The 'not great players, but universally well liked' ex United player thread

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Klaatu Barada Nikto said:
As an antidote to the most hated player thread, Let's see what players are the least hated.

Also let's steer away from anyone who would be a contender for the Best United XI too, so your Billy Sharps and your Brian Deane's are ineligible.

I'm going to start off with Jon Stead. Think he got a raw deal under Robson and Blackwell, but always seemed to be committed, and his premier league goals against West Ham and Wigan will live long in the memory.
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I always liked Carl veart
 
The great bearded terrier from the TC era, Trevor Hockey. Universally loved by Blades, but left us all far far too young.
 
coaxingstar71 said:
My choice would be Tony Kenworthy. When I first started supporting United, he was my favourite player. Wasn't a great player and had his best seasons for us in the third and fourth division, but played his heart out for us in a declining side. Can't think of any other defenders who have scored 16 goals in a season either, albeit quite a number of penalties and the odd free-kick.
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Disagree, Kenworthy was a great player.
Paul Rogers
Tom Cowan
Keith Eddy
Ted Hemsley
Alan Cork.
 
Tom Cowan is a good shout - a very tidy left-back and didn't get the credit he deserved.

I even saw someone claim last year that Bob Harris (one of the worst players I've seen but somehow seemed to avoid criticism) was a better player - laughable!

Paul Wood was another favourite of mine and I still can't believe Warnock selected Rankine over McCall in the Play-Off Final v Wolves.
 
Kozzy_is_my_Dad said:
Mihkel Aksalu
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Did he actually play for us at all, the big lad?

Saw him once when me and my missus stayed at the Copthorne once. Poor kid was sat in the downstairs bar on his jack jones most of the time sipping water or fruit juice just reading. Must be shite being brought into a club and just installed into the club's hotel and left to stew on your own. Especially at such a young age and with the self discipline to not go out and get on it or pork out like Mousset did.

Wiki tells me he's 38 now!

Not good but liked for me was Paul Thirlwell

pommpey
 
pommpey said:
Did he actually play for us at all, the big lad?

Saw him once when me and my missus stayed at the Copthorne once. Poor kid was sat in the downstairs bar on his jack jones most of the time sipping water or fruit juice just reading. Must be shite being brought into a club and just installed into the club's hotel and left to stew on your own. Especially at such a young age and with the self discipline to not go out and get on it or pork out like Mousset did.

Wiki tells me he's 38 now!

Not good but liked for me was Paul Thirlwell

pommpey
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I met Aksalu in Gibraltar after watching him play for his national team of Estonia, he didn't have much to do!

I also went to school with Kate Thirlwell, Paul's cousin and managed to meet him when he was still at Sunderland, nice bloke.

Mitch Ward was universally well liked but I actually thought he was great!
Ben Osborn gets another shout, very amusing on social media.
 
Morgs - always gave 100%.
Took no prisoners, and was capable of the occasional ahem late tackle.
Not the most skilful player in the world, but gave you total confidence at the back.
 



Sandygate Blade said:
John Flynn. Often forgotten member of the promotion side.

David Barnes. Always liked him. Another promotion winner.
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Flynn had a massive workrate built into him.

It's player like he who are the effective 'glue' to a team's success. Outside of his hollywood balls and showpony backlift/clipped passes, much of Norwood's basic game reflects Flynns, especially now he gets himself stuck in and intercepts passes. Flynn could 'read the game' wonderfully (an aspect my dad carefully explained whilst returning home from a match on the 28 bus once)

pommpey
 
Geary and Kozzy are my immediate thoughts. Then again, I can't think of Geary having a bad game for us.
 
Roger Nielson....the Norwegian down the wing raiding left back, could sometimes have a mare but was generally v good.
 
diode_blade said:
Roger Nielson....the Norwegian down the wing raiding left back, could sometimes have a mare but was generally v good.
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Funnily enough Nilsen scored 3 times for Norway in 32 appearances, but nout for us in 166 games!
 
John Flynn is a good shout. I thought he was a better player than Colquhoun. And when Flynn didn't play, Colquhoun had a stinker.
Mel Eves had an excellent half season for us, and was well liked. Can't remember why he left.
Martin Pike was good too. And worth a place in the team if only for his goal celebrations.
 
pommpey said:
Flynn had a massive workrate built into him.

It's player like he who are the effective 'glue' to a team's success. Outside of his hollywood balls and showpony backlift/clipped passes, much of Norwood's basic game reflects Flynns, especially now he gets himself stuck in and intercepts passes. Flynn could 'read the game' wonderfully (an aspect my dad carefully explained whilst returning home from a match on the 28 bus once)

pommpey
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Flynn frustrated many in the crowd because he often chose the safe option of passing the ball back to the keeper rather than play it out from the back. He replaced the injured Dave Powell who was a much better number 4. Flynn played only 9 games in the 1970-71 season, Powell was a regular that season until his injury in March. Many said we were two class players short during the 1971-72 season to keep the impressive run going and Powell was one of the two class players we missed
 
Silent Blade said:
Flynn frustrated many in the crowd because he often chose the safe option of passing the ball back to the keeper rather than play it out from the back. He replaced the injured Dave Powell who was a much better number 4. Flynn played only 9 games in the 1970-71 season, Powell was a regular that season until his injury in March. Many said we were two class players short during the 1971-72 season to keep the impressive run going and Powell was one of the two class players we missed
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I always saw Flynn as a great central midfield pairing with Hockey as the enforcer. A lot of ball-out-from-backline went via Flynn as a conduit to either Currie or Salmons to advance the attack. I liked Flynn also because although I didn't see him as as aggressive as Hockey, he was a great competitor and did the full ninety at a decent pace.

Powell was also as you say, a great player too. Seem to recall he was blighted by injury though?

pommpey
 
S64 Blade said:
Geary and Kozzy are my immediate thoughts. Then again, I can't think of Geary having a bad game for us.
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His attitude and <cliche klaxon> engine were both faultless.

I remember thinking how screwed we were when he was named in our Prem starting xi. How wrong I was.
 



pommpey said:
I always saw Flynn as a great central midfield pairing with Hockey as the enforcer. A lot of ball-out-from-backline went via Flynn as a conduit to either Currie or Salmons to advance the attack. I liked Flynn also because although I didn't see him as as aggressive as Hockey, he was a great competitor and did the full ninety at a decent pace.

Powell was also as you say, a great player too. Seem to recall he was blighted by injury though?

pommpey
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Flynn was a defender, he was good in the air and making tackles. Yes, he read the game well but was "too safe" in distribution

Powell was rarely out of the team injured until that injury at QPR. Won the 1968-69 player of the season and was a regular for the Wales national team until his injury
 
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