Thorpe-le-Saint Posted 20 November, 2008 Share Posted 20 November, 2008 Bridge or Bale in my opinion However, my heart is SCREAMING Benali! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Window Cleaner Posted 20 November, 2008 Share Posted 20 November, 2008 In the early eighties when Armstrong joined us Nick Holmes played LB until Mark Dennis arrived What instead of Mick Mills ? I mean he might well have played a few games at left back, I don't particularly remember him playing there though;If you look at Nick's wiki it says he played left back in the FA Cup final in 1976, strange, I'm sure that I saw David Peach there with the number 3 shirt that day, must have been p!ssed I suppose.;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
St Landrew Posted 20 November, 2008 Author Share Posted 20 November, 2008 Bridge or Bale in my opinion However, my heart is SCREAMING Benali! So when I come to count up the nominations and build the thread for Saints Greatest [footballing] LB, do you honestly think I should include Francis Benali..? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemmel Posted 20 November, 2008 Share Posted 20 November, 2008 Mark Dennis for me Peach and Mills were right up there as well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John B Posted 20 November, 2008 Share Posted 20 November, 2008 What instead of Mick Mills ? I mean he might well have played a few games at left back, I don't particularly remember him playing there though;If you look at Nick's wiki it says he played left back in the FA Cup final in 1976, strange, I'm sure that I saw David Peach there with the number 3 shirt that day, must have been p!ssed I suppose.;) Yes Peach was fullback in Cup Final 1976 Holmes was number 4 I think that day Holmes was LB with Golac RB in 1981/82 Mills replaced Golac and Dennis replaced Holmes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Ron fan Posted 20 November, 2008 Share Posted 20 November, 2008 i'd go for Benali personally bridge was good, but didn't have the legendary status that benali had and as for bale...well, he couldn't defend to save is life!! for me, best £10m we ever made That's a really stupid comment. I can just about remember Dennis Hollywood. For me, Dennis, Bridge and Bale have all been outstanding for us. As the latter didn't play for us in the top flight, I'd choose one of the other two. Don't know who yet - I'll make up my mind at voting time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ALWAYS_SFC Posted 20 November, 2008 Share Posted 20 November, 2008 David Peach for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Window Cleaner Posted 20 November, 2008 Share Posted 20 November, 2008 Yes Peach was fullback in Cup Final 1976 Holmes was number 4 I think that day Holmes was LB with Golac RB in 1981/82 Mills replaced Golac and Dennis replaced Holmes And Reuben ? where did he fit into all that then. I was in and out of the UK in 81/82,but I distinctly remember Reuben Agboola at left back in that period.Could be wrong, the old nodder could be playing tricks on me I suppose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ottery st mary Posted 20 November, 2008 Share Posted 20 November, 2008 Agboola more right back? or even sweeper? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John B Posted 20 November, 2008 Share Posted 20 November, 2008 (edited) And Reuben ? where did he fit into all that then. I was in and out of the UK in 81/82,but I distinctly remember Reuben Agboola at left back in that period.Could be wrong, the old nodder could be playing tricks on me I suppose. Agboola was sweeper or CB TEAM v LIVERPOOL 1984 SHILTON MILLS AGBOOLA WRIGHT DENNIS D WALLACE WILLIAMS HOLMES ARMSTRONG MORAN WORTHINGTON not a bad team with five home grown players and Puckett the sub We won 2 0 attendance 19698 with one of the best goals I ever saw at the Dell Edited 20 November, 2008 by John B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ottery st mary Posted 20 November, 2008 Share Posted 20 November, 2008 David Peach for me. Good old David Peach..full of heart..When he did his London Marathon for charity in the late 80s about 88/89, stayed with my family in North London. My son and I, got him to start at Greenwich on Blackheath and ran down to Cutty Sark in order to cheer him on.We then ran through to Isle Dogs in the foot tunnel and cheered him on coming on the Island and running off to go to Catherine Dock to Tower of London..At this stage he had done about 20 miles and looked all in..We were able to remind him of all his charity sponsors and that all Saints fans thought he was a legend...Good old Peachey not only kept going but made it to the finish. We had caught him up by getting tube from tower hill to Westminster.We had the easy job but on that day he showed what a true Saint and lots and lots of guts...I kept telling everyone he was a Saint, a legend,cup final and all that...A great player for Saints...Yes I know many others have achieved this but this was Peachey..great man..great memories. I'm not sure he did another one after that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyNorthernSaints Posted 20 November, 2008 Share Posted 20 November, 2008 Mark Dennis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saint lard Posted 20 November, 2008 Share Posted 20 November, 2008 Mark Dennis for me,closely followed by Bridge,although, Bridgey was playing with Chris marsden ahead of him on the left and this contributed alot to him playing to his full potential,IMO. they really had an understanding which aided both players. Shouldn't really forget Franny,a ledgend in his own inimitable way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
badgerx16 Posted 20 November, 2008 Share Posted 20 November, 2008 So when I come to count up the nominations and build the thread for Saints Greatest [footballing] LB, do you honestly think I should include Francis Benali..? Abso-bl00dy-lutely :cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenridge Posted 20 November, 2008 Share Posted 20 November, 2008 In my time it would be any one from Peach, Statham, Dennis or Bridge. All for different reasons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John B Posted 20 November, 2008 Share Posted 20 November, 2008 Abso-bl00dy-lutely :cool: Is Benali not the John Sergeant of LBs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badger Posted 20 November, 2008 Share Posted 20 November, 2008 Mark Dennis;a great player and a cult hero as well. Dennis though only shades it ahead of David Peach.Dennis played his peak with Saints in the top flight whereas Peach,although a top class performer, was at his best for us in the od second division. How tragic that Steve Mills might have eclipsed both but for his accident. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John B Posted 20 November, 2008 Share Posted 20 November, 2008 Mark Dennis;a great player and a cult hero as well. Dennis though only shades it ahead of David Peach.Dennis played his peak with Saints in the top flight whereas Peach,although a top class performer, was at his best for us in the od second division. How tragic that Steve Mills might have eclipsed both but for his accident. Having read the thread with posters comments I agree with the above and will go for Dennis Time for the RB ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcjwills Posted 20 November, 2008 Share Posted 20 November, 2008 Mark Dennis without a doubt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saintwarwick Posted 20 November, 2008 Share Posted 20 November, 2008 Peach for me followed closely by Bridge and Benali. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickG Posted 20 November, 2008 Share Posted 20 November, 2008 And Reuben ? where did he fit into all that then. I was in and out of the UK in 81/82,but I distinctly remember Reuben Agboola at left back in that period.Could be wrong, the old nodder could be playing tricks on me I suppose. remember his as sweeper and lb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
St Marco Posted 20 November, 2008 Share Posted 20 November, 2008 The animal that is Benali Saints through and through and would only leave if you made him! He must hold the record for most times sent off for us too? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TijuanaTim Posted 20 November, 2008 Share Posted 20 November, 2008 Unbelievable Left Backs Peachy - Bridger and Bale, but no one, I repeat no one comes close to Psycho. Mark Dennis was the final piece of a great Saints jigsaw that witnessed us coming agonisingly close to a double. He was the harder, fittess and most skillful defender i've ever seen in red and white. As a bonus, he made the need for a left winger/midfielder/half back almost redundant with his superb sortes up field. If he wasn't...well...er...a 'Psycho' he would have undoubtedly been England's #3 for a generation. Worth the admission alone!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyNorthernSaints Posted 20 November, 2008 Share Posted 20 November, 2008 Amazed no one has mentioned Lee Todd and Oliver Bernard? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Windmill Arm 2 Posted 20 November, 2008 Share Posted 20 November, 2008 MARK 'PSYCHO' DENNIS :smt027 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saintstr1 Posted 20 November, 2008 Share Posted 20 November, 2008 Definately Dave Peach for me , His penalty taking would swing it from Bridgey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John B Posted 20 November, 2008 Share Posted 20 November, 2008 Definately Dave Peach for me , His penalty taking would swing it from Bridgey. I dont think Peach will be taking penalties in the final team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nutwood2 Posted 20 November, 2008 Share Posted 20 November, 2008 Steve Mills, great player, career cut short by injury, life cut short by illness. Totally agree. Stevie would surely have gone on to captain England. I think Lawrie would agree with that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Badger Posted 20 November, 2008 Share Posted 20 November, 2008 I repeat no one comes close to Psycho. Mark Dennis was the final piece of a great Saints jigsaw that witnessed us coming agonisingly close to a double. He was the harder, fittess and most skillful defender i've ever seen in red and white. As a bonus, he made the need for a left winger/midfielder/half back almost redundant with his superb sortes up field. If he wasn't...well...er...a 'Psycho' he would have undoubtedly been England's #3 for a generation. Worth the admission alone!! I've already given my vote for Dennis,but should just also add my agreement to your comment about his international pedigree. Its been a long held view of mine - and frequently argued after a few beers - that if it had not been for Mark Dennis' off field problems,he'd have been England's first choice left back,and Stuart Pearce would not have got near the national team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krissyboy31 Posted 20 November, 2008 Share Posted 20 November, 2008 I've already given my vote for Dennis,but should just also add my agreement to your comment about his international pedigree. Its been a long held view of mine - and frequently argued after a few beers - that if it had not been for Mark Dennis' off field problems,he'd have been England's first choice left back,and Stuart Pearce would not have got near the national team. Stuart Pearce came slightly later. Kenny Sansom was England LB at the time. But I agree Dennis should have played for England because he was the best in the country. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benjii Posted 20 November, 2008 Share Posted 20 November, 2008 Did Bridge ever get booked for us? Didn't he also play something mental like every minute of 105 consecutive matches or something? Can't believe no one's nominated Duncan Spedding. For the avoidance of doubt, I am not nominating Duncan Spedding. Although I may nominate him and Graham Potter for left wing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Cool Posted 20 November, 2008 Share Posted 20 November, 2008 It has to be Benali for me, albeit for sentimental reasons (he and MLT were my heroes when I was a young 'un) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oz Posted 21 November, 2008 Share Posted 21 November, 2008 i'd go for Benali personally bridge was good, but didn't have the legendary status that benali had and as for bale...well, he couldn't defend to save is life!! for me, best £10m we ever made that's why the spuds play him in midfield! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corsacar saint Posted 21 November, 2008 Share Posted 21 November, 2008 Mark Dennis, terrific footballer, only his temperment stopped him from winning a bucket load of England caps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
um pahars Posted 21 November, 2008 Share Posted 21 November, 2008 My old mate, ANDY COOK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisobee Posted 21 November, 2008 Share Posted 21 November, 2008 Has to be Mark Dennis for me though contrary to a few posts I think it's a very hard choice with the likes of Peach, Bridge, Bale and Hollywood to consider. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TopGun Posted 21 November, 2008 Share Posted 21 November, 2008 Nick did play left back for a while after Dennis. But Dennis for me. Thoroughly uncompromising in defence and a great attacker. Would have had plenty of caps had it not been for his reputation and the amount of red cards he collected before Lawrie sorted him out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exit2 Posted 21 November, 2008 Share Posted 21 November, 2008 Legendary Status for me you have to have the following in the poll Benali Dennis Golac Bridge Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rpb Posted 21 November, 2008 Share Posted 21 November, 2008 Legendary Status for me you have to have the following in the poll Benali Dennis Golac Bridge I suspect that Golac will win the best ever right back section - C B Fry might get the odd vote, though... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
La BoIS Saint Posted 21 November, 2008 Share Posted 21 November, 2008 I know there is always disagreement because of the age of subscribers, but for those of us a little longer in the tooth, Dave Peach has to be the greatest LB for Saints. Can you forget the pen against Palace that got us to Wembley? Highest scoring full back in League history (at the time) 34 goals in 224 apps. Played in 2 cup finals for Saints (how many others can claim that? Nick Holmes is the answer by the way). Scored the opener in the League Cup Final against Forest. On top of all of that, was one of the best blokes I ever met at Saints. At the time was more of a cult hero than even Franny became. I know we don't need 2 expert pen takers in a team, and assume Tiss will make the greatest ever XI, but it is actually debatable which one was the best at this skill. Oh what we would give for either of them to take pens for us now. On a point of pedantry according to http://www.sportingchronicle.com/FACUP/1900.html and http://www.sportingchronicle.com/FACUP/1902.html Jack Robinson, Sam Meston, Arthur Turner and Harry Wood also played in two finals (or arguably three!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
St Paul Posted 21 November, 2008 Share Posted 21 November, 2008 Mark Dennis for me....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dicko Posted 21 November, 2008 Share Posted 21 November, 2008 Surely, the top 4 would have to be Peach, Dennis, Bridge & Bale Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saint1977 Posted 21 November, 2008 Share Posted 21 November, 2008 Definately Dave Peach for me , His penalty taking would swing it from Bridgey. Indeed my old man put £5 on David scoring the first goal in 1979 at the League Cup Final at surprisingly generous odds (may have been 16-1 I think). Made him a nice win back then although he'd have swapped it for Saints beating Forest! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SW11_Saint Posted 21 November, 2008 Share Posted 21 November, 2008 What instead of Mick Mills ? I mean he might well have played a few games at left back, I don't particularly remember him playing there though;If you look at Nick's wiki it says he played left back in the FA Cup final in 1976, strange, I'm sure that I saw David Peach there with the number 3 shirt that day, must have been p!ssed I suppose.;) Nick H played there quite a bit towards the end of his career. Also got quite a lot of stick as I remember - outrageous for such a great servant to the club. From Franny, Peach, Holmes, Mills, Dennis, Statham, Bale, Bridge I'd have to go for Mark Dennis. Had everything you need in a fullback - tigerish tackling, speed, bravery, perceptive thinking. And of course he was a psycho, which made him a legend! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fowllyd Posted 21 November, 2008 Share Posted 21 November, 2008 Indeed my old man put £5 on David scoring the first goal in 1979 at the League Cup Final at surprisingly generous odds (may have been 16-1 I think). Made him a nice win back then although he'd have swapped it for Saints beating Forest! Interesting you should mention that - I remember talking to a mate back at that time who'd done exactly the same thing (he'd also backed us to win 2-1, so he didn't win that one!). His thinking was that Steve Williams would run into the box and get fouled, and Peach would score the resulting penalty. As it was of course, Peach's goal came from open play... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandwichsaint Posted 21 November, 2008 Share Posted 21 November, 2008 Had to chuckle at the earlier comment that 'we were short of LB's'; LB must be one of our strongest positions historically? Damn it, we could field a whole team of them: .......... Bale ....... Statham ............ Bridge ... Pycho .... S Mills ...... Holmes Peach ... Hollywood.. Benali ..... M Mills ...................... Vignal .................... Not the most balanced team you ever saw but they would probably beat the current lot, hands down. I've seen all of these play; it's Steve Mills for me, but I'd take almost any of the others in his stead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hughieslastminutegoal Posted 21 November, 2008 Share Posted 21 November, 2008 They played under Ted Bates from 1954, - Nos 2, 5, 3 at the back with a defensive 6, - 4 and 10 in midfield, 7 and 11 wide with an attacking inside right 8 supporting the centre forward 9. My God! isn't that what they are playing this season? 4 4 1/1 and isn't that 4 4 2? (or if the bloke in the hole got his finger out and got up in support of the front man, as he is supposed to, it would be). Ah ha, someone who has spotted that all this fancy formation stuff just ain't as new as they think it is! AND the wingers actually used to help out their fullbacks (though don't expect much of a tackle)! George O'Brien in the hole? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hughieslastminutegoal Posted 21 November, 2008 Share Posted 21 November, 2008 I know there is always disagreement because of the age of subscribers, but for those of us a little longer in the tooth, Dave Peach has to be the greatest LB for Saints. Can you forget the pen against Palace that got us to Wembley? Highest scoring full back in League history (at the time) 34 goals in 224 apps. Played in 2 cup finals for Saints (how many others can claim that? Nick Holmes is the answer by the way). Scored the opener in the League Cup Final against Forest. On top of all of that, was one of the best blokes I ever met at Saints. At the time was more of a cult hero than even Franny became. I know we don't need 2 expert pen takers in a team, and assume Tiss will make the greatest ever XI, but it is actually debatable which one was the best at this skill. Oh what we would give for either of them to take pens for us now. Yes, David Peach for me as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hughieslastminutegoal Posted 21 November, 2008 Share Posted 21 November, 2008 Is Benali not the John Sergeant of LBs? Benali was often denigrated by outside observers (and was voted worst fullback in the top division once) but there is absolutely no arguing the fact that a succession of managers tried to leave him out, but always brought him back in the heat of relegation dog-fights. The man is was all heart and determination, and should be celebrated as such. Le Tiss's goals kept us up, but Franny played his part too in those (seemingly never-ending) battles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chap in the Chapel Posted 21 November, 2008 Share Posted 21 November, 2008 Wayne Bridge is comfortably the best left-back I've seen playing for Saints. Niemi, Bridge, Lundekvam, Svensson, Telfer - now that was a back five... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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