Tim Sills - A decent enough forward at this level, a type of player we could sorely do with now. Not too sure how he is so high on this list, but he did score one of the most important goals in recent history and I will always be grateful and remember him with fondness for that. I will never forget that moment when Sillsy scored "that" goal. I was right in line with it so had a perfect view, when Carlisle looked up and sent the cross you could just see it coming and I could never describe the wave of euphoria and relief that went through me. I leapt and bounced about like Tigger for a good few moments, then suddenly I just crashed and had to sit down, the emotions all at once just had me fried, it was the nearest I have ever been to tears of joy at football. I had just recently been told the firm I worked for was being transferred abroad and I was being made redundant after 16 years. Our promotion that day was one ray of sunshine for me in a time of anguish and depression, it actually picked up my mood and from that day my attitude changed and I started to sort myself out. Cheers Tim.
Robin Stubbs - I grew up hearing tales of the legend that is Robin Stubbs, my Dad is going to be well p1$$ed off when I tell him how low
Stubbs,
Collins and
Mills are on the list.
Bobby Olejnik - I didnt see much of him for one reason or another, but from what I did see I must say he was superb, very solid.
Eunan O'Kane - Again, didnt see much of him, so cant really say a lot, didnt have the best of games each time I saw him, but many who saw plenty of him rate him highly and look where he is now, so no arguement from me.
Kevin Hill - I wont be popular, but sorry I never really rated Hilly much as a football player, but he did have some impressive and admirable attributes. Absolutely faultless for effort, passion, endevour, trying, attrition, character, commitment etc. His heading ability was superb. He had a lot of likeability and you wanted him to do well. His best spell was definitely in the time he had the likes of
Russell and
Fowler around him. He was probably better than I gave him credit for at the time, you dont rack up that many appearances for nothing. A bit high on the list for me but looking at it from others point of view and the way the word legend is loosely and easily bandied about I wont argue with Hillys spot on the list, it is probably well deserved.
Alex Russell - Superb, the way he had the team ticking over and his intelligent passing and spreading the ball was key to Leroys era of glorious football, our very own take on the beautiful game. Scored a few cracking free kicks also. Brilliant for us, we have never really had anyone in his position as good since really.
I had him as my number 5, but I wouldnt disagree with him being number 3.
David Graham (GOD) -
My number one, absolutely loved him as a player. I read a comment where the poster didnt rate Graham highly because of a lack of workrate. Good lord, what do you want. His workrate for me was one of the first things I noticed and really liked about him. I always felt he worked his nuts off, he was always available and looking for the ball, he pressed opposition players well, he often ran into really good positions all over the oppositions half, his goal scoring cannot be questioned and he scored some great goals. The best centre forward I have seen in my time of watching The Gulls.
Rodney Jack -
My number two pick, really tricky, pacy, a good finisher, highly likeable, you always felt he could do something and possibly be a game changer or a match winner, we havent really had many like him ( The nearest but not as good was
Paul Smith a few years previous, his career with us had great flashes and potential but was destroyed by injury). You could see the potential in Rodney right from day one and it didnt take long to come to fruition even in a couple of quiet seasons, then he was awesome in the nearly, oh so close season of 97/98. Only criticism is he could be a bit greedy, but he was head and shoulders above the rest so he took responsibility and tried to take games by the scruff of the neck and get us the win. As others have said, the play off semi 2nd leg has to be one of the greatest nights in our history, certainly for me in my time, Rodney was pure magic in that game. My only real disappointment with him and possibly why I didnt have him in first place is after the season he had and that semi and all the hype and expectation surrounding him because of it, the two real biggest games we had, Orient on the last day and the play off final, Rodney in both of those games was quiet and had probably his most uneventful matches which was unlike him. Deserves top spot, we havent really seen many come even close.
Here is my top 10 players -
1.David Graham
2.Rodney Jack
3.Lee Sharpe
4.Mark Loram
5 Alex Russell
6.Jason fowler
7.Tom Kelly
8.Paul Holmes
9.Matt Elliott.
10.Kenny Veysey.
As a few have touched upon it is a shame more posters didnt vote as we may have got a more balanced list and probably would have reached 100 players, there are likely to be quite a few more deserving of a place. As
Plainmoor 87 wrote I am surprised the likes of
Paul Smith,
Wes Saunders (POTY 91 - captain of the promotion team),
Paul Trollope (POTY),
Charlie Oatway (POTY) and
Jim McNichol were not on there, also must mention
Phil LLoyd who was awesome until breaking his leg, he was player of the year (he got my vote) in one of our best seasons 87/88, no mean feat when you look at that team and quite a few made the list. He was so, so close to being in my top 10. He is definitely on my list of best defenders.
Interesting to see the breakdown of points - between 7th and 8th there is a 20 point gap - between 6th and 7th there is a 36 point gap - 4th is then on its own really - then the top 3 are way out on their own.
Well done
Plymouth Gull for this thread, it has been brilliant, the only enjoyable thing I can think of in the last few seasons. Maybe, could we run it again later in the year but with posters voting for their top 20 players, I suspect more would vote next time and we would probably fill the 100.
