Best player of his generation

Forget Norris with his paltry 11 goals from Midfield! Take a look at the REAL Master!


http://www.footballfancast.com/2011/04/football-blogs/whatever-happened-to-john-wark

36 Goals scored in 1980/81 season not bad for a midfielder!

14 Goals scored in Europe that season still a joint record.

Now we're scratching around to find a 25 goal a season striker!

I know that Beattie in most Town fans eyes is the best ever player that has worn the blue and white, I have to disagree and say that Johnny Wark is just truly sensational and his goal output from midfield will never be matched by any Town player again.

 

Legend indeed JWM (though he did take the penalties to add to his tally).

The Beat as best player? Not so sure, but certainly a favourite of mine and perhaps best in terms of giving everything for the team (along with Butcher of course), and we could certainly do with something like that now.

I'm not sure though who would be the most technically gifted. Muhren perhaps?

 

I named John Wark when I filled out the TWTD survey as my all-time best ever Town player. For me there is just no contest. He was the Gerrard / Lampard (of last season) of his day even before he partnered up with David Lineghan at centre back to command the side and even now still lives near Stowmarket, still enjoying his football and still very much involved with the club.

 

Being a touch older than most it seems (Ok a lot bloody older then), we had a player called Colin Viljohn operating from midfield in the 70s. A South African born player, who was capped at senior level by England, was absolute class. When we sign Muhren, I saw Viljohn of old.

Ahhh the memories

COYB

 

Spot on Steve!

I was watching Town back in the early 70s with Colin Viljoen in Midfield and Derek "Chopper" Jefferson, Billy Baxter, Bryan Hamilton et al. Viljoen was a class act and I would just love to know how much he would be worth today!

 

If you think John Wark was a better player at his peak than CWick is now, then quite frankly you're deluded.

If CWick hasn't left for Real or Barca in a £25m+ move this summer I will be utterly gobsmacked. His first championship season and he tallied, what, 5 goals? More than justifies this price tag.

Immense player.

 

CS

Best you feck off back to Budgie land and let the adults have a grown up discussion there's a good little Budgie!

 

No Ryan Jarvis,,, now he WAS a player... ability galore, everything to boot...

O wait, that was on an old championship manager game

Where is he now ? Ac Milan ? Porto ??!

 

Amazing the infatuation our feathered 'friends' have with Mr Wickham. Happy to post at random and out of context with the thread and then just to talk a load of old crap (thanks Lancs!).

.... and JWM / Steve.... also old enough to have seen CV in action.... class act.

 

I grew up on Mariner, Walk, Gates, Brazil, Butcher, Mills, Burley, Osman, Thiessen, Muhren, Cooper and even little Laurie Sivell..I could go on..I often bore people stupid for hours when they ask who Ipswich are.....

My mum danced with Mick Mills and I spoke to Paul Mariner once when he stopped in his Silver Porche...as a kid I always celebrated my goals like him on my back hands out in a star shape

Wish I had a time machine....

Also imagine a similar Budgie discussion on their best players...oh sorry they had Fash! Awooga

 

JWM,

I also grew up watching Town from 1974 onwards.Mick Mills was always a stalwart in that side through the late 70s.I can remember going to Filbert Street to watch the 4th reply between us & leeds in the Fa cup. i,m pretty sure a certain J Wark played in that game.I can remember my dad almost turning the car around when he heard this unknown Scot was playing (& my dad was a Scot !) what a game that was.

 

So many greats that we really are spoiled for choice!

When I was a kid in the 70's (yes, Tractor Boy Steve nearly as old you!), I used to go and watch the team train at what was the Willis Faber & Dumas Sport Ground in Rushmere from time to time and autograph hunt. They were always really friendly to a nosey kid on a bike. Kevin Beattie and Alan Hunter shared a car to and from training at times and were always first to leave off at the end of the session, both with a cigarette hanging from their mouths! They often gave me a friendly wave. Bobby Robson and Mick Mills always sat inside afterwards sharing a cup of tea together - very civilised. Bobby Robson (as we all know) was the most charming man and always had a friendly word and smiled patiently when I had the cheek to offer him some advice! A few years later Arnold Muhren moved in to a house a few doors down from mine and once in a while you'd see him kick a ball about on the street - surreal! In later life I have had the pleasure of meeting Johnny Wark on a number of occasions and shared a few drinks and chats with him - what a thoroughly nice man he is too.

As for this post; it's hard to answer as there really have been so many to choose from. So after some thought here are my answers and a few new categories for us all to think about and have some fun with. I wish there were some names from more recent times but, when you look back (as I can) the real greats really are all from yesteryear. Oh to have this sort of quality at Portman Road again nowadays!!! I have a dream!

Favourite player: Kevin Beattie
Hardest Working Player: Brian Talbot
Most Skilful player: Colin Viljoen and Arnold Muhren joint
Most heroic player: Terry Butcher
Favourite goal scorer Trevor Whymark, Paul Mariner, Alan Brazil, Marcus Stewart joint,
Nicest man to ever wear the shirt Shefki Kuqi
Best ever diver Eric Gates
Hardest player Alan Hunter
Most pointless buy Ulrich Le Pen
Best looking Russell Osman
Ugliest Eric Gates
Best dribbler Franz Thiessen
Hardest shot Jason de Vos
Most creative Jim Magilton
Best tackler George Burley

But the overall winner is, without doubt ......

Best Ever: John Wark

 

Pershore

I remember that FA Cup replay at Filbert Street. I was behind the goal that Clive Woods curled in the winner from 25 yards. We saw it all the way and what a goal it was!

God made his debut that day due to Beattie being injured and he played alongside Big Al. A few minutes into the game Alan Clark spat at him and apparently Big Al went over to Clark and said in words of this effect "Do that again and I will Fckng sort you out!"

Do you remember the song we used to sing about Big Al! 6ft 2, Eyes of Blue, Big Al Hunters after you!

As it is on this very day 30 years ago that we lifted the UEFA Cup on that balmy night in Amsterdam I think it is good to reflect on those glory days and remember all those great, great players the like of which we shall never see again.

 

Ah revoked memories....like some here I was also of child form during those mid 70's of great players and watched the team unfold and become the best of the best, peaking early 80's.
We are privalleged to have seen those players do what they did, beause unless we get bought by a looney arab or Marcus gets alzheimers and forgets where to put his money, or the F.A. change the way clubs are run and financed we'll never see our team in the top 5 premiership (be happy with top 5 championship atm) again.
Mr Wark has to be the most iconic from that era because he produced his absolute best in the best (possibly) team we ever had.
He was the Panini sticker card we all wanted..however if you look at his stats for the seasons before and after that 79-83 period he was as good statistically as Norris/Holland, he definately benefitted from playing infront of the awesome Butcher/Osman and alongdside the legendary Muhren/Thijssen.
I'm not sure if Matty Holland would have become a better player in a better team but I am very sure that Norris wouldn't have improved.
All said , his most endearing feature is that like us he loves the club and his dedication to Ipswich is unquestionable.

 

One of my greatest memories from that period was the FA cup semi final of 1978.After the bitter disappointment of being cheated out of a final appearance by Clive Thomas in 1975 at last we'd made it to Wembley.
Stand out moments -Talbot cutting his head in scoring the opening goal and Warky rounding off the scoring from a corner (boy could he time a run into the box!)Finding out the ref was Clive Thomas again-oh no.The sheer joy of my 14 year old self that Ipswich were in the Cup Final and the belief that who ever we played we could win.
Great highlights here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGv4rGUtI0g

 

I remember the penalty that Clive "CHEATING" Thomas gave against Big Al for handball. This time he got a decision right but I remember the nail biting last 20 minutes although in truth we were much the better side. When Warky scored in the last few minutes the place erupted. One of my mates got a good kicking at the nearby tube station afterwards by a couple of gooners. Anyhoo we got the last laugh!

 

JWM,

Ah ! thanks, i forgot it was Beattie that was missing & JW had to play.
I remember the Big Al chant. what happy days they were.
i was not allowed to the 75" semi final replay. i can remember listening to it on the radio whilst staying with my Gran & Grandad as my mum & dad had gone to the game.
However i was at the 78 semi & final game.
Will those sort of days ever return?

 

Hey Pershore we live in hope!

We must count ourselves extremely lucky to have been growing up with such a fantastic team to support! A small provincial market town that produced over a period of 10 or so years some of the best football to be seen in this country. My young lad unfortunately was too young to witness the last premiership team but I sincerely hope he wont be much older before he can see our next!

 

So right! My father in law moved here from Birmingham back then having never been a football fan before and found Portman Rd. To this day he says "that is what I thought football was all about. I didn't realise I was witnessing something very special". Sadly, he is now a season ticket holder, and like the rest of us, he now realises that there's a bit more to this game than just being part of the elite and assuming that's what its like everywhere! At least we do have the memories. Something our friends up the road will genuinely never ever have!!!

 

Ipswich teams down the years in order of greatness in my humble opinion

1. 1980/81 For obvious reasons
2. 1961/62 Championship Winning Team
3. 1977/78 FA Cup Winners
4. 1974/75 FA Cup Semi Finalists/highest league finish since 61/62
5. 2000/01 Finish 5th In Premiership
6. 1991/92 Promoted as League 2 Champions
7. 1981/82 Runners Up Again!!!
8. 1999/00 Play Off Winners
9. 1967/68 Division 2 Champions