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And we have been blessed with some great left backs too.
Clive Charles
Sir Andy Legg
Naylor (cough)
It’s Rodrigues, he could begin a slide tackle from the Bob Bank and take the ball off the opposing forward in front of the Enclosure.
Peter Rodrigues was my favourite player when I first started watching City quite regularly between the ages of eight and nine, but I was in my early forties when Mark Delaney became the player I looked forward to seeing most before we played - it’s the only time besides those first few years with Rodrigues that a full back invoked such hero worship in me, Delaney was so much better than Division Four standard and it was no surprise to see him establishing himself in Villa’s Premier Leagus side so quickly.
Definitely Delaney. Top quality. One of the best athletes ever to play for us.
Joe Dwyer was right back for the 1st few seasons I watched the City. He'd be my second choice.If, due to injuries, he was needed elsewhere Brian Attley would play 2. He only moved to centre back when Linden Jones came along (he was very underrated). Robbie James was very classy at Right Back in his 1st season with us and then moved into midfield for his second season. McNaughton after those three.
Tim Gilbert, signed from Sunderland. But also a left back. He played in that disastrous relegation season early 80's when the club was falling apart.
Actually, I've just looked him up in the John Crooks books. He played 33 games between Feb 81 and May 82. Initially signed by Richie Morgan but most of his appearances came in the disastrous 81-82 season when we were relegated. He was released and joined Darlington. The next season he was replaced by a mixture of Jimmy Mullen and Paul Bodin. Linden Jones was right back and Pontin and Dwyer Centre Back, Dibble in goal as we immediately got promoted back to the 2nd division.
Dibble-Jones-Bodin-Dwyer-Pontin an all Welsh defence only Linden Jones didn't get capped.
Sorry, I've rambled a bit and gone off topic. Apologies.
Actually, ignore the above. It s the season that Pontin fell out with Ashurst and only played 4 games. The great Gary Bennett was at centre back.
Dibble was 17, Jones 21, Bodin 18, Bennett 21. That's a very young defence.
Sorry, again. More rambling
Tim Gilbert and Mick Henderson were the full backs in a Sunderland side thrashed 5-2 down here in 1978 and four years later they were playing together for us in a relegation team. That said, I remember Gilbert as quite a stylish player who always looked as though he could fit in at a better team than us, but, clearly, when you look at his record (left us on a free to join Fourth Division Darlington and out of the pro game at 26), he must have had weaknesses to his game or there were things outside football affecting him. He's another one of our players who died young, he was only 36 - do we have more who do that than other clubs? It feels like that at times.
Had to scroll quite a bit to see Robbie James mentioned, he was the first that came to my mind. There's probably a bit of nostalgia in my decision as he was coming towards the end of his career when he was with us, but I'm standing by it.
Mark Delaney.
That goal V Chester was one ill always remember
Ian Rodgerson's first spell
Linden Jones for me and Dwyer when he played there.
Spedger