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Post by phillistine on Jan 5, 2024 8:28:31 GMT
David Williams played for just 2 clubs during his career and they were Bristol Rovers and Norwich City. I think it a little disappointing that maybe he has not got the recognition he deserves by the Gashead faithfull and so i wrote something on my website for the younger ones amongst us who are asking - who? shorturl.at/deT18 |
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Post by Gaswood on Jan 5, 2024 8:40:23 GMT
Love this. You’re absolutely right about players that put everything in and had a bigger impact than is remembered! Over the years we’ve had some very loyal servants that made a huge difference and barely get a mention.
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Post by wsmjohn on Jan 5, 2024 8:49:23 GMT
This is really interesting and thought provoking post. All I can imagine is that there was more going on off the pitch for Rovers. Football attendances dropped due to football hooligans and we were fighting to stay at Eastville. South stand, fire dodgy directors? A truly great loyal player who deserved more, I did not realise he was only 28 when he managed Rovers.
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Post by gasheadontour on Jan 5, 2024 8:58:33 GMT
I met him whilst he was coaching Norwich. He was genuinely amazed that any Rovers fan would remember him from all those years ago. I noticed his calf muscles were enormous. Remarkable that he was a player-manager before becoming a top level player. I think he did a series of coaching videos. They might be interesting to watch.
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Post by chewbacca on Jan 5, 2024 9:06:48 GMT
A product of a generally unglamorous era in the clubs history frustratingly, like wsmjohn said it was a time of real decline at the club off the pitch and declining attendances. I'd be interested to see everyone's thoughts on an Underrated XI, especially as Williams was a bit before my time.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jan 5, 2024 9:08:55 GMT
Favourite player and manager. Used to make playing football effortless on those atrocious pitches at the time. Gutted when he left.
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Post by warehamgas on Jan 5, 2024 9:19:00 GMT
Thanks phillistine, that’s a good read and was a well-written piece. He was one of my favourites and was a cultured player with a very unassuming character. But to have managed over 100 games with a 50% win ratio is almost staggering esp at a time when we in a bit of a trough (though the league table probably tells you we weren’t). Things can’t have been easy Eastville being what it was at the time.
Thanks.
UTG!
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Post by warehamgas on Jan 5, 2024 9:27:11 GMT
A product of a generally unglamorous era in the clubs history frustratingly, like wsmjohn said it was a time of real decline at the club off the pitch and declining attendances. I'd be interested to see everyone's thoughts on an Underrated XI, especially as Williams was a bit before my time. Yes, it was a fairly unglamorous era for us at a time when football hadn’t become the all-embracing game it’s become. As to an underrated XI I suspect there’d be a few candidates from that era, if only because we were always challenging but didn’t really appreciate how good some were. Had social media been around then we’d have been talking about how good some of those players were as opposed to nowadays when we seem to be talking about players, managers, BoD, owners and their shortcomings! UTG! |
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Post by rememberhalifax on Jan 5, 2024 9:30:31 GMT
Very cultured player, almost Arson Wengerish ! Quiet and unassuming, never sought the limelight on or off the field, probably why he gets overlooked so much.
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Post by Somersetgas on Jan 5, 2024 9:30:40 GMT
Really good read, slightly before my time but have heard him mentioned many times as being a classy player. I think that era of players for lots off clubs have sadly been forgotten about as football wasn’t as fashionable then.
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Post by trevorgas on Jan 5, 2024 9:38:30 GMT
I played against him in a jubilee celebration match for our club in Stroud,he was player manager and brought almost a full first team to the game,I had the pleasure of marking Neil Slatter.
I remember David Williams hitting the crossbar with a belter of a shot from about 25- 30 yds what struck me was how little back lift he needed to generate such great power,stayed behind for sometime after the game ,a real gent.
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Post by tinkerbell on Jan 5, 2024 9:41:31 GMT
Loved watching him play. So gifted and talented, especially when you consider the state of the pitches back then.
Quiet and unassuming. Never seeking the limelight. That is why I expect he is overlooked by so many.
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Post by gasheadontour on Jan 5, 2024 9:44:50 GMT
One of the remarkable aspects is that he played for Rovers more than 100 times as an amateur and semi-pro as he was a school teacher whilst being a footballer.
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Post by buktaboy on Jan 5, 2024 10:06:25 GMT
Definitely one of the best players I've ever seen to pull on the blue and white quarters. Absolutely Rolls Royce of a player, glided over the pitch and had a great shot on him too. He was instrumental in some of the best football I've seen a Rovers side play, particularly in the 82-83 season when we knocked up numerous 4 goal wins, as well as 5-1 at Orient and the same at home to the then league leaders Portsmouth. Was gutted when he left for Norwich, think he got them promoted in First season there. Would be worth millions if he was playing today.
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clovis
Reserve Team
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Post by clovis on Jan 5, 2024 10:18:48 GMT
He’d easily get into my all-time Rovers First Eleven, based on what I’ve seen since 1967.
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Post by readinggas on Jan 5, 2024 10:25:39 GMT
Very cultured player, almost Arson Wengerish !
That's the best typo I've seen since
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Post by Gaswood on Jan 5, 2024 10:35:19 GMT
A product of a generally unglamorous era in the clubs history frustratingly, like wsmjohn said it was a time of real decline at the club off the pitch and declining attendances. I'd be interested to see everyone's thoughts on an Underrated XI, especially as Williams was a bit before my time. Yes, it was a fairly unglamorous era for us at a time when football hadn’t become the all-embracing game it’s become. As to an underrated XI I suspect there’d be a few candidates from that era, if only because we were always challenging but didn’t really appreciate how good some were. Had social media been around then we’d have been talking about how good some of those players were as opposed to nowadays when we seem to be talking about players, managers, BoD, owners and their shortcomings! UTG! I like the underrated XI idea. If we’re presuming we keep Williams in there, I’ll put in a suggestion for a second name on that team sheet in Aaron Lescott. Six years and over 200 appearances for us and is very rarely mentioned whatsoever. Always gave his all and brought a bit of bite to the team. Would like to hear someone suggest name 3 on the team sheet, perhaps from another era? |
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Post by percy on Jan 5, 2024 10:40:44 GMT
Fond memories of David as this was the start of my Rovers journey. early 80-85 being 7 to 12 years old, i dont remember too much but he was quality and good to remember his amazing managerial stats too. Thanks for writing and posting, deserves more recognition as you say! Especially at such a bad time for football and Rovers especially.
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Post by fatherjackhackett on Jan 5, 2024 10:42:40 GMT
Yes, it was a fairly unglamorous era for us at a time when football hadn’t become the all-embracing game it’s become. As to an underrated XI I suspect there’d be a few candidates from that era, if only because we were always challenging but didn’t really appreciate how good some were. Had social media been around then we’d have been talking about how good some of those players were as opposed to nowadays when we seem to be talking about players, managers, BoD, owners and their shortcomings! UTG! I like the underrated XI idea. If we’re presuming we keep Williams in there, I’ll put in a suggestion for a second name on that team sheet in Aaron Lescott. Six years and over 200 appearances for us and is very rarely mentioned whatsoever. Always gave his all and brought a bit of bite to the team. Would like to hear someone suggest name 3 on the team sheet, perhaps from another era? Oooh I like this idea. I’m proposing Boris, David Mehew. Leading goalscorer in 89/90, and came up with some important goals that season (winner at Cardiff, goal that took us to Wembley for the first time, for example). On paper down as the right winger in a 4-4-2 but actually played the role currently occupied by Aaron Collins. But a much better finisher. Putting a shout in for Disley as well. |
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Post by phillistine on Jan 5, 2024 10:45:24 GMT
i would suggest that Steve Foster was another under rated player. He was a good solid central defender of the Alan Hanson type and he played over 230 games for the Gas
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