In terms of 'givers' I would have to go with Adebola who was one of my favourite FL era players. Went out to Bradford and got dog's abuse on returning but won the fans round not too long after. A lot of contenders for the 'takers' but the pick of the bunch for me was Sammy Clingan chiefly in the relegation season. His penalty miss at Leicester that year summed up his commitment.
Can I add Trevor Peake even though he never broke sweat, he just read the game. Stuart Pearce is an obvious absentee. Let's not forget Dean Emmerson who was denied reaching his peak through a bad tackle.
Can I add Trevor Peake even though he never broke sweat, he just read the game. Stuart Pearce is an obvious absentee. Let's not forget Dean Emmerson who was denied reaching his peak through a bad tackle.
Yes but couldn't pass further than a yard with any modicum of accuracy. If he had any passing ability, seriously, he would have been international class.
I don't think that's quite fair Hobo. He certainly didn't look to try to play defence splitting passes or go on mazy runs, but he was quite capable of winning the ball and laying it off neatly enough to someone better equipped to do that work. As evidence, go watch that FA Cup Final DVD again (tell the missus I said it would be OK); we actually played pretty decent football on the deck in McGrath's era and he fitted in quite well as I recall.
I even saw him score - possibly even twice in back-to-back games?
I can't have Telfer as a taker. He might have been limited, but he didn't half graft and put his tackles in. He pretty much cut Boateng in half, presumably to pay him back for going to Villa.
Bellamy as the worst taker, for me - although not helped the mystery Strachan positioning of him and those around him. £20,000/week and then the brass balls to slag us off!
Konjic as a giver too. The nicest player I've ever met, and the only man I've seen try to tackle the ball on the ground with his face. McGrath is my absolute hero, but Konjic is a man who understood bravery in every sense of the word.
The best thing about Konjic, and what tipped him over the line for my nomination is after he went to Derby and came back to play against us, he gave away a pen! Obviously CCFC through and through