Rate the Blades #1 - John Gannon

[Valley Blade]

Not always sure what he did but we seemed better with him in the team. Thought the same about Jock Bryson.

Bryson absolutely gave everything he'd got. He put crosses into the box early, thus creating numerous goals/chances for Deane and Agana. He was superb in the air and weighed in with an impressive tally of goals himself. One of the best value signings we've made in the last 50 years.

 

[Geordie Blade]

Bryson absolutely gave everything he'd got. He put crosses into the box early, thus creating numerous goals/chances for Deane and Agana. He was superb in the air and weighed in with an impressive tally of goals himself. One of the best value signings we've made in the last 50 years.

Agreed. Bryson is one of those players who must look back at his career and have absolutely no regrets - he put in 100% effort every single game without fail.

 

[Gavlar]

It's always struck Bert as odd that left footers have a cultured or a wand of a left foot but right footers don't.

Nowadays it’s known as a ping for right footers ie Ollie Norwood.

 

[Houston_Blade]

He was in the team just as I started watching and attending regularly, more of a sentimental vote for me than based on how good he was because they’re all amazing to a 6 year old. Solid 7 as I remember I used to like him.

 

[Yoonitedite]

10, obviously

"John Gannon Sperm" would still be fitting.
Or fetching even
He could certainly shoot.
Immature I know but what else is there to look forward to on a Satdi morning in June.
I've given him a 7.Thought he was instrumental in games I saw him though admittedly only about half a dozen.Mostly away.

 

[Bell4]

Voted a 6. Would have voted higher but he was mainly appreciated around both Easter and Christmas.

That’s v good

 

[1973Blade]

Gannon was harshly targeted by some of United's boo boys.

 

[Sportbilly /Detroit Blade]

6 for me.

 

[Rochdaleblade]

Bryson absolutely gave everything he'd got. He put crosses into the box early, thus creating numerous goals/chances for Deane and Agana. He was superb in the air and weighed in with an impressive tally of goals himself. One of the best value signings we've made in the last 50 years.

Good zone man too

 

[I should coco]

It's always struck Bert as odd that left footers have a cultured or a wand of a left foot but right footers don't.

It's a commentator's 'truth', innit.

Just like 'the ball picking up pace off the turf'.

 

[I should coco]

I gave him an 8.

Massively underappreciated as a team player. He could tackle, pass and control the play from the centre, much like Coutts, but with a better scoring record.

He was a target for the booboys, but we always have to have one, don't we.

 

[232 Bramall Lane]

I gave him an 8.

Massively underappreciated as a team player. He could tackle, pass and control the play from the centre, much like Coutts, but with a better scoring record.

He was a target for the booboys, but we always have to have one, don't we.

Totally agree.
He had a specific role in Bassett's team and was unappreciated by a minority but not by me. An 8.

 

[Rocketmark66]

Good zone man too

Sorry Rochdale. But there's only ever going to be ONE zone man, and that is Wilf.

 

[100% part time blade]

Very much as it was. Our fans have always had to pick a scapegoat. You can see/hear a lot of it in the ‘United’ BBC2 documentary.

I’d only just started going properly at that time. Lots of people did shout about how crap Gannon was (and Hoyland) and I went home grumbling about them, but I don’t think I knew what I was talking about.

 

[EddieColquhoun]

He gets a 10 from me for his celebrations on the tables in the Big Tree after the 2-0 win over
Wendy in 91.

 

[Sithblade]

Saw him with his girlfriend in the Big Tree a day or two before Leicester away, she was definitely an 8 or a 9.

 

[PeterNdlovu081]

Saw him with his girlfriend in the Big Tree a day or two before Leicester away, she was definitely an 8 or a 9.

Different times mate.

Although that is a bit young.

 

[Blade In Flame]

A solid and generous 7. Went MIA too often to warrant a bigger score and couldn't tackle to save his life but when he did get involved, he was worth an 8 or 9.

 

[Silent Blade]

Saw him with his girlfriend in the Big Tree a day or two before Leicester away, she was definitely an 8 or a 9.

He was sat near me when he was dropped for the Hull game in September 1989. He was sat with two stunning looking ladies.

 

[Bell4]

Different times mate.

Although that is a bit young.

lol

 

[Bell4]

He was sat near me when he was dropped for the Hull game in September 1989. He was sat with two stunning looking ladies.

I think one was Samantha Hashimi

 

[foggy72]

Gave him 9 he dropped a point for the dodgy perm.
Bassett's team was all about blood and thunder which was great after the dross I'd be bought up on but like many have said, Gannon has a style of football which is more suited to the modern game.

 

[Alex Cheeseright]

Totally agree.
He had a specific role in Bassett's team and was unappreciated by a minority but not by me. An 8.

His role was get the ball to the forwards with one touch. The theory that most goals were scored with 4 or less passes. He did his job. There was a friendly against some foreign team, post season I think, where the long ball game was on hold and we passed it around like prime Barca. (Kinda). He was a different player.
Not sure we saw the best of John Gannon but he did his job on a successful team.

 

[PeterNdlovu081]

@UTB Blade highlighted a thread on a Sunderland forum where they rated former players (Kevin Arnott was #62 in the series). I thought it might be an interesting thing to do for United, especially as it is the summer and there are no games to argue about . I've copied their format (scoring 1-10) and hope that this grows organically. It's always interesting to hear thoughts on players, teams, and times gone by.

Who's next?

I nominate John Lundstram.

30 pages at least and Foxy seriously considering a swear filter.

 

[coaxingstar71]

He was sat near me when he was dropped for the Hull game in September 1989. He was sat with two stunning looking ladies.

One of them would have been Justine Woolley, who was his fiance. She went to my school and was gorgeous even then. Some may remember she got a hit by a bottle at Leeds.

I always liked Gannon and as others have said, he assisted so many of goals in that period. I always assumed he was not popular with some fans because he didn't 'get stuck in', which was a prerequisite for a lot of fans then. He wasn't there for that and that's why we had other less cultured players like Vinnie Jones to do the dirty work.

However, because of his lack of tackling and he didn't score that many, I gave him a 7.

 

[Sportbilly /Detroit Blade]

Who's next?

I nominate John Lundstram.

30 pages at least and Foxy seriously considering a swear filter.

John Ebbrell next for me.

 

[Bladethebrian]

John Hope ( sorry trying to stick with the John theme)?

 

[wizadry]

He wasn’t a bad footballer at all and contributed in a lot of ways but he used to do that loop over the top with his left peg too much and it used to turnover possession most of the time when he could’ve held onto it, it used to send me crackers and I was only young when I started watching him.

 

[sitwell]

One of them would have been Justine Woolley, who was his fiance. She went to my school and was gorgeous even then. Some may remember she got a hit by a bottle at Leeds.

I always liked Gannon and as others have said, he assisted so many of goals in that period. I always assumed he was not popular with some fans because he didn't 'get stuck in', which was a prerequisite for a lot of fans then. He wasn't there for that and that's why we had other less cultured players like Vinnie Jones to do the dirty work.

However, because of his lack of tackling and he didn't score that many, I gave him a 7.

6 for John/10 for Justine ,the pick of Dobcroft youth club ,and she had some stiff opposition.

I feel like we've had this conversation before.

 

[Varkanoid]

John Gannon corners were brilliant and his free kicks were something special.

Came to our house when it was my birthday (must have been somewhere in my 20's) to drop off a Xmas present I knew he was coming but I didnt expect him to bring Simon Tracy who gave me a pair of signed goalkeeper gloves. (John's wife Justine (she was a model!) mentioned above was a family friend via her Grandma at the time lost touch later on). Also went to their wedding at the Sheffield Moat House. We have an old VHS video of it somewhere that my brother did. Something happened to their official video and they asked for a copy of ours. Although it mainly shows my Grandad and Glen Hodges getting upto loads of mischief. They got on really well those two. My Grandad was a massive SUFC fan and it was a dream day for him meeting all the players. He had so much whiskey that night. Def Leopard gate crashed the reception later when they realised the wedding was on.