Being a bit bored this afternoon I started thinking about two of our favourite sons and their goalscoring feats. Then I wondered how they compared to Luther. I wasn't too sure what I would find but Trevor Senior proved the most deadly over his entire career, even though he was a total flop at Watford, Nathan I thought would have compared more favourably. Matches played are in RED Goals scored are in BLUE Goals/Game are in GREEN And Games/Goal are in BLACK. Trevor Senior career goal scoring Totals 356 – 165 – 0.46 – 2.15 Portsmouth 11 – 2 – 0.18 – 5.5 Aldershot 10 – 7 – 0.7 – 1.43 Reading 301 – 153 – 0.50 – 1.96 Watford 24 – 1 – 0.04 - 24 Middlesbrough 10 – 2 – 0.2 - 5 Luther Blissett career goal scoring Totals 542 – 203 – 0.37 – 2.66 Watford 373 – 139 – 0.37 - 2.66 AC Milan 30 – 5 – 0.16 - 6 Bournemouth 121 – 56 – 0.46 – 2.16 West Bromwich Albion 3 – 1 – 0.33 - 3 Bury 10 – 1 – 0.1 -10 Mansfield 5 – 1 – 0.2 – 5 Nathan Ellington career goal scoring Totals 423 - 125 - 0.29 - 3.38 Wigan Athletic - 134 -59 - 0.44 - 2.27 Skoda Xanthi 16 - 7 - 0.43 – 2.28 Bristol Rovers 116 - 35 - 0.30 – 3.31 West Bromwich Albion 68 - 15 - 0.22 – 4.53 Derby County 27 - 3 - 0.11 – 9.00 Watford 51 - 5 - 0.098 – 10.2 Preston North End 11 - 1 - 0.090 -11
My own two favourites: Cliff Holton: Arsenal 198 - 83 -- 0.42 - 2.39 Watford 144 - 96 -- 0.67 -- 1.50 Northampton 62 - 50 -- 0.81 - - 1.24 Crystal Palace 101 - 40 -- 0.40 -- 2.52 Charlton 18 - 7 -- 0.39 -- 2.57 Leyton Orient 47 - 17 -- 0.36 -- 2.76 Total 570 - 293 -- 0.51 -- 1.95 Dai Ward: Bristol Rovers 175 - 90 -- 0.51 --1.94 Cardiff 35 - 18 -- 0.51 --1.94 Watford 59 - 31 -- 0.52 --1.90 Brentford 47 - 21 --0.44 -- 2.23 Total 316 - 160 -- 0.50 --1.96 Hope this all comes out legible!!
I agree that Luther is without comparison. I don't think the stats include cup goals or am I wrong, I haven't checked but it looks a bit light. I never saw a goalscorer like Luther in a yellow shirt. He was a goal machine. The Luther missit thing was disingenuous but typical of (IMHO) racist press. Luther was a fantastic role model. If you watch the Man Utd game in the 70s, he faces racist abuse and answers by knocking them out the cup. Fantastic. I've met him a few times in my life and he is the most tremendous man. Through previous work I used to meet a lot of very 'famous' people. No one, but no one, leaves me awestruck. Luther is the exception. I met him about a year ago and he signed my vintage shirt. I wanted my eldest son's first game to be one where he saw a real 'legend' (overused word these days), so we went to see Luther in a charity match in Berkhamsted. My Dad, me and young son all gave him 'LLOOOTHHER' when his name was called out over the PA, he looked round and saw three of us in Watford shirts. The grin on his face was worth all the effort we made. I absolutely worship him. These days when the likes of Rooney swear aggressively (and it's the aggression more than the swearing that gets me) into a camera, into our living rooms, he doesn't know he's bloody born. Luther is a role model, the PFA wouldn't know what a role model was if it bit them on the arse. You pressed the button, Lenny, what can I say ;-) ?
I know what you mean about 'the grin' SLB - I watched him playing for England in Brisbane back in 1983 & waving my Watford scarf got the same reaction from him.
SLB, I wonder just how much we are influenced by the early recollections of the players that inspired us. While I would not take the slightest bit away from what you say, he was simply superb, I come from a slightly earlier era and the goal machine of my day was Cliff Holton. I don't think we can rightfully compare players from different times. The game has moved on and the heavy leather ball is consigned to the dustbin, but to hear the Vic become hushed before a Cliff freekick and then explode into a huge wave of noise as the back of the net bulged is something that will always live with me. Two quite different players that I fully appreciate.
Shrodells47, my Dad, has long regaled about Cliff Holton and the "beach ball they use these days" ;-). I agree it's not really fair to compare from different eras, so much depends on quality of feed etc - Luther had world class quality delivery from Johnny Barnes and Cally. That said, he didn't disappoint. I wish I had seen Cliff Holton. Is there much footage of him as a Hornet, I don't think I've seen any. I love the Liverpool Semi-Final and seeing players like Ray Lugg and Scullion really inspire. My Dad makes up part of the crowd that day, but I think we've done that, haven't we? Weren't you there too ofh?
As for freekicks. I think Bolton was my favourite, with the 'Bomb' (as I think the two players splitting was nicknamed?). I remember a cracker against Harlow Town in the cup, the fourth in 10 ish minutes, a real screamer (in my mind's eye).
Leon I agree Luther is a God for us as TS was at Reading and NE at.... ... at the local pie shop. Odd how a player can be so successdul somewhere and not elsewhere. SLB league only and from Wikipedia too so the numbers could be a bit wrong.
I know that Ollie P. often complains that there is no footage of Cliff. There is a bit where he talks from the training camp, I posted that recently, and a tiny clip of him doing a bit of juggling with the ball. Nothing else that I know of. Yes I was there and against Harlow. Interesting fact is that Ollie regards Scully as his favourite Watford player of all time. The first player who I remember scoring goals for us was Maurice Cook. I am sure you dad would have an opinion on him.
With that in mind Frenchie, I thought you'd appreciate this: http://blog.emiratesstadium.info/archives/5159
I saw Cliff in a Watford shirt at the end of his career. My Grandfather, who took me to the Vic when I was 6 or 7, was in awe of his talents. Sadly for me my enduring memory of Cliff was after he left Watford and was playing for Orient. We we going for promotion to Div 2 for the first time ever and doing well but Bert Slater was injured so we had to use our reserve goalkeeper, Cohen, who was a young lad. We played Orient at Easter who were well down the table. Cliff absolutely dominated Cohen is a way that I have never seen since. Cohen was obviously terrified of Cliff. Needless to say we lost (3-1, I think) and missed out on promotion to Middlesbrough. I don't thing Cohen ever played for us again after Slater returned from injury. As has been noted earlier, Luther played in another era. Both he and Cliff are legends.
Luther was the best I saw in a Watford shirt...nothing more exciting than seeing him bearing down on the goal. Mo Johnston and Kevin Phillips were good finishers for a much briefer time of course.