and anyone else who had the pleasure of seeing the great Stoke side of the early to mid 70's. I asked the old man last week whether any of the current Stoke side would get in the Waddo team of that time and he said Huth and Etherington would. Would you agree?
Your old man is spot on Sarge those 2 players for sure and maybe Begovic as sub to Banks or Shilton. But as for the remainder of the side I doubt it with the players we had then they wouldn't be able to displace them. A team of internationals!
He said similar. He mentioned about Marsh and Pejic being one the best pairs of full backs in the country at the time. I always get a tinge of jealousy when the old man talks about the 70's side.
Sarge the 70's side were a joy to watch mate and all top footballers. Like I say it was a team of internationals. We can be back up there if we slowly grow and bring in more quality. The only problem at the moment though with the wage cap is that we are becoming a side of ex internationals at the moment!
We are in bad situation at the minute. Players these days are greedy, and it is not helping us. We're so desperate not to turn into what Leeds and Pompey became, that we're perhaps, being a little too cautious with our wage cap? To be fair to a few of our players, if someone like Bobby Robson was in charge of the England team, Ryan and Matty would be given a chance for England, instead of picking players based on who they play for.
Ryan and Matty are defo good enough for England but to be honest England don't deserve them whilst Cappello is in charge.
Sgt I'm glad you posted this thread... sorry Waddo I can't help this but for the benefit of the majority here on not606 here is the 72 cup winning side.. Banks Pejic Marsh Bloor Smith Conroy Eastham Ritchie Dobing Mahoney Conroy Sgt, you dad is a good judge of a player then. Huth, yes I think he may have made it. Etherington sure he would.. NONE of the others currently playing would have come close. The only recent player who gave me goosebumps like that team did was Peter Hoekstra... fantastic feet and abilty I think he would have too! Very much like Terry Conroy you never knew what T.C. was going to do next legends one and all. Sgt A question for you and anyone else who replies to our comments on that 72 team. WHY did you ask us Sgt? And, having given our answers as honestly as we can. DO YOU even begin to understand WHY I don't particulaly like the way T.P. sets the team up. Waddington NEVER did that. And, it's not T.P.s fault that Tony Waddington came along before he did, nor Waddo, Nick or me is it? It's a part of Stoke's history all 3 of us will never forget, you simply can't Sgt. That team could "play anyone" on their day "beat any team" and they could all "play good football". And, I honestly do appreciate what T.P. HAS done and I KNOW he's trying his best. Maybe this rant will help some of those who think we are old softies think twice when we have a whinge,now and again. It's frustration because like you WE CARE about Stoke City F.C. Great club, fantastic fans and T.P.has done a great job getting us this far. It ain't all that bad to be an ole Stokie is it Waddo and Nick? Thanks Sgt and, I have my tin hat ready cos someone will tell us things are different now. Nope, it's still a game of football, was then and still is. Money is slowly killing the game and it's sad to see the game going that way and getting worse, season by season.
Waddo Thanks, but what hacks me off is the way clubs spend money these days, you touched on the same topic i.e. wages, no wonder we can't sleep at night mate.
I asked so I could compare more than anything. I know you get frustrated by Pulis, and I know my Dad still much prefers Waddo, and it is solely down to the style of play we had in the 70's compared to now. I guess because i've only supported Stoke for about 13 years, Pulis is so far ahead of everyone else, it is difficult for me to look past Pulis as it's a style of play i've come so accustomed to. Agreed about Hoekstra. He was a top quality player, very skilful. Loved watching him play, plus his work rate and attitude were first rate. That was one of John Rudge's great contributions, getting him in, as well as Shtaniuk. Money is killing the game you're right. I still remember about 11-12 years ago thinking how amazing it was that Roy Keane was on such a high wage of £60k-£70k a week!!
Morning all, It's not often that I'm left speechless, but after Pott's magnifico post, there is nothing left to say. , Except to follow on from THAT team we had a certain Mr Greenhoff and a certain Mr Hudson - I wonder if they could scrape into Stoke City 2011 IF of course they would be picked!!! Oh and Mike Bernard wasn't too bad eh!! Your Pa is spot on Sgt!! Final thought - I would have love to have Tuncay in the 70's set up, Waddington would have loved hi to bits! All the best one and all - great thread, have a good Bank Holiday weekend and stuff the baggies tomorrow
Potts, Just for those who were not around during the 70's I think that you have Conroy in twice instead of Greenhoff, and Bernard played with Mahoney as the sub. I know you know that, but just for the younger generation. I would actually turn the question around - how many of the 70's side would TP pick, given his penchant for people who run (but are not the most skillful or "clever" footballers), and the fact that you need to be 6 foot to get in the defense? He might pick Pejic (although TP would question his size), I don't think that the great Jimmy Greenhoff would work hard enough for TP, (Greenhoff is the second best footballer I have seen after Hudson, I'm not old eough for Mathews), but I reckon TC and Big John would walk into his side.
I'll have to remember to ask the old man next time I see him, which is the Liverpool match. Just going by the little knowledge I have of the 70's team I imagine Pulis would've loved Smith and Ritchie but I highly doubt he would've liked Huddy, not a cage midfielder!!
Sgt Deliberate error on my part, only kidding guys.. it was the middle of the night, my memory is useless oh Sod it! Sorry Greenhoff and Bernard both er brilliant players. Swervy, DON'T turn the question around because that will get Nick strarted me too!
Who me, never Potts Tell you what Swervy - David Coleman (he of Colemanballs fame) once said of John Ritchie, "he has a size 10 football boot for a head"
Great reply Potts.You know looking at that team there wasn`t a lot of pace in it was there? Skill by the bucket loads but speed ,no.I don`t think Huth would have got in,who would he have replaced? Etherington would have because both Dobing and Eastham were getting on in years and Ethers has got the pace. Wasn`t Alan Dodd around at about that time? Like you Potts my memory isn`t quite what it was.
Joe, No pace, well they were pretty nippy, but you are quite correct. A combination of very heavy pitches, more like ploughed fields, heavy boots, a training diet of Guinness and Pies and Chips and more Pies and more Guinness. And that was just Arsenal!!!!!!!!!! Seriously, different diets, training regimes. BUT, you see modern teams, including Stoke when they are training, it is ALL about running power, stepping over little hurdles. WHERE does the football come in??
Joe, You are right, it was'nt a pacy side (altough TC very rarely got caught!), but they say that the first two yards is in the head - all of the 70's side had that ability. Sgt - TP's view of Hudson would confirm whether he recognises talent, or whether he just believes in hard work. For 2 years Hudson was the best footballer in England (imo), if he had a fault, it was that he did not score enough goals for a midfielder of his ability.The man could carry a ball through the muddiest pitches imaginable, as if it was tied to his foot. These days he would be worth an absolute mint!
We played expansive football back then now 90% of what we do is defensive so it's difficult to compare the two.
Not difficult Jowler - impossible - different times. I DID Sir Stan play at Stamford Bridge and more than thrice he left 'Chopper Harris' for dead!!! At the age of 150 - Sir Stan that is. You are absolutely right in general and regarding Sir Stan specifically, even in his autumn years, over the first couple of yards he was lethal. I can see it now - ball coming toward him at ANY angle at ANY speed then: A wierd sense of antcipation INSTANT CONTROL Swivel of the hips Gone Sometimes and especially against 'THE HARD MEN' he would turn back and beat them again!! At opposition grounds when he came back home, they used to water the pitch to try and slow him down!!
