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Hardest player seen at the Valley.

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  • Remember an interview with Big Sam after the game. 'Herman was a definite red card but Davies was just an accidental elbow'. Not biased by any means!!! 
  • John Hartson. Not sure if he played at the Valley though. 
  • Chizz said:
    Did Gary Lineker ever play at the Valley? If so: him. 

    He might not be most people's first choice as hardest footballer. But you have to look at the evidence. He played over 400 top-flight games in England and Spain, across the seventies, eighties and nineties, an era when defenders would be classed by how hard and how often they kicked you. And got no protection from referees. Yet he never got booked throughout his career. 

    If you're going to pick a hard XI, he's the captain. 
    He did 
    Played for Leicester when  Simonson scored a couple of beauties. We won 5-2 and I think a young  Lineker also scored two.
  • Billy Bonds must be up there.
    Billy Bonds must be up there.
    He started at my club Moatbridge. I played alongside his brother Micky. I don't know how he never played for England. A fantastic player.
  • It’s all relative though - most top level rugby players would laugh at who we might view as hard men footballers 
  • Anyone mentioned Alex Rae ? 
  • Andy Todd and Chris Morgan 
  • wmcf123 said:
    IanJRO said:
    Vinnie Jones
    How many times did he play at the valley ? Did he play in the Pringle game ? That must have been it 
    Was earlier than that. Had to do some digging incase my mind was playing tricks on me but it was a League Cup game https://www.11v11.com/matches/charlton-athletic-v-wimbledon-03-october-1995-33016/
  • edited December 2023
    Chizz said:
    Did Gary Lineker ever play at the Valley? If so: him. 

    He might not be most people's first choice as hardest footballer. But you have to look at the evidence. He played over 400 top-flight games in England and Spain, across the seventies, eighties and nineties, an era when defenders would be classed by how hard and how often they kicked you. And got no protection from referees. Yet he never got booked throughout his career. 

    If you're going to pick a hard XI, he's the captain. 
    He did 
    Played for Leicester when  Simonson scored a couple of beauties. We won 5-2 and I think a young  Lineker also scored two.
    Nov 1981 - lost 4-1 at home to Leicester; Lineker got two and Jim Melrose got one.

    Jan 1983 we beat Leicester 2-1; Simonsen got two close range goals. Lineker was up front with Alan Smith but Ian Wilson scored their goal.

    March 1983 we beat Chelsea 5-2; Simonsen got two lovely goals. 
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  • Chizz said:
    Did Gary Lineker ever play at the Valley? If so: him. 

    He might not be most people's first choice as hardest footballer. But you have to look at the evidence. He played over 400 top-flight games in England and Spain, across the seventies, eighties and nineties, an era when defenders would be classed by how hard and how often they kicked you. And got no protection from referees. Yet he never got booked throughout his career. 

    If you're going to pick a hard XI, he's the captain. 
    He did 
    But then it was reviewed by the FA and rescinded in a PR exercise if I recall correctly. 
    How dare anyone book our lovely Gary Lineker.
  • edited December 2023
    If we are talking about a one off performance of outlandish thuggery there is only one candidate….George Curtis of Coventry City, ably assisted by his side kick on the day, Brian Lewis. 18th February 1967.
  • Maurice Setters, played eight games in 1970 for us. Scored one goal, the equaliser at Bolton, where he put the ball and the defender in the back of the net. Was so bandy that I think I remember a free kick going through his legs when he was in the wall.
  • Simonsen said:
    Chizz said:
    Did Gary Lineker ever play at the Valley? If so: him. 

    He might not be most people's first choice as hardest footballer. But you have to look at the evidence. He played over 400 top-flight games in England and Spain, across the seventies, eighties and nineties, an era when defenders would be classed by how hard and how often they kicked you. And got no protection from referees. Yet he never got booked throughout his career. 

    If you're going to pick a hard XI, he's the captain. 
    He did 
    Played for Leicester when  Simonson scored a couple of beauties. We won 5-2 and I think a young  Lineker also scored two.
    Nov 1981 - lost 4-1 at home to Leicester; Lineker got two and Jim Melrose got one.

    Jan 1983 we beat Leicester 2-1; Simonsen got two close range goals. Lineker was up front with Alan Smith but Ian Wilson scored their goal.

    March 1983 we beat Chelsea 5-2; Simonsen got two lovely goals. 
    Thanks. I recall him beating both defences just outside the box before scoring.
  • Chizz said:
    Did Gary Lineker ever play at the Valley? If so: him. 

    He might not be most people's first choice as hardest footballer. But you have to look at the evidence. He played over 400 top-flight games in England and Spain, across the seventies, eighties and nineties, an era when defenders would be classed by how hard and how often they kicked you. And got no protection from referees. Yet he never got booked throughout his career. 

    If you're going to pick a hard XI, he's the captain. 
    Yes played at The Valley for Leicester.
  • Hard as in tough to knock off the ball - Chuks Aneke is up there.  His body strength is crazy.

    Obviously the rest of his muscles and bones are like cheesestrings but he is as tough as old boots when he is playing.,
  • Carter said:
    Geoff Horsfield all day long, that man was genuinely hard and would have been the toughest man on most building sites let alone a football pitch. Duncan Ferguson a genuine hard man, Andy Todd another tough bastard. Kevin Muscat isn't in any of their leagues, he picked weak targets as a bully and tackled like a coward. Terry Hurlock, hard man, Mick Harford and Steve Walsh the same. Genuine, legit tough men 
    Shows the level that Mick Harford is on when he punched Steve Walsh in a match and Walsh didn't want any of it.
  • Carter said:
    Geoff Horsfield all day long, that man was genuinely hard and would have been the toughest man on most building sites let alone a football pitch. Duncan Ferguson a genuine hard man, Andy Todd another tough bastard. Kevin Muscat isn't in any of their leagues, he picked weak targets as a bully and tackled like a coward. Terry Hurlock, hard man, Mick Harford and Steve Walsh the same. Genuine, legit tough men 
    Shows the level that Mick Harford is on when he punched Steve Walsh in a match and Walsh didn't want any of it.
    Mick Harford was sitting behind me at The Oval a couple of years ago, a Luton fan in front of me clocked him and they had a most affable conversation during the tea break. I think it was another example of the real “chaps” not having to prove themselves by macho posing at all times.
  • Not sure if he played at the valley for real but in my dreams I was a free scoring centre forward and the hardest player I came up against was Kenny Burns (ex Forest and Birmingham), we went at it toe to toe and of course me and Charlton always came out on top.
  • Dave Hickson before he met Willie Duff.
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  • Alan Dugdale and Derek Hales
  • Dave Hickson before he met Willie Duff.
    Should have given Willie a medal instead of sending him off. 
  • Mike Bailey - our captain back in the 60’s. 
    Hard but fair, best tackler I’ve seen.

    Billy Bonds a real tough/strong player as mentioned above.
  • Ryan Inniss is one ex addick over the last 15 years I wouldn’t want to be on the bad side of 
  • Duncan Ferguson instantly springs to mind. 
  • I remember the Coventry team of the late 60s. George Curtis very hard and unfair. But the whole team was like it. Often hear stories of hard men being nice guys. As a kid I used to collect autographs - a nasty to avoid was Ron Harris. 
    He is down as a hard man but I really dislike Stuart Pearce. It was a game at the Valley to open/ commemorate something( may have been the East Stand). Both teams lined up to come out of the old dressing rooms( remember the hut in the corner). They were to walk out together, Pearce just run off with team to follow.
  • Bournesnr said:
    Not sure if he played at the valley for real but in my dreams I was a free scoring centre forward and the hardest player I came up against was Kenny Burns (ex Forest and Birmingham), we went at it toe to toe and of course me and Charlton always came out on top.
    Played for Barnsley first game of the 85-86 season.
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