Players who made you smile

[Lloyder5]

Donal Murphy and Dave Tomlin were exciting players to watch.

[exilegull]

Lee Andrews - he did more than make me smile, he made me laugh again and again and again.

[samuel]

What a delightful thread DB. For me, Kevin Hill was just so approachable, Jo Kuffour, he was great to see. I remember John Bond and Colin Bettany, titans of Plainmoor in their day. Jimmy Dunne and of course Robin Stubbs. Those players were a joy to watch and brought a smile either through their skill, effort, antics or in the case of Colin Bettany, sheer indestructibility.

[wivelgull]

Talent yes, but the ability to bring a smile was normally the province of a clown; this I must agree with Mr. Dutch: it has to be SIMB.

[Trojan 67]

Danny Stevens . . .

[DB57]

I understand what you say Wivel. Maybe the thread should have been " Players you looked forward to seeing play" Although anyone who watched Southall Bondy Stubbs, Rioch etc and didn't have a smile on their face must be pretty hard to please.

I can remember my dad taking me to Plainmoor when I was about 6 years old and as we walked up from Castle Circus he told me to watch Colin Bettany as he had been kept in a cage all week and only fed on raw meat so he would be at his best for the match. When you are 6 years old and your dad tells you something like that you really do believe it!!

[wivelgull]

I still do!

[kerswellgull]

Yes Trojan we know you miss little Danny

[bringbackthecowshed]

Roy Davies back in the seventies he played a few games for Torquay, we got him from Reading , he was a winger with a curly head of hair. I was standing at the open end [babbacombe end] when a huge cry of laughter came from the pop side and there was Roy sprinting down the wing with the ball with a bobble hat on that he taken from a fan on the pop side. priceless. He livened up an otherwise dull game.

[merse btpir]

Roy Davies back in the seventies he played a few games for Torquay, we got him from Reading , he was a winger with a curly head of hair. I was standing at the open end [babbacombe end] when a huge cry of laughter came from the pop side and there was Roy sprinting down the wing with the ball with a bobble hat on that he taken from a fan on the pop side. priceless. He livened up an otherwise dull game.

That got him into so much trouble with Frank O'Farrell and there are so many tales I could tell of Roy but can't in public ~ let's just say he was a unique character!

In his late sixties he fronts a West London rock & roll band as vocalist; so that tells you of the sort of guy he is; one who believes life is for living and enjoying to the max!

[merse btpir]

I can remember my dad taking me to Plainmoor when I was about 6 years old and as we walked up from Castle Circus he told me to watch Colin Bettany as he had been kept in a cage all week and only fed on raw meat so he would be at his best for the match.

Ah Colin Bettany; the guy who rolled up his short sleeves so as to make himself even tougher; but there was more to him than that. Even though he was not the tallest, he could play a bit as either a centre half or right back.....a very good player in fact!

[wivelgull]

Colin Bettany was universally known then - and perhaps now - as THE BEAST!!

[Trojan 67]

Yes Trojan we know you miss little Danny

[RJ_Turner]

Danny Stevens

[westyorkshiregull]

Ok not a player but Cyril Knowles fills me with joy and good memories...one of the best was v Crewe in 1989 when after he got sent off and was halfway down tunnel we scored and he came onto the pitch to celebrate. Priceless

Part of it on my YouTube channel