[Albion] Brighton Legends XI

Berty23 · May 21, 2022

I have woken up today and wondering if we will hear confirmation of the Gross contract and it made me wonder whether he is a genuine Albion legend. I am 42 and was just thinking about players I hear talked about and how they were adored. So I have had a stab at picking a side based on legendary status. To be clear this is not what I believe is the best ever Albion side (that was essentially be the current Albion side with Zamora) but players who have full on legendary status. Obviously some of the current crop could get there but this is my take on it. Formation sucks but you get the idea

GK. Kuipers - the Dutch marine who was brilliant for us but also a cult here
LB - Kerry mayo - obviously not close to the level of current players but played for us for so long through some tough times. Even had time to score an own goal in our must not lose match and stands out due to his hair
RB - Bruno - a player who would make our best ever side who is not playing. Just brilliant and seems an amazing bloke. He was different level in champo
CB - Foster - headband.
CB - dunk. Captain fantastic who will stand the test of time as possibly the best ever player for the club.

Midfield is a bit trickier but how about
Knockaert - pushing it saying midfielder but the petit magician was the absolute standout player getting us to the prem. he was moody and temperamental and all legends sides need a bit of that.
Oatway - played loads of times in the tricky times but was involved as we started to improve. He was also sidekick to the boss who began the transformation. A bit of mongrel needed in midfield.
Case - class above from the old school (in my eyes and my dad talked about how good he was for us)

Attack
Zamora - He was just incredible for us in the two title winning years and doing well when he came back was the stuff of erm…legend.
Murray - yes he went to palace but played for us through the leagues and scored at all levels. Still our top scorer in a single season in the prem.
ward - one for my old man.

Players who didn’t quite make the cut
Vicente - didn’t play enough but could be in for anyone I suppose. He was amazing
Cullip - carved from granite. A no nonsense leader
Greer - amazing captain under Poyet
Calderon - almost picked him out of position at LB
Stockdale - he was so important in getting us to prem and his behaviour after shoreham was amazing.

I will have missed several. What do you think? Not our best side ever. But biggest legends.

Brighthelmstone · May 21, 2022

Got to have Hart in there surely?! based on the legend criteria, not skill

withdeanwombat · May 21, 2022

Your dad’s pick…….true legend, and be in virtually every best player team.

Sully would get in mine, and the Napier twins, and Bertolini, and, and, and…..

Official Old Man · May 21, 2022

The fact that you say "Ward - one for the old man" instantly means you've omited any player pre 2000. We did have a good team at the Goldstone. Man in the news Lawrenson for one, Smith must score and lots of others.

Brovion · May 21, 2022

Official Old Man said:
The fact that you say "Ward - one for the old man" instantly means you've omited any player pre 2000. We did have a good team at the Goldstone. Man in the news Lawrenson for one, Smith must score and lots of others.

Exactly. Ward, Lawrenson and Horton would walk into any 'Legends' team. And Charlie Webb and Tommy Cook must both be in with a shout - even though I never saw them play. Including players like Cullip and Greer, well, ...... just no.

Wellesley · May 21, 2022

Lewis Dunk is in my opinion, the most legendary of all Brighton legends. (John Crumplin a close second obviously). Hans Kraay isn't a legend but he made a big mark in the few games he played for us and was probably the funniest most batshit mental player I've seen for any team, so would deserve a place on the bench. Steve Gatting deserves a place for his over 300 appearances. Ward was like a superhero to us as kids and Knocky would definitely get a place in my team.

Worried Man Blues · May 21, 2022

I am sure we all have our own legends or maybe just the ones we remember!

timbha · May 21, 2022

Nobby Horton would have Oatway in his pocket all day long

zefarelly · May 21, 2022

With over 40 years pleasure and pain under my belt, leg-ends fall into different categories, at different levels

Jimmy case - fa cup semi final free kick . Vs RObby Reinelt, not really comparable but equally legendary

Napier/Ward/Robinson/Nellson/Zamora/Murray

Mosseley/Kuipers/Beeney/Digweed/Bob/Stockwell. . . . Even John Phillips, only played once, but we beat Palace 3-2 ;-) legend for a day.

£1.99 · May 21, 2022

And lets not forget.

"Mr Glamour Boy" himself.

I pushed Kit Napier out the way to take a penalty and missed it!!

The George Best of Brighton & Hove Albion.

The one and only.

I give you......

Mr Alan Duffy

FamilyGuy · May 21, 2022

Gerry Ryan - if only for his subs role at Wembley 83.
Always seemed to give everything whenever he was on the pitch.

Wellesley · May 21, 2022

timbha said:
Nobby Horton would have Oatway in his pocket all day long

True, but I think Oatway and Cullip can be considered legends because of the spirit they brought during the Withdean era.

Berty23 · May 21, 2022

timbha said:
Nobby Horton would have Oatway in his pocket all day long

I dont disagree with this at all. Horton was much much better player but that is not how I selected the side (i lived with horton’s god son at uni and he sorted me a signed shirt when he was our manager so he is also a legend in my eyes). While lawrenson was a brilliant player (I can remember end of his career at Liverpool) he never seems to be particularly positive about Brighton so can’t claim legendary status.

Maybe I will swap oatway for Horton.

SeagullsoverLondon · May 21, 2022

Wellesley said:
True, but I think Oatway and Cullip can be considered legends because of the spirit they brought during the Withdean era.

It's difficult to compare eras, but Nobby for me.
And surprised no one has mentioned the Welsh wizard, Sully.

Always my hero in my very early days supporting. And I was always amazed how he also managed to commentate on the horse racing as well!

SeagullsoverLondon · May 21, 2022

Oh and can I also suggest Mullery as manager.

Seagull58 · May 21, 2022

I would have Ward, Horton and Sully in the Legends team, John Templeman on the bench.
As for best team ever, the OP is wrong with his assertion that it is the current team with Zamora. Lawrenson walks into our best ever team and Nobby is in there alongside Bissouma.. Up front I'd have Ward alongside Zamora or Murray or maybe go batshit mental and have Zamora and Murray up top with Ward tucked in behind n the number 10 role.

Garry Nelson's Left Foot · May 21, 2022

As someone of a similar age to the o.p I think he's got the late 70's/early 80's players about right. The ones we grew up hearing about were Case, Foster, Horton, Lawrenson and Ward. Lawrenson is the only one questionable as a legend in that he doesn't seem to have an especially deep affection for the club(not saying he hates us or doesn't like us but we're number three on his list, along, long way behind Liverpool and quite far behind Preston).

Any player further back than that era is for the older fans to tell us about as they've fallen out of common parlance.

Taking longevity into account the players of the past 40-50 years that deserve a place are probably:

Foster, Dunk, Bruno, Horton, Case, Ward, Zamora, Murray.

Possibly Mayo, Lawrenson, Knockeart, Reinelt, Storer.

Whatever the level just below legend is: Oatway, Cullip, FDM, Hart.

Then there's a level of personal favourite players who were good/great for the level they played at but their place in the pantheon will be down to personal preference. Garry Nelson, John Byrne, Danny Wilson, Graham Moseley etc

That's my take on it anyway.

Skuller · May 21, 2022

Powney?

BLOCK F · May 21, 2022

It all depends on one’s age, but being an oldie, I have to go with the oldies’ choices on this thread.

Worried Man Blues · May 21, 2022

Charlie Liversey, Alex Dawson my first legends, Kit, Eddie Spearritt, Peter Smith oh I won't go on.........................XXXI !

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