Best player YOU have played against?

[The Spanish]

Actually thinking back my first job was working for the long disappeared Southdown Building Society. We had a works team for which I was the 'hard working' (read shit but fit) centre back. Ex Albion stalwart Steve Piper ran an IFA company at the time and we played against them though he can't have played himself in that game as we won and no one in the oppo stood out. I also remember us travelling to the West Country to play against Gloucester Building Society in the Building Society Cup (I know). They had an ex Swindon player and as CB it was mine andmy mates duty to kick him every time we got near him. Mostly we missed. The one time I connected I actually mis timed it and got the ball. To this day it's the best tackle I ever made but it was totally accidental

steves son Matt was a good player too.

 

[HastingsSeagull]

Gareth Barry was rather useful!

Dean Hammond according to my mate but I don't remember it tbh

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Dean Hammond according to my mate but I don't remember it tbh

ha. Even as a kid Deano was putting in forgettable performances.

 

[RyFish]

I played against Gerry Armstrong and John Byrne just after the latter retired. Armstrong looked about 90 but still had a great touch, even if he never moved. Byrne was just ridiculously good. Also played against Tiltman (awful), Wormull and Geard (mental), plus some Spaniard who had apparently cost about £60,000 in Spain, but he was meh.

 

[dejavuatbtn]

I remember him, I was at Hove Grammar with him. I would have played against him as well.

Whatever happened to him?

I was in the first year when he was in the upper 6th. Can't remember if he was head boy, but was "the man" everyone looked up to because of his football.

I believe after becoming Orient's record appearance maker he qualified as a solicitor and runs a business in Franklin Road, Portslade.

Shame the Albion never showed a greater interest as he was probably one of the best players the area ever produced.

 

[RyFish]

Peter O'Sullivan, he just stood in the middle of the pitch and ran the game.

He was my coach at school soon after he retired - looked WAY older than the mid-late 30s he actually was. Nicest guy I think I have ever met.

 

[father_and_son]

Me and my older brother grew up best friends with a player called Andy Comyn and his brother. Andy went onto to play for Aston Villa, Derby and Plymouth amongst others. He and my brother were the same year at school and played in the same local side as kids and everyone said my brother was the better player!

 

[meeching gull]

Played with Kerry Mayo in Cinque Foil when growing up,but best player for me was
Steve Martin who I think went onto Chelsea reserves but dodgy knees ended it for
him I heard.

 

[Lurker]

Howard Wilkinson.
Never actually played against him, but back in the 60's when he played for BHA, he came along to coach the u16's Brighton Boys side.
He was unbelievably strong.
I recall a drill where he was showing us how to shield a ball properly.
He planted his feet, turned his back and invited us to come and get the ball.
Nobody could get within a yard of it, he just shepherded us away with his arse and his elbows, and even when 2 or 3 of us tried to attack him from different angles at the same time he still knocked us out of the way ... and we were supposed to be the cream of Sussex schoolboy footballers!

I stopped calling him a useless **** from the terraces after that.
Mind you, he was a moody bad tempered Yorkshireman, even when talking to Schoolboys.
He expected us to be as good as him!

Pro footballers have that special something that those of us who think we're good, but really aren't, just don't possess.

 

[Mellotron]

Your brother really IS a good footballer. Very intelligent use of the ball, and of space.

Shit compared to me.

 

[Mackenzie]

Eric Gill I suppose......he was in his 60's at the time though.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Shit compared to me.

I don't believe you. Sorry.

 

[SIMMO SAYS]

A slight cheat coz I was a lino when our team played at Corals against a team with Teddy Maybank--------I gave him offside(he wasn't)---he gave me a mouthful

 

[Alex Alex Dawson oo! oo!]

Dennis foreman!

Cricket is Imran khan or sir richard Hadley

I played against Ken McEwan in the Worthing Evening League in the 70's; Tony Greig had recommended him to Sussex but he was signed by Essex in the end. Can't for the life of me remember which team he played for though. Nice fella btw.

 

[Mellotron]

I don't believe you. Sorry.

I was joking. I'm a fatter, slower, wimpier version of him.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

Most notable probably Bobby Stokes, scorer of the winner in the FA Cup Final.

Subbed vs Chelsea in a friendly, it was their 'Z' team, but was notable as Kerry Dixon and Jerry Murphy played, as they were coming back from injury.

Saved a John Crumplin penalty when he played for Bognor before joining us. Rod Wallace, who was with Southampton.

Plenty of other ex-Albion players of late 70's and 80's..... Sully, Piper, Maybank, Fell, Vessey, Tiltman... etc...

 

[hans kraay fan club]

A slight cheat coz I was a lino when our team played at Corals against a team with Teddy Maybank--------I gave him offside(he wasn't)---he gave me a mouthful

And me.

........................................My best mate..........................................

can't remember......Sammy Donnelly......can't remember......Sammy Nelson

Martin Maybank.........Paul Flood.........Ted Maybank......hans kraay fan club

.......................can't remember...........can't remember..................


Corals FC 1988-89

 

[SIMMO SAYS]

And me.

........................................My best mate..........................................

can't remember......Sammy Donnelly......can't remember......Sammy Nelson

Martin Maybank.........Paul Flood.........Ted Maybank......hans kraay fan club

.......................can't remember...........can't remember..................


Corals FC 1988-89

We lost the game-----I just remember their centre forward headed the ball harder than our lot could kick it

 

[hans kraay fan club]

We lost the game-----I just remember their centre forward headed the ball harder than our lot could kick it

We only had one decent forward, and I can't for the life of me remember his name. Youngish chap with fair hair in a pony tail. He was very good, despite the poncy hair.

 

[maltaseagull]

Geoff Barnet, signed by Arsenal from Everton in 1969 to take over in goal when Bob Wilson broke his arm. He played in the Cup Final against Leeds.

He stayed at the hotel I was working at when he joined Arsenal and used to come for a kickabout with our hotel team. I was in goal once when he took a shot, nearly took my head off. Professional footballers, especially goalkeepers, kick with a power us mere mortals could only dream of.

This is so true. I played 5 a side with a fat ex semi pro while in Saudi. He could turn and shoot with amazing power and accuracy. Also remember players like Terry Stanley who were playing against kids 2-3 years older than them but still stood out as a class above, yet never really made a pro career.