On this day ......

[Zeuss]

Regarding the above especially the comment about Ray Smith in connection with goals scored in Div.3(Lge 1 now).
Ray Smith played in 111 matches & scored 36 goals between 1962-66(average 3.08); Mike Beesley played in 79 matches & scored 35 goal between 1962-65(average 2.257); Eddie Firmani played in 36 matches & scored 16 goals(average 2.25) and finally Bobby Gilfillan played in 65 matches and scored 33 goals(average 1.96). So maybe Bobby Gilfillan should be given a little bit more credit for his goals/games record. I was lucky enough to have seen Eddie Firmani play for us many times both in Division 3 & 4 and not only was he a class player, but he was also a top top bloke to go with it.

Yes indeed,Gilfillan ,though relatively slight of build,was a very able striker.
Re. Your percentages,remember Beesley played a lot,and Firmani quite a few games in defence.

 

[BrettieAngell]

You're joking of course? The man absolutely polarizes opinion on these boards. I'm very much in the Barry Corr appreciation camp - you won't be surprised to hear me say that I feel pretty much the same for John White and Michael Timlin as well.

There are people that appreciate BBBC and then there are people that are wrong!

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

You are right Stanley and Eddie Firmani were very good, but Billy shades it from Eddie Firmani for me; however, I loved the Eddie Firmani and Ray Smith strike-force, it was a real 'Beauty and the Beast" pairing with the elegance of Firmani and the scary broken-nosed Smith rampaging about.

Regarding the above especially the comment about Ray Smith in connection with goals scored in Div.3(Lge 1 now).
Ray Smith played in 111 matches & scored 36 goals between 1962-66(average 3.08); Mike Beesley played in 79 matches & scored 35 goal between 1962-65(average 2.257); Eddie Firmani played in 36 matches & scored 16 goals(average 2.25) and finally Bobby Gilfillan played in 65 matches and scored 33 goals(average 1.96). So maybe Bobby Gilfillan should be given a little bit more credit for his goals/games record. I was lucky enough to have seen Eddie Firmani play for us many times both in Division 3 & 4 and not only was he a class player, but he was also a top top bloke to go with it.

Always remember Alf Smirk telling me that Ray Smith and Bobby Kellard were no better than Borough Comb.players.He was wrong about both of them, who went on to have decent professional careers.

 

[Mick]

Yes indeed,Gilfillan ,though relatively slight of build,was a very able striker.
Re. Your percentages,remember Beesley played a lot,and Firmani quite a few games in defence.

Firmani played 5 games in defence, on each occasion standing in for the unavailable Eddie May. Not the best of ideas as, although he was obviously competent there, we only scored one goal in those 5 games.

He also missed quite a few games through injuries, about 20 in just over a season and a half. In the second match he missed after joining, Derek Woodley was a wholly inadequate replacement at centre-forward and we lost 9-1 !!

Bobby Gilfillan was a very decent player with his best season being 1964/5 with 22 League goals from 39 appearances. The following season he didn't get much of a look in with Firmani and Smith upfront with two wingers in pretty much every match (any two from Slater, Woodley and McKinven).

 

[Mick]

Always remember Alf Smirk telling me that Ray Smith and Bobby Kellard were no better than Borough Comb.players.He was wrong about both of them, who went on to have decent professional careers.

If he'd spent less time in the bar and more time watching the football, his judgement might have been better.

 

[EastStandBlue]

Well I guess we will never know the answer to that. What I will say is that going up against 4th tier defences is one thing, up against world class centre halves in the prem is quite another.

You can't have watched much Premier League football over the past few years.

 

[Napster]

You can't have watched much Premier League football over the past few years.

If he'd spent less time in the bar and more time watching the football, his judgement might have been better.