Greatest Leicester Player

[David Gwilliam]

Is the greatest player is the one who makes the most impact inn a short time? No player has ever dominated a game the way that Spider Kalac did against Bolton. He only played two full games but no one who saw him will ever forget him.

 

[foxychik]

Is the greatest player is the one who makes the most impact inn a short time? No player has ever dominated a game the way that Spider Kalac did against Bolton. He only played two full games but no one who saw him will ever forget him.

surely his best game was at wembley priceless

 

[foxychik]

whoops ! Forgot to punctuate that properly . I got a bit distracted by i'm a celebrity :icon_redf

 

[Macky]

whoops ! Forgot to punctuate that properly . I got a bit distracted by i'm a celebrity :icon_redf

It's obviously still on :icon_wink

 

[Mike - True Blue Tinter]

Is the greatest player the one who makes the most impact in a short time?

Well on those criteria, with just a few games, but an amazing hat-trick against Sunderland, would put bad boy Stan Collymore in the frame for greatest player for Leicester.

I always wanted the dream team of Heskey and Collymore up front for us, and that Sunderland game was the only match they ever played together before Emile joined Liverpool.

 

[Jeff]

that Sunderland game was the only match they ever played together before Emile joined Liverpool.

No it wasn't, they played together against Watford too.

 

[Profondo Rosso]

iirc we played 3 up front with Collymore, Heskey & Cottee up front in that game. I think Mike meant the only game they played solely as a front two.

 

[Profondo Rosso]

I voted for Peter Shilton. I thought it was a choice from Banks, Shilton and Lineker. All three were known throughout the world and not just in Britain. Banks and Shilton were quite simply the best goalkeepers in the world in their time. I did not see Banks play for Leicester although I saw him later for Stoke. I gave Shilton the nod because of his extraordianry longevity - he was an England goalkeeper in 1970 though not in the World Cup and he was still an England goalkeeper in 1990. In the 1970s we had a semi-final against Liverpool in which we were totally outplayed and drew 0-0. Memory plays tricks but I do think it was the finest goalkeeping display I have ever seen.

I would have loved to pick Keith Weller but there was a better winger around - George Best. Frankie Wortho was brilliant but Keegan of Liverpool and Law of Man U were perhaps better strikers,

Growing up outside Leicester I can say that Arthur Rowley's fame was local. I remember being taken to see strikers like Nat Lofthouse and Tommy Taylor who were really great centre forwards. Milburn and Mortenson were also legendary but I had hardly heard of Arthur Rowley.

The mischievous vote would go to Billy Wright. For those too young to remember he was the England captain in the 1950s, the first player to get 100 caps (when that was far more difficult than it is now) and was with the possible exception of Bobby Moore England's greatest defender. Billy Wright did play for Leicester albeit in a wartime match where this kind of anomaly could happen.

Are you sure you are thinking of the same game? Leicester lost 3-1 to Liverpool in the FA Cup semi-final in 1974 in which Shilton played.

But it was the 1963 semi final in which we beat Liverpool 1-0 and Banks was supposed to have been supreme that game. From the stories I've heard, Leicester weren't 1-0 up early on and Liverpool then barraged the Leicester goal the whole game but Banks just saved everything.

 

[Jeff]

I think Mike meant the only game they played solely as a front two.

I don't see how what he said can be interpreted that way.

Also I'm not sure that "solely as a front two" makes sense.

Are you pissed?

 

[Jeff]

Are you sure you are thinking of the same game? Leicester lost 3-1 to Liverpool in the FA Cup semi-final in 1974 in which Shilton played.

The 3-1 game was a replay, the first game was 0-0.

 

[Profondo Rosso]

Main Entry: sole·ly
Pronunciation: \ˈsō(l)-lē\
Function: adverb
Date: 15th century

2 : to the exclusion of all else


Why does that not make sense? They played up front together with no one else alongside them.

 

[Profondo Rosso]

The 3-1 game was a replay, the first game was 0-0.

Ah, OK then, they both must've been remembered for great games in FA Cup semi-finals vs Liverpool then.

 

[Jeff]

Main Entry: sole·ly
Pronunciation: \ˈsō(l)-lē\
Function: adverb
Date: 15th century

2 : to the exclusion of all else


Why does that not make sense? They played up front together with no one else alongside them.

They played as a front two. Not "solely" as a front two.

 

[Profondo Rosso]

They played as a front two. Not "solely" as a front two.

Oh, it's too early in the morning to continue this. :icon_wink

 

[Jeff]

Oh, it's too early in the morning to continue this. :icon_wink

But there's no one else here for me to argue with. I'm going to have to start an argument with myself by PM now.

 

[Profondo Rosso]

But there's no one else here for me to argue with. I'm going to have to start an argument with myself by PM now.

:icon_lol:

 

[Matt_B]

But there's no one else here for me to argue with. I'm going to have to start an argument with myself by PM now.

If Webbo wins does that mean he will start posting again?

 

[David Gwilliam]

Well on those criteria, with just a few games, but an amazing hat-trick against Sunderland, would put bad boy Stan Collymore in the frame for greatest player for Leicester.

I always wanted the dream team of Heskey and Collymore up front for us, and that Sunderland game was the only match they ever played together before Emile joined Liverpool.

Certainly Colleymore was brilliant that day. However, I cannot forget his performances under Peter Taylor. If my memory serves me he had demanded a rise and been turned down. Colleymore then gave a performance in which he became the only Leicester player I believe was deliberately playing badly. Peter Taylor described his performance as "unacceptable."

It is sometimes claimed that Colleymore's failure should be blamed on Peter Taylor. However, Colleymore managed to clash with manager after manager. If my memory serves me right he got on with Barry Fry as a youngster and Martin O'Neill. Whether he would have continued getting on with O'Neill if Martin had stayed we will never know.

In Colleymore's book he gives the impression that his problems with Leicester came from the clash he had with Trevor Benjamin in a reserve match. This was nonsense. he was playing in the reserves because of his attitude in the first team.

There are players who are dragged down by their demons. If Colleymore had had a different personality he could have been as great as Shearer. On a higher level I believe it was character that IMO stopped George Best being as great as Matthews or Maradona as great as Pele or Di Stefano.

 

[Steven]

It has GOT to be Frankie Worthington. If he had played for Liverpool, as he would have if he hadn't enjoyed a night on the town before his medical, he would be acknowledged as one of the greatest strikers this country has ever produced: and yes, I count myself privileged to be old enough to have seen him in a Leicester shirt.

Could not agree more. He is the reason I support City. :icon_bigg

 

[David Gwilliam]

Are you sure you are thinking of the same game? Leicester lost 3-1 to Liverpool in the FA Cup semi-final in 1974 in which Shilton played.

But it was the 1963 semi final in which we beat Liverpool 1-0 and Banks was supposed to have been supreme that game. From the stories I've heard, Leicester weren't 1-0 up early on and Liverpool then barraged the Leicester goal the whole game but Banks just saved everything.

Banks games for Leicester were before I arrived. The Shilton match was the first semi-final at Old Trafford and ended in 0-0 despite Liverpool completely outplaying us.

Two years ago I was in Liverpool and when the person I was talking to found I was a Leicester season ticket holder a conversation that should have been on architecture took a lighter turn. He had been at the first semi final and remembered how frustrating Shilton had been for them. There was a feeling that whatever Keegan and Toshack did Shilton would stop them. Sinced Liverpool in those days had a great goalkeeper in Ray Clemence I felt this was praise indeed.

One nice story about Shilton. I used to know a man called Peter Williams who had taught Shilton at King Richard III Boys School. At a time when Shilton was playing for Leicester schoolboys in goal and England schoolboys in goal he was playing for King Richard III at right half or as a striker. Mr Williams had a good goalkeeper (not as good as Shilton) and needed Peter on the pitch because he was so strong and so athletic. The FA sctually contacted the school to ask them to play Shilton in goal but mr Williams was not going to have them the FA pick his team.
I remember him saying Shilton could have been a professional on the pitch, a top cricketer, rugby player or boxer and was the strongest youngster he ever taught.