Best of Britain.

[Nutsin]

                                Jennings.

Neville.                                                 Pearce.
                        Moore.      Rio.


    Bale.          Gerard.     Charlton.      Law.

                       Best.        Greaves.


 

[Far Cough UKunt]

Jennings had hands like JCB buckets, he could pick up the ball one handed and throw it as far as some goalies could kick it.

[Monsieur merde de cheval]

Back to the thread, though, some really interesting responses on here. Of course, it's all about opinions, and folk on here are generally well-informed about their football (believe it or not!).

Couple of things I find interesting (not necessarily wrong):

The number of people who put Jennings above the likes of Banks and Shilton. I saw a lot of Pat Jennings and while he was clearly a very fine goalkeeper, I genuinely wouldn't have him above either. In fact, in terms of British keepers, I'd also have Southall above him. Big Nev, in his pomp, was absolutely superb and made some of the best saves I've ever seen. He's often overlooked because he played for Everton and not one of the media's love-in sides (like Spurs etc). But Everton won everything with him in goal.

The other thing is the lack of Welshmen, beyond Bale. Again, it's interesting because they've produced some top-class talent down the years: Charles, Rush, Ratcliffe etc. But more Scots generally in the 'best of' side. Which is correct, in my view, because Hansen, Souness, Dalglish and Law were unbelievably good in their roles.

Finally, a Q. I think correctly, several people have picked Souness as the best DCM in (post war) British sides. Who else might be a contender in that role? Robson, Ince, Edwards (although he often played further forward)?

I only recall Jennings as being as mobile as a BP oil rig.
The keepers back in  the day  I rated were 
Tony tight shorts  Coton
Neville  no socks Southall
Joe  cool Corrigan
Les  sectioned Sealey (rip)
 Peter bets on anything Shilton
Steve bandy legs Sherwood

[Monsieur merde de cheval]

The one serious comment I'll make about the original post is that, while Rio was a fantastic player and a home-grown lad, Billy Wright and Alan Hansen were better players even than Rio - relatively speaking.

Any central defensive pairing would have to be Moore and one of Wright or Hansen. Although Wright could also play right-back, so I'll cheat and put him there.

All subjective, innit? But Best, Charlton, Moore, Wright, Cole, Greaves and probably Gascoigne (pre-injury) would pretty much be shoo-ins. Dalglish would also have to feature, you'd think. Annoying little feck that he was (never forgive him for the winner in 1981!), the guy was superb.

So, I'd probably go for something like:

Banks
Wright, Moore, Hansen, Cole
Souness or Duncan Edwards (somebody's got to win the ball)
Charlton, Gascoigne, Best
Dalglish, Greaves

Bale would have to wait as a sub. He ain't getting past Best or Charlton in that side.

I think we down play just how good a player Rio was, Hansen wasn't fit to lace his boots, in fact I'd have Sol Campbell and Des Walker before Hansen as well. 

I agree.
Hanson  was a daddy long leg fanny.
Didn't rate Pinocchio either

[southbankbornnbred]

Back to the thread, though, some really interesting responses on here. Of course, it's all about opinions, and folk on here are generally well-informed about their football (believe it or not!).

Couple of things I find interesting (not necessarily wrong):

The number of people who put Jennings above the likes of Banks and Shilton. I saw a lot of Pat Jennings and while he was clearly a very fine goalkeeper, I genuinely wouldn't have him above either. In fact, in terms of British keepers, I'd also have Southall above him. Big Nev, in his pomp, was absolutely superb and made some of the best saves I've ever seen. He's often overlooked because he played for Everton and not one of the media's love-in sides (like Spurs etc). But Everton won everything with him in goal.

The other thing is the lack of Welshmen, beyond Bale. Again, it's interesting because they've produced some top-class talent down the years: Charles, Rush, Ratcliffe etc. But more Scots generally in the 'best of' side. Which is correct, in my view, because Hansen, Souness, Dalglish and Law were unbelievably good in their roles.

Finally, a Q. I think correctly, several people have picked Souness as the best DCM in (post war) British sides. Who else might be a contender in that role? Robson, Ince, Edwards (although he often played further forward)?

[southbankbornnbred]

1.      Banks
2.      G Neville
3.      A Cole
4.      Moore
5.      Paul McGrath
6.      Law
7.      Liam Brady
8.      Brooking
9.      Greaves
10.    Dalglish
11.    Best

My missus is half-Irish. I'm not touching "Oh Dear's" side with a bargepole!

[Checks under car]

I still check my motor .
it's mental
It's ingrained in the brain I guess.
 Worst time of the year is the fuckin fireworks.

​​​​​​

MMdC - It feels like a long time ago now, but I was advised to do the same when working on a specific story. I was used to working on sensitive material, but it was another level of bonkers. Thankfully, it was a precaution on top of a precaution - and the real-world risk was very low. But the whole thing left me feeling uneasy, mostly because it reminded me how many people, on all sides, had to deal with that during the "troubles".

[Monsieur merde de cheval]

1.      Banks
2.      G Neville
3.      A Cole
4.      Moore
5.      Paul McGrath
6.      Law
7.      Liam Brady
8.      Brooking
9.      Greaves
10.    Dalglish
11.    Best

My missus is half-Irish. I'm not touching "Oh Dear's" side with a bargepole!

[Checks under car]

[Monsieur merde de cheval]

The one serious comment I'll make about the original post is that, while Rio was a fantastic player and a home-grown lad, Billy Wright and Alan Hansen were better players even than Rio - relatively speaking.

Any central defensive pairing would have to be Moore and one of Wright or Hansen. Although Wright could also play right-back, so I'll cheat and put him there.

All subjective, innit? But Best, Charlton, Moore, Wright, Cole, Greaves and probably Gascoigne (pre-injury) would pretty much be shoo-ins. Dalglish would also have to feature, you'd think. Annoying little feck that he was (never forgive him for the winner in 1981!), the guy was superb.

So, I'd probably go for something like:

Banks
Wright, Moore, Hansen, Cole
Souness or Duncan Edwards (somebody's got to win the ball)
Charlton, Gascoigne, Best
Dalglish, Greaves

Bale would have to wait as a sub. He ain't getting past Best or Charlton in that side.

I think we down play just how good a player Rio was, Hansen wasn't fit to lace his boots, in fact I'd have Sol Campbell and Des Walker before Hansen as well. 

council scum 
Have you lost your mind?

[Monsieur merde de cheval]

1.      Banks
2.      G Neville
3.      A Cole
4.      Moore
5.      Paul McGrath
6.      Law
7.      Liam Brady
8.      Brooking
9.      Greaves
10.    Dalglish
11.    Best

My missus is half-Irish. I'm not touching "Oh Dear's" side with a bargepole!

[Checks under car]

I still check my motor .
it's mental
It's ingrained in the brain I guess.
 Worst time of the year is the fuckin fireworks.

​​​​​​

[Monsieur merde de cheval]

                                Jennings.

Neville.                                                 Pearce.
                        Moore.      Rio.


    Bale.          Gerard.     Charlton.      Law.

                       Best.        Greaves.





 

Paisley, Adams, Moore, Bonds, Jocky Wilson, Mosley (right-wing), Sturgeon, Ivor the Engine Room, Tony Benn (left-wing), Best, McAvennie.

You try getting that forward line out of the pub. Sturgeon's in because every great side needs a little aggressive ginger fella and I couldn't bring myself to choose Billy Bremner or Paul Scholes.

Every society  needs an aggressive little ginger fella

[Monsieur merde de cheval]

Banks

McGrain
Charles
Moore
Cole

(John) Robertson
Charlton
Gascoigne
Best

Dalglish
Shearer
.

.









 

Danny McGrain ...one of the 70s/80s old firm originals..Celtic stood out for the numbers on their shorts
​​​​​​some proper old school names being mentioned TBF.
I'd have Andy Goram as my keeper

You can't have two Andy Gorams in goal.

Try telling the Andys that

[southbankbornnbred]

1.      Banks
2.      G Neville
3.      A Cole
4.      Moore
5.      Paul McGrath
6.      Law
7.      Liam Brady
8.      Brooking
9.      Greaves
10.    Dalglish
11.    Best

My missus is half-Irish. I'm not touching "Oh Dear's" side with a bargepole!

[Checks under car]

[oh dear II]

1.      Banks
2.      G Neville
3.      A Cole
4.      Moore
5.      Paul McGrath
6.      Law
7.      Liam Brady
8.      Brooking
9.      Greaves
10.    Dalglish
11.    Best

[,]

                          Jennings

          Moore.    Charles.      Hansen

Walker                                               Cole

       Law    Charlton. . Bellingham.  Best

                          Rush
 

[Far Cough UKunt]

Any discussion about best of British which does not include Denis Law is lacking a very special player, better than Dalgliesh imho.


 

You didn't read Nutsin's opening post then?

[,]

Any discussion about best of British which does not include Denis Law is lacking a very special player, better than Dalgliesh imho.

[southbankbornnbred]

Loved Des Walker, btw. Discarded from the England side far too early, for my liking, after being scapegoated for the Dutch penalty etc. Superb defender.

[southbankbornnbred]

I think the thing about Hansen (and players like him) is that his highlights reel includes so few examples of desperate, last-minute tackles or physical lunges etc. Because he was almost always in exactly the right place. Kinda' boring, but ridiculously impressive at the same time. He just watched the game unfold and reacted to it so quickly that he was often not stretched. Probably only Moore was better at it among Brits. Possibly Billy Wright, according to many who watched him in the 40s and 50s.

[southbankbornnbred]

All about opinions, of course, CS. But I politely disagree.

Rio was superb, of course. Yet another golden player from West Ham. But Hansen was genuinely outstanding by world standards at his best. Like Moore, he just read the game differently and made it all look effortless.

I'll try and track it down on that there YouTube, but in the 2000s Italian TV ran a series of interviews with ex-Italian players about their toughest opponents. Somewhat surprisingly (considering he was Scottish!), Hansen was mentioned by many of the strikers. His Liverpool defence was held in such high regard. They hated playing against him, because he was a bit of Baresi figure who used to frustrate them all. Always in the right place, barely had to move much, always organising those around him.

[Council Scum]

The one serious comment I'll make about the original post is that, while Rio was a fantastic player and a home-grown lad, Billy Wright and Alan Hansen were better players even than Rio - relatively speaking.

Any central defensive pairing would have to be Moore and one of Wright or Hansen. Although Wright could also play right-back, so I'll cheat and put him there.

All subjective, innit? But Best, Charlton, Moore, Wright, Cole, Greaves and probably Gascoigne (pre-injury) would pretty much be shoo-ins. Dalglish would also have to feature, you'd think. Annoying little feck that he was (never forgive him for the winner in 1981!), the guy was superb.

So, I'd probably go for something like:

Banks
Wright, Moore, Hansen, Cole
Souness or Duncan Edwards (somebody's got to win the ball)
Charlton, Gascoigne, Best
Dalglish, Greaves

Bale would have to wait as a sub. He ain't getting past Best or Charlton in that side.

I think we down play just how good a player Rio was, Hansen wasn't fit to lace his boots, in fact I'd have Sol Campbell and Des Walker before Hansen as well. 

[southbankbornnbred]

                                                    Shilton

Neville                   Moore                 Rio                  Cole

                                        Souness

Bale                              Gascoigne                        Best

                            Shearer      Greaves. 

 

Shilton not covering his right-hand post again, I see!

[southbankbornnbred]

The one serious comment I'll make about the original post is that, while Rio was a fantastic player and a home-grown lad, Billy Wright and Alan Hansen were better players even than Rio - relatively speaking.

Any central defensive pairing would have to be Moore and one of Wright or Hansen. Although Wright could also play right-back, so I'll cheat and put him there.

All subjective, innit? But Best, Charlton, Moore, Wright, Cole, Greaves and probably Gascoigne (pre-injury) would pretty much be shoo-ins. Dalglish would also have to feature, you'd think. Annoying little feck that he was (never forgive him for the winner in 1981!), the guy was superb.

So, I'd probably go for something like:

Banks
Wright, Moore, Hansen, Cole
Souness or Duncan Edwards (somebody's got to win the ball)
Charlton, Gascoigne, Best
Dalglish, Greaves

Bale would have to wait as a sub. He ain't getting past Best or Charlton in that side.

[Council Scum]

                                                    Shilton

Neville                   Moore                 Rio                  Cole

                                        Souness

Bale                              Gascoigne                        Best

                            Shearer      Greaves. 
 

[southbankbornnbred]

                                Jennings.

Neville.                                                 Pearce.
                        Moore.      Rio.


    Bale.          Gerard.     Charlton.      Law.

                       Best.        Greaves.



 

Paisley, Adams, Moore, Bonds, Jocky Wilson, Mosley (right-wing), Sturgeon, Ivor the Engine Room, Tony Benn (left-wing), Best, McAvennie.

You try getting that forward line out of the pub. Sturgeon's in because every great side needs a little aggressive ginger fella and I couldn't bring myself to choose Billy Bremner or Paul Scholes.

[Far Cough UKunt]

Banks

McGrain
Charles
Moore
Cole

(John) Robertson
Charlton
Gascoigne
Best

Dalglish
Shearer
.

.






 

Danny McGrain ...one of the 70s/80s old firm originals..Celtic stood out for the numbers on their shorts
​​​​​​some proper old school names being mentioned TBF.
I'd have Andy Goram as my keeper

You can't have two Andy Gorams in goal.

[Monsieur merde de cheval]

Goram
Sir Trev 
Dev
Mooro
bobby lightnin himself. Tommy McQueen
Tommy's distant cousin Steve
MIckey Droy
Kenny Ransom
​​​​​​Yvette Cooper 
Josie Wales 
Queer Starmer up front
​​​

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