West Ham Online

Posted: **25 Aug 2025, 03:48**

I saw Zidane play for Rael Madrid in a friendly against Beckhams L A Galaxy. He stood out amongst a group of all stars.

In a competitive top flight match I’d have to say Liam Brady,

Best West Ham player was Trevor Brooking, although I always enjoyed watching Billy Bonds.

who stood out to you on the terraces.

Posted: **25 Aug 2025, 13:47**

Percy Dalton" wrote: ↑25 Aug 2025, 12:53 Bobby Moore was consistently outstanding for us and England.
Was lucky enough to see him play nearly every home game from 62 until he went to Fulham.
Along with Hurst and Peters we should have won the league after the world cup triumph but the then board didn't invest in the team.
Sounds familiar?

After 66 I am not sure that Bobby Moore's heart was truly in it. He wanted to go to Spurs and to maintain his England place was really strong armed into signing a contract just before the World Cup.

Posted: **25 Aug 2025, 13:41**

I too saw Carlton in his prime. It was in Whisky Mist!

Posted: **25 Aug 2025, 13:38**

Booby Moore, although I don't really remember him as I was so young.

Real Ronaldo in his 1st season at Barcelona.
Then Messi v Celtic in the Champions League

Posted: **25 Aug 2025, 13:30**

I've seen prime time Carlton Fucking Cole LIVE.

Beat that, fuckers!

Posted: **25 Aug 2025, 12:53**

Bobby Moore was consistently outstanding for us and England.
Was lucky enough to see him play nearly every home game from 62 until he went to Fulham.
Along with Hurst and Peters we should have won the league after the world cup triumph but the then board didn't invest in the team.
Sounds familiar?

Posted: **25 Aug 2025, 12:45**

Probably Di Canio or Payet. Always hard to call 'best' of course...I've seen Shearer live, David Seaman live, Lampard live, De Bruyne live, David Silva live, Jay Jay Okocha live....am sure many without clarent tinted specs would say they were all better than Di Canio and Payet...but for me it was those two.

Posted: **25 Aug 2025, 12:16**

Used to travel to see major tournaments, or foreign matches, a lot when I was younger. Hence, got to see these names in the flesh. Genuine privilege, if you’re a proper football fan (which most on this site are).

Posted: **25 Aug 2025, 12:13**

Never saw Pele play live - missed his career, I’m afraid. Likewise, Moore, Cruyff, Beckenbauer, Best and Charlton. Would love to have seen them all, obviously.

Pirlo and Xavi deserve mentions as players who were outstanding, but somehow under-rated when it comes to “top-level” discussions. Pirlo played in an unpopular position (that many folk didn’t really understand at the time) and is the best genuine regista I’ve ever seen.

Posted: **25 Aug 2025, 12:07**

Was fortunate to see Maradona play live. Not just the best I’ve ever seen, but the best player ever to lace up a pair of boots. Indescribably brilliant, on a level that even Messi never was (and Messi was amazing: I’m not one of those old farts who doesn’t rate him).

Otherwise, Fat Ronaldo. The Brazilian, and when he was in his pomp before his knee exploded in 1999/2000.

For three or four seasons, he played like he was on course to compete with Maradona as the greatest player ever. He was unbelievable, genuinely breathtaking speed, skill and explosiveness. Had everything. Except, a year or so later, a working kneecap. Still went on to win the World Cup in 2002 as half the player. That’s how good he was.

Other honourable mentions: Zidane, Van Basten, Baresi, Maldini and, reluctantly, cսnt Ronaldo.

Posted: **25 Aug 2025, 11:35**

zico wrote: ↑25 Aug 2025, 08:15
twoleftfeet wrote: ↑25 Aug 2025, 06:03 Zico.

i had the pleasure of trying to mark him.

I wasn't that good! Seriously, you lucky bugger, my all time favourite foreign player. Was just something about the way he played, especially in that Brazil team of 82, they were just set up to entertain.

Was lucky enough to see Martin Peters in my first ever game, although he was playing for Norwich at Carrow Road in a 2-2 draw against us back in either 76 or 77. For pure skill, I can't really seperate Sir Trev and Alan Dev, and for endeavor and the total all round player it would be Bonzo.

This was in 1997, he would have been mid 40s and I was 30. He was a a brand ambassador for our company in Brazil. Every 4 years the company held a world cup and I was lucky enough to get selected for the UK team, we met Brazil in the semi final and my manager tasked me with marking him. Bear in mind that in the previous game against Hungary I scored 2 goals as a winger so man to man marking wasn't my thing. Suffice to say at half time I was substituted because I never got anywhere near him, he was just too good. They ended up winning the tournament and at the awards night dinner he searched for me and gave me his Diadora tracksuit top as a momento, his English wasn't great but he said something along the lines of please have my top as you never got near it in the match. Really nice guy and what a player.

Posted: **25 Aug 2025, 11:33**

Anybody see Robin Friday play in the flesh?

Posted: **25 Aug 2025, 11:25**

Brooking
Jari Litmanen

Posted: **25 Aug 2025, 11:19**

As far as matches go, Ray Clemence Testimonial in 1990, I got to see Bonds, Brooking, Devonshire, Hoddle and Gascoigne all play together

Posted: **25 Aug 2025, 10:44**

Maradonna
Messi
Ronaldo
Gazza
Hoddle
Brooking

Posted: **25 Aug 2025, 10:35**

Brooking
Bobby Moore.

As much as it pains me to say, Hoddle was sublime at times.

George Best obviously

Stan Bowles. Never knew what was coming next.

Bonds, simply out of my outrageous bias. Not the most naturally talented but fuck me,what a leader.

Posted: **25 Aug 2025, 10:32**

For us - Di Canio. Nobody comes close.

against us - Gullit, Ginola, Yaya Toure.

outside of us - Francesco Totti 2006 in the San Siro, he scored twice for Roma………. Although I think Totti played against us in that friendly.

Posted: **25 Aug 2025, 10:20**

Saw Maradona play live for football league v rest of world at Wembley

Saw Messi play for barca

For us its probably dicanio, Devonshire wasn't too bad, neither was that snake payer

Posted: **25 Aug 2025, 10:18**

Di Canio - For West Ham

Messi - For Barcelona and Argentina

Posted: **25 Aug 2025, 10:11**

I’m old enough to remember a lot of players at West Ham but for me, even though it wasn’t for long and ended badly Payet was outstanding, probably one of the best in the world for a while, every time he got the ball or was over a free kick you were out of your seat.
Any other players than from my team are irrelevant to me.

Posted: **25 Aug 2025, 09:50**

Mr. Woo, West Ham, circa 2006/7

Posted: **25 Aug 2025, 09:43**

Bobby Moore, Franz Beckenbauer, Johann Cruyff, George Best. I guess there are some benefits to being old!

Posted: **25 Aug 2025, 09:41**

Devonshire and i've seen Brietner.

Posted: **25 Aug 2025, 09:37**

Dimitri Payet. Excited the crowd, got people out of their seats and made the final season at UP exceptional.

Posted: **25 Aug 2025, 09:15**

In terms of the most skill playing for West Ham, for me it would have to be Payet. He had the ability to do things that others couldn't even imagine (which sadly included going on strike to get a move away).

From other teams well this is not going to be a popular choice, but I would have to mention Berbatov. His movement off the ball seemed effortless, always popping up in the right place. He had skill to match that of Di Canio and the vision of Bergkamp.

Leave it a few minutes while I work out where I am going to hide.

Posted: **25 Aug 2025, 09:08**

Ronald Koeman - Barcelona v Sampdoria 1992 European Cup Final, Wembley.

He gave a masterclass in defence and midfield and scored the winner from a free kick in extra time.

I never realised what the hype was until that day then I felt completely foolish afterwards.

Sublime

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