Reply With QuoteLoved Jay, could never understand some of the stick he got, what we would do for a player like him now.
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to me one of our great forwards in modern times. lovely balance with a sweet left foot .
Happy 41st Birthday @jaybothroyd I bet you've still got these in your locker 😆👍🎉🎁🎂 pic.twitter.com/hWSwUPYgJJ
— 🏴 CardiffCityForum.com (@cardiff_forum) May 7, 2023
Loved Jay, could never understand some of the stick he got, what we would do for a player like him now.
We get all starry eyed about players like Bothroyd, mainly because our striking options have generally been rubbish since the days of him and Chopra. That's not to say that he wasn't a good player for us.Originally Posted by 2b2bdoo
Who can forget the 16 goals in 16 games at the start of the 2010/11 season that got him an England call up, or the 5 goals in 25 games after that? For me, when he was on top form, a top half Premier League striker. If he'd have lived up to his ability, we wouldn't have had 3 seasons out of him.
What's the game the stupid fuucker got himself suspended for the game against those scruffy cuunts Swansea?
Thick fuucking twaaat.
Great player for City in the main though.
Great player , too much play acting
Too many times he was sat on his arse with a look on his face that said "mum, that nasty man pushed me over".
He was fabulous.
That team was fabulous.
I still feel nauseous about that Blackpool Game and what could have been.
Yes if he had that physical edge we wouldn’t have had a chance of having him, he would be a top 10 premier league player.
If you could merge Kieffer and Jay you have a player we wouldn’t be able to afford I guess.
Jay tho was brilliant for us, cost nothing? Did a job? But he landed on his ass to much lol.
Magnificent player. Will never forget the sense of doom when he limped off in the play off final.
This may be a false memory but I also recollect not being a fan at first. Did it take him a few months to get going?
He didn't score in his first 10 games and only managed 3 goals in his first 20, so not exactly a roaring start.
When Dave Jones signed him I remember most fans feeling quite indifferent. We knew he had talent but it was largely unfulfilled with his previous clubs. But boy did he make his mark with us. At his best he was unplayable and a joy to watch.
I don’t think goals was his big strength although he certainly added them. Similar to
Thorne they were the key to other players performing.
While he was on the pitch I was 100% confident we were going to win- we were clearly the better side. That confidence evaporated as soon as he went down injured.
I had a nagging feeling at the time that he didn't need to come off, that he was being a drama queen and that his injury was symptomatic of a player that just didn't fancy it when the chips were down . All competely unfairly no doubt, but with his talent, he could have been a top Premier league and international striker if he had toughened up a bit.
A goal every 3 games is hardly saying goals wasn't his big strength! He knew how to find the net as well as supply the like of Chops, Bellers and McCormack.
I remember watching Bothroyd’s performance in the Wolves team we beat in our FA Cup run in 2008 and thinking “what a waste of space” - he presented us with the ball in the build up to the second goal and stood there appealing that he’d been fouled. This was one of the reasons why I was one of those who was critical of his signing - also, he had never fulfilled his obvious promise.
I began to change my mind with his first touch of the ball as a City player after he’d come on as a sub against Southampton in the first game of the 08/09 season when he went on a run down the left in front of the Bob Bank past three or four opponents to get himself in a position where he really should have scored - he’d done the hard bit, but his shot was saved or went wide, I can’t remember now.
The idea of a six foot plus centre forward who was capable of something like that was something I’ve not seen from a City centre forward before or since (Zohore’s goal against Preston is the closest to it I’ve seen) and Bothroyd went on to prove himself as easily the most complete player in that position for us that I’ve seen and he’ll almost certainly be the only City player I see playing for England in my City supporting lifetime.
Bothroyd played his best football in a City shirt, but despite it all, I still have a feeling of unfulfilled talent with him - he should have played more times for his country with the ability he had. Also, like a few in that Dave Jones side full of quality attacking players, the term flat track bully could be applied to him - if things were going against us, I never really expected him to come up with something to change the way a game was going like a Bellamy might have done.
In his last game for us, the disastrous Play Off game with Reading, he bottled it when faced with a challenge with the opposing keeper in which he may have got injured and, to an extent, it characterised that very talented team he was part of - as I say, we saw the best of Bothroyd, he was a genius in some ways, but a flawed one.
Frustrating was Jay. Somewhere between genius and couldn't be bothered attitude. I used to have a bet with my son as to how long it would be before he was sat on his backside doing up his laces. Three minutes in, one match. Still, one of the best we've had in a City shirt. Just wish he'd stayed on for the whole of the Blackpool final.
A few years ago I called up to see Lawnmower. His dog was laying on the floor in our way, “C’mon Chopra move” he said, I said you should have called him Bothroyd.
I can second that. IIRC he was running around like a good un until Blackpool equalised and pretty shortly after that he suddenly came off. My heart sank at that moment as even though we had Chopra who was on good form, I still felt a sense of doom! What might have been....
Still, what a contrast between that team of 2010 and the one we have today!
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