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[Football] Best ever England Squad, Mexico 70 or Euro 2021?



Lenny Rider

Well-known member
Sep 15, 2010
5,433
Although we went out at the QF stage, Sir Alf’s 22 in 1970 is reckoned to be the strongest ever England squad or have Southgate’s 2021 26 usurped them?

And how many World class players did each squad contain?

1970, Banks, Moore, Ball and Charlton.

2021 ?

What is classed as World Class in the 21st century?
 




Questions

Habitual User
Oct 18, 2006
24,890
Worthing
Ok Jeff Astle

They’re you go. Thread closed.
 


Questions

Habitual User
Oct 18, 2006
24,890
Worthing
Although we went out at the QF stage, Sir Alf’s 22 in 1970 is reckoned to be the strongest ever England squad or have Southgate’s 2021 26 usurped them?

And how many World class players did each squad contain?

1970, Banks, Moore, Ball and Charlton.

2021 ?

What is classed as World Class in the 21st century?
Charlton had pretty much gone by 1970. Ball was back to ordinary and Moore kept stealing bracelets ffs
 








Frankworthington

Well-known member
Jul 17, 2019
1,471
South Shields
In 1970 you could have added Peters and Cooper.Also Labone helped Moore keep Pele and Tostao quite in the Brasil game.

The present England side?Struggling to think of any genuine world class players.

I remember that game at Leon in 1970 like yesterday.2-0 up with 20 minutes to go.If Banks had not gone down with illness before the game and Ramsey had not substituted Charlton,who knows? The hurt never goes away!
 
Last edited:


Eeyore

Colonel Hee-Haw of Queen's Park
NSC Patron
Apr 5, 2014
23,570
1970 was a strong squad, although 2006 is often forgotten. My feeling is that it was the strongest ever to leave these shores.

I don't believe this is yet the strongest but I think it will become that way. It needs a couple more years to develop. The telling feature is the depth of the squad rather than the best eleven. And I believe that come 2024 things will peak.
 


Questions

Habitual User
Oct 18, 2006
24,890
Worthing
1970 was a strong squad, although 2006 is often forgotten. My feeling is that it was the strongest ever to leave these shores.

I don't believe this is yet the strongest but I think it will become that way. It needs a couple more years to develop. The telling feature is the depth of the squad rather than the best eleven. And I believe that come 2024 things will peak.

A rousing speech Sir
 








big nuts

Well-known member
Jan 15, 2011
4,866
Hove
1998 was our best squad in my lifetime of watching major tournaments. 1986 - present.


No. Name Age Pos Club Starts Subs Total Goals Capts
1. Seaman, David A. 34 G Arsenal FC 36 4 40 18ᵍᵃ 0 None
2. Campbell, Sulzeer J. 23 D Tottenham Hotspur FC 13 3 16 0 0 2
3. Le Saux, Graeme P. 29 D Chelsea FC 23 2 25 1 0 2
4. Ince, Paul E.C. 30 M Liverpool FC 37 2 39 2 7 2
5. Adams, Tony A. 31 D Arsenal FC 51 0 51 4 14 2
6. Southgate, Gareth 27 D Aston Villa FC 22 3 25 0 0 2
7. Beckham, David R.J. 23 M Manchester United FC 13 2 15 0 0 3
8. Batty, David 29 M Newcastle United FC 24 7 31 0 0 3
9. Shearer, Alan 27 F Newcastle United FC 35 4 39 18 10 1
10. Sheringham, Edward P. 32 F Manchester United FC 26 7 33 9
11. McManaman, Steven 26 M Liverpool FC 17 4 21 0 0 None
12. Neville, Gary A. 23 D Manchester United FC 25 2 27 0 0 None
13. Martyn, A. Nigel 31 G Leeds United AFC 6 1 7 _ᵍᵃ 0 None
14. Anderton, Darren R. 26 M Tottenham Hotspur FC 18 0 18 5
15. Merson, Paul C. 30 F Middlesbrough FC 8 10 18 2 0 None
16. Scholes, Paul 23 M Manchester United FC 6 1 7 3 0 3
17. Lee, Robert M. 32 M Newcastle United FC 12 5 17 2 0 1
18. Keown, Martin R. 31 D Arsenal FC 17 1 18 1 0 2
19. Ferdinand, Leslie 31 F Tottenham Hotspur FC 13 4 17 5
20. Owen, Michael J. 18 F Liverpool FC 2 3 5 1 0 None
21. Ferdinand, Rio G. 19 D West Ham United FC 1 2 3 0
22. Flowers, Timothy D. 31 G Blackburn Rovers FC 11 0 11 _ᵍᵃ 0 None
Averages Age 27.5

Ian Wright, Jamie Redknapp & Paul Gascoigne didn’t make the squad.
 




studio150

Well-known member
Jul 30, 2011
29,619
On the Border
Banks
Bonetti
Stepney

Charlton J
Cooper
Hughes
Hunter
Labone
Moore
Newton
Wright

Ball
Bell
Charlton B
Mullery
Peters
Stiles

Astle
Clarke
Hurst
Lee
Osgood


OK playing by the rules of today a few of this squad may well have been red carded, and lacking pace against todays squad, and with the age of the todays squad it may well be better in 4 years time but currently I would go with the 1970 squad. Not only more top quality players but you also got Esso players coins and a number 1 single (Back Home) and a number 4 album (The World Beaters Sing The World Beaters)
 


Frankworthington

Well-known member
Jul 17, 2019
1,471
South Shields
Banks
Bonetti
Stepney

Charlton J
Cooper
Hughes
Hunter
Labone
Moore
Newton
Wright

Ball
Bell
Charlton B
Mullery
Peters
Stiles

Astle
Clarke
Hurst
Lee
Osgood


OK playing by the rules of today a few of this squad may well have been red carded, and lacking pace against todays squad, and with the age of the todays squad it may well be better in 4 years time but currently I would go with the 1970 squad. Not only more top quality players but you also got Esso players coins and a number 1 single (Back Home) and a number 4 album (The World Beaters Sing The World Beaters)

Strange that Clarke made his England debut in the finals,scored the winning goal and never played in the tournament again

Can you imagine that happening these days?
 










vagabond

Well-known member
May 17, 2019
9,804
Brighton
Shirley we got knocked out by Portugal in 2006? The Rooney sending off? Or am i going senile?

Ah you’re right my bad. All our previous English failures blur into one at this point! I just checked. The team I’m thinking of was 2002.

The team that lost to Brazil. With Michael Owen, Rio, Becks, Scholes, Sol Campbell, Seaman, Joe Cole..

Should have done far, far, better with these guys. Ditto the ones shortly thereafter after with Rooney in his early days where he was electric.
 


Eeyore

Colonel Hee-Haw of Queen's Park
NSC Patron
Apr 5, 2014
23,570
Agree 2006 was an incredible team/squad.

Such a shame they just happened to be drawn against that Brazil team.

That was 2002. Not a lot was expected that year. 2006 went out to Portugal on pens. They limped their way through to the quarters without getting out of second gear and then got stuck in it. They just looked jaded.
 




Frankworthington

Well-known member
Jul 17, 2019
1,471
South Shields
Ah you’re right my bad. All our previous English failures blur into one at this point! I just checked. The team I’m thinking of was 2002.

The team that lost to Brazil. With Michael Owen, Rio, Becks, Scholes, Sol Campbell, Seaman, Joe Cole..

Should have done far, far, better with these guys. Ditto the ones shortly thereafter after with Rooney in his early days where he was electric.

Yes your right,they do blur into one!

The only reason i remember 1990 and 2002 is that i was abroad at those times.Watching the Brazil game in a Belgian cafe!!
 


Icy Gull

Back on the rollercoaster
Jul 5, 2003
72,015
Although we went out at the QF stage, Sir Alf’s 22 in 1970 is reckoned to be the strongest ever England squad or have Southgate’s 2021 26 usurped them?

And how many World class players did each squad contain?

1970, Banks, Moore, Ball and Charlton.

2021 ?

What is classed as World Class in the 21st century?

Losing after being 2-0 up on 69 mins is unforgivable. Nothing World class about that

I am still scarred by it. i went to the beach (I was in Ibiza :smile:) at 2-0.

As a point of interest how many NSCers were even old enough to be interested in the 1970 **** up?
 


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