Most skillfull player ever to play for us ?

[AlienWoodward]

Who would you go for?
I cannot see past Currie or Sabella for sheer skill with what they could with a football.
We had Currie for longer so there are more memories. But Alex certainly lifted a little gloom from around the ground when he arrived.
The Liverpool game for me in 78 stands out. The little Sabella shimmy then the chip through for Hamson to run onto and smash it past Ray Clemence ................... Will we ever see football like that again at the lane I wonder.
Looking forward to seeing Sabella's return
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSkF1tBMsRM&feature=related

 

[beightonblade]

Its Tony Tony Currie by miles.

look at the first youtube link about 1.50 in the listen to the second link.

[YOUTUBE]VEsgDPu7xc8[/YOUTUBE]

[YOUTUBE]zwX-t-ER1dg[/YOUTUBE]

 

[shorehamview]

1. Tony Currie.
2. Any other bugger.

 

[Come from away]

Was there not a certain Jimmy Hagen?

 

[silverfox]

Tony Currie!

So many happy memories!

 

[2ndtenorblade]

Difficult to say because none of us ever saw Billy Gillespie or Ernest Needham. TC was by far the best I ever saw, maybe only overshadowed by Georgie Best. My dad and others of that era thought Jimmy Hagan was better than TC.

 

[Eckingtonian]

Tony Currie,no question.And no i dont think we ever will see football like that at the Lane.

 

[silverfox]

Let's spell his name right lads.....Jimmy Hagan.

Some comments here...http://www.football-england.com/memories_of_jimmy_hagan.html

I've got a pic of him with my grandad somewhere.......they played cricket together.

 

[LouTheBlade]

This all depends on what era you're from. Clearly it would be considered to be Tony Currie by most and rightfully so from what ive seen.

Sadly though, TC was before my time. In my life time it would have to be Vas Borbokis although I recognise he would be somewhat further down the list of our all time greats..........

 

[covblade]

TC was the best I ever saw.

 

[silverfox]

Post TC I'd mention Sabella, Vas, Hodges and I always thought Kevin Arnott had a bit about him.

 

[raul]

On the days when it all went right, Paul Ifill.

 

[wardlowwanderer]

TC probably the best but I always prefered Woodward as a player. More all round proficient. How good would it be if we could see a team emerge this year like that of the early 70s?

 

[silverfox]

The early 70's were special to all who witnessed. Woody was indeed an exceptional player for us but was always more workman like although I still think he deserved a call up to the England team. Currie always had that extra swagger and skill that we love to see in a footballer.

 

[sitwell]

depends on your perception of skillful. Dribbling ,there have been a few ,Wigley ,Tonge on his day ,Johnstone ,Beagrie ,Cotterill spring to mindbut all were inconsistent.

 

[Foxy]

I'll throw a controversial one into the ring and due to his general lack of long term first team performances he should be disregarded.... But Colin Kazim Richards was insanely gifted on the ball when cockily messing about in training/warm ups

He clearly has nothing on the old boys though

 

[Wards]

In my era, it's probably a toss up between Hodges and Borbokis.

 

[davidpinder]

I know from videos etc that TC was brilliant but i started watching united when i was 7 in 1989 so if i was to go with who i have seen it has to be Glyn Hodges.

 

[Mousey]

That I have seen it is either Kazim-Richards or Peter Ndlovu.

 

[Tizertrance]

Considering Peter Ndlovu is the greatest player of all time...

 

[wardlowwanderer]

The early 70's were special to all who witnessed. Woody was indeed an exceptional player for us but was always more workman like although I still think he deserved a call up to the England team. Currie always had that extra swagger and skill that we love to see in a footballer.

Agree that TC had the swagger and was definitely a pin-up boy with his long hair. But how dare you call Woody workman like - makes him sound like a Polish plumber. Pistols at dawn.

 

[Russ]

Colin. Colin Morris. Colin Morris on the w-ing...

 

[bricktop]

I missed out on the likes of Currie and Sabella, and would have loved to have seen them play.

The most gifted player i have ever seen was Glyn Hodges, he was a bit of a throwback to the flamboyant seventies. If he had been round in the seventies he would have been a top player, he just about was good player in the 90's, and in this generation he would have been a pub player

 

[Torrix1889]

My first game was 1980 so I missed the Currie/Sabella era too.

In my early time it was Colin Morris by a mile, as mentioned, Kevin Arnott could spray a ball, (wasn't he called the Architect?) also liked watching Beagrie, Wigley, Borbokis, Franz Carr to name a few.

 

[PeterNdlovu081]

 

[Come from away]

Silverfox - thanks for the link, enjoyed the comments on Hagen, would loved to have seen him.

 

[Jostein Flo]

No No No... how can you all have it so wrong... It's Georges Santos. Can you point to another former or current Blade who's scored from a mid-air backheel? Legend...aary

 

[Sirius]

My dad and others of that era thought Jimmy Hagan was better than TC.

They sure do

 

[Big Mart]

Great post, and two fantastic video clips. Sabella was something else, a top player with skill to burn and a real star footballer.

TC on the other hand was quite simply the best footballer I have ever seen at the Lane. I was a raggy arsed lad stood at the back of the kop when he scored the quality goal, and it's one of those moments in time that I'm sure I'll remember on my deathbed.

Currie was often accused of being lazy but he was actually one of the best tacklers and ball winners in the side. He was Mr Showman when he could be, but if he did lose the ball he'd have no qualms at all about getting stuck in and winning it back, and having such a good footballing brain his timing was often impeccable, plus having Trevor Hockey growling at the opposition by his side helped a wee bit too.

I really enjoyed watching that old footage but did so with an air of sadness because those skills and that knid of football will never be seen again. Halcyon days indeed, and for once I'm glad I'm old, I got to see us when we had something worth watching as opposed to today where for some the highlight is to see Nick Montgomery steaming about all over the park destroying what once was the beautiful game.

:gallop:

Oh and the West Ham game? That was the one where Cass Pennant got a few digs in Pond Street bus station, no matter what bollocks he puts in his books and I can vouch for that first hand And what about Alan Woodwards ball control and finishing for our second goal? Top quality! Another fabulous footballer and another one who should be up there with our all time greatest players.

 

[mickle-blade]

Who would you go for?
I cannot see past Currie or Sabella for sheer skill with what they could with a football.
We had Currie for longer so there are more memories. But Alex certainly lifted a little gloom from around the ground when he arrived.
The Liverpool game for me in 78 stands out. The little Sabella shimmy then the chip through for Hamson to run onto and smash it past Ray Clemence ................... Will we ever see football like that again at the lane I wonder.
Looking forward to seeing Sabella's return
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSkF1tBMsRM&feature=related

Just my opinion.
Hodges had is moments...so did the likes of Beagrie and Ndlovu and others over the years but for me
TC has got to be the best footballer I have ever seen play for us.
Sabella was magic and did lift us during a dark spell.
Woodward was a marvellous player. Stainrod (the ego) was very clever.
What about Willie Carling (for those who remember) - Very clever and skillfull. Never forget the time when the little fella out jumped Wyn Davies of Newcastle to score with a header !
Even before Carling, Willie Hamilton could have been a world beater.
I never saw Hagan play in a competitive game so I can't comment. I know Kent Blade rates him as the best.
But for me TC was and always will be the finest and like Woodward would get into any team in the country.
What would they be worth today ! Certainly enough to clear all the debt we are supposed to have.