Injured players we sadly missed...

[david in sweden]

even more than 5 years after its issue, I still find In that Number an exciting read (but I am a bit of a nerd when it comes to history, stats). Several recent threads have reminded me of players who we lost, not to other clubs, but to injury / illness.

 

Over the years, we have seen fans favourites /club legends forced to retire with injuries. We all have our own memories but a few who come to mind; George O'Brien striker 1959-64 . G. had a phenomenal goals record, but contracted hepatitis and was out for some months, and never recovered his goal touch. Our legendary Ron Davies 1966-73 was brutally treated by some opponents in later years and lost his sharpness in later seasons.

Steve Mills teenage left back in the mid 1970's had England written all over him, already playing U 23 games (aged 20).

A serious car crash crippled him and he never regained fitness, later developed Leukemia and died 1988.

Sad story too about Ronnie Ekelund who looked to be a revelation in 1994, but a back injury ruined his career and failed to achieve his early promise. Similar sadness over Marian Pahars short lived career. Everyone admits his Springtime goals in 1999kept Saints up in the Premiership with 2 great goals in the last match v. Everton. A brutal tackle by an opponent in a pre-season friendly damaged his ankle and finished his career. He was surely destined to score many more fine goals for Saints...sadly not.

 

Had he been fitter surely MLT could have continued a few years longer.

 

Just some of many heroes who had a far too short career, cut short by injury.

Edited 9 June, 2009 by david in sweden

[Badger]

Add Michael Svennson to that list.An injury that was instrumental in our decline.

[St.Patrik]

Dont forget Michael Svensson on that list....

[bridge too far]

Marian's injury was in a pre-season v Swindon, wasn't it? I saw that - it was dreadful

[Nutwood2]

David Hughes was very unlucky with injury.

[Kenilworthy]

If Steve Moran hadn't got a nasty back injury in 81-82 we might have won the league. Although he did come back and score some useful goals, especially at Fratton Park, he was never quite the same. Without that injury he would have rivalled Rush in goal scoring and would certainly have played for England.

[scott_saints]

Wayne Thomas?

[Ponty]

Adam Hammil's indigestion.

[miserableoldgit]

I seem to remember that Charlie George was never fit during the time that he was with us. I think that he was injured when he signed and never really get over it, so we never really saw the best of him. Also, didn`t Gerry Gurr have a very promising career finished by injury?

[John D]

Perry Groves?

[Lets B Avenue]

The legend that is Tony Pulis.

[david in sweden]

Dont forget Michael Svensson on that list....

 

I didn't miss him off my list (Patrik,) but I still live in hopes he may have recovered enough to be playing again NEXT season. Certainly the level of League 1 shouldn't be aproblem - if he can stay fit.

[madsent]

Perry Groves?

 

What about the players we lost to knee problems in quick succession ? John Beresford, David Hirst and David Howells all had to retire within months of each other. These were all not long after David Hughes had to give up professional football with knee problems. Admittedly, losing Howells probably improved the team but Beresford was still a very decent defender and Hirst was always a very good striker when fit and scored some crucial goals for us.

 

It seemed to be a South coast curse at the time as our friends in East Hampshire had exactly the same problems with their players.

[SaintRobbie]

Wayne Thomas (?)

Our defence was appalling without him and he did add a little backbone for a while until the cloggies clearly got to him.

[Chez]

Wayne Thomas (?)

Our defence was appalling without him and he did add a little backbone for a while until the cloggies clearly got to him.

 

it wasn't all that great with him. League 1 might be his level though, shame we are paying upper CCC wages.

[Victor]

Charlie Wayman.

 

6 points clear at the top of the second division with 7 games to go, Wayman had scored 32 goals and was injured and out (basically) for rest of season. Finished 3rd, 2 points behind Fulham.

 

Had to wait another 17 seasons for promotion to the top division.

[Fowllyd]

Alan Curtis springs to mind. He was a superb player, but never seemed to be properly fit for long enough during his spell with us.

[sussexsaint]

Delgado who could and should have been so much better than he was - really injured? - don't know - but when he came on against Man U after Beattie was injured he looked the beans

[Hatch]

If only Steve Williams had been fully fit for that one game at Highbury in 84

[chocco boxo]

If only Steve Williams had been fully fit for that one game at Highbury in 84

 

That still rankles with me, remember seeing the coach go past the pub we were in (Gooners or Gunners), saw Williams on it and thought to myself he will be the key today!!! And of course he was not in the way I expected. FFS.

[sidthesquid]

Matt Oakley doing his knee ligaments in and missing most of our relegation season having been in the form of his career

[Gemmel]

Richard Hall - Although he had left us

[SFC Forever]

With Matt Oakley and Michael Svensson we would probably have stayed up.

[Doctoroncall]

With Matt Oakley and Michael Svensson we would probably have stayed up.

 

I'm not sure as there was the Wigley factor to consider, but at least we would have had a better chance.

[SFKA South Woodford]

I'm not sure as there was the Wigley factor to consider, but at least we would have had a better chance.

 

We know that the draws with Everton and Boro, were what did for Saints in the end, as if we had won those games we would have stayed up.

 

So having Oaks and especially Killer in those games, probably would have made all the difference.

 

Gillet's injury against QPR last season, was a killer blow to our hopes of staying up, or at least avoiding this seasons points penalty.

[ottery st mary]

Charlie Wayman.

 

6 points clear at the top of the second division with 7 games to go, Wayman had scored 32 goals and was injured and out (basically) for rest of season. Finished 3rd, 2 points behind Fulham.

 

Had to wait another 17 seasons for promotion to the top division.

 

Mum and Dad told me about this when I was a lad......Up the middle for Charlie....Would have won the league if he had not got injured.

 

Groves was always a puzzle....Already injured and Arsenal knew...We woz had over... Little Steve Mills was a sad one...Really great player and a really nice lad...God bless him..

[sadoldgit]

Add Michael Svennson to that list.An injury that was instrumental in our decline.

 

Couldn't agree more. The biggest single reason we went down (closely followed by Claus's appalling dip in form that year).

[krissyboy31]

Couldn't agree more. The biggest single reason we went down (closely followed by Claus's appalling dip in form that year).

 

I think Claus's dip in form was due to Mike Svensson's injury. I have always thought that Claus was made to look a much better player that he actually was just by playing along side MS.

[miserableoldgit]

Couldn't agree more. The biggest single reason we went down (closely followed by Claus's appalling dip in form that year).

I think probably that both things were connected.

[david in sweden]

I think Claus's dip in form was due to Mike Svensson's injury. I have always thought that Claus was made to look a much better player that he actually was just by playing along side MS.

 

 

Good rational !

there's no doubt that the two of them were quite formidable in our back line.

...even having ONE of them fit last season might have saved us.

However, I live in hopes that Michael Svensson might have recovered enough to make a good contribution on the pitch next season.

[david in sweden]

Mum and Dad told me about this when I was a lad......Up the middle for Charlie....Would have won the league if he had not got injured.

 

Groves was always a puzzle....Already injured and Arsenal knew...We woz had over... Little Steve Mills was a sad one...Really great player and a really nice lad...God bless him..

 

 

 

Heard same story from my Dad, must have been a real sickener for them at that time. (1948/49)

In fact it was worse than that. A photo from " In that Number" shows a league table with Saints ......8 POINTS clear with 7 games left, (they played 42 in those days and a win was only 2 points.)

After Waymans injury...we lost 4, drew 2 and won only ONE game. Finished third .......by one point.

Edited 12 June, 2009 by david in sweden

[SaintDan]

Kevin Davies was never the same player after his injury against United, he was one of Englands most promising forwards at the time!

[St Chalet]

I think having Beattie, Kevin Phillips, Peter Crouch Injured and Brett Omerod on loan for the first few games of the relegation season did for us.

[paulwantsapint]

Mark Wright didn't he break his leg mid 80s?

 

Ok not a player but WGS & the knackered hip that he had replaced

 

Plus whoever was injured at highbury to allow stupid amount of extra time in relegation season with us 2-1 up

[krissyboy31]

Mark Wright didn't he break his leg mid 80s?

 

Yes at WHL 1986 FA Cup semi-final. I heard the crack through my alcohol induced stupor. I don't think it affected the result too much though (not like the Williams no show 2 years earlier).