Mark Atkins

Colin - Introduction Let's start with some statistics: He is at number 29 in the number of games played for Rovers since the records began in 1888. He played 272 games in all. Just for comparison, this puts him well above (say) David Batty (70); Alan Shearer (165) and Tim Flowers (214.) He scored 39 goals in those games. This despite spending much of his time at right back, and then at central midfield. Although at a push he could play just about anywhere, and he was capable of playing anywhere. He made a decent effort at playing on the right wing more than once. He was at Rovers for 7 years. The season we won the league he was the joint third highest scorer. Deep intake of breath.............. And his name is Mark Atkins A Bit Of History & Details Super Atko made his league debut for Scunthorpe United whilst still a schoolboy and appeared in over sixty matches for that club (as well as playing for England schools) before Don MacKay bought him in 1988 for £45,000 Although he spent much of his early career at Ewood Park at full-back, he continually demonstrated an eye for goal. Under the managership of Kenny Dalglish, he developed into a battling midfield player whose boundless energy and appetite for work made him the ideal partner for those around him. Eventually, with Batty and Sherwood holding down the midfield positions at Blackburn, he moved to Wolverhampton Wanderers in September 1995. He then went on to play for Doncaster, Shrewsbury (where he was temporary manager) and was last seen at Harrogate Town. Atko At His Best 25th May 1992. Rovers v Leicester in the first division play-off at Wembley. A very hot day. Rovers were 1-0 in the lead after David Speedie tripped over a daisy and Mike Newall converted the penalty. A nervous moment, as Newall was notorious for his erratic penalty taking. Then: after 85 minutes a break from midfield. A lone figure in yellow sprints to get to the stray ball leaving all others in his wake. He is storming forward like a horny stallion chasing a "my little pony" on heat. The Leicester keeper brings him down. Super Atko has sealed it for us. Yeh! Super Atko! But Newall skies the penalty and reduces us to nervous wrecks for the last five minutes. Thanks Mike. Now go forth and manage Luton Town. So, why should you vote for Mark Atkins Atko never played for England. He was never collared in the tunnel for a post-match interview. He was never the subject of a tabloid shocker. No-one ever asked him to "write" a column for a newspaper. He was never in a "bust-up" with a manager. He was simply a professional footballer who got on with his job. From his origins from Scunthorpe, he slipped into the Rovers' team where he would be a lynchpin for seven years. Older readers will remember Atko storming up and down the quagmire that was Ewood Park at the time. After Uncle Jack arrived on the scene the squad grew, expensive signings joined the dressing room and it seemed that Atko would be perpetually in the reserves. Did this bother him? It did not. He just carried on grafting and working. In the three years that he was with Rovers after we got promoted he played: (1) 31 games and scored 6 (2) 9 games and scored 1 Then, when injury forced David Batty to miss the majority of the 1994-95 season, it was Atko who filled the void and formed a central midfield partnership with Tim Sherwood. (3) 37 games and scored 6 - and that was when we won The Premiership. It was a bit of an injustice when Atko was forced to sit out the final three games of the season following the return of Batty. However, there were no complaints from him as he once again proved himself a loyal servant to the club. He represents everything that is good about our football club and pretty much all that can be good about professional footballers. In a nutshell he was the antithesis of the diving, prancing prima-donnas who seem to have taken over the game. No bull, no hissy fits, no sulks, no boot deals, no MacDonalds adverts, no deliberate sendings-off. Probably the only agent he ever had was his newsagent. He kept his gob shut and played his heart out for the club. Maybe he wasn't the most skilfull but for what he lacked in that department he made up with guts and effort and comittment . He had a heart as big as a bucket. He never shirked a tackle, he might have missed the ball ever so slightly once or twice, but no-one got hurt. He won a Premiership Champions medal after contributing to 30 of the 42 league games in the season when we won the title. That is not a coincidence. He deserved that medal. In a team that was seen at the time (and has mistakenly been seen ever since) to have been compiled from Jack Walkers money, he was a refreshing bargain-basement buy. And he was one of only a few ex-players to be bothered to get his kit on for Garner's testimonial. For me that speaks volumes. Anyhow here's a piccy of Super Atko, sadly not in the B & W but in Wolves Old Gold http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=75 Finally. You will have noted that time is slipping away for some kind of choice for the remaining players. I reckon it's a certainty who will be slipping into the two strikers and left wing places. This leaves only two central midfield roles to be filled. Maybe, just maybe, one of these deserves to be filled by some one who was just an ordinary bloke. No frills, no caps, he just pulled on his boots and for seven years he had a blue & white heart. Ladies and gentlemen, I offer you Mark Atkins. Vote for him. You know we need an honest grafter in there. Thank you.

laughatthedingles - Super Atko, never got the praise he deserved, always a consistent performer, always gave his all for the cause, what more could you ask?

roversismylife - Superb midfielder, especially during our league winning season. Atkins is the type of midfielder that Rovers could do with now. He never did anything fancy, but he always did it simply and was always there when you needed him.

bazza - Colin, what a fantastic presentation of the reasons we should all vote for Super Atko. Mark Atkins was fair to middling as a young right back. I remember the game v Sheff Utd when they were pumping the ball straight down the middle and Rovers defence couldn't cope. Then Atko was moved to central defence and was a revelation. Every time they hoofed it forward Super Atko headed it back. I can almost see the surprised look on their faces; the faces of the Sheff Utd players that is. "Jet!... I can almost remember their funny faces". That brings me to the Dalglish era. The chap sitting in front of me always referred to him as (I thought I heard) "JET" So I always referred to him as "Jet Atkins". Later I learnt that it was "Chet".......Chet Atkins.....some guitar player..pop singer?? ( Gosh, I sound like mi grandad.) Dalglish only kept two of the players he inherited........Jase-the-ace Wilcox and Jet Atkins both of whom were fit for the job.

Duff's Minder - Atko deserves his place alongside Clayton. Always enjoyed telling people that think we bought the title in 95 about how important Atkins was. Maybe I'm being nostalgic but I seem to remember most of his goals being 25 yard screamers as well.

bob fleming - Al on the previous page summed it up pretty well. "Super Atko" - the name was ironic at first but over time I think most people forgot that. £45,000 !?! - not as cheap as Wilcox, but I don't think any future Premier League Champions will buy a player, who play's regularly, for so little. Never stopped running, "tremendous engine", covered every blade of grass. (Should have been a lawn mower). He was a great player for us no doubt it but I think we've had better players over the years. Should have kept his moustache - just for the novelty factor.

speeeeeeeeedie - Atkins is different, a lowly Don Mackay signing came as a bad fullback (Super Atko started as a mick take nickname) whose pre-Dalglish days most famous moment was a last minute own goal against Liverpool in the FA Cup. It robbed us of a great win, as they lumped us 3-0 at Anfield. Jimmy Hill blamed the ball girl for giving it to Liverpool too quickly - I blamed Atko. Anyway, once Dalglish started buying, Atkins managed to convert himself into a ball winning midfielder. He must have watched Batty alot in training as when he was injured Atko came in and played like him - I've never seen a footballer do that. He was big and had good stamina, but should not be in the "greatest ever team". We also got over a million for him from Wolves.

den - Atkins strengths were his physique and his stamina. As a C.M. he was a guy who stood his ground. Defensively he was fairly solid and added a bit of dourness to the side [something we could do with now]. He was also an up and downer and chipped in with a fair amount of goals, for someone not that talented, he did well. The thing with Atko was - he was the right man at the right time. The way rovers played with Shearer, Wilcox and Ripley, Atkins offered the perfect foil, the balance to that team. As for great? Sorry Colin, but not in that class.

ciren rover - Atkins is a cult hero.