World Class Mackems

I know it's very subjective but I'd define world class as someone who would have made a 25 man world squad.

Using that criteria, in my opinion, Jordan Henderson over the last couple of years has stepped up another level and I would consider him to be world class!

How many other World class players in their day were born and bred Mackems?

 

Raich carter

 

Genuine questions here but was he actually in that elite or just one of the best we've ever had?

Obviously he missed many of his prime years so we'll never know just how good he could have been but for example players like Stanley Matthews, Dixie Dean, Tommy Lawton, Cliff Bastin and Eric Brooks seemed to get more international recognition than him. Then the Italians had Guiseppe Meazza and Silvio Piola who are considered among their all time greats. Plus there was Sindelar from Austria who was seen as a game changer. Then his post war career coincided with Il Grande Torino and players like Mazzola.

Was our very own Raich Carter in that bracket? And if so, how come he never got the fame and legacy of those players?

 

From 26 to to 32yo ww2 took him away from proper football. That obviously makes assessment of him moot in the eyes of some.
My dad saw him, gurneys, shack in safc shirts and many others but rated him the best he ever saw.
Matthews as well rated him very very highly

 

Would have been interesting to see what he might have done had his career not been completely interrupted.

I also find it a bit of a shame that our national history of the game often tends to go from "we invented football" to "1966" with about 5 minutes in between to mention Stanley Matthews and Tom Finney. So many fascinating stories and great players probably go unheard of for the majority.

 

Gurney was my Old Mans favourite, used to mention him every time he talked football.

 

We were very insular during that period and not open to tactical innovation. You mentioned Sindelar- the Danubian School that he was brought up in is basically the root of today's Barcelona and Guardiola's approach. We just refused to move with the times.

 

M

My dad played in a forces game and in the opposing side was Finney.
He rated him above Matthews.

 

Raich carter was a fireman and football was a part time sport back in the 1930's in his day !. Mickey gray, Gary rowell (Seaham ?) Jimmy monty, Micky hazard, Adam johnson, Pele north shields (only joking)