Tommy Briggs

billy - To start with I've been fortunate enough to have watched every centre forward, from Dennis Westcott to the present day. I dont have to say who was the best, we all know that, our Alan, commentators drooled over him, papers filled their back pages with he's photo's, reporters never had it so good, but all of them had one theme, they said "he plays like an old fashioned centre forward", how true that is, but which old fashioned centre forward? only one that played for us, thats Tommy Briggs without a shadow of a doubt , all you supporters who were sat on the rug, in front of the fire, tapping the dog on its head with a spoon, have no idea what 'old fashioned centre forward means' but us old giffers do, it means running through mud on rough pitches, jumping for the corners trying to knock the goalie (with he's knees up) and ball in the net, while the defenders tried to 'drop' you, as you was charged from one side to the other and back again, Tommy was the best, for us he scored over 30 goals a season four seasons on the run, in that time he missed only three games, before he was a Rover he was also the leagues top scorer, beating second placed Tommy Lawton by seven goals. I think everone will know about he's seven goals in one game, he scored one in the first half at the Blackburn end, then six in the Darwen end, also hitting the post, and had quite a few saved, for he's third goal he jumped a bit early, but he just waited in the air then nodded it home in the top left corner , I think David Blaine must have heard of that , he makes a living out of it and calls it levitation. No other team could boast a combination of two strikers with consistant goal scoring form, which is what the position is all about, than Shearer and Briggs, remember its goals that count, Shearer over thirty three seasons running, Briggs over thirty four seasons running, no excuses, we want consistant goal scorers, vote them both, the two top goal scorers from different eras, they were one and the same believe me.

big A - I'm leaning towards Briggs at the moment for his goal scoring record in such a short space of time, scoring seven in one game is pretty unique!

billy - Yes I am afraid its me again, on about our Tommy, sorry but I don't know how to transfer the feature in the L.E.T. on saturday the 5th. all about Tommy Briggs, on to this messageboard, could someone please do it , so people who did not see it get the chance. thanks. Big A in answer to your question, Tommy left the Rovers in march 1958, he only played 12 games in season 1957-58, scoreing 3 goals, but age had caught up with him and that was it, he went back to Grimsby Town, one of he's former clubs. Tommy had a hell of a career, he volunteerd for the Royal Navy during the war, was sent to Malta to defend the Island, when Malta was safe, he came back to Plymouth, serving on a landing craft running soldiers to the Normandy beach heads, it was only when he got demobbed that Tommy turned to football, he was born in 1923 and sadly died in 1984. Another item regarding Tommy was the gates, very few people followed away teams in the fifties, due to no money, and a five and half day week, so when the gates at that time averaged 26,000 or 27,000 they all supported the Rovers, so when we scored, the noise all round the ground, including the Darwen end, was terrific. I was also a fan of Simon's but what a difference the crowd made, I was on Ewood on Simon's finest day ( in my opinion) when he scored five against Derby County, I think the gate was either 4000 or 5000, we cheered like mad, but I'me afraid it could'nt compare to the roars of the fifties, or to the week in week out excitement of following the Rovers with Tommy, cast your vote now for him, Shearer the best ever, Briggs a very close second.

den - 7 goals in one game*. 30 goals a season, four seasons on the run! Thanks Billy, really good to have your recollections of a player that was the best rovers centre forward apart from Shearer, in many peoples eyes.

bazza - Tommy Briggs was a firm favourite although all his goals were in the second division, not the top flight. I saw his seven in the 8-3 victory over Bristol Rovers. I also saw Rovers beat Middlesbrough 9-0 and Tommy didn't get one!