Reyt hard bstads!

[GAZBLADE]

Totally random i know but, who for you is/ was a proper hard nut both on and off the pitch in your opinions.
Billy Whitehurst and Mick Harford could've been nasty fookers i reckon.

 

[sitwell]

Andy Morrison was proper dont mess with hard.

 

[TwoHeadedSexBeast]

Harry Thickett.

 

[gavtheblade]

charlie hartfield took no prisoners,mark patterson was an ankle biter too.

 

[judge]

Rio Ferdinand is really scary

 

[bricktop]

Walthamatow Blade

 

[dublin 10 blade]

The bloke that used to play for southamton , the fellow that crunched vinnie jones when he played for us
Trevor/ Terry Horlock i think was his name vinnie did'nt want to know after that.

 

[GAZBLADE]

The bloke that used to play for southamton , the fellow that crunched vinnie jones when he played for us
Trevor/ Terry Horlock i think was his name vinnie did'nt want to know after that.

Yeh, Terry Hurlock. Fuck he was a lump!! I think poor Vinnie was more scared of his 'fro!!!!

Or, is it Brian May!!!

 

[thevoot]

Mark Dennis, ex Birmingham and Southampton, sent off 12 times in his pro career, was Assistant Manager when I played one season at Eastleigh F.C in the early 90s. He could still dish it out in training. Horrible little thug, and an utter big-time-charlie prick.

You didn't want to be on the receiving end of his tackle...... so to speak

 

[alcoblade]

As a fellow finely tuned athlete, I queued at the side of Charlie Hartfied in McDonald's, you could tell he'd be able to go a bit. Mick Harford lives near my mate and I've sen him walking the dog. He looks solid.

Tightshirt is the legend.

UTB

 

[SouthEssexBlade]

Sorry guys, but they're all pussy-whipped mummy's boys compared to Claudio Gentile. Absolute thug on the pitch, probably a mafia hitman off it!

 

[GAZBLADE]

Sorry guys, but they're all pussy-whipped mummy's boys compared to Claudio Gentile. Absolute thug on the pitch, probably a mafia hitman off it!

I know nothing of him SEB, but i'll take your word for it.
Actually looks a bit like my old man in my folks wedding pics!!!!!

 

[SouthEssexBlade]

I know nothing of him SEB, but i'll take your word for it.
Actually looks a bit like my old man in my folks wedding pics!!!!!

 

[davidpinder]

brian thackery

 

[Silent Blade]

As a fellow finely tuned athlete, I queued at the side of Charlie Hartfied in McDonald's, you could tell he'd be able to go a bit. Mick Harford lives near my mate and I've sen him walking the dog. He looks solid.

Tightshirt is the legend.

UTB

Mick Harford was the Wimbledon player that Vinny Jones was scared of according to a football article I read years ago. A workmate who was a Lincoln City reserve player told me he was scared of Harford (who played at Lincoln in the early 1980s) too. Moving to different sport, I read that Ian Botham would "bully" any of the England players on Tours except for Peter Willey as once he did a practical joke on him but Willey's response was to pick all the clothes from Ian's suitcase and threw them to the swimming pool. Botham just stood still and was in a shock so he never picked on Willey again. There are always bullies at school who wouldnt pick on someone who is harder than him/her (although the "harder" person might be a modest and quiet type (like Willey)

 

[SwissBlade]

A lot of footballers played the hard man, vinnie and Stuart Pearce both made careers out of a reputation... Stuart Pearce didnt need to though as he was a good player.

Bradders stood up to them both and showed them for what they were. Bradders never backed down to reputations, in fact he thrived on it. As an impressionable teenager I absolutely loved going to school on a Monday after being stood on John St West telling stories of how Bradders did his man. That said, remember Alan Shearer being a nasty little twat and did his best to get Bradders sent off (not sure if Shearer was at Southampton or Blackburn)

The Bassett team in the 90's was a hard team, Dave Tuttle, Brian Gayle a proper warhorse, Bradders, Charlie hartfield even Kamara loved to mix it. They all stood out. Even Hodges, our flair player loved a dust up (didnt he get sent off for nutting someone away at Sunderland). Great times. In those days the 10-22 man dust ups were not like the handbags you see nowadays.

 

[PeterNdlovu081]

Not sure about hard but I'm sure you could have drove a car on the pitch and knocked Monty down and he still would have just gotten straight back up.

 

[Latters]

A lot of footballers played the hard man, vinnie and Stuart Pearce both made careers out of a reputation... Stuart Pearce didnt need to though as he was a good player.

Bradders stood up to them both and showed them for what they were. Bradders never backed down to reputations, in fact he thrived on it. As an impressionable teenager I absolutely loved going to school on a Monday after being stood on John St West telling stories of how Bradders did his man. That said, remember Alan Shearer being a nasty little twat and did his best to get Bradders sent off (not sure if Shearer was at Southampton or Blackburn)

The Bassett team in the 90's was a hard team, Dave Tuttle, Brian Gayle a proper warhorse, Bradders, Charlie hartfield even Kamara loved to mix it. They all stood out. Even Hodges, our flair player loved a dust up (didnt he get sent off for nutting someone away at Sunderland). Great times. In those days the 10-22 man dust ups were not like the handbags you see nowadays.

Speaking of Shearer, there was the time Keane tried to give him "the stare". Shearer just laughed at him, squared up to him and Keane shit it. That was amusing.

 

[diplomat]

http://m.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/may/18/seven-deadly-sins-hard-man-billy-whitehurst

Billy was in a world of his own.

I'm with Swiss re that Blades era, same one I grew up with. Bradshaw used to relish a 50/50 with Pearce. Great battle that one.

 

[SwissBlade]

Speaking of Shearer, there was the time Keane tried to give him "the stare". Shearer just laughed at him, squared up to him and Keane shit it. That was amusing.

I hated shearer for ages after he did what he did to Bradders, even my mum said Shearer was a dirty so an so. But Shearer, despite being shortish had some balls as like Bradders, he didnt give a shit about reputation... Reluctantly I gained respect for him. Not for being hard, but for facing up to the challenge

Hate him again now as a dull pundit

 

[diplomat]

Just found another Billy one:

“I felt my elbow make full contact with the bridge of another players nose and to my horror realise it’s one William Whitehurst Esq. ‘Oh Christ, anyone but that fucking monster.’ I thought. I nervously glanced over at my partner Brian Gayle who just smiled, made the sign of the cross and jogged away.” – Paul Lake.

 

[Russ]

He might not be the hardest but I remember talking to Martin Kuhl outside Chesterfield FC and he said he was gonna break Lee Chapman's leg!

Just google'd this http://www.sport.co.uk/football/top-three-hardest-birmingham-city-players-ever/36519

and Daddy Kuhl http://www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk/E...ke-splash-TV/story-16031134-detail/story.html

 

[Gabsblade]

Have to agree with Billy Whitheurst.

Some Big Billy stories (courtesy of Gary Armstrong’s book “Blade Runners”) – no warranty as to accuracy:

· His Dad worked down the pit, and he had 4 older brothers. He did boxing training for 4 years at Hickleton Pit gym.
· When he was at Hull the first time, one of his team mates, identified only as “a Welsh international” kept hitting him late in training. One bad tackle too many, and Billy laid him out.
· Left Newcastle after 28 games. They were 2-1 down on aggregate to Bradford in the League Cup and Billy got subbed. A fan gobbed on him and so he walked back out onto the pitch and gave the supporters the rods with both hands – never played again.
· Chinned Ray Graydon in the dug-out at Oxford
· Oxford crowd used to call him a ‘fat bastard’ – Bill’s response ? “I weren’t fat – the kit were too small.”
· Utd were at some army camp, doing some Dave Bassett pre-season training. Two squaddies in the bar said footballers were poofs. Billy told them to finish their drinks, took them outside and wasted them both.
· 30 Wednesday fans cornered the Utd squad in a bar – Billy offered the lot of them out, and knocked out their top boy with one punch.
· Assistant manager to Ronnie Glavin at Frickley – they’re playing Skelmersdale in a cup tie; Billy nuts someone in their dug-out, and later also drops one of the Skelmersdale players as he was walking down the tunnel.
· Sent off six times
· Most difficult opponents – Hansen and Lawrenson.
· Some opponents remember Billy for his habit of stroking their foreheads and murmuring “You’re sweating – I know you’re scared”
· One who spat on him during a reserve game found Billy waiting for him in full kit outside the dressing room
· Another ‘international level defender’ was told to leave the post-match player’s bar and fight outside. He didn't.

And one that’s not in the book but did the rounds – "he sorted out so-called hard man Vinnie Jones while they were both at Utd".


Lastly, and this is obviously not a true story, but it’s one that Dave Bassett told when I went to see him at a sportsman’s dinner.

United were on a tour of Sweden and a bedtime curfew had been imposed on them. Bassett went around all the rooms checking the players were in bed and couldn't find Whitehust so he searched up and down the hotel for him and eventually found him in another room, sitting up in bed in between 2 naked Swedish birds smoking on a cig. Bassett said "Billy, what the fuck do you think you're doing?!!" to which Billy replied "Oh Gaffer, please please dont tell the wife.....she thinks I've packed in smoking!"

 

[Revolution]

Moving to different sport, I read that Ian Botham would "bully" any of the England players on Tours except for Peter Willey as once he did a practical joke on him but Willey's response was to pick all the clothes from Ian's suitcase and threw them to the swimming pool. Botham just stood still and was in a shock so he never picked on Willey again. There are always bullies at school who wouldnt pick on someone who is harder than him/her (although the "harder" person might be a modest and quiet type (like Willey)

Peter Willey was also someone who was not afraid of the West Indian bowlers. A hard man.

As for the original question, Whitehurst laps the field doesn't he?

 

[Torrix1889]

Those two Gypsies on "Gypsy Blood" on C4 last night, especially the one who had the shit kicked out of him so bad his right eye was closed, he went home, had 2 cups of coffee to sober up then went back for more and got hacked up with a machete.....completely mental but that is hard.

 

[cooperblade]

Just found another Billy one:

“I felt my elbow make full contact with the bridge of another players nose and to my horror realise it’s one William Whitehurst Esq. ‘Oh Christ, anyone but that fucking monster.’ I thought. I nervously glanced over at my partner Brian Gayle who just smiled, made the sign of the cross and jogged away.” – Paul Lake.

Reading that book at the moment. Lake goes on to say that Whitehurst took his revenge throughout the match including by sinking his teeth into Lake's shoulder so hard that the blood came through his shirt. He said Whitehurst shook his hand at the end of the game and said 'Well played kid, you're tougher than you look'

On Shearer, yes he had an edge about him but he was also a coward as he showed when he studded Tracey in his chest. Was a disgraceful challenge and a sign of how refs thought about United when he was only booked. Someone told me afterwards that the TV commentator said 'great to see Alan's knee stood up to that' (it was after his bad injury) but Strachan who was the pundit said he should've been sent off.

Bradshaw remains my favourite ever United player to this day and part of that was the way he made Pearce et al look like a bunch of pussycats. Bradshaw was proper Sheffield United to me, scared of no-one, bit of swagger but still a grafter and he could also play. He was our best player by a country mile the season we got relegated from the Prem.

 

[SwissBlade]

In the mid '90's Charlie Hartfield had the chant from the John St West "Charlies gonna get ya".

I remember he was a former amatuer boxer and remember the skirmish v Man U and Cantona in the cup. Just done a quick google serach and there is the match report. I'd forgotten that Charlie got sent off.

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/cantona-shines-in-uniteds-late-show-1567432.html

Cantona was also, as ever, the central figure in the sending off. A challenge between Glyn Hodges and Nicky Butt appeared to be followed by a tap to the ankles by Cantona on Charlie Hartfield. The 23-year-old midfielder turned round and lashed out at Cantona, apparently hitting him with the flat of his hand. Provoked, maybe, but inexcusable nevertheless and Robbie Hart, the referee, instantly dismissed him.

"It was irresponsible and cost us dearly," said Dave Bassett, the Sheffield United manager. "It did not matter whether Eric Cantona or Mickey Mouse kicked him, he should not have reacted. It cost us the game and it will cost him three matches, a week's money, and maybe his place in the team. He will look back on that mad moment for the rest of his life."

There was a photo of the skirmish which I had from the monthly Sheffield sports magazine at the time.

I went to Dane Whitehouses testimonial a few years back, Charlie and a lot of the Bassett old boys played, one of which was Charlie. I could be wrong but I think it was Old boys v the kids. He'd piled on the weight, but still had that desire to get around the pitch and kick lumps out of anyone and everyone. By the end he looked knackered. He'd not managed to get close to anyone to kick them

Back on Bradders, I went in the Cricketers on Boxing day and there is a fantastic black and white photo or Bradders grabbing Vinnie Jones by the throat ( I think it was the game that Vinnie got the fastest booking for Chelsea v Blades in the FA cup. If I remember correctly it was Bradders taking the kick off that Vinnie went through).

 

[cooperblade]

In the mid '90's Charlie Hartfield had the chant from the John St West "Charlies gonna get ya".

I remember he was a former amatuer boxer and remember the skirmish v Man U and Cantona in the cup. Just done a quick google serach and there is the match report. I'd forgotten that Charlie got sent off.

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/cantona-shines-in-uniteds-late-show-1567432.html



There was a photo of the skirmish which I had from the monthly Sheffield sports magazine at the time.

I went to Dane Whitehouses testimonial a few years back, Charlie and a lot of the Bassett old boys played, one of which was Charlie. I could be wrong but I think it was Old boys v the kids. He'd piled on the weight, but still had that desire to get around the pitch and kick lumps out of anyone and everyone. By the end he looked knackered. He'd not managed to get close to anyone to kick them

Back on Bradders, I went in the Cricketers on Boxing day and there is a fantastic black and white photo or Bradders grabbing Vinnie Jones by the throat ( I think it was the game that Vinnie got the fastest booking for Chelsea v Blades in the FA cup. If I remember correctly it was Bradders taking the kick off that Vinnie went through).

Hartfield was sat just in front of me at the Hartlepool game the other week. There were stories in the press a few years ago about his struggle with gambling.

His slap on Cantona was poor - nowhere near as hard as a Morgs handshake.

 

[sitwell]

My lad played with Hartfields son Callum for a few years ,Charlie was very often present but just kept himself to himself. See Bradders all the time ,still mad as a box of frogs ,does a different kind of decking these days as my back garden prooves

 

[Kenilworth]

http://m.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/may/18/seven-deadly-sins-hard-man-billy-whitehurst

Billy was in a world of his own.

I'm with Swiss re that Blades era, same one I grew up with. Bradshaw used to relish a 50/50 with Pearce. Great battle that one.

That article refers to Alan Hansen suggesting he played in that game between Oxford and Forest - Billy said he couldn't understand it as Hansen only played for Liverpool (after he came south from Scotland - Partick Thislte wasn't it?). I recall a couple of months ago hearing Gary Gillespie on TalkSport recounting a story about Big Billy in a match between Oxford and Liverpool. They went up for a header and Gillespie caught Billy on the nose with his leading arm - Billy's nose split open. Not intentional but Gillespie had the a very similar reaction as Paul Lake. Anyway, Billy lasted until half time and then came back on for the second half with his nose stapled up and finished the game. That's probably the match Hansen remembers and the two have been confused.