Best midfield we ever had?

[Sandygate Blade]

Keith Eddy was so underrated. Not see if we ever had Currie,Salmons and Eddy in same side. Currie and Eddy were top drawer in 74/75. David Bradford was generally 3rd midfielder the season we finished 6th.

 

[8lade]

Remember just a few years ago when the thought of a good footballing midfield was unthinkable?

I remember being angry that Mellis fucked off to chelsea when we were desperate for midfield players, don't know if that would have turned out any differently for him or the club...probably not.

 

[itsinyerblood]

Personally I think comparisons are a bit pointless. Midfield's of yesteryear have been excellent, just as our current selection of players for this role can deliver to a high standard.

We should be thankful that the players we currently have are capable of playing the type of football that's worth the price of admission. Like other posters, I've read that Norwood may not be Premiership class, but it may be that circumstance, confidence (or a lack of it), and whatever else makes someone good enough to play at the top level impacted on his performance. Let's just be glad that we have Norwood, and with our other quality players we can meet any other team in this division and be confident that our midfield won't lie down meekly.

 

[bladesrus]

Keith Eddy was so underrated. Not see if we ever had Currie,Salmons and Eddy in same side. Currie and Eddy were top drawer in 74/75. David Bradford was generally 3rd midfielder the season we finished 6th.

Think we sold Salmons to Stoke well before we got Keith Eddy. I always rated Eddy, just think people were looking for a direct Hockey replacement. Shame we couldn't have got all the great players around that era together in that era. Either we sold them or they went beyond their use by date.
As for the best midfield, was listening to Wilder and he was looking forward to Coutts getting back so he'd got options to play different combinations in midfield. If Coutts gets back to form then yes I'm sure this will become the best midfield in my lifetime watching Blades.

 

[Newbury Blade]

Spot on, though strangely Coutts was there aswell.

Played on the right wing, with Flynn in centre mid. Even now, it makes me angry.

 

[cahill]

Think we sold Salmons to Stoke well before we got Keith Eddy. I always rated Eddy, just think people were looking for a direct Hockey replacement. Shame we couldn't have got all the great players around that era together in that era. Either we sold them or they went beyond their use by date.
As for the best midfield, was listening to Wilder and he was looking forward to Coutts getting back so he'd got options to play different combinations in midfield. If Coutts gets back to form then yes I'm sure this will become the best midfield in my lifetime watching Blades.

Saw Eddy score the winner at Old Trafford. One of a few we got from Watford at the time including TC. I’m struggling to remember if Addison and TC played togethe ?

 

[cahill]

Addison scored in front of the cameras on MOTD at Highbury, 1967, I believe ? Remember hearing the « Addy Addy Addy Addy Addison « chant by the Blades supporters. Came across well on TV.,

 

[blademark]

Colin and Tony must have played together, TC joined in 68, Colin left in 71, but even though I witnessed those 3 years, I can't honestly say for sure that I saw them play together.

 

[Cerberus Blade]

Keith Eddy was so underrated. Not see if we ever had Currie,Salmons and Eddy in same side. Currie and Eddy were top drawer in 74/75. David Bradford was generally 3rd midfielder the season we finished 6th.

Yes I pondered including Eddy in that list. He was a calming influence in that 70’s midfield. The master of the short pass. A very underrated player imo.

 

[Lets bring back....]

Can’t beat the 2009 midfield duo of Brian Howard and James Harper with the quality of Mark Yates on one side and the forever young Glen Little of the other....

 

[Silent Blade]

Yes TC and Addison played together from February 1968 to December 1970 (Addison's injury at Luton ruled him out of the team for the rest of the season). Addison was more of a deep lying number 9 for most of that time before switching to midfield in Sept 1970. Eddy and Salmons did play together for most of the two seasons in 1972-73 and 1973-74. We signed Eddy in Summer 1972 but he didnt get a regular place until January 1973 also he had a 3 month spell out of the team after breaking his collarbone in Sept 1973. We sold Salmons in summer 1974

 

[Silent Blade]

Bradshaw-Gannon-Booker-Bryson

Thread closed.

Only Bradshaw was a decent midfielder out of the four you named. The other three were just honest triers.

 

[Pedro's Winger]

The Furphy midfield was obviously better, along with the one that won promotion to the Premier League under Warnock.
A match against a team like Aston Villa might give us a better idea if they're the real deal.

 

[Booker4]

Only Bradshaw was a decent midfielder out of the four you named. The other three were just honest triers.

Bryson was a great winger in my view, one of the best we've had. Great crosser and decent in the air when he got on the end of crosses from the opposing wing. Alan Roberts from the same era was quality too would you agree Silent?

 

[oldblade]

Currie, Salmons and Addison.

Currie, Salmons and Eddy. Or prior to that Currie, Salmons and Hockey was also pretty good.

Mind you, the quartet of Tonge, Brown, McCall and Ndlovu also deserves a mention

 

[oldblade]

Always thought Addison cost 40k and was bought to replace Mick Jones , i would have paired Eddy with God .

Keith Eddy was a very, very good footballer. Had we not had Currie in the side at the same time, I think he would loom a lot larger in our memories when we are talking about former players.

 

[oldblade]

Spot on, though strangely Coutts was there aswell.

Yes, but he was often played in a wide position. It seemed to me that Hammond was played in the position that Coutts should have occupied. Wonder why we were so poor...…...

 

[oldblade]

Yes TC and Addison played together from February 1968 to December 1970 (Addison's injury at Luton ruled him out of the team for the rest of the season). Addison was more of a deep lying number 9 for most of that time before switching to midfield in Sept 1970. Eddy and Salmons did play together for most of the two seasons in 1972-73 and 1973-74. We signed Eddy in Summer 1972 but he didnt get a regular place until January 1973 also he had a 3 month spell out of the team after breaking his collarbone in Sept 1973. We sold Salmons in summer 1974

I think (not 100% sure) Eddy became a regular when Hockey left?

 

[Champagneblade]

Bryson was a great winger in my view, one of the best we've had. Great crosser and decent in the air when he got on the end of crosses from the opposing wing. Alan Roberts from the same era was quality too would you agree Silent?

I did think part of the reason we got promoted at Leicester that season was part down to Gannon breaking his arm as he was not in good form. He did take excellent inswinging left footed corners though.

Bryson I thought was more effective than Bradshaw and had more end product. Always thought he could have cut inside and scored a few more. Bradshaw was great for getting stuck into the likes of Pearce but he didn’t score enough for me and transitioned into a decent right back though one of his first forays there saw him get sent off!

 

[Jim Chimmerney]

Nah.

Ndlouve - Brown - McCall - Tonge

Yep, the mix in that midfield was brilliant and there were a few spells in the old 'triple assault' season where they were all at the top of their game together which was a joy to watch.

Times have changed and the wide positions Nuddy and Tonge played are mainly redundant these days (swapping wings, remember that !) but the current midfield is probably the best since I would say although we may not yet have seen the very best of it.

 

[Silent Blade]

Bryson was a great winger in my view, one of the best we've had. Great crosser and decent in the air when he got on the end of crosses from the opposing wing. Alan Roberts from the same era was quality too would you agree Silent?

Yes good crosser and decent in the air but he wasnt top division class. Roberts played just a hour before tiring out.

 

[S64 Blade]

Nah.

Ndlouve - Brown - McCall - Tonge

This for me too (being 28). The current one isn't far off though, but needs to achieve something before it can surpass.

 

[SwitchBLADE Smiles]

Personally, I always thought Kevin McDonald, Lee Williamson & Michael Doyle were superb for us in that 2011 season.

I'd completely forgotten that Williamson nearly died whilst on our books! Went for an operation on his troublesome back & contracted an infection that ended up with him being on life support for 2 days... That, coinciding with McDonalds departure (amongst a certain other striker) destroyed us.

We are truly blessed with the midfield we have now though. Norwood has brought in some much needed balance and quality to the centre of the pitch & has directly coincided with Uniteds upturn in form.

Master stroke from lord Wilder!

 

[COME BACK CHED]

Not seen a mention for Cockerill yet ,who stood out a mile amongst a mediocre team , guess what he was worth a few bob , so we sold him .

 

[SUFC Guy]

Remember just a few years ago when the thought of a good footballing midfield was unthinkable?

It's fell into place beautifully with those 3, and now Norwood. Fleck and Duffy on free transfers was a great opportunity and we took it - for once.

Put good players together in a balanced system and this is what can happen - it's not rocket science.

It just took a manager brave enough to try it, and L1 was undoubtedly a very useful platform in which to kick it all off.

It's certainly the best midfield I've seen, with Fleck being the cherry on the cake.

and to add to that, Freeman was a free transfer as well.

 

[Fulwood Blade]

The midfield of 71/72 which was TOP of the TOP division - the culmination of the work of "gentleman" John Harris. We fucked him off too - now wouldn't he have made a great sounding board for CW - just as Derek Dooley was for previous managers.

CW is heading in the same direction too.

UTB

 

[SwissBlade]

Bradshaw-Gannon-Booker-Bryson

Thread closed.

Not even the best of Bassetts era

What about the likes of Hodges and Whitehouse?

Gannon was a decent footballer but he didn't create much.

 

[Nick Jansky]

Keith Eddy was a very, very good footballer. Had we not had Currie in the side at the same time, I think he would loom a lot larger in our memories when we are talking about former players.

Eddy was also a quality centre half. I remember Furphy saying he could have done with 2 Keith Eddys, one for CM and one for CB.

 

[Rusty view]

Paul Rogers / John Gannon. 'Nuff said

 

[I should coco]

Gannon was a decent footballer but he didn't create much.

I used to think that at the time, but if you watch some of the highlights of our games from 90-93 I think you'll be surprised how often he threads the ball through for our goals.