The Wonder of Wingers

[HodgysBrokenThumb]

After goalkeepers, wingers are the players that most fascinate me. Possibly because for both, the dividing line between genius and awful is ever-present. In my early days of watching United, we had Ringstead, Hawksworth, Grainger, Lewis, Simpson, Allchurch, for example, all capable of match-winning performances. It was wonderful to watch England win the World Cup in 1966, but it niggled me slightly that Alf Ramsey played without wingers. Wingers have returned, of course, but with all sorts of different responsibilities, and it was our 3 goals against Oxford on Tuesday that got me thinking about how important using the full width of the pitch is in creating goals.
1. Burrows, out on the right having taken a corner, received an excellent pass from Arblaster, and had the time, space ,and skill to pick out Peck in the middle for a well-crafted goal.
2. With Brooks hobbling and apparently out of it, Cannon took over that position, did really well to get to the by-line and pull the ball back to the hobbling Brooks, who improvised his winger-cutting-inside skills on one leg, and scored a beauty.
3. Hamer, sort of playing on the left-wing, picked out Ogbene, who was coming inside and chested the ball into the space behind his defender, and then scored with deceptive ease.
Excellent wing play by Burrows, Cannon, Brooks, Hamer, and Ogbene. In the 1950s and early 1960s, the wingers patrolled the touch line from the halfway line to the goal-line, and generally stayed out on the wing. Now all sorts of players can operate from out wide, but Tuesday was a reminder that the space out on the wings , if used well, is one of the most productive sources of goals. Perhaps some things never change.

 

[CarlMcBlade]

After goalkeepers, wingers are the players that most fascinate me. Possibly because for both, the dividing line between genius and awful is ever-present. In my early days of watching United, we had Ringstead, Hawksworth, Grainger, Lewis, Simpson, Allchurch, for example, all capable of match-winning performances. It was wonderful to watch England win the World Cup in 1966, but it niggled me slightly that Alf Ramsey played without wingers. Wingers have returned, of course, but with all sorts of different responsibilities, and it was our 3 goals against Oxford on Tuesday that got me thinking about how important using the full width of the pitch is in creating goals.
1. Burrows, out on the right having taken a corner, received an excellent pass from Arblaster, and had the time, space ,and skill to pick out Peck in the middle for a well-crafted goal.
2. With Brooks hobbling and apparently out of it, Cannon took over that position, did really well to get to the by-line and pull the ball back to the hobbling Brooks, who improvised his winger-cutting-inside skills on one leg, and scored a beauty.
3. Hamer, sort of playing on the left-wing, picked out Ogbene, who was coming inside and chested the ball into the space behind his defender, and then scored with deceptive ease.
Excellent wing play by Burrows, Cannon, Brooks, Hamer, and Ogbene. In the 1950s and early 1960s, the wingers patrolled the touch line from the halfway line to the goal-line, and generally stayed out on the wing. Now all sorts of players can operate from out wide, but Tuesday was a reminder that the space out on the wings , if used well, is one of the most productive sources of goals. Perhaps some things never change.

I guess that’s the true definition of “Total football.” Wilder’s first spell at United embraced this way of playing famously. A fluid style with players not anchored to a certain area of the pitch with teammates slotting in to cover. In certain games Billy, Oli and Didzy spent less time in the opposition penalty box than some of our defenders and it wasn’t uncommon to see Norwood dropping into the back line. I felt this wonderful style of play started to come unstuck when certain new additions to the squad didn’t quite get it.

 

[Berkshire Blade]

I miss the classic hug the touchline winger

 

[CarlMcBlade]

I miss the classic hug the touchline winger

The best I can remember in the colour tv era was John Robertson. RIP

 

[HillStreet Blade]

After goalkeepers, wingers are the players that most fascinate me. Possibly because for both, the dividing line between genius and awful is ever-present. In my early days of watching United, we had Ringstead, Hawksworth, Grainger, Lewis, Simpson, Allchurch, for example, all capable of match-winning performances. It was wonderful to watch England win the World Cup in 1966, but it niggled me slightly that Alf Ramsey played without wingers. Wingers have returned, of course, but with all sorts of different responsibilities, and it was our 3 goals against Oxford on Tuesday that got me thinking about how important using the full width of the pitch is in creating goals.
1. Burrows, out on the right having taken a corner, received an excellent pass from Arblaster, and had the time, space ,and skill to pick out Peck in the middle for a well-crafted goal.
2. With Brooks hobbling and apparently out of it, Cannon took over that position, did really well to get to the by-line and pull the ball back to the hobbling Brooks, who improvised his winger-cutting-inside skills on one leg, and scored a beauty.
3. Hamer, sort of playing on the left-wing, picked out Ogbene, who was coming inside and chested the ball into the space behind his defender, and then scored with deceptive ease.
Excellent wing play by Burrows, Cannon, Brooks, Hamer, and Ogbene. In the 1950s and early 1960s, the wingers patrolled the touch line from the halfway line to the goal-line, and generally stayed out on the wing. Now all sorts of players can operate from out wide, but Tuesday was a reminder that the space out on the wings , if used well, is one of the most productive sources of goals. Perhaps some things never change.

Not true that England played without wingers in 1966. John Connelly, Terry Paine and Ian Callaghan all played in one group game each. They clearly didn't do enough to convince Alf Ramsey to play them in the later stages. Not surprising that having found a formation without wingers that was successful he stuck with it.

 

[JohnDenver]

the dividing line between genius and awful is ever-present.

Paul Ifill was the apotheosis of this. He was either a pretty crap footballer who only contributed by virtue of continually trying stuff when others would have given up. Or he was actually quite talented but very erratic. Either way, there's something to admire because his goals/assists numbers were decent.

On that note, I do wish that fans would recognise that creativity is partly a numbers game. The worst thing a winger can do is stop trying to create (assuming the game state requires it). When Brooks runs into the box and loses the ball I'd sooner applaud him than moan - which is implicitly encouraging his next pass to be backwards.

 

[I should coco]

The best I can remember in the colour tv era was John Robertson. RIP

Steve Coppell
Peter Barnes
Steve Heighway
Tony Daley
Tony Morley
Colin Morris
Pat Nevin
Mark Walters
John Barnes

I've excluded Woody, as he started off in the black and white era.

 

[HodgysBrokenThumb]

Not true that England played without wingers in 1966. John Connelly, Terry Paine and Ian Callaghan all played in one group game each. They clearly didn't do enough to convince Alf Ramsey to play them in the later stages. Not surprising that having found a formation without wingers that was successful he stuck with it.

You are right to pick me up on that. From memory, I think he had sometimes played without wingers at Ipswich, and during the World Cup talked about picking the best 11 players, and building the system around them. I don’t think he played many wingers after the 1966 final.

 

[Stanthemanfan]

Steve Coppell
Peter Barnes
Steve Heighway
Tony Daley
Tony Morley
Colin Morris
Pat Nevin
Mark Walters
John Barnes

I've excluded Woody, as he started off in the black and white era.

Kanchelskis
Giggs
Waddle
Ginola
Gillespie
Devlin
Overmars
Kewell
Mcmananman
Robben

Too many too mention!

 

[Silent Blade]

From memory, I think he had sometimes played without wingers at Ipswich, and during the World Cup talked about picking the best 11 players, and building the system around them.

Ipswich Town’s 1961-62 playing style, under manager Alf Ramsey, was a revolutionary 4-3-3 "wingless wonders" system that defied 1960s conventions to win the First Division in their debut top-flight season. It relied on a tight, defensive, and highly disciplined structure, utilizing a deep-lying inside-forward to create devastating counter-attacks for prolific strikers. Ramsey moved away from traditional wingers, placing Jimmy Leadbetter in a withdrawn, left-sided role to act as a deep-lying playmaker, a tactic that bewildered opponents.

Leadbetter, while lacking pace, used precise passing and a trademark "drag-back" to create opportunities for the strikers. Ray Crawford scored 33 League goals and Ted Phillips 28.He looked like Albert Steptoe



Ipswich beat Spurs 3-2 at Portman Road. Before the return game at White Hart Lane, Spurs manager Bill Nicholson instructed the players to play different tactics and the team talk went on for a long time and it seemed to baffle the Spurs players in the dressing room so captain Dave Mackay raised his hand and advised Bill that the team should play the same system as they have played for years explaining that Spurs have better players than Ipswich and forget Bill's change of tactics. Bill shrugged his shoulders and said "Alright". Ipswich won the game by 3-1. Phillips scored twice and Crawford got the other goal.



When both teams met again in the 1962 Charity Shield, Spurs players agreed to play to Nicholson's instructions and Spurs won 5-1.

 

[HodgysBrokenThumb]

Ipswich Town’s 1961-62 playing style, under manager Alf Ramsey, was a revolutionary 4-3-3 "wingless wonders" system that defied 1960s conventions to win the First Division in their debut top-flight season. It relied on a tight, defensive, and highly disciplined structure, utilizing a deep-lying inside-forward to create devastating counter-attacks for prolific strikers. Ramsey moved away from traditional wingers, placing Jimmy Leadbetter in a withdrawn, left-sided role to act as a deep-lying playmaker, a tactic that bewildered opponents.

Leadbetter, while lacking pace, used precise passing and a trademark "drag-back" to create opportunities for the strikers. Ray Crawford scored 33 League goals and Ted Phillips 28.He looked like Albert Steptoe

View attachment 230464

Ipswich beat Spurs 3-2 at Portman Road. Before the return game at White Hart Lane, Spurs manager Bill Nicholson instructed the players to play different tactics and the team talk went on for a long time and it seemed to baffle the Spurs players in the dressing room so captain Dave Mackay raised his hand and advised Bill that the team should play the same system as they have played for years explaining that Spurs have better players than Ipswich and forget Bill's change of tactics. Bill shrugged his shoulders and said "Alright". Ipswich won the game by 3-1. Phillips scored twice and Crawford got the other goal.

View attachment 230465

When both teams met again in the 1962 Charity Shield, Spurs players agreed to play to Nicholson's instructions and Spurs won 5-1.

Brilliant. Thanks

 

[BerksBlade]

Steve Coppell
Peter Barnes
Steve Heighway
Tony Daley
Tony Morley
Colin Morris
Pat Nevin
Mark Walters
John Barnes

I've excluded Woody, as he started off in the black and white era.

Dave Thomas at QPR

 

[Silent Blade]

Brilliant. Thanks

You should read this book and it was very interesting

 

[Barney Rubble]

Dave Thomas at QPR

Dave lives in a village not far from me. He has lost his sight through glaucoma and I sometimes see him around with his guide dog. He now devotes a lot of his time to raising money for the guide dog charity and is a real nice fella to have a chat to.

 

[fifty shades of blade]

Ian Bryson, Alan Roberts, Paul Wood, Franz Carr,Dane Whitehouse, Glyn Hodges. The blades wingers of my youth. Was bradshaw a winger or more of a right back? Memory is crap but do remember him popping up on the wing.

 

[103SecondsOfMagic]

Kanchelskis
Giggs
Waddle
Ginola
Gillespie
Devlin
Overmars
Kewell
Mcmananman
Robben

Too many too mention!

Devvers in some fine company there!

 

[103SecondsOfMagic]

Nuddy with his gloves was great down the right in a 442, few tricks and got a good cross in. Vintage Warnock signing

 

[Isaw Joeshaw]

After goalkeepers, wingers are the players that most fascinate me. Possibly because for both, the dividing line between genius and awful is ever-present. In my early days of watching United, we had Ringstead, Hawksworth, Grainger, Lewis, Simpson, Allchurch, for example, all capable of match-winning performances. It was wonderful to watch England win the World Cup in 1966, but it niggled me slightly that Alf Ramsey played without wingers. Wingers have returned, of course, but with all sorts of different responsibilities, and it was our 3 goals against Oxford on Tuesday that got me thinking about how important using the full width of the pitch is in creating goals.
1. Burrows, out on the right having taken a corner, received an excellent pass from Arblaster, and had the time, space ,and skill to pick out Peck in the middle for a well-crafted goal.
2. With Brooks hobbling and apparently out of it, Cannon took over that position, did really well to get to the by-line and pull the ball back to the hobbling Brooks, who improvised his winger-cutting-inside skills on one leg, and scored a beauty.
3. Hamer, sort of playing on the left-wing, picked out Ogbene, who was coming inside and chested the ball into the space behind his defender, and then scored with deceptive ease.
Excellent wing play by Burrows, Cannon, Brooks, Hamer, and Ogbene. In the 1950s and early 1960s, the wingers patrolled the touch line from the halfway line to the goal-line, and generally stayed out on the wing. Now all sorts of players can operate from out wide, but Tuesday was a reminder that the space out on the wings , if used well, is one of the most productive sources of goals. Perhaps some things never change.

Couldn’t agree more about the excitement that wingers can bring to a game of football and it is great to see the re-emergence of them in the modern game .

Along with goalkeepers , this is a position in which the Blades have had many fine exponents down the years and in addition to the ones you mention , from a slightly more recent period I would have to include Colin Morris as being up there with some of the best of them .

 

[John Street West Terrace]

Steve Coppell
Peter Barnes
Steve Heighway
Tony Daley
Tony Morley
Colin Morris
Pat Nevin
Mark Walters
John Barnes

I've excluded Woody, as he started off in the black and white era.

Some players on that list there , some of my all time favourites

 

[John Street West Terrace]

Dave Thomas at QPR

Great winger