Unpopular City Strikers

[SecretSam]

1 hour ago, Commoner said:

Ralph Milne. Remember being chastised by a fellow city fan for shouting encouragement rather than abuse away at Walsall. Alex Ferguson fancied him after having him at Aberdeen and signed him for Man U. Ralph scored one absolute cracker in front of the East End but struggled being accused of being lazy.

Winger, not eligible. Capable of sublime moments of genius. Sold for a pile to ManUre.

[RicksterJ]

45 minutes ago, hertsexile said:

What about the one and only Bas Savage 

 Undoubtedly the worst I have ever seen, but somehow wasn’t unpopular

[Gimme Shelton]

17 minutes ago, SecretSam said:

Winger, not eligible. Capable of sublime moments of genius. Sold for a pile to ManUre.

Loved Ralphie, imagine how he could have been even better but for being permanently 'worse for wear'

[CloudyThatchers]

Has no one mentioned Iain Baird?

He was a class A c#ck!!

[SecretSam]

12 minutes ago, Gimme Shelton said:

Loved Ralphie, imagine how he could have been even better but for being permanently 'worse for wear'

Maybe we should do an "all time City pissheads XI", there'd be plenty of competition for places

[adamski]

4 minutes ago, SecretSam said:

Maybe we should do an "all time City pissheads XI", there'd be plenty of competition for places

Jacki and Marcus

[SecretSam]

Just now, adamski said:

Jacki and Marcus

It's such a good idea, I'm starting a thread

[Guest]

I remember a very 'un-Jason Roberts like' replacement from Oldham called Sean McCarthy who we brought in when the very 'Jason Roberts like' Jason Roberts decided to disappear on us. (Less said about that the better )

To be fair, just think he was more rubbish than unpopular...

[Guest]

6 minutes ago, adamski said:

Jacki and Marcus

Sir Lee Peacock surely? 

[devoncider]

Ryan Taylor

[RedEyez]

Gustav Engvall

[spudski]

5 minutes ago, RedEyez said:

Gustav Engvall

Kinnel...that's done my noggin in. He's still only 27 and still playing

[patchway ciderred]

I can remember 4 'strikers' from around 82/83 that weren't the best: John Kerr from Tramere, John Palmer, dragged in from the Western League and the Kelly Brothers, Errington and Nyrere, I think they both camecfrom the Gas. All were bloody awful

[SecretSam]

3 minutes ago, patchway ciderred said:

I can remember 4 'strikers' from around 82/83 that weren't the best: John Kerr from Tramere, John Palmer, dragged in from the Western League and the Kelly Brothers, Errington and Nyrere, I think they both camecfrom the Gas. All were bloody awful

All excusable because we were broke

[DaveInSA]

1 hour ago, Redderland said:

but we never turned on him, he tried but simply couldn't score

yeah that's true. he got into great goalscoring positions, but you just knew he wasn't going to score.

[italian dave]

1 hour ago, RicksterJ said:

 Undoubtedly the worst I have ever seen, but somehow wasn’t unpopular

He was just such a likeable guy……..crap footballer (at our level) but you couldn’t dislike him. 

[BigTone]

Has anyone mentioned Bas ?

[Maltshoveller]

For me it has to be Andy, sorry Andrew Cole

 

 

[archie andrews]

48 minutes ago, patchway ciderred said:

I can remember 4 'strikers' from around 82/83 that weren't the best: John Kerr from Tramere, John Palmer, dragged in from the Western League and the Kelly Brothers, Errington and Nyrere, I think they both camecfrom the Gas. All were bloody awful

john kerr signed pre season 83/84 and did a job for a while......rip as well

[hertsexile]

Lois Diony comes to mind a complete waste of time the only thing that stood out was a very bad hair cut 

[Simon bristol]

On 19/11/2023 at 18:44, Ska Junkie said:

I'll raise you Ian Baird.

You win, please no one mention that name anymore?

[Sixtyseconds]

On 19/11/2023 at 08:25, Engvall’s Splinter said:

Before my time - why was he unpopular? Decent record on wiki. Goal every other game pretty much. 

Why?

"Gloria" used shiny hair products.

It was the eighties.

 

[handsofclay]

2 hours ago, Dizz said:

I remember a very 'un-Jason Roberts like' replacement from Oldham called Sean McCarthy who we brought in when the very 'Jason Roberts like' Jason Roberts decided to disappear on us. (Less said about that the better )

To be fair, just think he was more rubbish than unpopular...

Roberts and McCarthy were signed on loan roughly at the same time, iirc as replacements for Shaun Goater. Roberts made his full debut in a televised game at Oldham and scored in a win, teaming up well with Gregory Goodridge. We played Carlisle next at home and John Ward inexplicably dropped Roberts and replaced him with McCarthy who looked overweight. McCarthy did very little. Roberts came on as a late sub in a one nil win and I remember the Carlisle defenders were bouncing off of him. He was very impressive.

Trouble was his nose had been put out of joint being dropped for the unfit McCarthy, simply due to the latter's experience and went AWOL. I blame us going up as runners up instead of champions on that decision. Didn't understand it at the time and still don't.

Edited November 21, 2023 by handsofclay

[New Dazzler]

I don't think many fans remember quite how bad Paul Cheesley was when he joined us from Norwich for 30k ln 1973. He seemed slow, couldn't really hold the ball up or affect the game in any way. What a transformation for season 75/76 when his goals, hold up play and presence in and around the box spearheaded our promotion season followed by the opening day winner at Highbury.  By the time he got that knee injury against Stoke he was always going to be a club legend, buy he was really poor in his first season, and yes, the fans let him know it..

[cellist]

3 hours ago, cidercity1987 said:

We certainly cornered the market with journeymen strikers during our fall to the bottom of L1. Turned up, played about 5 games and left again

Agyemang

Tyrone Barnett

Stern John

Marlon Harewood

Martin Paterson

Any others?

 

Mark McCammon 

[Gimme Shelton]

20 minutes ago, handsofclay said:

Roberts and McCarthy were signed on loan roughly at the same time, iirc as replacements for Shaun Goater. Roberts made his full debut in a televised game at Oldham and scored in a win, teaming up well with Gregory Goodridge. We played Carlisle next at home and John Ward inexplicably dropped Roberts and replaced him with McCarthy who looked overweight. McCarthy did very little. Roberts came on as a late sub in a one nil win and I remember the Carlisle defenders were bouncing off of him. He was very impressive.

Trouble was his nose had been put out of joint being dropped for the unfit McCarthy, simply due to the latter's experience and went AWOL. I blame us going up as runners up instead of champions on that decision. Didn't understand it at the time and still don't.

My memory is a bit hazy on the subject but didn't Roberts go and play an international match for Grenada? Against Wards wishes? Ward then went full sulk and dropped him.

[alexukhc]

Scott Partridge, girls loved him but wasn’t great was he?

[Swede]

I remember that time tiny penis had just signed ex gas Peter Beadle and teamed him up with Steve Jones for his home debut. One of them scored I can't remember who but the lack of fans celebration told its own story.

It tells you the mark of the striker Beadle was as he quickly won over many fans (although you can never forget he played for the dark side) with his committed performances. Not many players play for City and the sags and held in the same regard.

[Swede]

If I was to to name my worst City 11 donkey Baird would be the cherry on the turd.

[allyolly]

5 hours ago, CloudyThatchers said:

Has no one mentioned Iain Baird?

He was a class A c#ck!!

Gave two fingers to the city fans at home if I remember rightly? Remember being at Southend away and heard a comment that Baird has never been any good since he invented the TV. 

[fgrsimon]

8 hours ago, DaveInSA said:

I'll raise you a Liam Robinson

He was pretty much the same as Junior Bent and played around the same time I think? Plenty of effort, skill (and pace in Bent's case) but it all fell apart when either had a shot at goal. People behind the goal taking cover when either were lining up a shot!

 

[robinforlife2]

Not sure about unpopular, but Andy Smith, Michael Bridges and Lois Diony are some of the worse I've seen in a City shirt.

Feel a bit sorry for Engvall, he never got given a chance in a City shirt. 

In terms of popular, but not very good, Matty Taylor, had he not been swiped off Rovers to piss them off, and become a cult like hero because of it, was pretty woeful for us. I still have nightmares over that miss at Derby, which had it gone in, surely we wouldn't have thrown the game away as we proceeded to do. Although, his pass to Smith to beat Man Utd probably made him a money well spent signing. 

[One Team]

11 hours ago, CloudyThatchers said:

Has no one mentioned Iain Baird?

He was a class A c#ck!!

Got to be the winner for me. The likes of Liam Robinson and Bas Savage were rubbish but they weren’t unpopular.

Baird was rubbish and of course infamously stuck two fingers up to the Atyeo. You don’t come back from that! 

I’d imagine Brooker would feature high on the players lists after the Lita incident! 

[Oh Louie louie]

Around the time we had mccamnon we had another striker on loan who upset the dolman, james Quinn, the first scorer of that season if I remember righty

[Oh Louie louie]

Quinn scored when joe Jordan was boss I think? Or later, I look at some of the fowards joe signed to some gary brought in, joes are mouthwatering, I can't say that about gjs

[1960maaan]

Can't be bothered to look through the thread, so sorry if he's been mentioned but ;

Lee Miller 

Paid £300,000 for him and while 6 in 49 isn't the worst strike rate ever , his miss at Swindon cost him any chance of being popular here. I thought he was ok, but he never recovered from that.

Looking back that goal would have won the game. 
That win would have given us 2 more points.
Those 2 points would have put us on 84.
QPR went up in the second auto place on 83.
We lost in the playoffs.

[italian dave]

12 minutes ago, 1960maaan said:

Can't be bothered to look through the thread, so sorry if he's been mentioned but ;

Lee Miller 

Paid £300,000 for him and while 6 in 49 isn't the worst strike rate ever , his miss at Swindon cost him any chance of being popular here. I thought he was ok, but he never recovered from that.

Looking back that goal would have won the game. 
That win would have given us 2 more points.
Those 2 points would have put us on 84.
QPR went up in the second auto place on 83.
We lost in the playoffs.

Never to be forgotten…..or forgiven. He was never the greatest striker, but probably not on the ‘unpopular’ list until that moment.

Fans will always point to a miss and lost opportunities, but they’re usually pie in the sky ‘what-if’ opportunities.

Why this stood out was that it was a) such an easy chance, b) so near the end of the game, c) so near the end of the season. So all those ‘what-if’s’ that you’ve set out are things that more than likely would have happened.

Oh, and d) right in front of the City fans.

Edited November 22, 2023 by italian dave

[1960maaan]

3 minutes ago, italian dave said:

Never to be forgotten…..or forgiven. He was never the greatest striker, but probably not on the ‘unpopular’ list until that moment.

Fans will always point to a miss and lost opportunities, but they’re usually pie in the sky ‘what-if’ opportunities.

Why this stood out was that it was a) such an easy chance, b) so near the end of the game, c) so near the end of the season. So all those ‘what-if’s’ that you’ve set out are things that more than likely would have happened.

Oh, and d) right in front of the City fans.

Got to score , hasn't he 

Or if you want to watch the whole thing

 

[italian dave]

6 minutes ago, 1960maaan said:

Got to score , hasn't he 

Or if you want to watch the whole thing

 

I’d forgotten that *****ing Fallon goal too……just to rub it in!!

[1960maaan]

6 minutes ago, italian dave said:

I’d forgotten that *****ing Fallon goal too……just to rub it in!!

Now there's a striker I never liked 

[GrahamC]

1 hour ago, italian dave said:

I’d forgotten that *****ing Fallon goal too……just to rub it in!!

Seemed to have something of the Daniel Johnson about him, most of his decent games were against us.

1 hour ago, 1960maaan said:

Now there's a striker I never liked 

See above!

[Northern Red]

2 hours ago, Oh Louie louie said:

Quinn scored when joe Jordan was boss I think? Or later, I look at some of the fowards joe signed to some gary brought in, joes are mouthwatering, I can't say that about gjs

Think Quinn was one of the ones who Gary Johnson signed when he first took over.

[GrahamC]

12 hours ago, Gimme Shelton said:

My memory is a bit hazy on the subject but didn't Roberts go and play an international match for Grenada? Against Wards wishes? Ward then went full sulk and dropped him.

Exactly what happened.

Roberts was told not to go, as we were fighting Watford for top spot & then he totally ignored Ward & did so.

McCarthy, who admittedly wasn’t great, battled away in every game for us, played & scored at Preston on the last day of the season, even though his father has passed away that week.

No surprise why Ward went with him, most managers would prefer a bloke prepared to give you everything over someone who thinks he’s better than the club, especially if he’s only on loan.

[REDOXO]

Jones was awful and Tiny spent a lot on him!

[Oh Louie louie]

42 minutes ago, Northern Red said:

Think Quinn was one of the ones who Gary Johnson signed when he first took over.

Yeah he stuck in my mind, when he scored, on a opening day,one season the first name out of stellings mouth

[Major Isewater]

10 hours ago, allyolly said:

Gave two fingers to the city fans at home if I remember rightly? Remember being at Southend away and heard a comment that Baird has never been any good since he invented the TV. 

I thought it was Yogi Bear who invented the television. 

[handsofclay]

1 hour ago, GrahamC said:

Exactly what happened.

Roberts was told not to go, as we were fighting Watford for top spot & then he totally ignored Ward & did so.

McCarthy, who admittedly wasn’t great, battled away in every game for us, played & scored at Preston on the last day of the season, even though his father has passed away that week.

No surprise why Ward went with him, most managers would prefer a bloke prepared to give you everything over someone who thinks he’s better than the club, especially if he’s only on loan.

But that was AFTER Roberts had been inexplicably dropped in favour of McCarthy after his match winning performance on debut at Oldham. Yes, it was petulant. But I rather think had it not been for the fact he was dropped he would've acted differently. 

The proof of the pudding is that not long afterwards Roberts was playing and scoring in the Premier League whereas I was watching McCarthy playing for Truro v Mangotsfield United at Cossham St.

Edited November 22, 2023 by handsofclay

[Swede]

4 hours ago, 1960maaan said:

Can't be bothered to look through the thread, so sorry if he's been mentioned but ;

Lee Miller 

Paid £300,000 for him and while 6 in 49 isn't the worst strike rate ever , his miss at Swindon cost him any chance of being popular here. I thought he was ok, but he never recovered from that.

Looking back that goal would have won the game. 
That win would have given us 2 more points.
Those 2 points would have put us on 84.
QPR went up in the second auto place on 83.
We lost in the playoffs.

I wince at the very thought! I was standing not too far away from him on that 5hitty terrace and could've put it in with me knob [it seemed like two inches from the goal line], it was that bad a miss

[SecretSam]

5 hours ago, Swede said:

I wince at the very thought! I was standing not too far away from him on that 5hitty terrace and could've put it in with me knob [it seemed like two inches from the goal line], it was that bad a miss

Your gentleman's sausage seemed like it was 2" from the goal line?!?!?!?!? Amazed the ref didn't notice

[1960maaan]

17 minutes ago, SecretSam said:

Your gentleman's sausage seemed like it was 2" from the goal line?!?!?!?!? Amazed the ref didn't notice

Exciting game football 

[Redtucks]

On 21/11/2023 at 17:25, phantom said:

 

First season he was awful, literally nothing dropped for him

Fair play though, he went away the following summer and worked really hard on his fitness and tan, and came back a half decent striker and looking even more like an African!!!

 

[Port Said Red]

Peter Devine

Apparently from Blackburn but we signed him from Vancouver Whitecaps. God knows how he managed against all those Canucks, but a breath of wind would blow him over when he played for us. I notice his WIkipedia page says he played professionally for Vancouver, Blackburn Rovers and Burnley, so presumably we didn't pay him for the 21 games he played for us, which seems more than fair.

I like the stuff about the penalty too.

Peter Devine (born 25 May 1960) is an English former professional footballer who played as a winger. Devine played professionally for Vancouver Whitecaps, Blackburn Rovers and Burnley and also played non-league football for Lancaster City, Chorley, Morecambe and Clitheroe.^[3]

While playing for Lancaster City, Devine became infamous for a missed penalty kick attempt during the 1991 HFS Northern Premier League Division One Cup Final against Whitley Bay.^[4] The miss has been voted one of the worst penalty misses of all time and was included on the football blunders videos Danny Baker's Own Goals and Gaffs [sic] and Nick Hancock's Football Nightmares.^[5] The miss was repeatedly mocked by Hancock throughout the video and while Devine politely declined to comment to The Athletic to discuss his gaffe, he insisted that he had no hard feelings towards him.^[6]

In July 2015, Devine took over as manager of AFC Darwen.^[7] After playing just one pre-season friendly, Devine resigned as manager.^[8]

^{The Penalty miss}

 

 

Edited November 22, 2023 by Port Said Red

[glastored]

Paul Mortimer anyone?

[Lew-T]

On 21/11/2023 at 17:52, Northern Red said:

Stern John

We had so many awful strikers coming in during that time.

Stern John, Stefan Mairhoffer, Peter Styvar, Patrick Agyemang, John Akinde, David Clarkson. 

Perhaps a little harsh on Clarkson but he was crap in the main.

[cellist]

8 hours ago, Lew-T said:

We had so many awful strikers coming in during that time.

Stern John, Stefan Mairhoffer, Peter Styvar, Patrick Agyemang, John Akinde, David Clarkson. 

Perhaps a little harsh on Clarkson but he was crap in the main.

Alvaro Saborio

Emad Meteb pretty unpopular - took a look around and got straight back on the plane 

[BarnzFM]

On 21/11/2023 at 18:23, cidercity1987 said:

We certainly cornered the market with journeymen strikers during our fall to the bottom of L1. Turned up, played about 5 games and left again

Agyemang

Tyrone Barnett

Stern John

Marlon Harewood

Martin Paterson

Any others?

 

Harewood, all the attributes to be a top top striker. Big, strong, fast. Just didn’t have it up there 

[SecretSam]

9 hours ago, glastored said:

Paul Mortimer anyone?

Midfielder 

[Oizys]

On 21/11/2023 at 16:30, KendrickDNB said:

How has nobody mentioned Diony

Because we were talking about footballers and he doesn't qualify as such....

On 21/11/2023 at 18:34, RicksterJ said:

 Undoubtedly the worst I have ever seen, but somehow wasn’t unpopular

Bas was in the so bad he was good category

[Oh Louie louie]

The biggest turn around from villian to hero in a matter of minutes, Colin gordon

[Riaz]

Liam Robinson. Phil Jevons and JET

JET would create many goals for sam baldock - who was over-rated and missed loads. and wouldnt get any stick- but JET would

Edited November 23, 2023 by Riaz

[Port Said Red]

3 minutes ago, Riaz said:

Liam Robinson. Phil Jevons and JET

JET would create many goals for same baldock - who was over-rated and missed loads. and wouldnt get any stick- but JET would

I think the equivalent of @Davefevs on here at the time pointed out that we had scored something like 27 goals at a certain point of the season, and that JET was involved in 25 of them either scoring or assisting, but some on here wanted to drop him because we were conceding too many goals. 

[Oh Louie louie]

If I remember rightly Liam Robinson came back, defence is in for a easy ride today, I thought, you can guess the rest, I think he scored twice?

[cidercity1987]

20 minutes ago, Riaz said:

Liam Robinson. Phil Jevons and JET

JET would create many goals for sam baldock - who was over-rated and missed loads. and wouldnt get any stick- but JET would

I think there were a few oddballs who didn't rate JET but he was much loved by a lot of the City faithful for his fantastic goal and assist return over the two seasons

[2015]

On 21/11/2023 at 21:45, handsofclay said:

Roberts and McCarthy were signed on loan roughly at the same time, iirc as replacements for Shaun Goater. Roberts made his full debut in a televised game at Oldham and scored in a win, teaming up well with Gregory Goodridge. We played Carlisle next at home and John Ward inexplicably dropped Roberts and replaced him with McCarthy who looked overweight. McCarthy did very little. Roberts came on as a late sub in a one nil win and I remember the Carlisle defenders were bouncing off of him. He was very impressive.

Trouble was his nose had been put out of joint being dropped for the unfit McCarthy, simply due to the latter's experience and went AWOL. I blame us going up as runners up instead of champions on that decision. Didn't understand it at the time and still don't.

In another world we sign Roberts permanently and then sign Akinbiyi in the Summer as well. What a strike pairing that would have been. Daft decision to overlook Roberts.

[2015]

32 minutes ago, Port Said Red said:

I think the equivalent of @Davefevs on here at the time pointed out that we had scored something like 27 goals at a certain point of the season, and that JET was involved in 25 of them either scoring or assisting, but some on here wanted to drop him because we were conceding too many goals. 

Clueless these fans. JET was brilliant in 2013-14 and it was criminal Baldock bagged more goals than he did. Baldock was the type of striker who needed 5 chances to bag 1.

[Red Army 75]

1 hour ago, 2015 said:

Clueless these fans. JET was brilliant in 2013-14 and it was criminal Baldock bagged more goals than he did. Baldock was the type of striker who needed 5 chances to bag 1.

JET was a fantastic player for us, you are spot with your clueless remark. The goal against the gas,no one in our squad is capable of that currently. 

Edited November 23, 2023 by Red Army 75

[2015]

6 minutes ago, Red Army 75 said:

JET was a fantastic player for us, you are spot with your clueless remark. The goal against the gas,no one in our squad is capable of that currently. 

We rarely get players like JET at AG. Someone who can do something out of nothing and would rifle a 25 yarder top corner when he wanted. I'd take that any day of the week over the likes of Liam Robinson and Matty Taylor just giving 100%.

[Red Army 75]

1 minute ago, 2015 said:

We rarely get players like JET at AG. Someone who can do something out of nothing and would rifle a 25 yarder top corner when he wanted. I'd take that any day of the week over the likes of Liam Robinson and Matty Taylor just giving 100%.

Agree mate. But I liked Matty Taylor and thought he should of played more under Johnson 

Edited November 23, 2023 by Red Army 75

[BigTone]

17 hours ago, Port Said Red said:

Peter Devine

Apparently from Blackburn but we signed him from Vancouver Whitecaps. God knows how he managed against all those Canucks, but a breath of wind would blow him over when he played for us. I notice his WIkipedia page says he played professionally for Vancouver, Blackburn Rovers and Burnley, so presumably we didn't pay him for the 21 games he played for us, which seems more than fair.

I like the stuff about the penalty too.

Peter Devine (born 25 May 1960) is an English former professional footballer who played as a winger. Devine played professionally for Vancouver Whitecaps, Blackburn Rovers and Burnley and also played non-league football for Lancaster City, Chorley, Morecambe and Clitheroe.^[3]

While playing for Lancaster City, Devine became infamous for a missed penalty kick attempt during the 1991 HFS Northern Premier League Division One Cup Final against Whitley Bay.^[4] The miss has been voted one of the worst penalty misses of all time and was included on the football blunders videos Danny Baker's Own Goals and Gaffs [sic] and Nick Hancock's Football Nightmares.^[5] The miss was repeatedly mocked by Hancock throughout the video and while Devine politely declined to comment to The Athletic to discuss his gaffe, he insisted that he had no hard feelings towards him.^[6]

In July 2015, Devine took over as manager of AFC Darwen.^[7] After playing just one pre-season friendly, Devine resigned as manager.^[8]

^{The Penalty miss}

 

 

Ah yes .......... who ?

[BigTone]

On 21/11/2023 at 18:52, Northern Red said:

Stern John

Would have been better if he could just loosen up a bit