God we had it good in the 70s!

[SouthEssexBlade]

Having now read and voted on all of Sothall Blades best of the 80s onwards threads I realised how good we had it in the 70s. Looking at it as objectively as possible, I tried to work out the best of the 70s and whether any of the more recent were better. This is just a quick listing:

Keepers - Jim Brown, Tom McAllister

Right-back - Len Badger, John Ryan

Left-back - Ted Hemsley, Les Tibbott

Centre-back - Eddie Colquhoun, Ian Mackenzie

Centre-back - John Flynn, Keith Eddy

Right-wing - Alan Woodward

Left-wing - Gil Reece, Geoff Salmons

Midfield clogger - Trevor Hockey, Mick Speight

Midfield Schemer - Tony Currie, Gary Hamson

Forward - Bill Dearden, Simon Stainrod, Alan Young

Forward - Tony Field, Keith Edwards

Looking at this very quick appraisal of the decade Badger, Woodward, Salmons, Hockey and Currie would be definitely better than their 80s+ counterparts. You could argue that the first spell of Edwards was better than the second as he did it at a higher level. Given the choice I would pick McAllister ahead of any other keeper we've had, but that is probably just me. There would be a strong argument for Ted Hemsley, though I would put Nilsen just ahead. As for the centre-backs, well if you want a sweeper type, Keith Eddy was the last player to do that properly for the Blades and I could offer a very strong argument for Eddie Colquhoun above Morgan, Murphy et al.

All things considered, we Blades weaned on the teams of the early 70s had the best of it!

 

[JJ Sefton]

When my dad started taking me in 1988/1989 he said the only players who would have had a look in with the sides he watched from 1958 to 1980 were Simon Tracey and Brian Deane.

 

[SouthEssexBlade]

When my dad started taking me in 1988/1989 he said the only players who would have had a look in with the sides he watched from 1958 to 1980 were Simon Tracey and Brian Deane.

He's probably right, but add in Kelly as well.

 

[Darren]

Having now read and voted on all of Sothall Blades best of the 80s onwards threads I realised how good we had it in the 70s. Looking at it as objectively as possible, I tried to work out the best of the 70s and whether any of the more recent were better. This is just a quick listing:

Keepers - Jim Brown, Tom McAllister

Right-back - Len Badger, John Ryan

Left-back - Ted Hemsley, Les Tibbott

Centre-back - Eddie Colquhoun, Ian Mackenzie

Centre-back - John Flynn, Keith Eddy

Right-wing - Alan Woodward

Left-wing - Gil Reece, Geoff Salmons

Midfield clogger - Trevor Hockey, Mick Speight

Midfield Schemer - Tony Currie, Gary Hamson

Forward - Bill Dearden, Simon Stainrod, Alan Young

Forward - Tony Field, Keith Edwards

Looking at this very quick appraisal of the decade Badger, Woodward, Salmons, Hockey and Currie would be definitely better than their 80s+ counterparts. You could argue that the first spell of Edwards was better than the second as he did it at a higher level. Given the choice I would pick McAllister ahead of any other keeper we've had, but that is probably just me. There would be a strong argument for Ted Hemsley, though I would put Nilsen just ahead. As for the centre-backs, well if you want a sweeper type, Keith Eddy was the last player to do that properly for the Blades and I could offer a very strong argument for Eddie Colquhoun above Morgan, Murphy et al.

All things considered, we Blades weaned on the teams of the early 70s had the best of it!

Alan Young????? Not only did he play in the 80's (82-83) and not the 70's but he was rubbish. I am also not sure what Tibbott and Ryan are doing in there - players instrumental in our fall from the 2nd to the 4th (and Ryan was another 80's only player).

 

[Darren]

When my dad started taking me in 1988/1989 he said the only players who would have had a look in with the sides he watched from 1958 to 1980 were Simon Tracey and Brian Deane.

The players from 75-76 to 79-80 were generally - with one or two exceptions - crap.

 

[SouthEssexBlade]

Alan Young????? Not only did he play in the 80's (82-83) and not the 70's but he was rubbish. I am also not sure what Tibbott and Ryan are doing in there - players instrumental in our fall from the 2nd to the 4th (and Ryan was another 80's only player).

I did say it was a quick listing! And I wanted to offer an alternative to Badger and Hemsley, but couldn't think of anybody who played (memory going). Same with Alan Young, I was going to put Steve Finnieston but he played so few games he hardly counted. Anyway, do you want me to put Chris Guthrie instead?

 

[Darren]

I did say it was a quick listing! And I wanted to offer an alternative to Badger and Hemsley, but couldn't think of anybody who played (memory going). Same with Alan Young, I was going to put Steve Finnieston but he played so few games he hardly counted. Anyway, do you want me to put Chris Guthrie instead?

You've already got Stainrod as a back up forward! You're right that there are not many alternative right backs. Your other 70's choices would be between Steve Goulding and John Cutbush. On the left back front, Paul Garner might be a better bet (though with Kenworthy, he was one of only 2 players to stay all the way through from the first to the fourth).

 

[JJ Sefton]

The players from 75-76 to 79-80 were generally - with one or two exceptions - crap.

I've no doubt. When I used to ask Walthamstow Snr about those seasons he would reply "Thankfully I was too pissed to remember them clearly"

 

[SouthEssexBlade]

You've already got Stainrod as a back up forward! You're right that there are not many alternative right backs. Your other 70's choices would be between Steve Goulding and John Cutbush. On the left back front, Paul Garner might be a better bet (though with Kenworthy, he was one of only 2 players to stay all the way through from the first to the fourth).

Cutbush was the one I couldn't think of (old git syndrome). When you look at it in terms of the quality of player, the contrast between the first half of the decade and the last is scary. We went from Tony Currie to Dennis Longhorn very quickly!

 

[Darren]

Cutbush was the one I couldn't think of (old git syndrome). When you look at it in terms of the quality of player, the contrast between the first half of the decade and the last is scary. We went from Tony Currie to Dennis Longhorn very quickly!

Yep. Currie left June 76, Longhorn signed October 76 or, put it this way:

Regular team March 75 Regular team March 77
Brown Brown
Badger Cutbush
Hemsley Garner
Eddy Longhorn
Colquhoun Colquhoun
Franks Franks
Woodward Woodward
Speight Hamilton
Dearden Guthrie
Currie Hamson
Field Edwards

Edit: didn't like my tabbing, but you get the picture!

 

[Racy]

Young,Cutbush,Ryan,Stainrod,Longhorn and you think things are bad now!

 

[GRUMPY BLADE]

I did say it was a quick listing! And I wanted to offer an alternative to Badger and Hemsley, but couldn't think of anybody who played (memory going). Same with Alan Young, I was going to put Steve Finnieston but he played so few games he hardly counted. Anyway, do you want me to put Chris Guthrie in the bin?

Sorry but had to correct it.

 

[SouthEssexBlade]

Sorry but had to correct it.

I caught a bit of The Big Match revisited the other week, and watched the big lummox score for Fulham! A header obviously, cos his feet were glued on the wrong legs...and backwards!

 

[Racy]

Les Tibbot!

Makes Matt Hill look like Kenny Sansom

 

[Silent Blade]

Having now read and voted on all of Sothall Blades best of the 80s onwards threads I realised how good we had it in the 70s. Looking at it as objectively as possible, I tried to work out the best of the 70s and whether any of the more recent were better. This is just a quick listing:

Keepers - Jim Brown, Tom McAllister

Right-back - Len Badger, John Ryan

Left-back - Ted Hemsley, Les Tibbott

Centre-back - Eddie Colquhoun, Ian Mackenzie

Centre-back - John Flynn, Keith Eddy

Right-wing - Alan Woodward

Left-wing - Gil Reece, Geoff Salmons

Midfield clogger - Trevor Hockey, Mick Speight

Midfield Schemer - Tony Currie, Gary Hamson

Forward - Bill Dearden, Simon Stainrod, Alan Young

Forward - Tony Field, Keith Edwards

Looking at this very quick appraisal of the decade Badger, Woodward, Salmons, Hockey and Currie would be definitely better than their 80s+ counterparts. You could argue that the first spell of Edwards was better than the second as he did it at a higher level. Given the choice I would pick McAllister ahead of any other keeper we've had, but that is probably just me. There would be a strong argument for Ted Hemsley, though I would put Nilsen just ahead. As for the centre-backs, well if you want a sweeper type, Keith Eddy was the last player to do that properly for the Blades and I could offer a very strong argument for Eddie Colquhoun above Morgan, Murphy et al.

All things considered, we Blades weaned on the teams of the early 70s had the best of it!

Tibbott and MacKenzie were below average. Tony Field wasnt that good desipte some good goals in the 1974-75 season

 

[Racy]

Tibbott and MacKenzie were below average. Tony Field wasnt that good desipte some good goals in the 1974-75 season

Didn't Field score a few against Ipswich in a 7-0 won early 70s

 

[Darren]

Team of the 70's

Brown

Badger
Colquhoun
Flynn
Hemsley

Currie
Eddy
Salmons

Woodward
Dearden
Reece

Reserve team of the 70's

McAlister

Cutbush
Kenworthy
Powell
Garner

Speight
Hockey
Sabella
Hamson

Edwards
Stainrod

 

[oldblade]

I did say it was a quick listing! And I wanted to offer an alternative to Badger and Hemsley, but couldn't think of anybody who played (memory going). Same with Alan Young, I was going to put Steve Finnieston but he played so few games he hardly counted. Anyway, do you want me to put Chris Guthrie instead?

Also, Keith Eddy was a midfield player (and a very good one) not a central defender.

 

[Darren]

Didn't Field score a few against Ipswich in a 7-0 won early 70s

He got 2 against Ipswich at the Lane on 31/8/74 in a 3-1 win - one after beating about 4 players. The 7-0 was on 27/11/71 and Field didn't join us until March 1974.

 

[BladeFisher]

The players from 75-76 to 79-80 were generally - with one or two exceptions - crap.

Not as crap as the managers.

 

[BladeFisher]

He got 2 against Ipswich at the Lane on 31/8/74 in a 3-1 win - one after beating about 4 players. The 7-0 was on 27/11/71 and Field didn't join us until March 1974.

Yeah came down from Cumbria for that one. Magic goal, that was goal of the day on ITV.

 

[blade too long]

Hard to believe we went from being top of division one and 40000 gates every home game up to losing at man utd in 72 to division 4 9 years later, mismanagement on an epic scale

 

[Hodgyman]

Didn't Field score a few against Ipswich in a 7-0 won early 70s

As I remember, Alan Woodward scored 5 in that match but was dropped for the return match (whiI think we lost).

 

[judge]

if the seventies were as interesting as this thread then no wonder everyone was shagging schoolkids

 

[DeepcarBlade]

As I remember, Alan Woodward scored 5 in that match but was dropped for the return match (whiI think we lost).

I think Woody got 4.

 

[Silent Blade]

As I remember, Alan Woodward scored 5 in that match but was dropped for the return match (whiI think we lost).

He got 4. Yes, he was dropped for the return match 5 months later in the 0-0 draw at Portman Road (Billy Dearden's penalty was saved by Laurie Sivell just after the ref sent off Ipswich's Colin Harper for pushing the ref and disputing his decision in awarding us a penalty)

 

[Silent Blade]

Team of the 70's

Brown

Badger
Colquhoun
Flynn
Hemsley

Currie
Eddy
Salmons

Woodward
Dearden
Reece

Reserve team of the 70's

McAlister

Cutbush
Kenworthy
Powell
Garner

Speight
Hockey
Sabella
Hamson

Edwards
Stainrod

Powell was definitely better than Flynn. Reece was good but not consistent enough to be in the team of the 1970s