Tony Currie....hero or villain?

[wardonia_blade]

Bremner was a bloody good player. At his peak playing 60-75 games a season in a 2 man midfield on heavy pitches.

Thing I remember best though was his radio sheffield support commentary when we won 3-1 at hillsboro. He was donny manager at the time. Some of the best football insight I have ever heard.

 

[Boxer Blade]

That the time we lost 2-0 at home? Cantona scored that wonderful lob. He was being booed because Charlie Hartfield got sent off for punching him.

Thats the one matt, what a bloody good goal how the hell he managed to chip it over Tracey I dont know, he didn't look too far off his line, to think about it and execute it, well there are not many players with that amount of class to even consider it, although there are 4 at the Lane now who possibly could! ;-)

 

[DaveBassettsgoneonholiday]

Bremner was a bloody good player. At his peak playing 60-75 games a season in a 2 man midfield on heavy pitches.

Thing I remember best though was his radio sheffield support commentary when we won 3-1 at hillsboro. He was donny manager at the time. Some of the best football insight I have ever heard.

Does anyone remember him managing Donny, early '80's (at least I think it was him) when early in the season he tried to play a 2/3/5 formation or suchlike & they had a spell of bonkers results ?
Pretty sure they beat Reading at home 7-5 with Kerry Dixon scoring a losing hat-trick. Think there were a few 6, 5's & 4's chucked in before he eventually abandoned the experiment

 

[Davalon]

Doesn't have to be a hero off the pitch amd he may be a miserable, cantankerous old sod but, he is our cantankerous, wonderful, magical, skilled and talented, old sod! In Tony Currie, the Legend lives on.
UTB & FTP

I agree but miserable and cantankerous weren't his faults.

Just find it slightly hypocritical that us football fans in general are happy to ignore less than undesirable traits off the pitch if someone can play, but are happy to crucify decent people just because they have a certain view on Ched Evans for example.

I include myself in such hypocrisy at times btw.

 

[knowsnowt]

He's a tosser of the highest order.

 

[Blend-it-like-Harris]

I asked my mate Jack Whitham "OK Jack - who's the best player you ever played with or against?" Now the answer I got certainly wasn't the one I expected. Jack had played against Bobby Charlton, George Best, and indeed, all the '66 England squad. He scored 4 goals for Wendy against Man Utd (though he says Nobby Stiles got a head on one to help it on it's way in). Anyhow........ his answer:

"No doubts ............ TC"

How's about that Blades fans?

 

[Grecian2000]

That the time we lost 2-0 at home? Cantona scored that wonderful lob. He was being booed because Charlie Hartfield got sent off for punching him.

Sorry Matt, but your last sentence should read.
"He was being booed because he got Charlie Hartfield sent off by kneeing him in the bollocks and then acting like a pussy when Hartfield bitch slapped him in response".
Outrageous bit of cheating by the Gallic thundercunt.

As for the OP, I was presuming it was going to be about the losing of some (indeed a lot) popularity when moving to Leeds. Long forgotten.
Villain? Not in this lifetime if you want to count yourself any sort of Blade.

As for Billy Bremner? Revie's right hand man in the dirtiest team that ever attempted to play the game. Brought cheating (and bribing of officials) to this country when we thought it was a foreign thing.

 

[The Crab]

I asked my mate Jack Whitham "OK Jack - who's the best player you ever played with or against?" Now the answer I got certainly wasn't the one I expected. Jack had played against Bobby Charlton, George Best, and indeed, all the '66 England squad. He scored 4 goals for Wendy against Man Utd (though he says Nobby Stiles got a head on one to help it on it's way in). Anyhow........ his answer:

"No doubts ............ TC"

How's about that Blades fans?

Bloody hell theres a blast from the past, IIRC (I was a kid at the time) I'm sure Jack Whitham played for Oughtibridge at the end of his career?

 

[Blend-it-like-Harris]

Oh - and by the way.... he DID NOT mean Terry Curran!

 

[mattbianco1]

Thats the one matt, what a bloody good goal how the hell he managed to chip it over Tracey I dont know, he didn't look too far off his line, to think about it and execute it, well there are not many players with that amount of class to even consider it, although there are 4 at the Lane now who possibly could! ;-)

He did it to Sunderland too. If anything the Sunderland one was better because of the pace on the through ball. It took all the pace out of it with the chip.

 

[Dnblade]

I liked watching Barkley do what he did,I don't see anything wrong with a bit of showmanship,and Everton fans will always remember it...he would have looked a right mug if he'd missed though.
Nothing wrong with TC sitting on the ball and blowing kisses to the crowd,or the Hudds Manager celebrating with his players,Dean Saunders throw in goal,the crowd love to see a bit of passion or showmanship or a cheeky goal.
When TC was around there seemed to be a lot more showmanship around in general...other players like Stan Bowles,Best,Worthington,and in other sports like Higgins in snooker,and later Steve Ovett waving to the crowd down the home straight....Nothing wrong with it for me,Football has been cleansed more than enough anyway

 

[mattbianco1]

"He was being booed because he got Charlie Hartfield sent off by kneeing him in the bollocks and then acting like a pussy when Hartfield bitch slapped him in response".

Which could be one of many reasons that Eric Cantona played at such a high standard and Charlie Hartfield didn't. Cantona could subtly knee a player in the bollocks unseen, Charlie Hartfield can raise his arm in response for all the world to see before smashing him in his face. Bide your time Charlie boy... oh wait, too late.

 

[speedymcgeady]

Might be my failing memory or rose tinted specs but...... didn't Sir Keith salute The Kop before he finished off his "Pele goal" ....... versus Bristol Rovers possibly ?.
Anyway, many pundits today claim it's an "entertainment business" thus justifying the high wages. Personally I have no problem with it but if you do it in front of the oppositions fans then accept the inevitable grief.

In answer to the original question , hero.

I said the same about Edwards,in fact, he was the first player i thought of when Barkley raised his arms.

 

[speedymcgeady]

I thought it was at the Bramall Lane end but I could be wrong. It was a long time ago but I think he did raise his hand when he knew it was going into the empty net.

Deffo the Kop, Ray Cashley ran out,Edwards went one way ,the ball the other,and Cashley stranded ..

 

[ucandomagic]

Totally disagree mate. Trying to be the 2 foot hard guy and spouting shite all the game. Horrible little man!

Heroes are defined by their actions - not their personalities.

I look at the world through red and white glasses but the best football I have ever watched was from

Sprake
Reaney Charlton Hunter Cooper
Giles Bremner
Lorimer Jones Clarke Gray

Bremner had a hard reputation but Giles was by far the dirtier of the two.

King Billy died at just 55. Everybody needs a hard little Scottish midfield engine - don't we?!

UTB

 

[kennyblade]

Won't be popular for saying this but knowing someone who used to live very close to TC for quite a while, he wasn't always a hero off the pitch.

hes the best ive ever seen at the lane and was adored by our fans with just one exemption when leeds beat us in 78 4 1 in league cup and tc scored the chant from the kop after that goal was fuck off currie and tc couldnt believe it just looked up to kop with arms raised wondering what he had done to deserve the abuse scoring for leeds at the kop end for leedscum might have had somat to do with it tony

 

[TBW57]

Heroes are defined by their actions - not their personalities.

I look at the world through red and white glasses but the best football I have ever watched was from

Sprake
Reaney Charlton Hunter Cooper
Giles Bremner
Lorimer Jones Clarke Gray

Bremner had a hard reputation but Giles was by far the dirtier of the two.

King Billy died at just 55. Everybody needs a hard little Scottish midfield engine - don't we?!

UTB

I agree that John Giles was dirtier than Billy Bremner. Don Revie liked aggressive little midfield men and signed Giles to replace the utterly filthy Bobby Collins. Giles was a winger for Man United but at Leeds he was quickly converted into a thug, albeit a talented one.

However, I read an account from one of the Zaire players who played against Scotland in the 1974 World Cup, and he said that he and his team mates were racially abused throughout the match by the ginger haired Scotland number 4. If that is a true story, then Bremner really was the bastard we all thought after all.

Here are quick highlights of the 1965 FA Cup Final, in which Bobby Collins went over the top on Gerry Byrne in the third minute. This sort of tackle brings an instant red card these days, and illustrates just how dirty Revie's Leeds were:

 

[kennyblade]

I agree that John Giles was dirtier than Billy Bremner. Don Revie liked aggressive little midfield men and signed Giles to replace the utterly filthy Bobby Collins. Giles was a winger for Man United but at Leeds he was quickly converted into a thug, albeit a talented one.

However, I read an account from one of the Zaire players who played against Scotland in the 1974 World Cup, and he said that he and his team mates were racially abused throughout the match by the ginger haired Scotland number 4. If that is a true story, then Bremner really was the bastard we all thought after all.

Here are quick highlights of the 1965 FA Cup Final, in which Bobby Collins went over the top on Gerry Byrne in the third minute. This sort of tackle brings an instant red card these days, and illustrates just how dirty Revie's Leeds were:

leeds 64 to 68 were absolutely the dirtiest side i have ever seen would have ended up with about 4 players left on pitch in todays football giles was the worst very sneaky going over the top when ref was on blind side of him

 

[TC's Magic Boots]

No problem answering this one, a complete hero in my eyes. The only thing that I can possibly hate about TC was that he went to Leeds. Absolute magician with the ball, entertainer and one of the best passers of a football I have ever seen. Used to go past players with the drop of a shoulder and make them look stupid. Him and Woody were the reason I started watching the Blades and it still brings a smile to my face when I see the old clips of him in a Blades shirt. Genuinely one of the best footballers I have seen. Should have played more games for England too ..... Hero all day long.

 

[derfblade.3]

When i started this thread i was asking what other supporters thought about T.C and his showmanship. I wasn't suggesting that our own supporters would class him in the villain role. Maybe i worded it wrong. Anyway, Cantona went from villain to hero when moving from Weeds to Manure but Terry Curran went from wanker to more of a wanker when we signed him. Could never accept him in a Blades shirt.

 

[BushBlade]

Deffo the Kop, Ray Cashley ran out,Edwards went one way ,the ball the other,and Cashley stranded ..

Yeah, it's weird, in my mind I must see it in reverse because if it had been at the BL end I wouldn't have seen it as clearly as I did. I can still remember thinking that if he touched it to control it he'd play it straight to their player and the shock when he just left it and ran round them.
I wish there had been cameras there. My mate's dad who was a flat capper at the front gave us a lift after the game and said 'remember that goal because you won't see many like that'.

 

[Silent Blade]

I asked my mate Jack Whitham "OK Jack - who's the best player you ever played with or against?" Now the answer I got certainly wasn't the one I expected. Jack had played against Bobby Charlton, George Best, and indeed, all the '66 England squad. He scored 4 goals for Wendy against Man Utd (though he says Nobby Stiles got a head on one to help it on it's way in). Anyhow........ his answer:

"No doubts ............ TC"

How's about that Blades fans?

Scored a hat trick for Liverpool

 

[GrayBlade]

I've got 2 in-law members of my family who support different clubs in the midlands, and in the 70's, they'd come up to Sheffield on a fairly regular basis to watch us, or should I say to watch TC

He might have peed a few off wnhen he took the pee, but in the main I'm sure it was mainly admiration, a bit like we had for the lines of Bowles and Worthington. Most fans like to watch players who are good enough to entertain and try something different.

 

[super_pig]

To us a hero , but what do you reckon other supporters thought of his blowing kisses to the crowd after skinning one of the opposing teams players?
Ross Barkley raised his arms in the air celebrating even before putting the ball in the net on Saturday. Ian Wright thought it was great to see but would he have thought the same if it had been Arsenal that Ross had done it to?

Personally would have loved it had he missed as that would have been really entertaining!
As for the hero or villain thing, Bremner at dirty Leeds sticks out to me as a total hero at Leeds but despised everywhere else and for different reasons as most on here will know. (A vile dirty bastard for our younger fans).

So hero or villain? What other players stand out? Maybe it's the other way round for some, as seeing a player being a villain at their own club then becoming a hero at another club after moving on......over to you.

hero ..no brainer
i rather like ross barkley as well .. great player

 

[super_pig]

Don't let Aston Villa fans hear you say that. They have banners and flags up in their ground that read:

"We are VILLANS not villains. We aren't baddies! We are Villa 'ns"

villains were originally peasants.. tap in sorry

 

[Revolution]

Yeah, it's weird, in my mind I must see it in reverse because if it had been at the BL end I wouldn't have seen it as clearly as I did. I can still remember thinking that if he touched it to control it he'd play it straight to their player and the shock when he just left it and ran round them.
I wish there had been cameras there. My mate's dad who was a flat capper at the front gave us a lift after the game and said 'remember that goal because you won't see many like that'.

It was definitely at the Kop end. The keeper and defender were so surprised by what Edwards did that they collided. If I remember rightly it was the 4th goal in a 4-0 win. I don't remember whether Edwards celebrated before scoring.

As we were coming out of the ground I told my Dad that it reminded me of Pele's dummy against Uruguay in the 1970 World Cup, only Pele missed and Edwards scored.

However,Tony Pritchett said in his report that it was Edwards' "39th goal of the season, and probably his easiest", on the basis of the collision. He completely missed Edwards' brilliance.

My Dad took issue with this and wrote to the Green 'Un pointing out how great the goal was, that I'd mentioned what Pele did, and that was a fair comparison. His letter was printed under the headline "Goal Worthy of Pele" and won the 5 pound star letter prize. Of course, they never sent him the money (presumably they were too busy preparing the Wednesday 200 page promotion special), so he had to go down to the Star's offices and get them to hand over the cash...

When I see Pele's miss now, I always say "I saw Keith Edwards do that - and do it better!"

 

[Revolution]

hes the best ive ever seen at the lane and was adored by our fans with just one exemption when leeds beat us in 78 4 1 in league cup and tc scored the chant from the kop after that goal was fuck off currie and tc couldnt believe it just looked up to kop with arms raised wondering what he had done to deserve the abuse scoring for leeds at the kop end for leedscum might have had somat to do with it tony

Deano got similar treatment when he scored at the Lane for Leeds in 1994, though he didn't help himself by running down the John Street side of the pitch celebrating after he'd scored.

 

[Revolution]

Which could be one of many reasons that Eric Cantona played at such a high standard and Charlie Hartfield didn't. Cantona could subtly knee a player in the bollocks unseen, Charlie Hartfield can raise his arm in response for all the world to see before smashing him in his face. Bide your time Charlie boy... oh wait, too late.

19 days after that game, Eric got sent off, kung fu kicked a Palace fan, jumped into the stand to pummel him, and was banned for 8 months.

Very subtle.

 

[mdex]

Currie is a villain to me!

Not old enough to have seen him play but when I was 11 or 12 we played United in a charity cricket match. He smashed me for 4 6's in 4 balls.

I was devastated. Managed to get him out on 5th ball though.

 

[S6Blade]

I thought we won that game against Man Utd? Local lad (name escapes me) got the winner from the penalty spot?