A couple of weeks ago one of our commenters, Cyprus Canary, suggested that Martin Peters was arguably the greatest player he had ever witnessed wearing yellow and green.
So, most appropriately as Man City are up next for us at the Carra, let’s follow up Cyprus’ comment in the spirit of the constantly arguing Gallagher brothers, Noel and Liam of Oasis fame.
I had the great privilege of seeing Martin Peters play for West Ham, Spurs, Norwich City and indeed England. At Upton Park, White Hart Lane, Carrow Road and the old Wembley.
To my mind Cyprus has a valid point, but I’ll argue with him to the extent that my favourite City player was Mark Bowen, who I also saw play in a Spurs shirt at White Hart Lane.
At the time he was a midfielder who rarely stood a chance of a first-team start as his direct rivals were Glenn Hoddle and Micky Hazard. So he came to us around the same time as Ian Crook and Ian Culverhouse. We will never make three better signings from the same club.
So why do I rate “Taff” Bowen so highly?
In my very amateur playing career I was a striker converted to a left-back, and to this very day it is the position I watch the most. Luckily, I’m fractionally to the left of the goal in the Upper Barclay and I’m in the ideal position in terms of observation.
I’ve seen the constant upgrades from Marc Tierney through Javier Garrido,then on to Martin Olsson and currently Jamal Lewis. Jamal is special to be sure.
But so was Taff.
He could play literally anywhere down the left. Full-back, midfield and even as a striker during an injury crisis, which he did several times. When Gunny snr was sent off against, I believe, Coventry, who went in goal? Yes, you’ve got it. Mark Bowen.
He performed well for a long time until he finally conceded late in that match. And he’s only my height, which is five feet nine.
Then there was the goal against Bayern Munich, as if readers need me to remind them of it.
He had his own song: “You’ll never beat Mark Bowen, you’ll never beat Mark Bowen” in tribute to his defensive abilities. And very few wingers ever beat Mark Bowen and often carped themselves when he moved forward.
It turned a little sour at the very end of his City career. This will have to remain an apocryphal tale but right at the end of Dave Stringer’s largely excellent managerial reign, rumour has it that Stringer stood outside the home dressing room while Taff undertook the team talk shop steward style inside.
Bowen was left marooned on 399 appearances for us and was left out of a few matches at the end of that season he could have been selected for, which kind of tells its own story.
Right that’s the end of my appraisal of Mark Bowen.
So what do MFW readers think?
Who is your favourite City player of all time? And just as importantly, why?
You can choose anybody from Percy Varco to Teemu Pukki, or even Adam Idah – but we’d love to know why you’ve made your choice.
My selection of Mark Bowen as my all-time great is purely subjective.
Which leaves room for all you good folks to go for some rather more spectacular players should you wish
Just a bit of international break levity, but we’d genuinely love to know what you reckon, dear readers.
I think Martin you have to separate goalkeepers from players as they are such different roles, Kevin Keelan the best ever keeper by a landslide for me.
I would probably agree with the shout for Martin Peters as being our greatest ever player, but Ian Crook was also a fantastic player, so I would find it hard to choose.
At the back, for me it would have to be Craig Fleming, despite Bruce, Watson and Stringer.
As for attack, well there is Macdougall, Deehan, Iwan, Hucks the list goes on but for me it has to be Chris Sutton who has done it at the top level for us, as for a winger just Darren Eadie (injuries ruled out a great England career) ahead of Hucks.
Two other players I would put forward are Colin Suggett and a bit of a surprise this one, Martin O’Neill.
While he was only here for a short time he was an exceptional player.
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You can blame me – not Martin – for the pix of Keelan and Gunny. Was just trying to think of nine names who may fall into the category of Canary greats, but totally take your point, Tim.
Best
Gary
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Ha!
It took me a little longer that I would have expected to identify all nine of them myself. Good selection anyway:-)
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Hi Tim
Yes it’s a fair point about the keepers. KK was the finest for me by a long way too, but we’ve also been blessed with Chris Woods, a brace of Gunnys, Fraser Forster and Robert Green. My mate Keith still waxes lyrical about Ken Nethercott and Sandy Kennon, although I was in my pram when the latter played for us:-)
All your outfield choices are excellent. My only discrepancy would be that I would put Hucks ahead of Eadie on a like-for-like basis (of course they were different in their styles, but nobody could excite quite like Hucks, to my mind anyway. I will never forget that match against Cardiff – which we all thought would be his last for us – when he single-handedly tore them apart. He sure gave us what the too must have thought would be something to remember him by!
Your reference to Martin O’Neill surprises me not in the slightest. When it comes to sheer on-field intelligence, only Peters and Crook would come anywhere near him imo.
Thank you.
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I always thought that Mark Bowen was one of those players who had such a good touch and feel for his first movement that he was often worth the admission money on his own. A truly natural footballer- a description also thoroughly deserved by Martin Peters.
I share your admiration of them both Martin. However, in the early years of the Barclay being made all-seater my friends and I had to permanently move our Lower Barclay seats to escape a bunch behind us who regularly abused Bowen with anti Welsh bigotry. In those days that sort of rubbish still largely went unpunished.
My personal top 3 of players genuinely beautiful to watch remains Peters, Bowen, Ashton but Leitner and Vrancic are increasingly staking a claim.
I’ll stick with Martin Peters as my number one though because of the grace and influence he could bring to every inch of the pitch but without ever seeming to have to hurry.
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Hi Kev.
Couldn’t agree more re Peters – we didn’t call him the Ghost for nothing. He could indeed be poetry in motion and I also agree with your take on messrs Leitner and Vrancic. Both easy on the eye as you say.
I have to say I was in the LB at that time too (near where the Snakepit is now) and I never heard any anti-Welsh bigotry myself although your experience doesn’t surprise me. Foxy and Darren Beckford used to get some terrible racist stick from people who wouldn’t have dared to say it to their faces.
Thank the Lord those times are so almost entirely in the past.
The last “bigotry” I heard at the Carra was a chant against a team that play in all white which intimated they were “dirty northern gentlemen”.
And I can’t get too uptight about that one.
Great post and thanks.
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Limiting it to those I saw play, I’m going with Wes. Greatness not being limited to ability, you just don’t get servants like that anymore. I’ve been saddened by many players leaving, but Wes never left. We left him.
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Hi Dave
Yes, an excellent selection is our Wessi.
Ten years of sterling service – I’ll allow the hissy fit as he might well have been justified in what he said at that time for all I know – I’m not judge and jury on that one.
Signing him was quite probably the only constructive thing Roedent did for us.
He was truly unique – as is the number plate on his car!
Thank you.
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Back in 2013 I wrote a piece on here suggesting we all vote for our favourite all time NCFC player as well as select our all time NCFC XI. It was very popular with even Chris, Rob & co from BBC Radio Norfolk sending in their choices. I eventually had to build a spreadsheet to pull all the information together, the line up that we ended up with was as follows-
1. Kevin Keelan
2. Ian Culverhouse
3. Mark Bowen (C)
4. Steve Bruce
5. Dave Watson
6. Martin Peters
7. Darren Eadie
8. Chris Sutton
9. Ted MacDougall
10. Ian Crook
11. Darren Huckerby
Imagine them all playing at their peak in the same team! Formidable.
The all time best player vote went to Mark Bowen who was just ahead of Steve Bruce and Ian Culverhouse.
Bowen was absolute class. There was a lot of interest in him expressed by other clubs whilst he was with us, but, in the manner of Hucks, he was settled and happy and didn’t really want to go anywhere else. So that was that.
Thanks for the post Martin, its made me think that, over six years on, it might be a good idea to do this poll again and see what, if any, changes may have taken place in that time with regard to peoples choices.
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Hi Ed
Yes it would be great to do some kind of reprise and I’d love to see how many later players would make the grade. Six years is a long time in football!
The only suggestion off the top of my head is that James Maddison has to be in there somewhere, but at whose expense?
I’ve only really got two observations on the original “team” in that I’m surprised that it wasn’t Steve Bruce (C) and as you indicated yesterday, Ted McDougall without Phil Boyer would prove very interesting indeed.
I’d love to see another version of such a poll and I’m sure it would be very popular with our readers – hint:-)
Thank you.
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Hi Ed and Martin
Lets have a go then…
Kevin Keelan
Ian Butterworth
Steve Bruce (C)
Roger Gibbins
John Ryan
Martin Peters
Jeremy Goss
Dale Gordon
Jimmy Neighbour
Kevin Drinkell
Robert Fleck
At least one surprise here…
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Hi Cobwatch
I’d call that an “alternative” selection with several surprises!
Keelan, Bruce, Peters and Flecky I wouldn’t query in the slightest.
Disco Dale and Gossy? Fair enough.
I get the Drinkell choice. I might not agree with it, but I can understand it. Ditto Jimmy Neighbour.
Butterworth of the infamous Broads boating incident – que? I’d take Jon Newsome, Flem or Malky over him.
Roger Gibbins and John Ryan? Not for me I’m afraid – although I must be honest enough to admit I didn’t see much of them as I was a London exile for most of that time.
More than one surprise and that’s for sure.
Thanks for a great, fun post.
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Saw Gibbins play. No one ever, ever, ever, tried harder in a yellow shirt. Most improved player i have seen over a season or so. He was anxious and mistake prone at first. He would be a godsend right now. Scored heavily too. Then he was gone. People forget how outstandingly good Ryan was. He went the opposite way to Gibbins, waning from his considerable peak. Butterworth? Pure class at his best. Miles above those you prefer for me. Miles and miles….Saw them all play live regularly. But there is no right and wrong. All good fun and banter….I say this, any other Norwich 11 would have a hell of a time beating these if they were on it.
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Hi Cobwatch
Sure Butterworth was a very elegant player. In fact his partnership with the rarely-remembered Andy Linighan was a good one indeed.
But he could be a bit error-prone (as in losing opposition big lads at corners) which is basically what I made my judgement on tbh.
Like yourself, I saw Butterworth many, many times. As I (and you) did the other CBs I mentioned.
The fun induced by creating and fielding the responses to an article such as this is that everyone’s opinions are well informed and also so subjective.
It’s genuinely great to hear what other folks think because as you so rightly say nobody is right and nobody is wrong – and that’s the craic.
Thanks again.
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Keelan.
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Hi Cobwatch.
No need to explain that one – see Tim Ball’s comment and my reply to it above.
Cheers.
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Excellent stuff Martin. I love these trips down memory lane.
Although before my time, the story of Ken Nethercott dislocating his shoulder in an FA cup quarter final and playing on one armed to keep us in the cup takes some beating. I believe he never played again.
Peters of course was a superstar when he arrived. 31 years old and an England World Cup winner to boot. How on earth did we pick him up? Let alone for £40,000.
Graham Paddon is the epitome of my earliest memories, the flowing locks, the piratical beard, the green number ten on that simple unadorned bright yellow shirt and a left foot, if I may paraphrase Alan Partridge like a traction engine. Football doesn’t get any better than that.
Forbes captained the club to many momentous occasions, Wembley and championships, Bowen was indeed a remarkable player. Keelan, Woods, Fashanu. Martin O’Neill, immortal in my eyes for scoring the last minute free kick winner at Ipswich one Christmas which set in motion the most hysterical, joyous goal celebrations I’ve ever witnessed. Speaking of goal celebrations, a mention for Keith Bertschin, who ran around like a maniac whenever he scored for City?
To be honest Martin, one might as well try and answer the question “how long is a piece of string”.
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Hi Chris
Nostalgia is always good, as in our Ed C-Ls piece on McDougall and Boyer yesterday.
As I replied to Terry below, I never saw that much of Graham Paddon but my friends that did rate him very highly.
All the players you have highlighted were very good indeed and I do recall the Bertschin celebrations, which always seemed to be unplanned, unlike most of those on offer today.
And yes, it’s such a subjective issue that you might just as well ask how long is a piece of string. Or do I get my green grimbalites and spondooly guttering from B&Q or Jewson?
ps hope your bandages are long gone and you’re feeling better. My teeth will meet their Waterloo on 7/8 October so it’ll be my turn to be grumpy then.
Good job you don’t type with your teeth.
Thanks as ever.
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Thanks mate, yes the bandages are gone and I will be fit and ready to start against Manchester city. Had we been drawn at home in the cup my appearance record may well have been tarnished.
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Good man!
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for me Graham Paddon was the standout Norwich player
from my youth
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Hi Terry
I didn’t get to see that much of Paddon myself as I was living and working in London at the time, but my mates, without exception, speak very highly of him to this day.
Thank you.
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Nice thought provoking piece to take my mind off the numbing boringness (is that a word?) of the International Break.
I always feel in order to select a player as the best or favourite people need to have seen them play.
Personally I think I’m extremely lucky to have witnessed Martin Peters in Yellow. I may have been pre-teen but even then I could appreciate the ability to put the ball on a sixpence from 50 yards.
Since then I’ve seen several very good players for NCFC, rounding out my top 3 would be Wes (unplayable on his day) and Ian Crook (anyone that could have a fag 40 minutes before a match at Anfield then run the game for 90 minutes has to be included).
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Hi BB
Got to say I love the bit about Chippy and his fags – the worst-kept secret in Colney, although it was probably still Trowse then.
Mind you, Johann Cruyff once admitted to smoking ten a day,…
Yes you have to have seen the player in action several times in the flesh to be truly objective I would agree, which is why I am a bit cagey about commenting on our players from around 1975-1985. I did get to games in that period, but many of those were in London when we were obviously away.
Your top three gets a thumbs up from me.
Thank you.
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Hi Martin
Names the cunjure up memories for the distance past.
I always enjoyed watching Neighbour and Peters at WHL and it is sad that one is nolonger with us and the other has dementia.
Others that haven’t been mentioned that spent short but memorable times at city are
Kenvin Drinkell
Kevin Reeves
Phil Hoadley
Jon Newsome
Colin Sugget
But I suppose I enjoyed Peters and Neighbours playing most so find it hard to chose between them
Onwards and upwards
OTBC
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Hi Alex
I had no idea that Jimmy Neighbour had departed so I’ve learned something I’d rather not have learned, if you see what I mean.
Cobwatch mentioned Drinkell and I referred to Newsome in my reply to him above, but like you I’ve seen no mention of Reeves, which really surprises me tbh.
I always follow the cricket on Grauniad live but I hardly dare look at it today. If we can only bat this day out and avoid the follow-on we’ve the chance of the draw and all to play for in the fifth and final. Well done Rory Burns.
Cheers mate.
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Jimmy Neighbour died on Saturday 11 April 2009 from a heart attack whilst at home in Woodford Green, London. He had been recovering at home after a hip replacement operation.
Well me and the wife are both cricket nad and so far Root and Burns are making a good fist of it long may they continue.
Pick anyone for a city best 11 will have many friends arguing as it has so much conjecture in peoples opinions, 95% would pick Keelan in goal but then the geadaches start.
Have a good weekend to all at MFW and commenters
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Thanks for that info Alex.
I lived in Buckhurst Hill (two miles from Woodford Green) for a couple of years so I know that area well, although I bet it has changed beyond my recognition since around 1985.
As I type Root and Burns have gone – for decent scores – so our survival is very much in the lap of the gods.
Cheers mate.
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Keelan best goalkeeper.
Peters best player.
Maddison most talented.
Huckerby most exciting.
But…….I wonder where the likes of Godfrey, Aarons, Lewis, Buendia, Pukki etc will fit when we look back in a few years time?
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Hi sgncfc
Pretty sound judgement there.
I understand totally why folks would go for Peters over Bowen, for instance. But as I only saw Peters in a yellow shirt about three or four times and Bowen on at least 150 occasions, plus my bias towards left backs he was always going to be my choice!
As for the future, as Chris says above, how long is a piece of string? I think many of us will remember Pukki with affection forever. It will depend on how long the youngsters you so correctly cite remain with the club that will dictate where they will fit into our recollections of fond memories.
The longer we can hang on to them the better.
Thank you.
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I haven’t watched Norwich as long as you guys. I only moved to Norwich in 1987 and only got a season ticket for the half season in 2003/94 when the Jerrold stand opened.
I think you need to be clear about what criteria you use to select the players. I certainly think you need to have seen them in the flesh.
Most exciting player, who got me out of my seat the most: Huckerby.
Player to put his agent in his place: Huckerby
Best goalkeeper: Robert Green, including his quick passes to Huckerby
Best all around striker: Dean Ashton. He should have been a England striker for years but for injury
Best goal poacher: Pukki
Best creative player: Maddison
Best servant of the club: Wes
Best captain: Malky
Best emerging talent: Aarons and Godfrey, joint award
I think that will do for now. I’m sure I have forgotten a lot of very good players as well as poor ones.
Remember Steve Smith, who we signed during Lambert’s tenure from Scotland and he played about half a dozen games. One of my grandsons goes to Steve Smith’s soccer school. He is a great bloke to talk to. He has told me that Wes is the best player he has played with or against and as fans we only saw a fraction of what he could do. Apparently he was even better during training.
OTBC
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Hi Colin
Although I saw us a couple of times in the 60s as a sprog and, say, 30 times during the 70s and early 80s, I didn’t get my first ST until I moved to the Norwich area permanently from London in 1988 and I’ve had said ST ever since.
So you’re not alone:-)
Many of us have said above (including me) that it is essential to have seen the player at least a couple of times in the flesh. My bad because I should have established that criterion in the original article – it simply didn’t occur to me to do so.
I largely agree with your selections, only two disputes:-)
I cannot put Greeno over KK, I really can’t. I take your point about his early distribution to Hucks, which I’d actually forgotten about!
And I’d probably, in the all-round sense, go for Chris Sutton over Dean Ashton.
As you so rightly say, in terms of commitment and ability there is very little between Max and Ben.
I do remember Steve Smith, but not in any detailed way. A bit like another Lambert signing, Stephen Hughes, who I can only recall for that right-wing cross that led to Chris Martin’s late header that beat those lovely Leeds boys back in the League One days.
Thanks as always.
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Hi Martin
Given the responses, I have no doubt that Keelan was a great keeper but I never saw him so can’t pass my own judgement.
The joy of this is we can adamantly assert our choices. We will have to disagree over Ashton and Sutton. Ashton had thunderbolts in both feet and was good in the air. I think that if his career hadn’t been tragically cut short he would have been an England great. Sutton was similar but I think he made mistakes in some career choices, most importantly turning down an England B cap, I think I have remembered that correctly.
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Hi Colin.
The main reason I went for Sutton over Ashton is that he began as a centre-back and he was good at it. Very good. As he was as a striker.
Plus we all can associate Sutton with the good times, unlike Deano – rather the opposite in his case I’d guess.
You’re right he did turn down an England B cap and with that decision ended all hopes of a call-up to the senior squad. I don’t think the concept of “England B” exists any more.
Thank you.
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Great read as usual. Perhaps my choice is slightly tinted by nostalgia of watching city when I was a yoof!!
But the greatest city player of all time has to be Martin Peters.
Football has evolved since those days in the late 70’s but he is a player I think that could have excelled in the modern game, he had everything technically touch, vision, range of passing, don’t remember him loosing the ball much, good engine, not the quickest over the ground but he didn’t need to be!
Finally, I agree difficult to put keerers and outfield players in the same category but greatest city keeper of all time is Kevin Keelan, the best shot stopper we have ever had between the sticks bar none!
Cheers
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Hi John
So many of us have gone for KK – he really was something else although I only saw him “live” around half a dozen times.
Purely by chance I was at that game in ’68? ’69? when he punched out the guy Robson from Northampton and walked straight down the tunnel without even looking back to see his red card.
Now if that didn’t excite an 11-y-o boy, what would?
Martin Peters was indeed something else and I am positive that, with modern training methods in tow, if he were playing now it wouldn’t be for Norwich City.
More like Barca or Juve.
Thank you.
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Hard to believe that the canaries once had the best centre forward in the land, Ron Davies. So for me he has to be in there but Peters, Crook and Bowen would be there as well and finally the player who got me off my seat more than any other Huckerby. So Huckerby has it, Huckerby has it.
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Hi Richard
I cannot remember Ron Davies, I probably DID see him play but would have been far too young at the time to recall it.
The trio you mention are spot on and I have to admit Hucks triumphs in the sheer excitement stakes; I think we’d all agree with that:-)
Thank you.
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I cannot believe it but after loads of truly excellent comments absolutely NOBODY has mentioned Grant Holt – including me!
No mention of Iwan I can understand, but no Holty?
Wow!
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Surprised Grant Holt hasn’t had a mention, well now I am.
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Thanks Andrew!
He was such a character and we all loved him!
Skill? No. Finesse, no.
But a bloody good old school striker we all loved.
I’ve never met him myself, except for a cheery wave and thumbs-up on the Ring Road when we were both in our cars – I only recognised him because I had the top down on my little MX5 when this bloody great Aston or something like it pulled up alongside me, He saw my City scarves around the headrests and so started the brief semaphore exchange.
A couple of my mates have spoken with him and they say he is an absolute top bloke with no ego whatsoever.
Cheers.
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Sorry I am late to the comments. blimey Mr P . I think of one that changes to another and so on.
But I have to go for the one player who I watched as a teenager, and then had the honour of watching and meeting. As a teenager watch him score in the world cup final, his goal always being shadowed by his team mate’s efforts. I went a few times and watched him at West Ham, Spurs, but then the dream come true he wore the yellow and green.
Even in the twilight of his career, for me Martin Peters was pure joy to watch, his awareness, vision and touch was ahead of his team mates. He always appeared to have so much time on the ball, that it seemed the rest of the world had stopped Not many defenders ever caught on how he could ghost in unseen, The crowds sometimes were caught out too, I heard several times repeated by those around me “How the Eff did he do that” or ” where the hell did he come from” I have not seen a player who could do that as regular as him. even today.
There have been some great skillful and special players pull on our shirt, but many of those were never here long enough before being sold on. Like Ron Davies the finest header of the ball,
I could go on and possibly fill this space, does seem an injustice not to mention them
I like many others who on walking to Carrow Rd would be excited at the prospect of watching their favourite players over the different eras. Foggo, Eadie, Hucks, Drury, Big Dunc and on & on .
But for me Peters was more that a bit ahead of the others. What was it Ramsey said. ? 10 years ahead of his time… all I can add is Alf was not that wrong .. I would add another 5 years to that personally.
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Hi Lad
I’ glad you’re late this time – I’ve had a busy MFW day!
Seems to be Martin Peters wins out, with my choice of Mark Bowen a reasonably close second.
As I have said above I saw just about every home game Bowen played for us and I must have seen Peters around 20 times, but only half a dozen of those were when he was wearing the Yellow Shirt.
My friend Keith often mentions Kenny Foggo – and also Johnny Gavin. I never saw either of them.
Hope you’re good – thanks a lot.
And it’s great you’ve given a nod to Adam Drury. I cannot believe I neglected to mention him in my “left back evolution chain” in the original article.
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Chippy was, by all accounts, not the greatest of trainers.
I’m very fond of a photo I have of him trying to look interested at Colney whilst wearing the infamous yellow bib with ‘Donkey’ written on it. Maybe he was in training but on the pitch he was an absolute virtuoso. Were the likes of he, Bowen or Culverhouse with us now, they wouldn’t have had anything like the long careers they had with Norwich they eventually did.
They’d have been sold for big money. And then some. I think they would all have excelled in Italy as, I believe, Madders might one day. Serie A is made for players like them.
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Hi Ed
I too remember the infamous yellow “donkey jacket”. Such irony that Chippy was forced to wear an article of clothing with the word “donkey” on it. He would probably have taken great pride in it actually, as in the sense of “oh well”, cack happens.
Madders will surely go to the very summit along the lines you suggest.
I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Godfrey and Aarons followed suit. Maybe Jamal too.
And that’s not a bad problem to have.
Thank you.
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Grant Holt.
For what he did for us in those 3 glorious years. Hard to imagine a better time to be a NCFC supporter.
And never forget Justin Fashanu. My first footballing hero. And, in the end, so much more than just the football.
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Hi Derek
That’s so very true about the Holt-Lambert years. Glory days indeed.
All our memories of Justin Fashanu are tinged with some kind of poignancy I guess. If only he’d been born a generation later. So sad.
Thank you.
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Ron Davies by a country mile is our best ever player.
Described as the best centre forward in Europe by Mat Busby.
Top division leading scorer two years running.
Best goals to appearances ration in a season post war.
I saw him as a teenager and he was wonderful.
They still worship him in Southampton.
,
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Hi John
You’re not the only one to give a big shout for Ron Davies.
As I said to Richard earlier, I cannot remember Davies, I probably DID see him play but would have been far too young at the time to recall it.
And Matt Busby knew his onions so that was quite a compliment!
Thank you.
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What other Norwich player has scored four goals at Old Trafford?
He was a complete forward.
I’d rate Peters second to Ron and Kevin Keelan as the best keeper and biggest character.
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Efan Ekoku got four at Goodison, but that’s not quite the same!
It’s great to see so much love for Keelan.
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Something was nagging at me about my proposed 11. Then it hit like a freight train this morning…..Tony Powell! He was very good, very, very good! Shame on me. This is not so easy when you give it due attention….
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Ha!
Very true.
David Phillips and Efan Ekoku had their moments too, although I would suggest that neither would get in an all-time great XI.
Mind you, Efan scored our very first goal in European football – and four against Everton at Goodison!
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Great piece all of this Martin and so nostalgic.
Just makes you realise how hard this is, Robert Fleck, Dean Ashton, Wes and Ruel are just some I forgot to mention !
Have to agree with you on Mark Bowen, best left back just in front of Adam.
And Ian Culverhouse best right back ahead of Eddy and Geoff Butler. However could Max Aarons be better than all of them?
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Hi Tim
All of the four you cite have had mentions, but not as many as I expected.
Culverhouse and Bowen were totally opposite in style but equally so stunningly effective.
Aarons certainly has the potential to eclipse them and quite possibly Jamal Lewis too. We’ll see!
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Wow, some great names and some fantastic memories.
As a young lad, going into Barclays Bank at the Heartsease and seeing Big Dunc in there, laughing and chatting in the queue was something that I have never forgotten. Being a centre half for the school team and the cubs, Dunc was my hero and always will be.. We have had better players but Forbes and Keelan will always be the reason I support our fantastic club.
As a boy, whenever I was naughty, my late Dad used to threaten to get Duncan Forbes round !
Thanks for the memories, City til I die!
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Hi Kevin
Yes the names suggested by everybody bring back memories for all of us. MFW sometimes indulges in nostalgia – our Ed C-L is the specialist in this field!
I never met either KK or Big Dunc, but folks I know who did could not speak more highly of both of them.
My old boy (a really good amateur middleweight) would threaten me with the offer of a right cross or a left jab if I put my parts on.
I was never threatened with a visit from Duncan Forbes but as dad was a WHU fan he did once mention he’d send Billy Bonds after me if I didn’t eat my tea. Or something like that.
Great comment – thank you.
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Marty, difficult decision this, I guess we can only judge our favourite players within the context of the game as it was played in their day. The one exception is Keelan, he was brilliant then and would be now. Our best captain was Duncan but I doubt he would hold his place in the modern game. The most exciting player was Hucks, at one time he was the most fouled player in the league, it was the only was the opposition could stop him. Martin Peters was the most cultured player he could find space against any defence. Pukki hasn’t been with us long but his goal scoring ability is second to none. I’ve had many more yellow and green heroes over the last 60 years but for me these few are the most outstanding.
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Hiya Cutty.
Spot on, especially your opening sentence.
I can only compare Teemu (we shouldn’t use the word Pukki too much in order not to give our Malaysian readers any offence) to Robert Fleck.
Both explosive over 10 metres with the perfect eye for goal.
Darren Huckerby was indeed unique and I think we universally love him. Many footballing “thugs” back in the day couldn’t get close enough to him to hack him.
Cheers bud.
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It’s a honour to be mentioned with all these great names, bet every player on the list appreciates playing for this great club #Ncfc
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Hi Hucks.
As you can see above you win the “sheer excitement” category hands down. I will never forget that Cardiff game as your loan came to end.
Little then did we know what a Boxing Day present we were going to get.
Thanks for all those wonderful memories and its fantastic to see that you’re still very much connected to the Club..
Best wishes from all at MFW.
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Thanks to each and every one of you for all your great comments and indeed player choices.
MFW will do something “similar but different” during the next international break – dunno exactly what yet but I’m sure we’ll think of something.
Cheers all.
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Oops a bit late to this party . Many of the mentioned players I am a little young to remember. But for me Gunn was a great keeper and Charactor so would take the keeping honours.
The rest might depend on formations and team mates. Would Holt, Ashton or Teemu thrive like Sutton in that great team? Culverhouse wasn’t just a great FB but a great sweeper. Just because it was our best team, I’m tempted to give the nod in defence to Butterworth but he never had that commanding feel like Malky or Newsome. In midfield for me its easy, whilst I believe the many testaments to Peters, I can only go with who I’ve seen and Crook was head and shoulders above the rest. Of course out wide it’s got to be Hucks, absolutely the most exciting i’ve seen in a city shirt. So for me:
Gunn
Culverhouse Malky Butterworth Bowen
Phillips Crook Maddison Hucks
Holt Sutton
Disclaimer: This obviously wouldn’t work as a team, too little ballast in the middle of the park
As for favourite, its as much about the person as the player and I’d go for Gunn.
Given time several of the current team might stake a real claim. All of; Lewis, Godfrey, Arrons, Cantwell, Buendia and Pukki have been great so far and could be City greats if they stick around and continue to do it or improve.
Bah!
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Hi General
Good to see you back in the MFW trenches, as it were.
I agree your ultimate team selection is an unbalanced one, but they would be great fun to watch.
Holty and Sutton up front together? Unfathomable to me but there you go!
I once played against Cully in a match in Harlow – he must have been about 15 and I was nearly 20. He played midfield and ran us ragged. He really was that good even then.
As for the current crop I totally agree with you as you’ve picked out all the right names. I’d add Zimbo to your list – while Farke is here he will be too.
Gunny Snr is a great guy. When asked to pick up the reins he should have said “no”. But he couldn’t because of his inbuilt loyalty and, yes, he suffered a little for that. Shame, really.
Good to see you back.
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