I have now re-designed and updated the Greats Of The Past section to include the numerous long-serving players who have left us in the past year or so....and yes, Osborn is in there !!!

Normally, players are only included in this section if they have played over (or near enough) 100 matches for the club, but Steve 'Willie' Platt is included because he almost certainly would have gone on to play regularly for us had he not suffered a career-treatening injury (in addition to being one of our best-ever players), and the other one is Marco Ellerker, who only played 77 matches but probably WAS our best-ever player. At least, that seems to be the general consensus of most of our current players who played with Marco.

However, I have had Shaun O'Neill 'complaining' that he is not included as our 'best-ever goalkeeper', which is fair comment, but then he only played 65 matches and, unlike Marco and 'Willie', left us to play for other clubs. (Marco and Willie were forced into retirement through other circumstances and would have played on for us if they could).

Also, by including Shaun, I would then have had to include other players who had played a similar amount of matches but left us to join other clubs when maybe they could have stayed...namely Stavros Elia (81 Apps.), Marcello Devizio (70), 'Nugget' (89...although he may well return at some stage), 'Tex' (64), Eric (73) and even Gary Odell (73)...which of course is then starting to get really silly when we are talking about 'Greats' !

So there it is.
I can still include some of the above if anyone really thinks we should though.

On doing the Greats Of The Past section, it has got me thinking though...What is our best-ever team ?

I know this is often debated down the Pub, etc., so here's my stab at it. (Maybe Trev would like to do his and we'll see if we can agree).

Shaun O'Neill (GK)
Robin Pryke (RB)
Stuart Dorward (SW)
Paul Woolston (CH)
Tony Tombling (LB)
Steve 'Willie' Platt (RM)
Marco Ellerker (CM)
Chris 'Nugget' Beeden (CM)
Kieran Mc,Gregor (LM)
Conor Mc,Govern (CF)
Julien Nurse (CF)
Subs.: Francesco Apicella, Russell Beeden, John Beasley, Glenn Pooley, Darryl Johnson (GK)

Steve Cokell and Kevin Dedman can count themselves unlucky not to be in it, but then when you look at Conor and Julien's goalscoring records you can't really argue with that as far as the forward positions go. Although Julien played for us when we were at a lower level, he did play at 'Semi-Pro' standard on Saturdays and definitely would have been good enough for our current side, as would Kieran Mc,Gregor & Willie have been (because of the standard they played at on Saturdays).

The one position that is most difficult to decide is left-back. Steve Beasley did well for us there but his lack of pace was often a problem. Tony Tombling was a better defender and therefore gets the nod, but I am expecting that by the end of this season we can say that Terry Moore is our best-ever left-back. I think it is too early to put him in the best XI when he has only just joined us.

Regarding the substitutes, with such an attacking midfield, you would have to have a proper holding player, and I have gone for Russell Beeden just ahead of Paul Ellerker (That is a FIT Russell of course !), while the other three outfield players (Franco, Junior & Glenn Pooley) were all quality players who could play in a number of positions.

There are of course also the likes of Glen Southam (now with Dagenham & Redbridge), Peter Sutton, Neil Tilley and Martin Holness, who were all class acts but just didn't play enough games for us, while Dave Ashton and John Dyer were excellent for us in the Haringey League but wouldn't be half as effective at the level we are playing at now.

Over to you, Trev ?

Recognition at last !!!!

I MADE THE SUBS BENCH!!!!!! WOOHOO!!!!!!!! I've always thought i was shite!!

Considering how many players we have had over the years I am surprised how much I agree with Laurence's team.

My team

Shaun O'Neill (GK)
Robin Pryke (RB)
Francesco Apicella(SW)
Paul Woolston (CH)
Tony Tombling (LB)
Stuart Dorward (RM)
Marco Ellerker (CM)
Dave Ashton (CM)
Kieran Mc,Gregor (LM)
Conor Mc,Govern (CF)
Julien Nurse (CF)
Subs.: John Dyer, Chris Beeden, John Beasley, Glenn Pooley, Darryl Johnson (GK)

I think Franco was the master of the art of playing sweeper in the Italian style which frees Stuart into his best position in midfield. Dave Ashton is my best mate from school but that does not affect my decision to pick him. He was the perfect hard man to give balance to this team. If Nugget and Willie both played we would not have a good balance defensively.
I would also bring in John Dyer on the bench as my defensive sub.

Glenn Southam and Peter Sutton would also be in my starting line up on pure ability but I do not consider they played enough games to name them in this team.

I do not want any of our current players who are not included in this team to get upset. If you look at the profiles of these ex players I hope you will agree they deserve their places.
I also think that after a sucessful season this year the current players can force their way into the team.

Nice one Lol!

"Complaining" I agree with you that you hoped one day when I had stopped fecking about getting some dosh for footy i would come back and as such would not be considered a "great" yet, which in all fairness is fine by me :)- and BTW I was the last Rovers Captain to win something??? Crouch End Vampires- Is that still current or have you won something since?

Another question linked to the topic- the team I played in had the best morale the best players and by far the best social scene... Ahhh Polo...happy days or is there another era which would take on the likes of the Beasley the dorwards and his nibs "the pony tailed poacher???"

I certainly agree with Shaun in that our team of the mid-90's definitely was the best as regards the large majority of the team socialising together (e.g. the Polo), and obviously in being able to arrange several Club Tours.

Sadly, we don't have that now because of the age differences between the players, and we didn't have that in the late 70's because half our team were 'white pub drinkers' and the other half were black players who felt out of place in pubs...and in those days you couldn't blame them.
The late-80's in the Haringey League was quite good though. We had a multi-racial side of the same age group then (mid-late 20's) who all went on Tour together and were really up for any club social events.

Compared to other clubs though, I would like to think that ON the pitch we have always had a good team spirit, although I think the Reserve Team debacle last season was a real test of that !

BTW Shaun, our 'Reserves' won their 7-a-side League during the Summer, but then nobody was actually 'Captain' !

It's the 11-a-side game that really matters though (as far as I am concerned).
The last time we won anything at that was 1988 (the Haringey League Division Two title), and our Captain then was Julien Nurse.

:)

It still does not detract from the fact that I was the last 1st team captain to lift silverware in victory????