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[Albion] Albion's best ever header of a ball



Buzzer

Languidly Clinical
Oct 1, 2006
26,121
I can't remember if this has been done before but who is, in your opinion, Albion's best ever header? And if anyone feels like it subdividing that into forwards and defenders. I can't recall too many forwards who are as good at heading as Hemed and in defence it would have to be a toss-up between Eric Young, Steve Foster, Guy Butters and Shane Duffy.

For me, I really can't decide between Duffy and Butters. Duffy is obviously fresher in the memory but I can't ever recall an occasion when Butters lost a duel in the air. He had a knack of jumping late (or more often not at all), letting the opposition player make their move and then position his body so that he won the ball.
 


Sheebo

Well-known member
Jul 13, 2003
29,226
Cullip or Duffy in my lifetime.
 










Goldstone1976

We Got Calde in!!
Helpful Moderator
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Apr 30, 2013
13,765
Herts
I can't remember if this has been done before but who is, in your opinion, Albion's best ever header? And if anyone feels like it subdividing that into forwards and defenders. I can't recall too many forwards who are as good at heading as Hemed and in defence it would have to be a toss-up between Eric Young, Steve Foster, Guy Butters and Shane Duffy.

For me, I really can't decide between Duffy and Butters. Duffy is obviously fresher in the memory but I can't ever recall an occasion when Butters lost a duel in the air. He had a knack of jumping late (or more often not at all), letting the opposition player make their move and then position his body so that he won the ball.

Butters was exactly as you describe, but I don’t recall many :)whistle:) full length diving headers of the type that Duffy seems to make every other game. A wonder to behold.
 


Gwylan

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2003
31,324
Uffern
Didn't one of the Brighton managers describe Sir Norman as the best header of the ball he'd seen?
I reckon Duffy would have the beating of him though.

Best forward I've seen has to be Alex Dawson, he could smash the ball with his head (and take opposition with him as well, for good measure)
 


MattBackHome

Well-known member
Jul 7, 2003
11,689
In terms of defenders I'd probably say Butters-Fozzie-Duffy in that order but could easily be convinced otherwise. Basically my memories of Fozzie are all rose tinted so I don't trust myself to be objective. Butters had the knack as you say of just getting it right every time, though I'm aware that Duffy is probably the greatest physical presence of them all.

Up top I'd say Ulloa in recent years is noteworthy due to his strange capacity for making the hardest headers (slow lofted balls, balls slightly behind him that he had to contort his body for, balls which required a huge snap of the neck) look easy.
 




Buzzer

Languidly Clinical
Oct 1, 2006
26,121
Butters was exactly as you describe, but I don’t recall many :)whistle:) full length diving headers of the type that Duffy seems to make every other game. A wonder to behold.

That header from the halfway line back to the keeper, last home game was a real collector's item.
 


Sheebo

Well-known member
Jul 13, 2003
29,226
You rate Cullip better than Butters? I must admit, I hadn't really considered Cullip, what with him playing alongside Tank.

I can't always remember what I did yesterday never mind 15 years ago so I dunno :lol:

I saw Butters play many a game but can't remember his heading much - apart from that winner at Upton Park where we went BATSHIT crazy, of course :)
 
















Papa Lazarou

Living in a De Zerbi wonderland
Jul 7, 2003
18,840
Worthing
I've seen many generations of Brighton players, and have been fortunate to see the likes of Foster, Young (all 3 - Willie, Alan and Eric), Sammy Nelson, Keith Dublin, Doug Rougvie, Danny Cullip, Nicky Bissett, Chris Cattlin, Martin Chivers, Derek Allan, Gary Hobson, Colin Pates, Paul Clark, Teddy Maybank, Andy Rollings, Neil Mellor, Hans Kraay, Gary O'Reilly, Larry May, Stefan Iovan, plus the modern crop.... but I don't think I've ever been soooo impressed by anyone's heading ability, it terms of raw power, dominance and the ability to head the ball a ****ing long way was

Shane Duffy
 


Moshe Gariani

Well-known member
Mar 10, 2005
12,068
Andy Rollings was a good headerer. I have a hazy memory of him scoring one from the edge of the box - but that is probably made up.
 


Buzzer

Languidly Clinical
Oct 1, 2006
26,121
Worth mentioning is a player from the 1930s called Paul Mooney. I remember reading about him in a Tim Carder aka [MENTION=831]The History Man[/MENTION] article in a match programme years ago. The report recorded that he once scored with a header from the halfway line. By all accounts he was a tough nut...

"In 1934 Simon Raleigh of Gillingham died from a brain haemorrhage following a clash of heads with Brighton's Paul Mooney. The Brighton player was so distressed by Raleigh's death that he retired from playing football. "

This is a from the programme article in Jan 2007 (Thanks to [MENTION=118]Hiney[/MENTION]'s excellent website & hope he doesn't mind me snipping a photo from it)

Capture.jpg


https://www.flickr.com//photos/75238685@N02/sets/72157654769339108/show/
 









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