Most skillfull player ever to play for us ?

[Big Mart]

Willie Carlin was a cracking little player, little being the operative word, he only looked to be about 5' 2" but he could play a bit and was a tough little sod when he had to be.

:gallop:

 

[Jon Bon]

TC by a country mile in my opinion with Sabella and Glynn Hodges following in his wake. TC was hated by all the pigs at school because they knew he was heads and shoulders above any player in their team. They had their own TC in Terry Curran some years later but he wasn't fit to go and fetch laces for Currie's boots let alone be allowed to put them in.

I remember the day he was sold to Leeds. Me and my mate went to fetch The Star for his dad and when we saw the news, it felt like our world had just caved in around us. No OS or Football Heaven in those days. I blamed Jimmy Sirrell and I would have pulled his Bugs Bunny teeth right out of his mouth if I could have got hold of him there and then.

Currie = Legend. A fucking danger to anyone on the road at the same time as him and that bloody mini-van but a legend nevertheless....

 

[2ndtenorblade]

Though not in the same league as TC, of the more recent seasons I fondly remember Lord Michael Brown, especially that goal against the pigs.

 

[parisblade]

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.

Agreed, fantastic control!

 

[SouthEssexBlade]

As someone of the same era as SF (he's older than me though ) it has to be TC.

Looking back it was a privilege to see a player of that calibre playing in a Blades shirt and I really do pity all you younger Blades who have never got the opportunity to see such quality in the red and white. If James Milner is worth £20m, then the TC of 73-75 would be worth £30-£40m today. Never got the England caps he should have got, and that was down to loyalty. He was identified as the replacement for Bobby Charlton at Man Utd but didn't go, and then had numerous other opportunities to leave before the Leeds deal. From his career perspective, he stayed at BDTBL for a few seasons too long, but from my Blade viewpoint it was a great decision.

Sabella could have been almost as good had he played in a comparable team to the one TC had. Unfortunately, Sabella was surrounded by mediocrity and never got the chance to regularly show what he was capable of.

 

[Grecian2000]

Ahh happy days. Excellent thread.

TC and Sabella were the most skilfull by some distance. TC had the luxury of playing with good players (and great players if you include Woody and Badger) whilst Sabella was fated to play with a bunch of tossers who brought him down to their level.

Honourable mentions to Hodges, Vas and Morris who all had skills I enjoyed watching.

 

[DP8789]

Id go with Kazim Richards, my old man would say TC.

 

[Mad Mick]

I seen em all even Fatty Foulkes, has to be TC.
Although Joe Shaw and Hodgey were also great. Don't forget Woody either.
Bill Punton as an outside bet, at least he scored against t'pigs.

 

[2ndtenorblade]

I seen em all even Fatty Foulkes, has to be TC.
Although Joe Shaw and Hodgey were also great. Don't forget Woody either.
Bill Punton as an outside bet, at least he scored against t'pigs.

I think that was Punton's only league goal for us, Sweet though.

 

[LouTheBlade]

Tell you what the Dries Boussata looked like he had something about him as well. Shame he threw his tracky top towards Warnock..........

 

[ZoneManWilf]

For players I saw play:

I'm pretty certain I saw Sabella at some point, but was just a bit too young to remember it - was 3 years old watching my first game in 1979 and it's a bit of a stretch for the old memory for those couple of years, fortunately things start to become clear by the 4th division

Formative years, it was Colin Morris, I loved that he was a proper winger who hugged the touchline and that belter he scored in vain against Bristol City in his last act in a United shirt will always stick with me.

Glyn Hodges deseves a mention he brought a touch of class to that hard working Bassett team and was a key reason why we went on that run to save us from relegation in 90-91 and helped us stay in the 1st/Prem for the following couple of seasons. Plus that magic chip of Schmeichel in the FA Cup! He scored some other cracking goals as well, like the ones against Crystal Palace and Notts County in 91-92. In fact 91-92 was a season for spectacular goals - the 5 goal destruction of Forest away and Zico Lake's 35 yarder at the Dell! Plus he gave John Harkes a proper elbow...

For me Tongey got way too much stick for what he brought to the team which was an element of control and passing which was usually badly missed within the rest of the side. He was the man that in the flow of a game held the ball up in midfield for even just 2 seconds to allow forwards and wingers a chance to find some space, and he had the ability to find them as well. United fans are amazingly schizo at times, we all seem to moan about the hoofball, but its audibly noticable that if we string 3-4 passes together across the back without going forward, the crowd starts to get antsy - "gerrit forrard!" - and this was never more in evidence from Michael Tonge's play. I agree that by the end of his time here, his lack of pace seemed to affect his game too much, but he didn't deserve some of the slatings he got.

However the man for me was undoubtedy Vassilis Borbokis. I went to that oft cited Sunderland match on the first day of the 97-98 season and was quite literally speechless watching him down the right wing. Here was a man who had pace to go with his skill (something that Hodges and Tonge never had), and he took Sunderland's left side apart all day. That wing-back role he had in Spackman's 3-5-2 was perfect for his ability, and he summed up the style of the United side for the first half of that season.

 

[Ivanhoe]

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.

Big Mart, I concur with everything you say, I was also on the back of the kop that day with my silk 'BLADES' scarf tied around my wrist, smoking No 10's when me and my best mate at the time got punched and kicked a few times by about six or seven of these cheery fellows who came onto the Kop shouting 'Weyst Haym', needless to say they were invited to take their leave in true Shoreham style...

 

[Donut1889]

Brilliant thread, some really good footballers mentioned but for me it has to be TC. I was lucky enough to see him regularly for his last 2 seasons with United. I cant remember any other player who could excite the Shoreham faithful as much as he did.
Can any of the 'more mature posters' remember John Tudor ? I am not for a minute putting Tudor in the same class as Woody, TC etc but his United record looks impressive. 78 appearances 37 goals and then went on to be a legend at Newcastle. Unfortunatly he was just before my time

 

[Grecian2000]

Ahh, Johnny Tudor. My favourite player as a kid (eclipsed by TC eventually).

Signed from Coventry for not a lot when transfers were big news. Scored some great (memorable at least) goals including coming on as sub and plonking one through Grummits legs when we beat the pigs 3-2 in Oct. '70.
I was absolutely inconsolable when we swapped him for John Hope and David Ford. In fact that deal still makes me feel a bit sick just typing it out.

 

[Big Mart]

Think you mean "Hallelujah, John Tudor, John Tudor" don't you

Didn't he go to Newcastle at some stage of his career, where he was pretty prolific?

:gallop:

 

[2ndtenorblade]

Think you mean "Hallelujah, John Tudor, John Tudor" don't you

Didn't he go to Newcastle at some stage of his career, where he was pretty prolific?

:gallop:

Get it right Hallelujah, "KING Tudor, KING Tudor"

 

[2ndtenorblade]

Get it right Hallelujah, "KING Tudor, KING Tudor"

which was penned by G.F. Handel.

 

[Jon Bon]

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

Not read his book, what did he say? Never met him personally but I've heard off a couple that he was all mouth and no substance. 'Media darling' was one description I heard.

PS; Sorry about the off topic folks...

 

[broomhillblade]

I regret that I never saw TC (other than on the occasional video clip). I was living abroad at the time. Likewise I didn't see Sabella.

But for those who seriously rate the likes of Colin Morris, Glyn Hodges and Michael Brown you don't know what you missed.

Jimmy Hagan was streets ahead of all of them.

 

[2ndtenorblade]

I regret that I never saw TC (other than on the occasional video clip). I was living abroad at the time. Likewise I didn't see Sabella.

But for those who seriously rate the likes of Colin Morris, Glyn Hodges and Michael Brown you don't know what you missed.

Jimmy Hagan was streets ahead of all of them.

Not sure if this story is apocryphal but we once agreed transfer terms with the pigs and Hagan refused to go saying "I could never hold my head up in Sheffield again if I went there",

 

[LSF]

Not too sure if any of my fellow old timers have mentioned Joe Shaw anywhere in this thread? (not read in depth as yet) but he was, despite being a centre half (and a short one at that!) an extremely skilful and clever footballer, up there with most mentioned in this thread. A great player, sportsman and all round gentleman!
My first skiful hero was Barry Hartle who in 1963 scored what to me at the time was an amazing goal against Leyton Orient at Bramall Lane (Len Badger & Bernard Shaw's debut). If my memory isn't playing tricks on me, I recall Hartle picking the ball up near the corner flag at the Kop/ terrace corner and systematically evade 4 or 5 tackles whilst working his way into the area and then coolly slotting it under Mike Pinner who was the England Amatuer goalie of the time. As a 10 year old I was in awe of such skill. I never saw Barry reproduce that sort of skill again, but it has stayed with me to this day!
As others have mentioned, Carlin combined skill and true grit in his game and at 5'4" was a huge presence in the centre of the field. TC needs no further accolade from me except he was supreme on his day and disinterested when he was that way out - but on his day, the best I've seen (Hagan i saw in Joe shaws testimonial but my dad, who saw The Blades from 1912 to his death in 1968 rated him the best).
Beyond TC and Woody (whose power and directness outshone his skill factor in my opinion), Glyn Hodges had outrageous skills when he felt in the mood and of course Sabella was skill personified but the rest of his game was so unsuited to the slog of English football it almost made you weep!

 

[Mad Mick]

Funny how memories come flooding back, Mick Jones was also a great favourite at the lane. I also loved watching Sabella.
I can't remember seeing Doc Pace, but I'm sure he was playing when I first started going in the early 60's.

 

[broomhillblade]

Not sure if this story is apocryphal but we once agreed transfer terms with the pigs and Hagan refused to go saying "I could never hold my head up in Sheffield again if I went there",

Absolutely true. Had it gone ahead SUFC would have secured a record transfer fee at the time but Hagan would have been on exactly the same wages, owing to the maximum wage rules that were in force at the time.

 

[diplomat]

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

Paul Ifill - from the ridiculous to the sublime in a couple of minutes. I remember a game where he honestly looked like one of the worst players I have ever seen wearing their boots on the wrong feet. Next second a stray ball comes to him, kills it dead on his thigh, then in one movement volleyed it from about thirty yards and nearly broke the crossbar. One of the best "nearly goals" at the Lane.

Being raised in the Basset era skill was in short supply but Hodges lobbing the winner against man U in the cup and his general swagger wins it for me. Deano doing things like tackling Grobelaar (sp?) and chipping it in from near the half way line was a great moment of skill.

 

[silverfox]

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.

Don't get me wrong.....Woody is perhaps my second favourite player behind TC. (perhaps I could have used better words)

His wing play and goals were brilliant and his shot was compared with Peter Lorimer. (I still think some of Woody's strikes were better than Lorimers! Remember the goals at Derby?)

Woody...Legend!

 

[beightonblade]

That team we had early 70's was awesum.......... and a manager who knew what he was doing !

 

[diplomat]

For players I saw play:

United fans are amazingly schizo at times, we all seem to moan about the hoofball, but its audibly noticable that if we string 3-4 passes together across the back without going forward, the crowd starts to get antsy - "gerrit forrard!"

Never a more true word spoken. I remember thinking how much grief we'd have got from sections of the crowd if we knocked the ball around like swansea did under Martinez, not letting us touch it twenty minutes but not having a meaningful moment of pressure let alone a chance. We crave some kind of inbetween that is hard to master. The best example I can think of was Sunderland when they had Lee Clark, good wingers and Phillips on the end of it all clicking. Not skillful but direct passing with quality.

 

[Silent Blade]

Ahh, Johnny Tudor. My favourite player as a kid (eclipsed by TC eventually).

Signed from Coventry for not a lot

We signed him for £65,000 in 1968 which was a record transfer fee for us until we signed Sabella 10 years later

 

[Jostein Flo]

Not skillful but direct passing with quality.

I think this is what you're getting at....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZTKe50-2GI

 

[Jon Bon]

We signed him for �65,000 in 1968 which was a record transfer fee for us until we signed Sabella 10 years later

Surely the �100,000 we paid to Southend for Chris Guthrie around 1974/5 was the next 'biggie' after Tudor...?