Current players who would get in to all time worst XI

[dronny_blade]

How would the generally agreed worst XI fair in today's world, would we be non-league or would be better than where we are today? I'm not sure any of the players individually today are in our worst ever XI in our history but as a team we are very close

 

[1973Blade]

On another note, who is our last player that would feature in the best Blades side? In the last couple of years the only possibilities I can think of are Jamie Murphy and Harry Maguire.

 

[United Aren't Back.]

Does anyone remember Alex Notman (think that was his name) a striker on loan from Man Utd for the season, probably the season after Michael Twiss. I think he had one leg longer than the other.

Exotic loan signing from Le Harve Nicholas Weber in 1999 was a good contender too.

My all time worst 11

L Baxter

J Curtis. D Gysbrechts. N Nosworthy. N Weber

A Smeets. N Henry. J Cullen. J Hunt

L Ten Heuvel P Suffo

Notman was not terrible, he scored a goal or three during Warnock's purple patch in 99 00.

 

[United Aren't Back.]

Steve Faulkner. That was the 'ugly' thread.

Hows tricks in Northern Ireland Pete? I was considering naming you in this thread but neither you nor your pal Steve McKee were that bad.

 

[United Aren't Back.]

Lads, I am on holiday at the minute and have to say I have been sat here laughing my head off, haven't we had some utter crap at the lane!

One name that seems to crop up a lot is Nyron Nosworthy. How did he ever get a job as a pro footballer?

What about when Marcus Bent came back on loan in 2011, a shadow of his former self (I guess you would be after 11 years), absolutely shot shy in front of goal.

Beattie in 2012 was poor but not worst ever. In any event, if no one over 90 uses this board..then we can't even reminisce back to the 1930s!!

 

[United Aren't Back.]

This is an interesting topic to me. Michael Vonk, Peter Katchouro amd Wayne Quinn for me make up a list of players who have been amongst the best players at the club for a period only to be followed by a post injury period of being absolutely dog-shit. Some therefore remember them as good players whilst others think they were awful depending on what they saw most of. When we signed Vonk, he was quality. Then he spent some time on the sidelines with an injury, came back and I think in his first 3 games back, he conceded a pen, scored an own goal and got himself sent off and was generally atrocious. I think he left shortly after that. Katchouro when he signed was quick and skilful and scored that absolute worldy of an overhead kick from the edge of the box but post injury he couldn’t even beat a 40 year old Steve Orgrizovic in a foot race. Quinn was an exciting prospect in that great Spackman team in 97. Him and Borbokis marauded down each flank as attacking wing backs. He scored a spectacular free kick from about 35 yards out against Reading. Newcastle were about to sign him for £2million but he got injured. Came back but wasn’t as good and ended up going for £1million. Came back on loan some time later and was horrendous, a complete liability.

Quinn came back in 02 03, an utter standout liability by then on loan from Newcastle

 

[United Aren't Back.]

I’ll always remember Falconer fondly for his diving headed winner against Chelsea at the Lane in the 93-94 season.

I thought won 1 nowt, Steve Clarke og? Best and longest chant of Sheffield united Sheffield united I can ever recall in that match.

 

[Guesty]

I liked Gayle. Big no nonsense, centre half. Always a presence in both boxes. Always likely to score. You just never knew who he would score for!


Remember his late equalisers at home to Leeds and West Ham in 94 in dramatic comebacks form 2-0 down (Rogers getting a last gasp winner against the shammers after Gayle challenged Miklosko- and how good was Roger Nilsen’s goal line clearance against Leeds?). I have fond memories of that season. It was the first season that I got properly into football and actually started paying attention to what was going on on the pitch. It was the first year that I got really pissed off when we lost (Blackburn and Villa at home, pigs away, Newcastle away, Man U home and away being the defeats that really stuck out for me) and was over the moon when we won (Flo’s double at Anfield, opening day v Swindon, Blake’s double against Newcastle being real highlights). I remember the dramatic upturn in form coinciding with the signing of Blake and the return of Gayle. After really struggling for goals all season, we were finally a threat. Long live Brian Gayle!


Now waits for some nobhead like Silent or Loughborough to come along and shatter my childhood memories by telling me we actually lost the Leeds game, drew against west ham, it was Rogers with the goal line clearance against Leeds, not Nilsen and that both of Gayle’s goals were deflections.

That was my first night match, it was probably on during the school holidays. Your namesake got our first with a screamer then you're right, Gayle equalised and Rogers got the winner, although we all thought Flo had scored at the time (and I think that might have been announced over the PA, too).

Fantastic game, still one of my favourites.

 

[Deleted member 1486]

Yes, so bad he's been getting rave reviews in the Prem for Bournemouth more than 10 years later

That's a bit tongue in cheek, because although he wasn't brilliant for us, he wasn't a disaster and it always looked to me as though there was a footballer in there somewhere, though he disguised it well around the lower leagues before becoming an integral part of Bournemouth's success.

Either the year we signed him, or the previous year, he was (quite famously at the time) an absolute god in Championship Manager (i.e. nearly all 20s by the time he hit late 20s). I'm sure if you look you'll probably still find him on lists alongside Kaka, Ronaldhino, Tevez, etc! So others must have thought the same as you.

I was most pleased when we signed him (of course, he didn't live up to those expectations, but certainly doesn't belong on any "worst" list!).

 

[LoughboroBlade]

Strangely, In Neil Warnock's book, he states that Wilko De Vogt was indeed an outfield player, who was called on when Tracey got sent off in the 'Battle of Bramall Lane'. Poetic licence I guess.

I remember reading that at the time and thinking it was:

1) error by the book's ghost writer
2) error by Warnock (deliberate or genuine), or
3) a subtle dig at his goalkeeping talents

 

[LoughboroBlade]

Rogers getting a last gasp winner against the shammers after Gayle challenged Miklosko

There were quite a few gasps left as I recall, including the injury and substitution of Kelly

Our first game on TV that I'd ever watched in Loughborough, owing to the then recent Sky installation – just in time to cover our relegation. A brilliant game.

 

[1danewhitehouse]

Either the year we signed him, or the previous year, he was (quite famously at the time) an absolute god in Championship Manager (i.e. nearly all 20s by the time he hit late 20s). I'm sure if you look you'll probably still find him on lists alongside Kaka, Ronaldhino, Tevez, etc! So others must have thought the same as you.

I was most pleased when we signed him (of course, he didn't live up to those expectations, but certainly doesn't belong on any "worst" list!).

It was obvious Francis had ability but he completely wasted it during his time with us. He was soft as shit and too scared of messing his hair up to go for a challenge/header. The far more limited Kozluk showed him up week in week out.


He has admitted since that his attitude was all wrong when he was younger and his career was headed down the toilet until he grew up and got his head down. Talented player but massively underachieved for us.

 

[LoughboroBlade]

Gus Uhlenbeek?

Goose?! Boooooooooo.

 

[United Aren't Back.]

Is this like a game of Top Trumps ?
Ok anyone 50 and over will know I win with Steve Ludlam .......

Good old Steve Ludlam. Because of the promise the kid showed in the mid 70s, in the reserves with kids Kenworthy, Hamson, Edwards and Stainrod, Ludders gets a pass from me..definitely not the worst ever.

 

[United Aren't Back.]

whilst not wanting a thread that bashes our heroes to become one of the most popular it is very interesting how certain players either simply don't fit, have a torrid 45 mins, an anonymous 45 games, sometimes even a single incident that stuck in the mind.

For my two Penney - to be in this team someone must have had a prolonged stint in the team to prove their lack of worth.
It's funny how nyron sends a shudder down our spine but is a mackem championship winning legend.
1danewhitehouse is right re a player being amazing and then equally poor. I saw Wayne Quinn get dry bummed at Ipswich in his loan return for example.
It's funny how Gannon took abuse from all corners (at the time) despite being the central cog in one of our most fondly remembered eras. No one has mentioned him though.

Off the top of my head players I'm sad represented us - sometimes because they were arise, sometimes because of the outlay:

Ched Evans - ridiculous outlay. Awful for two years despite being paid as a premier player. Thick as mince. Didn't score to keep us in the championship. Still we languish. Less said about the rest the better.

Jordan Stewart - was Hendrie such a liability that we had to take him just to get rid? Maybe. But then we played the bugger. I remember him as a mime clown that bends down to pick the ball up but kicks it away, and then does it again.

James Harper - I was excited about him as we had the battles with Reading in recent memory. To be honest I couldn't remember what he brought to their team and I can't remember what he brought to ours either. Again I dread to think what we paid him.

Special mentions to Ian Hamilton, Willie Falconer, Mark Yeates, Joe Mattock, and probably lots more.

I can't put anyone in from 1988-1994 as that was my golden era and I loved anyone who played for us and embraced their shortfalls. The current bunch I will let them have until the end of the season to paint their picture.

Great post.
Wasn't it Iain Hamilton, the one who Bruce had in his team? The second i distinguishes him from Chico Hamilton, from our late ish 70s era.
And Falconer played 93 94 under Bassett.

 

[United Aren't Back.]

On another note, who is our last player that would feature in the best Blades side? In the last couple of years the only possibilities I can think of are Jamie Murphy and Harry Maguire.

Sadly neither would be anywhere near a top Blades team of mine.

 

[Silent Blade]

Great post.
Wasn't it Iain Hamilton, the one who Bruce had in his team? .

Steve Thompson signed Chico Hamilton the second

 

[diplomat]

Great post.
Wasn't it Iain Hamilton, the one who Bruce had in his team? The second i distinguishes him from Chico Hamilton, from our late ish 70s era.
And Falconer played 93 94 under Bassett.

I think Thompson was allowed to sign Hamilton. He'd played for years for west brom, I questioned a couple of baggies I know who struggled to put their finger on what exactly he brought to their team in that time. I only saw him a few times so may be a tad harsh.

 

[Jehovah]

Coutts waltzes into the worst ever 2, nevermind 11.

 

[LoughboroBlade]

I think Thompson was allowed to sign Hamilton. He'd played for years for west brom, I questioned a couple of baggies I know who struggled to put their finger on what exactly he brought to their team in that time. I only saw him a few times so may be a tad harsh.

The Hunt-Hamilton pairing was the stuff of nightmares.

 

[1danewhitehouse]

The Hunt-Hamilton pairing was the stuff of nightmares.

But when John Cullen was added to the mix, it was the stuff of dreams……..


All this talk of Hamiltons, what about Des Hamilton? He was another fairly non-descript player for us (though I don’t think he was as bad as some mentioned but his long range shooting made Monty look Bekhamesque).

 

[speedymcgeady]

Here we have a line-up that would probably give the shivering willies to any Blade old enough to have seen them all.

Paul Willams at centre half?? I'd have said John Flowers or Darren Carr,Mark Foran even..Williams was a "striker".

 

[speedymcgeady]

It was Mrs Silent's first visit to the Lane. She was bored during the match and rested her head on my shoulder but got a big fright when I cheered our goal! She has been to the Lane only once more and that was when our son was one of the mascots in the game against Plymouth in November 2008

She'd fallen asleep with boredom????

 

[speedymcgeady]

Harsh as you never saw him play. He was an unused sub in our away match to Stockport. When Warnock came in, Burton joined Port Vale

didn't Heath sign him and Brian Launders ?

 

[SouthEssexBlade]

Paul Willams at centre half?? I'd have said John Flowers or Darren Carr,Mark Foran even..Williams was a "striker".

Aye, but I'm sure when he first came he was a centre-back and played there a few times, before he was tried up front. Or is my memory playing tricks?

Darren Carr was next on my list

 

[Silent Blade]

She'd fallen asleep with boredom????

You were there mate!

 

[Silent Blade]

didn't Heath sign him and Brian Launders ?

Yes, his last two signings

 

[Darren]

Aye, but I'm sure when he first came he was a centre-back and played there a few times, before he was tried up front. Or is my memory playing tricks?

Darren Carr was next on my list

I don't believe Williams ever played as CB.

 

[LoughboroBlade]

But when John Cullen was added to the mix, it was the stuff of dreams……..


All this talk of Hamiltons, what about Des Hamilton? He was another fairly non-descript player for us (though I don’t think he was as bad as some mentioned but his long range shooting made Monty look Bekhamesque).

I actually thought he was pretty good in that brief loan spell, though I possibly only saw him once in a home game. I thought we wanted a longer term deal but couldn't make it happen.

 

[diplomat]

I think I escaped the Hunt period by being at uni and having a bit of a break from live games. I must have missed it as I don't seem to carry the mental scars akin to a Vietnam veteran that some have.