Players who always gave 100%

[Chrisb]

Just thinking back to some past players whose enthusiasm, pride in the shirt and effort would be very much welcome in our team at the moment.
Ron Pountney, Billy Best, Adam Barratt, Michael Timlin, Luke Prosser to name a few.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Indeed, especially Billy Best! I would add to that Harry Threadgold, Richard Cadette, David Crown, Micky Stead, Peter Taylor, Chris Powell, Ryan Leonard and Glenn Pennyfather (plus two centre backs but their names escape me)

 

[Napster]

Indeed, especially Billy Best! I would add to that Harry Threadgold, Richard Cadette, David Crown, Micky Stead, Peter Taylor, Chris Powell, Ryan Leonard and Glenn Pennyfather (plus two centre backs but their names escape me)

Haha nice try.

 

[mattitouk]

During that 80's era, I would add Danny O'Shea to the list.

I always thought he always put in a decent shift for us, when ever i saw him play.

 

[tottenham541]

Shane westley, not only a great centre back that gave 100% but chipped in with a fair few goals also, one of the best centre backs we ever had.

 

[mattitouk]

Shane westley, not only a great centre back that gave 100% but chipped in with a fair few goals also, one of the best centre backs we ever had.

Good call on Shane Westley. How did I forget him. Shame on me!!

 

[Fairport]

Derek Spence always ran himself into the ground.

 

[Massimo Giovanni]

The David Martin, and Peter Butler, Paul Clarke, Spinner, Gary Bennett, Garry Jones

 

[IloveShrimp]

Rob Newman, Andy Harris, Mark Stimson,

 

[Chrisb]

How could we forget Steve Tilson.

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Just thinking back to some past players whose enthusiasm, pride in the shirt and effort would be very much welcome in our team at the moment.
Ron Pountney, Billy Best, Adam Barratt, Michael Timlin, Luke Prosser to name a few.

I was listening to a NFL podcast a while back when they were talking about the draft and one of the things a team personnel director said one of the things they look for in 1st round picks is charisma. It had never occurred to me before that this would be such a desirable trait in a sportsman (although it probably overlaps with leadership) but I think it is spot on and is just what this team needs.

Someone like Barrett had that charisma. His enthusiasm, pride and energy was infectious and rubbed off on those around him - not just team-mates but on the crowd as well.

A dressing room consists of a mix of characters. They aren't just footballers but individuals with different personality types. A team of clones won't work. You need some vocal players, but if everyone is too vocal everyone gets shouted out. You need serious, focused individuals because it is work but if everyone is too serious and too focused you get too tense. So you need a joker, a clown who can say the right thing at the right time to loosen the mood or lighten things up when you're going through a spell like this.

Maybe we already had the right mix of personalities and injuries have removed them from the dressing room but I'm struggling to identify too many boisterous types, a player of two who sees the lighter side of the game, a leader that rallies the troops. Maybe we miss Timlin and maybe Anton Ferdinand here as much for their personalities as for their waning football abilities. I expect someone like Wordsworth would crack a joke or two, who is now the class clown? Maybe Dru is a bundle of positive energy but if so there are too few like him.

Above all what we need is an individual(s) who wants to take the game by the scruff of the neck when things start going awry and will it by sheer force of personality. We have largely competent players. What we lack - besides in Hopper's absence a targetman - is someone with this sort of charisma to bend things to their will. If they lead, I think the others will follow.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

Rob Newman, Andy Harris, Mark Stimson,

Rob Newman! Great defender for us, such a shame how the management spell went

 

[LCBB72]

Anyone from the 1971/72 team .

 

[Napster]

Shaun Goater has charisma in buckets

 

[Yorkshire Blue]

Shaun Goater has charisma in buckets

Yep, that's exactly the type of character I think we're missing.

That team had Goater, Barrett, Prior, Mark Bentley

Webby's team was full of characters - Andy Ansah, Dave Martin, Chris Powell, Pat Scully etc

The play-off promotion team had Big Bad Barry Corr, Michael Timlin, Adam Barrett and even to an extent Dan Bentley.

I think we've lacked those types of characters for a few years now since Corr went to Cambridge and Barrett to Millwall.

And with it maybe we lack an identity, a talisman or two.

 

[Harry Bullocks]

Terry Johnson...winger from yesteryear

 

[Tommy2holes]

I miss players like Carl pettifer and the will Atkinsons of this world. Not the most technical players but you know where you stand with them. 100% effort in every game.

I'd rather have a team of complete work horses than show ponies.

 

[Blues4LifeDan]

Without a doubt, Alex Revell. Works his socks off at every club he goes to.

 

[Dubai]

Kevin Maher.

 

[Stuart W]

Surprised nobody has mentioned Mick Bodley.