Memories of Ronald DeBoer

I loved watching him at Ajax in their '95 team.

Was delighted when we'd managed to sign him. Stunned, actually.

I say this any time I'm talking about him but it looked like, when he had the ball, he was playing the game in slow motion. Any time he's in on goal, everything slows down for him and he just rolls the ball past the keeper (Unless it's a penalty I guess ;) )

A truly special player...and with his CV, you'd have to be.
 
Very classy footballer. Had that Dutch arrogance with the skill to back it up. Still remember him and Arvaladze coming into the Moskito bar on Bath Street when me and a (Tim) mate were playing pool. We gave them our table, and even my mate was in awe of him: "Your table, Mr De Boer!"
 
I wasn't too impressed with him when he first arrived but he certainly changed my mind about him later on.
 
This is my enduring memory of him high fiving the crowd:

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A class act no doubt, but if we’re being perfectly honest, the 2002/03 season was the only really good one we got from him, and to be fair it was a corker.

Admittedly injuries hindered a lot of the rest of his time with us, but there was definitely a feeling at the time that for the money we spent on him we hadn’t necessarily gotten value for money.

I actually think his performance against Sturm Graz in the CL right after he joined was arguably his best. He was sensational that night.
 
I absolutely loved him. That 2002-03 season he became one of my favourite ever players.
Still have my shirt with de Boer 14 on the back.
Sensational.
 
He was an arrogant bastard that could back it up. I loved him. I've said before that I had to help him back to the VIP bit in Trash after we won the league in 03. One of the best and most surreal nights of my life
 
If I'm honest at first I really didnt think he was as good as I was hoping.. mainly because I was expecting another Laudrup, and he was never that type of player for us.

In time he became a superb player for us... but when we talk about our "Greatest Ever 11" his name is rarely mentioned when you consider some of the wide men and strikers we have had down the years.
 
If he'd been fit his whole time with us he'd be spoken of with Gazza and Laudrup. What a player he was an absolute joy to watch. Just technically superb and so intelligent in terms of runs, positioning and knowing where team mates were. He had a trick which he used nearly every game to step round a man and it looked so simple but worked all the time as he did it so quickly like it was nothing
 
the hearts away game where shots missed a pen and de boer got a header.was in home end and full of bears,right in line with the 6 yard box and job to see deboer score and also away end in full voice.
 
ThePrizesh said:
Rolls-Royce of a player. Genuinely thought our days of signing players of that ilk, ahead of clubs like Man Utd, were finished.

Front post volley mid-air cushioned volley into roof of net is my personal favourite. (Ball from McCann is sensational btw) movement is world class, he starts almost at halfway if I remember correctly

His movement was a joy to watch, a gem of a player amongst the absolute class of the Dutch contingent (Arthur “Bowie” Numan so underrated, Gio was unbelievable with a wand of a left peg- set pieces suffered after he went & of course Mikey Mols....that turn!)

Considering according to Barry Ferguson’s bio that Ronald could barely straighten his leg for days after a match, with his knee injuries catching up.

To think he was hounded for not chasing pointless balls into corners constantly amazed me at time. World Class. Loved him
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similar to amo he had a choice between united and us , RDB wanted to play though and at united he was a bench player
 
His debut against Sturm Graz, what a performance.

As for favourite goal, the side foot volley against the poets.
 
Always remember the puzzled look on his face near the end of the Dumfermline 6-1 game in 2003.
Someone was trying to explain the goal difference situation. After it was explained he still looked
puzzled :D
 
Loved him in 02/03 season. Header at Parkhead and last day of season v Dunfermline. Also remember good debut (think it was debut) v Sturm Graz. For me though just a fraction behind Gazza and Laudrup in terms of raw ability.
 
An absolutely fantastic player and I remember being shocked when he signed for us. A cut above most other players.
 
A true world class player - had the pleasure of meeting him in Greens Gym one day, happily talked all things Rangers - then allowed me the honour of buying him a fresh orange juice.
 
Was raging that night in Paris when he missed that penalty but at least we made up for it in the shoot out
 
Random memory

His debut. Aberdeen.

I have visions of someone pinging one towards him knee high, like Liverpool do with Salah. Joe Aribo esque touch and pivot as he ran full pelt and straight through on the keeper from the halfway line.

Just a general feeling of, woah this is different level.

No idea if he scored or I imagined it.

His knees were gone and that kind of move wasnt sustainable. Adapted and used his head and talent to become a serious force, pivotal to everything we did well. One I am grateful for getting to watch.
 
Bluenose1872 said:
An absolute class act. Best memory for me was his header against the mentally challengeds in 02.
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Nailed it !! Great leap for someone who’s knees where shattered. The last world class natural player we had that was miles in front of everybody.. players, fans and pundits but
that might just be me that thinks that
 
One of few signings that I thought was out of our league or couldn't believe he would come and play in Scotland. Guy was top level in his day, a pleasure to watch.
 
nelster said:
Random memory

His debut. Aberdeen.

I have visions of someone pinging one towards him knee high, like Liverpool do with Salah. Joe Aribo esque touch and pivot as he ran full pelt and straight through on the keeper from the halfway line.

Just a general feeling of, woah this is different level.

No idea if he scored or I imagined it.

His knees were gone and that kind of move wasnt sustainable. Adapted and used his head and talent to become a serious force, pivotal to everything we did well. One I am grateful for getting to watch.
Click to expand...
Remember that game well, did Marcus Gayle not make his debut the same night?
 
Just absolute class. Touch, vision and being great in the air for someone not so tall.
 
I remember seeing him when he first signed and he looked overweight!!

I thought ok, let's see how he goes.

A few games in I remember him at the corner flag at the Copland. Defender close; swiveled his hips and left defender like a snaughter. Wonderful skill. A joy to watch.
 
Always loved the way his touch would take him into a space he wanted to be in rather than just control the ball. Often would see hammerthrowers get tight and drop off that were quicker on their feet but were always left looking riduculous. Almost like a snooker player could see 2/3 passes ahead.
 
Majestic player and was several levels above most around him. Brought confidence to the team and a touch of arrogance which is always nice when lording it over them.
 
Don’t have too many memories of his on-field stuff due to my age but I watched the 02-03 season DVD religiously and it felt like he scored every week.

The season after that I plumped for Nuno Capucho instead of RdB on the back of my new strip..
 
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