Most improved City players

Billy Whitehurst. From a very average pub player to a very good centre forward who played at the very top level and scored goals.
Before him Stuart Pearson. Kept out of the forward line by the prolific Chris Chilton and to a lesser extent Ken Wagstaff. When given an extended run due to Chilton's injury then sale, became prolific himself and went onto play for England.
Andy Payton, recruited from youth football in Burnley, rose through the ranks at City, juniors, reserves, first team, improving all the time. Another prolific scorer.
Pete Daniel, juniors, reserves, first team, England Under 21, First Division.
Paul Haigh; ditto, except First Division.

 

Tom Cairney

 

Bobby Doyle.

Every pass went astray when he first signed, but then suddenly turned into a master of the 40 yard cross field ball.

Was then crocked in his prime, at Doncaster I think in pre-season.

 

....................who played in back to back promotions for Hull City.

 

I too remember Chris Simpkin at first, in my eyes Mally Lord overcame hostility from the crowd.

 

Surprised no one has mentioned Boaz Myhill. Going from a Division 3 keeper to premier league standard is no mean feat

 

Again, didn't he look pretty damn good from the moment he joined us? Like Ash, Daws, Deano, Ryan France etc?

 

Jay Simpson was crap at first, then he came really good for a couple of games, then he was meh for the rest of the season, then he was never played the next season, then he had a really good first half to last season, and finshed badly again. So he improved twice but finished badly.

 

Retrospectively to the level, you still have to have improvement to go from the bottom to the top

 

I'd have to say Stuart Elliott. From a Division 3 player to someone who could (and possibly should) have had a shot at the Premier League with City. Otherwise I'd say another strange one, Mark Noble - from a loanee at City for about 2/3 weeks to a regular at Wet Spam.

 

His role in them promotions was minimal.

 

Chris Simpkin says he is the last player to come through the youth ranks at City and become a first team regular.
Still attends matches.

 

You weren't at Chesterfield on a wet Tuesday night obviously ?
Minimal in your opinion.
Valuable in the managers, who signed him, played him, and oversaw back to back promotions for the first time in the clubs history.
But you'll be right.

 

There's probably tonnes of players out there that get games under one manager but don't really do the same under any others

 

Granted he's a lot more talented but Jermain Defoe has followed Redknapp a fair amount. In fact Redknapp had his moxy crew following him wherever he went which tend to include Crouch, Defoe, Krancjar and others

 

In my opinion Ashbee is the greatest player to ever wear the City shirt and I agree there should be a statue of him outside the KC.