Barnsley 3 Tottenham 1 : 23 years ago today

Mick Butler was the most natural finisher I ever saw. Saw him at Worsbrough Bridge where he averaged nearly 2 goals a game. He was so prolific that he was given a trial in the reserves and scored a hat-trick in his first game. He was soon signed on full time and made the first team. He was similar to Gary Lineker in that he attacked space. He had an instinct for where the ball was going so set off before the pass was made. He scored loads of goals by attacking the front post and following shots in to pounce on rebounds. How often do you see a cross go along the six yard box and nobody's there to tap home. That didn't happen when Mick Butler played.

 

Another striker well versed in the dark arts of shithousery was Rodger. Saville and Rammell were a good partnership in those days.
I always remember David Geddis being the best finisher I’d seen play for us.

 

I also liked Andy Payton.... but that was largely because I amused myself singing "Andy Paint Tin" ;-)

 

Signings like Redfearn and Hendrie (Glavin was before my time sadly), would be impossible in today's market. Fringe players for newly promoted clubs, or even first team players in Redfearn's case would command wages beyond anything we can, or could ever, afford. Probably even crazier than than the signing of Redfearn in context of today's market was a couple of years earlier. We sold David Currie to a club that had won the European Cup ten years earlier (imagine us selling someone to Bayern Munich now!), and we were able to resign him about a year later. We wouldn't be able to resign Liam Lindsay or Kieffer Moore these days, and they haven't even stepped up a level.

I should stop making these comparisons. I feel old now.

 

I wasn't there that day, living down here in London, but watching it on the tv that night I was incensed at the play-acting of Owen and others, and as for Willard, my opinion of his performance is unprintable.

I still feel anger to this day watching video clips of that game.

 

Tarnished the whole season for me. It's often the reason I don't talk much about the Premier League season which is a real shame.

 

You're quite right. Super John was approaching his 33rd Birthday when we signed him as well in 1996. Imagine that today... We just wouldn't entertain that sort of signing. It's a shame really, because I think that there are some real talented ones who could do a job for us, but it's all about the wages nowadays

 

This footage always makes me laugh from the bit which someone picked up on Soccer AM's old 'Third Eye' section.

As Redfearn makes his run before crossing for the first goal, Nicola Berti resorts to the desperate tactic of pulling faces at him when he realises he can't catch him. Naturally this is 100% ineffective against a player in front of you, but he gave it a try anyway.

You can see it at around 1:45-1:51 in the video, as he ultimately works himself up into blowing a Premier League standard raspberry.

 

Oi..... Val.... watch this. Now THAT's aggressive vertical football!

 

That'll be VI's aim I'm sure. If we can emulate that team then I'll be a very happy supporter

 

It's not favourite players 11 but rather a 11,who would be a great team.
Formation 3-5-2/3-4-1-2.
Muller
McCarthy, Evans,De Zeuw.
Eaden,Banks,Hourihane,Barnard.
Redfern.
Ward,Fytoft.
Not everyone's cup of tea, I could probably come up with lots of 11s in different formations. The thread just got me thinking.

 

Prem season we were only 2 or 3 experienced players away from stopping up.


Richard Gough instead of Krizan

Stuart McCall instead of Tinkler

Craig Hignett instead of Hristov

 

And just a word on that run from Bullock (2:09 onwards). At the end of it both Ward and Hendrie make two absolutely beautiful runs across the pitch and open up yards of space for him to break into. Just quality to watch.

Those highlights are a joy and should be played to the current bunch!

 

He had one.

 

Excellent post. I wouldn't argue with any of that.

 

Not fit to lace Redfearn's booits, third division clogger.....

 

I'll never forget that game at the sty when he was sub and the Wendy fans were trying to be funny, taking the pee - till he came on, ran down the left collected the ball and slotted it in the corner. The excitement and anticipation in the Reds supporters when ever he got the ball, you had to be there to feel it, I think the only player to come close to it was Hammil in the playoffs in 2016.

 

Mel Sterland
Lee Hendrie
Seth Johnson
Lee Bowyer
David Dunn
Joey Barton
Francis Jeffers
Neil Ruddock
Steven Guppy
Alan Thompson
Kevin Richardson
Michael Ricketts
Steven Caulker
David Nugent
Kevin Davies
Dean Ashton
Carl Jenkinson
Jay Bothroyd
Frazier Campbell

All have one England cap.

Redfearn none.


Where's the justice?

 

It says a lot when none of them can get a place.....

 

I can think of a few fullbacks who would be ahead of Cooper; Barnard, Joyce and Eaden to name but 3.