans on side by his bravery and work ethic .I can’t think of many CFs who have held the ball  so well for us over the years .He ratio of success in the headings duels must be high too.Well done on the move Joe .

[donnygav93]

Good luck to Joe did fantastic other season and it's probably frustrated him being a bit part player last season

3 year deal is security with a young family i'll fondly remember his time with us I hope he gets in amongst the goals from memory they can be route one

[Monkcaster_Rover]

Echo all the sentiments above. He’s the epitome of everything we want in a Rovers player. Ran his blood to water every game and left his b*llocks on the pitch. A good, honest lad who will be missed around the changing room no doubt.

Hoping we can post about him on the ‘ex players thread’ most weeks when he starts banging them in!

[ForsolongaRover]

I’ve been a bit disappointed with McCann in all this. Maybe I’ve not followed his comments closely enough, but he has not seemed to have been entirely open about Joe’s position at the club. It now looks as though he’s left him out of the matchday squads to enable him to remain fit for a move because the club wanted to off-load him.

[rimmington]

How ironic. He's the player on the Rovers Calendar for September

[IDM]

I’ve been a bit disappointed with McCann in all this. Maybe I’ve not followed his comments closely enough, but he has not seemed to have been entirely open about Joe’s position at the club. It now looks as though he’s left him out of the matchday squads to enable him to remain fit for a move because the club wanted to off-load him.

Think you’re reading too much into it, speculating and looking for something that may not been there.

The last player we had like Ironside was probably Chris Brown.

[CJK]

Yeah, I can only echo the majority of positive comments on this thread. That first season was absolutely class. I can't help but feel he was playing a lot of last season carrying an injury, he did have a procedure at seasons end.

Proper centre forward and a great penalty record as well. Good luck Joe.

[BobG]

Lol. Not having a pop at you CJK, but what is it with this word 'procedure'? We always used to have operations. Doesn't anybody have them any more?

BobG

[CJK]

Lol. Not having a pop at you CJK, but what is it with this word 'procedure'? We always used to have operations. Doesn't anybody have them any more?

BobG

Must be modern football world terminology that has been ingrained Bob!

[Dutch Uncle]

Lol. Not having a pop at you CJK, but what is it with this word 'procedure'? We always used to have operations. Doesn't anybody have them any more?

BobG

No basis for this at all, but might procedure be broader to include not only the operation but also post operative care including e.g. physio, rehab etc?

Or just the modern trend of fuzzy obfuscation and trendy new words for old just for the sake of it

Signed 'A Grumpy Old Man' 

[keyser_soze]

Most similar player in my Rovers lifetime for scrapping with centre backs while often giving away a height advantage would be Neil Roberts, although Joe has far surpassed his goal contributions.

One of McCanns first contributions (maybe his first?) to the squad and I will echo what others have said about him being a great pro and it seems a great bloke

[donnievic]

to Tranmere Rovers, 4th in line he can try to make it in Lg.2. I still think he lost it after one season, his only use was to wrestle with centre halves last season. Good luck Joe but you will not be missed I reckon.

dry harsh that would still loved to have kept him and still I believe done a job for us but wish him all the best and hope he does well for them

[Juddy]

Best of luck to Joe I will be looking out for Tranmere results great penalty at Sutton to start us on our upturn ⚽️⚽️

[BobG]

Thanks CJK, Dutch

I like the thought it's ingrained, fuzzy obfuscation. Language today seems to me to be used to avoid issues, not face them. Nobody ever 'dies' nowadays do they? Are we afraid of that? Nobody ever  has an operation. Are we afraid of that too? As an aside, patients, after having an op, used to, and in fact still do need to 'recuperate' .

The English language has more words in common use than any other language in the world except Mandarin. That ought to mean that anybody who speaks or writes in English ought to be able to state, CLEARLY, exactly what he or she means. But we don't do we? We use fuzzy, meaningless words to avoid things that we don't want to think about. For me, that's moral cowardice. Dealing with, coping with, managing fear is how adults lived. Now? We daren't. It's all around us. We run away from anything that frightens us. I'm starting to think a lot of western humanity is living in a fantasy world. The 'now' generations believe in sybaratism  Anything that even hints at disturbing that is rejected.

BobG

[ncRover]

My favourite Joe goal and one that summed him up was that diving header to meet the ball about a foot off the ground ahead of an onrushing goalie at Gillingham away.

[Pancho Regan]

It’s a shame that the thread was opened by such an unfair and negative post and hopefully Barmby now realises his views are not shared by the majority of Rovers fans on here.

I will just add my thanks and appreciation to all the positive comments on here. A real ‘fan’s player’ is Joe, always gave everything for the cause and I have the utmost admiration for him.

I’m pleased that he has got the security of a 3-year deal and I really hope he gets a hatful of goals for Tranmere. In fact I fully expect him to do just that.

Many thanks Joe, and the very best of luck for the future.

[ForsolongaRover]

Thanks CJK, Dutch

I like the thought it's ingrained, fuzzy obfuscation. Language today seems to me to be used to avoid issues, not face them. Nobody ever 'dies' nowadays do they? Are we afraid of that? Nobody ever  has an operation. Are we afraid of that too? As an aside, patients, after having an op, used to, and in fact still do need to 'recuperate' .

The English language has more words in common use than any other language in the world except Mandarin. That ought to mean that anybody who speaks or writes in English ought to be able to state, CLEARLY, exactly what he or she means. But we don't do we? We use fuzzy, meaningless words to avoid things that we don't want to think about. For me, that's moral cowardice. Dealing with, coping with, managing fear is how adults lived. Now? We daren't. It's all around us. We run away from anything that frightens us. I'm starting to think a lot of western humanity is living in a fantasy world. The 'now' generations believe in sybaratism  Anything that even hints at disturbing that is rejected.

BobG

Although some will see this only as pedantry, I agree; in my book it’s replacing “problem” with “issue” that irks me. An Issue used to cover situations where there was a choice of actions requiring a decision rather than a difficulty. Substituting the word “Issue” does, I suppose, ease the worry of seeing something as a problem which might be difficult to surmount and also a situation which would be uncomfortable for modern “ positive” people to contemplate. So giving it a different name seems to make everyone feel at ease again.

Re “procedures” I would say these cover the numerous occasions nowadays where the patient is hooked up to a machine perhaps to produce a diagnosis or fix something faulty like an irregular heart-beat. Operations which in the US (and increasingly here) are referred to as performing “a* surgery” are obviously invasive.

*Why not just “surgery”??

[IDM]

An issue is simply a matter of concern which may or may not lead to a problem.  For example, the issue of our strikers not scoring isn’t a problem when the rest of the team is.

To some, they say a problem is an “opportunity”.:

I prefer plain speaking to be honest, and exaggeration and hyperbole annoy me:

[Fal]

to Tranmere Rovers, 4th in line he can try to make it in Lg.2. I still think he lost it after one season, his only use was to wrestle with centre halves last season. Good luck Joe but you will not be missed I reckon.

Idiot

How any DRFC fan can even say that i dont know.

His goals a few seasons ago basically stopped us from being cast adrift at the bottom of league two, he put his body about and probably took 100 bumps and brusies for us, he throws himself into dangerous positions sometimes for the good of the team. I for one shall miss seeing him play and will definitely get a warm welcome back if we play against tranmere again.