Time for "Head on Chopping Block"

I liked Craig Davies. One player I thought was decent was Danny Haynes never understood why he hardly played. Players I never rated were Marlon Harewood, Barry Conlon and Andy Gray.

 

I agree about Mcfail, thought he flattered to deceive big time.

 

I liked Eric Tinkler which i'm sure puts me in a minority of one.
I thought Stephen Dawson was dreadful but quite a lot of other people seemed to like him.

 

Definitely agree that Steve Davis was class.

 

I thought Tinkler was alright too; nivver rated Matty Appleby though.

 

For me, Nicky Eaden is the most underrated/ under appreciated player in my time watching Barnsley & would be my right wing/back in a best Reds 11. As good going forward as defending, involved in loads of goals & saved our skins a few times. The way he ghosted from nowhere, to get on the end of Neil Thompson’s pass v Sheff U.? Very unfortunate under Bassett, after John Curtis was brought in. & his last season got some right disrespectful crap, which I saw in a rare trip into the Ponty end. During warm up & Eaden turned round, arms out stretched saying ‘What??’ It’s no wonder he left to change the fortunes of Wigan & Birmingham. I’m biased cos he was a Hoyland lad, but a truly great Barnsley footballer. Our Mams were friends..
the disappointing player for me has to be Mike Sheron. Don’t want to slag him off, he was a great goal scorer, just never really got into gear at Oakwell, unfortunately..

 

Sean Mcclare I thought was crap. Couldn't understand why we needed to bring him into that midfield when we had Tinkler, Van De Laan, Richardson and Hignett.

 

Another vote for Eric Tinkler who would be my rated name. I thought he was missed after his injury and had no idea he was viewed as a flop until reading reflections on here years later.

Marc Richards was popular but I never rated him, partly because he kept Nardiello, one of my favourites, out a lot.

The fans that sat around us loved Gary Jones. I cried inside we'd gone from Hignett to him in 18 months.

 

Good lad is Nicky.

Played alongside him for Falcons in mid 80s.

 

I was a couple of years ahead of him at Kirk Balk. But remember there was already a buzz about him then as a 14 year old. I think he might have been in the same team as Mark Crossley..?

 

Think Crossley was one or two years older.

 

Aye, year behind me. Tha reight..

 

If i said hello to Nicky today he would know my name and say hello back deapite me not seeing him in years.

Think he lived near the small police station.

 

Early days we used to play near Rockingham.
Opposite Saville Square pub. Now a school.

Then later played on pitches just down from Tow Law stand on the other side of the road to St Peters church.

 

His Nan lived in the bungalows behind St.Andrews, near the old Sunshine School. That’s who my Mam was pals with, from church. I saw his Hayselden club Ford Fiesta parked there a couple of times. Visiting his NaN, good lad...

 

Nicky on front row knelt down in burgundy t shirt. Im behind him in black jacket and black pencil tie.

Was the same night Frank Bruno lost in a world title fight againstTim Witherspoon iirc.

 

Nice, mate. Burgundy was all t’ rage back then..

 

Al gi thi a fiver fo tie.

 

I rated Mike Sheron but you're right - we were definitely a minority.

 

I still don't know why he was frozen out by Steve Parkin in favour of Richard Naylor when him and Dyer had nearly kept us up and taken us into midtable.