Aside from the stars mentioned already, one player who always stood out for me was Trevor Francis in Bob Bolder's testimonial against Sheffield Wednesday
He was their manager by then, and long retired, but his class stood out amongst all the other players on the pitch! You never lose it
Aside from the stars mentioned already, one player who always stood out for me was Trevor Francis in Bob Bolder's testimonial against Sheffield Wednesday
He was their manager by then, and long retired, but his class stood out amongst all the other players on the pitch! You never lose it
Yep forgot to put him on the list. Still did the biz for QPR twice against us, when he was long past his best.
Was at England 3 Argentina 1 at Wembley in 1980. Notable for Maradonna appearing for Argentina and David Johnson scoring 2 for England. 92000 there if I remember, the largest crowd I have been in.
Clive Mendonca, in the 1997-98 season, culminating in his hat-trick during the play-off final at Wembley Stadium. His third goal there, where he received Steve Jones' cross, stopped the ball dead, swiveled and placed the ball to the left of the Sunderland goalkeeper was, in my opinion, the best goal I've witnessed a Charlton forward score.
Yes it's certaintly up there with the best
That footage reminds me of what a crap goalkeeper Perez was mind - what was he doing for mendonca's 2nd and his keeping for the rufus goal is hilarious !!!
George Best, today he would be unplayable the most complete footballer I ever saw. In the modern era I would say Bergkamp and Gazza both wonderful players.
Seen Ronaldo live at the Valley a few times, more recent though I saw Messi last March, he was awesome and dire. Though it was only Rays Vallecano so can't blame him for not being up for it. He still got a hattrick when not trying too hard though!
Goalkeeper is an underrated position as prestige goes. Therefore I'll pick the best ever - Buffon.
I'd debate that. I'd certainly place Banks, Zoff and Yashin above him. As a goalie myself back in schooldays Banks was my absolute hero and has always been top. All about opinions though. Yashin was exceptional as was Zoff, but a little flashy.
I know many will disagree, and I've seen other greats play, but the Leeds team that won their first 6 matches of the 1970/71 season was a pretty sensational line-up. Sprake*, Madeley, Cooper, Bremner, Charlton, Hunter, Lorimer, Clarke, Jones, Gray. I travelled down from Newcastle (where I was working) to watch them play Leeds in that season. Bremner and Gray were missing and it was a 1-1 draw. The following season, they beat Man Utd (not the full fat version but still including Kidd, Charlton and Best) 5-1 and then in the next home match, humiliated Southampton 7-0. They went on to win the FA Cup, scoring 14 goals and conceding only 2. Infamously, the league title itself was lost two days after the FA Cup Final amid accusations of bribery. By way of comparison to today's pampered superstars it is, perhaps, noteworthy that the core of the Leeds team played a large number of games usually on a bog of a pitch with Lorimer playing 56 and scoring 29 goals - not bad for a winger in a team famous for being defence-minded. Lorimer went on to score 255 goals in over 770 odd games for Leeds, starting when he was only fifteen and retiring when nearly 40. It is said that one of Lorimer's penalties has been calculated to have been travelling at 107mph. He did not have legs like tree trunks and I never really understood how he could kick the ball so hard.
So, I would include Lorimer in my list of greats but am still upset that he scored what I think was his last goal against Charlton!
*The accident prone Sprake probably doesn't get included in any list of greats. There's video of him throwing the ball into the back of the net against Liverpool. It's said the ref didn't see what happened and asked Jack Charlton. Charlton replied "the silly bugger has thrown the ball into the net, I think you'd better give a goal". Kindly souls that they are at Anfield, Careless Hands was played at half-time.
Reading this reminded me of the first time I saw Leeds and seeing John Charles one of the all time greats .
For the younger fans, Scottish international Lorrimer had a very short back lift and a dynamite right foot which was drilled at low trajectory often rising gradually, into the roof of the net. Sprake was a Welsh international keeper who also flapped at one just under his bar at Sellout v Palarse IIRC. It seemed that poor old Gary saved all his cock ups for the TV games. David Harvey was a more than capable successor.
Back on thread; John Charles CBE (Leeds), Sir Stanley Matthews, Booby Moore, Jimmy Greaves, Dave Mackay, George Best, Gordon Banks, Bobby Charlton, Alan Simonsen, Kevin Keegan (the last two ex European players of the year) Cantona, Ryan Giggs, C Ronaldo, Thiery Henry to name but a few.
Edit; Forgot to mention Eusabio, saw him in the flesh 66 World Cup Semi Final at Wembley.
Used to love watching Keegan for England at Wembley when I was a kid. Saw Hoddle score a beauty on his debut v Bulgaria in (played on the Thursday night after being fogged off on the Weds). I remember Colin Bell being really special in the mid 70s also. Saw Maradona at Wembley also in 79 (his international debut?). More recent - Henry, Bergkamp, Ronaldo, Figo.
Comments
Ferenc Puskas
Denis Law
Bobby Charlton
George Best
Bobby Moore
Jimmy Greaves
Eddie Firmani
Alan Simonsen
Probably others I've forgotten or not quite in the above league.. Gazza, Lineker, Peters, Ball, Bremner...
Paul Gascoigne.
Allan Simonsen.
Kevin Beattie.
Tony Adams.
Ryan Giggs.
He was their manager by then, and long retired, but his class stood out amongst all the other players on the pitch! You never lose it
Yes it's certaintly up there with the best
That footage reminds me of what a crap goalkeeper Perez was mind - what was he doing for mendonca's 2nd and his keeping for the rufus goal is hilarious !!!
Pele is the no.1 but never saw him play live.
Although I have to say at similar time villa beat us 2-0 and ruel fox was unplayable
Back on thread; John Charles CBE (Leeds), Sir Stanley Matthews, Booby Moore, Jimmy Greaves, Dave Mackay, George Best, Gordon Banks, Bobby Charlton, Alan Simonsen, Kevin Keegan (the last two ex European players of the year) Cantona, Ryan Giggs, C Ronaldo, Thiery Henry to name but a few.
Edit; Forgot to mention Eusabio, saw him in the flesh 66 World Cup Semi Final at Wembley.
Both mesmerising.
Zidane v England in Euro 2004.
Sammer for Germany in 96 was awesome.
Best English players would be Gazza and Hoddle.
Charlton R
Best
Law
Campbell A (come on, the man is a legend)
Ronaldo
Giggs
Beckham
Banks
There are a few more I can't remember see the 'old git' thread.