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I saw a post on the other forum, from a fan with 52 years in, whose first game was watching a young Toshack. Got me thinking about star players who have made a big impression and stuck in the memory. I was relatively late in life to start watching the City (very late teens) but I recall seeing a young Lineker strutting his stuff at Ninian Park around 79 or 80. Probably not my first game but close to it. Others that spring to mind are Trevor Francis in a cup game (I think) up at Maine road (God, was he fast or what?) and, later, a young Walcott with bags of promise playing at Cardiff. Also recall Archie Gemmill, post World Cup getting a brilliantly huge amount of abuse from the Bob Bank. I am sure that you guys will have far more impressive recollections...
The heroes that spring to my mind are those who played in our colours and made one stand up a few listed below :
Buchanan
Willie Anderson
Bennet Brothers
Leighton Phillips
Tony Evans
Ian Gibson
Thorny
Ron Healy
Peter King
Gary Bell
Whitts
Earnie
Thorny
Michael Carrick for West Ham is the one that always stands out for me. Think it was first our season back in championship so 2003/2004 and it was the away league game.
Absolute Rolls Royce of a player. Not quick but so intelligent that Cardiff couldn’t get within 5 yards of him to even kick him. Always in space to receive ball, never gave the ball away.
Johann Cruyff for Barcelona against Aston Villa in 1978.
Barca's tactics were "give it to Johann" and he dominated from the start getting an early goal, Villa couldn't get near him.
Game changed when he was subbed late on (I think he was 31 then and "retired" the end of that season), Villa got two late goals for a 2-2 draw.
Mick Mills for Ipswich. FA Cup 1978 I think.
I’d say the classiest player i’ve seen playing against us at home, was Ray Wilkins.
Ian Gibson
John Charles
Ivor Allchurch
Gerry Hitchens
Graham Moore
The superb Spurs double winning team of the early 60s, we beat them mind!
Originally Posted by lincoln blue
I wus there!!!!!!
I remember that day Theo Walcott came down with Southampton as the next big thing. Chris Barker had him in his pocket the entire afternoon.
The best individual performance I can recall seeing in the flesh from a great would be Bastian Schweinsteiger against Wales at the Millennium Stadium in 2007. He was head and shoulders above anyone on that pitch and completely bossed it from start to finish. A joy to behold.
Schweinsteiger was on a different planet in that match. What about Le Tissier in that 3-0 League Cup defeat a few years back?
1977, Laurie Cunningham playing against us for Orient, he scored the only goal of the game. If my memory serves me right, he took the ball deep in his own half, and not a City player could get anywhere near him - he had blistering pace! He'd also scored two against us earlier in the season at Brisbane Road.
Another player who sticks in my mind was Andy Cole playing against us at Ashton Gate for Bristol City in the second leg of the Coca-Cola Cup. He also had electric pace, his movement was a different class. He scored a hat-trick against us that evening in a 5-1 hiding.
Both the aforementioned players had not really established their names at that point.
Hristo Stoichkov against Wales in the 90s at the Millennium Stadium. Gave us a footballing lesson. The guy was whippet fast too.
From a quick Google search, the Le Tissier game was a little before my time unfortunately (1995, my first full season down the City would have been 98-99).
On the topic of performances v. Wales, another that sticks in my mind was Jari Litmanen for Finland in 2009. 38 years of age, dropped back into midfield and absolutely picked us apart. Classy classy player.
Viv Anderson atNP in the year that Forest went up.
They thumped us and he looked in a different class to anyone else on the pitch.
You could see when he was 16-17 years old, Ramsey was a cut above.
Back in the Dave Jones era when we played Birmingham City, they were overwhelming promotion favourites and had David Dunn and Damian Duff who everyone raved about. It was one of those Dave Jones days when we played some unbelievable football, I was convinced the club was going to the top 😢. City, to a man were incredible and played them off the park. At the time I remember thinking Kerrea Gilbert was going to be a club legend for exploits on the pitch….
Gareth Bale in a Southampton side beaten 1-0. Bobby Moore losing it with Robin Friday who was making his City debut, an anonymous George Best in a Fulham side we beat 3-1. DeBruyne’s free kick under our wall. Suarez’s hat trick.
Andy Cole scoring a hat trick against us for the Wurzels 30 years ago.
The boy was on a completely different planet to us
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTn8Wrbds6g
Who the hell is Nilson Callaway? I don't remember him at all playing for us but he's on our team sheet
That's one of the longest-standing ovations I've ever given to a City team. As you said, we played unbelievable football that day.
Was impressed with Didier Six in Jeff Hemmermans testimonial and Mark Walters as they were big names at the time.That's one of the longest-standing ovations I've ever given to a City team. As you said, we played unbelievable football that day.
I also felt in awe of Joe Corrigan and Frank Worthington as they were also household names, to a young fan.
I remember Eric Gates getting a hatrick against us in the FA Cup for Ipswich in the early 80s. They were outstanding that day.
Saw Mark Walters absolutely rip City apart in a Youth Cup game at Ninian Park in 1980 I think it was - he ended up having a good career, but I thought he was going to be a real superstar that night.
Paul Parker when he was playing for QPR at NP. He was lightning quick and pure class. You knew he was going to be snapped up by one of the top sides.
That italian fecker that played for west ham...gino badabing?...nah i cant remember his name
Merson in a friendly, he was a class above
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