Best Saints XI vs worst Saints XI in the time you’ve supported our club.

[Dr. Kucho]

What’s the Saints XI team vs the worst XI, made of players who have played for us in the time you’ve supported our beloved club? 

I started watching Saints in 2003 (so sadly didn’t see Le Tiss etc) and the best vs worst I could come up with are, 

Best team,

Niemi, 

Clyne, Van Dijk, Fonte, Shaw,

Schneiderlin, Wanyama, 

Tadic, Lallana, Mane, 

Pelle

Manager: Koeman

 

Worst team

Forecast

Wright, Davenport, Bennett,Bernard,

Smith, Pulis, Euell, Mccan, 

Carrillo, Patterson

Manager: Wigley 

[redkeith]

Best team 

                    Shilton

Golac M Wright Van Dyke Dennis

   S Williams D Armstrong

             Le TIssier

   Paine   R Davis  Channon

 

Manager Lawrie Mac  

Worst top flight team ( not counting players that didn't have a run of Games )

 

                             Bazunu

Kenton  Davenport Johanson  Todd

      Groves     Quashie   Redknapp ( 2nd Half)  Mc Cann 

                     Dixon   M Hughes

Manager  Nathan Jones

[Lighthouse]

I'm going to discount players who never actually made an appearance (Aledine Yahia anyone?) and temporary managers (Dodd/Gorman, Kelvin etc.)

Best - Manager Poch :
 

Niemi

Clyne Toby Virgil Bridge

Wanyama Morgan

Mane Davis Tiss*

Beattie

*If I'm being completely honest he was past his best in the time I've been into football but you can't not include Tiss.

Worst - Manager Mad Nate: 

Blayney

James Lancashire Powell O'Halloran

Euell Liptak* Wright R. Smith

White Bignall

*I have no idea what position he was supposed to be playing and I'm not sure he did

[Saint Fan CaM]

On 15/11/2024 at 17:08, Dr. Kucho said:

 

What’s the Saints XI team vs the worst XI, made of players who have played for us in the time you’ve supported our beloved club? 

I started watching Saints in 2003 (so sadly didn’t see Le Tiss etc) and the best vs worst I could come up with are, 

Best team,

Niemi, 

Clyne, Van Dijk, Fonte, Shaw,

Schneiderlin, Wanyama, 

Tadic, Lallana, Mane, 

Pelle

Manager: Koeman

 

Worst team

Forecast

Wright, Davenport, Bennett,Bernard,

Smith, Pulis, Euell, Mccan, 

Carrillo, Patterson

Manager: Wigley 

I concur with this. It’s incredibly sad to know how good that team/management combo was compared to where we are now. If the club had supported Koeman and kept the impetus, just think what we may have achieved.

[Gloucester Saint]

Best (top flight)

Manager: Lawrie

Shilton

Dennis VVD Wright KWP

Armstrong, Morgan, MLT D Wallace

Moran Beattie

Subs: Flowers, Lambert (Beattie just pipped him), Case (close run with Morgan), Steve Williams, M Svensson, Pahars, Fonte, Bertrand,  Rod Wallace, Lallana, Tadic, Mane, S Davis, Pelle, Monkou, Bridge, Niemi (two keepers on the bench but you can’t leave Antti out), Glenn Cockerill (80s), Statham, Ostenstad, Dean Richards, Clyne, JWP 

Worst (top flight)

Manager: Russell Martin

Bazanu

Bernard, Hoedt, Jakobsson, S Baker

Mccann, Quashie, Lesley, David Lee

Carrillo BBD

Subs: Blayney, Lemina (should have been a shoe in but Lesley nicked his spot by looking like he’s won a prize to play), Dixon (half pissed and addicted to gambling but just slightly better than BBD), Steve Wood(hoof!), Moody, Todd, Ely, Kenton, Ross Stewart, Speedie, Cherednik, Lyanco, Davenport, Van Damme (never has a name been less apt, just as bad at Wolves), Ray Wallace, Nilsson

 

Edited 21 November, 2024 by Gloucester Saint

[Saint86]

Time wise - My first game was when we beat Arsenal at the Dell 1-0 in 1994... interlude to that actually being basically 30years ago to the day (😨!!) and now i feel old 😂. 

                Niemi

  Clyne Fonte VVD Shaw

      Morgan   Wanyama

Mane   Le Tissier     Tadic

             Lambert

Honourable mentions to Dean Richards, Michael Svensson, Toby (we've had some damn decent CB's in our time) Beattie, Bridge, KWP (and full backs) Pelle - All of which immediatley sprung to mind as contenders but didn't quite cut the mustard.

The joys of awful teams is that you tend to forget them. Doubtless i could plumb the depths of our championship and premier league relegation seasons and find some stinker picks mind.

 

 

Edited 20 November, 2024 by Saint86

[benjii]

-----------Beattie-----------

Mane-----Le Tiss-----Pahars

-------Morgan---Ekelund----

Bale-Van Dick-M Svennson-Doddsy

-----------Niemi-----------

Based on players at their peak. Pelle probably better player than Beattie overall, but Beattie's best season for us was fantastic.

Sub: Flowers, Richards, Shaw, Bridge, Wanyama, Lallana, Lambert, Pelle, Tadic 

Honourable mentions: Alderweireld, Oakley, Clyne, Kachlouol, Fonte, Davis, JWP, Berkovic.

Edited 20 November, 2024 by benjii

[Midfield_General]

----------- Pahars ---------------

Mane ----- Le Tiss ---- Rod Wallace

------- Case ---- Ekelund -----

Bale --- VVD --- Alderweireld -- Clyne

----------- Niemi -----------

That side would have a shot at top 4, I reckon. 

Can't bring myself to pick the bad XI, there are just too many options. But Chris Woods would be in goal. 

 

Edited 21 November, 2024 by Midfield_General

[Channons Windmill]

Can we also have a Favourite XI? Not necessarily the best XI…

Niemi

Dennis. VVD.  Wright. Holmes

D.Wallace.  MLT.  Williams.  Bale

Channon.  Keegan

[Miltonaggro]

On 15/11/2024 at 17:08, Dr. Kucho said:

 

What’s the Saints XI team vs the worst XI, made of players who have played for us in the time you’ve supported our beloved club? 

I started watching Saints in 2003 (so sadly didn’t see Le Tiss etc) and the best vs worst I could come up with are, 

Best team,

Niemi, 

Clyne, Van Dijk, Fonte, Shaw,

Schneiderlin, Wanyama, 

Tadic, Lallana, Mane, 

Pelle

Manager: Koeman

 

Worst team

Forecast

Wright, Davenport, Bennett,Bernard,

Smith, Pulis, Euell, Mccan, 

Carrillo, Patterson

Manager: Wigley 

 

I think Wigley was 9 points in 14 games in the Prem for Saints, so currently being hammered by Russell's 4 from 11 in the worst manager stakes.   

 

 

[Miltonaggro]

On 20/11/2024 at 09:14, Gloucester Saint said:

Best (top flight)

Manager: Lawrie

Shilton

Dennis VVD Wright KWP

Armstrong, Morgan, MLT D Wallace

Moran Beattie

Subs: Flowers, Lambert (Beattie just pipped him), Case (close run with Morgan), M Svensson, Pahars, Fonte, Bertrand,  Rod Wallace, Lallana, Tadic, Mane, S Davis, Pelle, Monkou, Bridge, Niemi (two keepers on the bench but you can’t leave Antti out), Glenn Cockerill (80s), Statham, Ostenstad, Dean Richards, Clyne, JWP 

Worst (top flight)

Manager: Russell Martin

Bazanu

Bernard, Hoedt, Jakobsson, S Baker

Mccann, Quashie, Lesley, David Lee

Carrillo BBD

Subs: Blayney, Lemina (should have been a shoe in but Lesley nicked his spot by looking like he’s won a prize to play), Dixon (half pissed and addicted to gambling but just slightly better than BBD), Steve Wood(hoof!), Moody, Todd, Ely, Kenton, Ross Stewart, Speedie, Cherednik, Lyanco, Davenport, Van Damme (never has a name been less apt, just as bad at Wolves), Ray Wallace, Nilsson

 

 

Christ that top side would be an easy watch.  I would have to get Golac, Williams, Keegan and Channon in there but either way likely wins the league. 

[Holmes_and_Watson]

Shilton

Golac Wright Van Dijk Peach

Wallace Case Le Tissier Armstrong

Channon Keegan

[lhammondo]

10 hours ago, Midfield_General said:

----------- Pahars ---------------

Mane ----- Le Tiss ---- Rod Wallace

------- Case ---- Ekelund -----

Bale --- VVD --- Alderweireld -- Clyne

----------- Niemi -----------

That side would have a shot at top 4, I reckon. 

Can't bring myself to pick the bad XI, there are just too many options. But Chris Woods would be in goal. 

 

Jimmy Case would be exhausted covering defensive duties for those 30 yards ahead of him 😄😄 Great team though 👍🏻

[Holmes_and_Watson]

1 hour ago, lhammondo said:

Jimmy Case would be exhausted covering defensive duties for those 30 yards ahead of him 😄😄 Great team though 👍🏻

After a few choice tackles, no one is coming within 30 yards of him. Job done. 🙂

[Gloucester Saint]

10 hours ago, Miltonaggro said:

 

Christ that top side would be an easy watch.  I would have to get Golac, Williams, Keegan and Channon in there but either way likely wins the league. 

I thought about Steve Williams but my first season was 83/84 and that was the only full season I remember him from although was superb. Christmas 1984 he went to Arsenal which never really worked out for him. I’ll edit to put him on the bench. Golac was slightly past his best by that time, have seen the WBA goal on You Tube. Keegan sadly just tantalisingly before my time, ditto Channon, both leaving summer 1982.

Beattie v Lambert was a tough decision, Lambert was a more refined player but James’s astonishing 02/03 got him in. Imagine the conversation rate given supply from peak MLT, David Armstrong, and Danny Wallace!

[Badger]

4 hours ago, Holmes_and_Watson said:

Shilton

Golac Wright Van Dijk Peach

Wallace Case Le Tissier Armstrong

Channon Keegan

David Peach  a really under appreciated  player when we look back and select our teams. Close thing between him and  Mark Dennis for me, Peach was outstanding throughout the 70’s really. Shame his best years were in Division 2, and wasn’t around for the Keegan years with us. 

[Gloucester Saint]

1 minute ago, Badger said:

David Peach  a really under appreciated  player when we look back and select our teams. Close thing between him and  Mark Dennis for me, Peach was outstanding throughout the 70’s really. Shame his best years were in Division 2, and wasn’t around for the Keegan years with us. 

My old man had a few quid on him for the first goal at the League Cup final as he was our penalty taker at 16/1 and low and behold…

Very nice little win back then I believe.

[Badger]

Excellent penalty taker, only MLT and Lambert were more reliable in later years

[Gloucester Saint]

Just now, Badger said:

Excellent penalty taker, only MLT and Lambert were more reliable in later years

Beattie as well was very reliable from the spot.