Yep we're nominating 2 players this time. There have been some great Centre Backs in our history (granted not at the moment) So simply nominate your favourites. For me 1 is certainly the most obvious and is a club legend, and still to this day gives 100% for us. City boy through and through, Yep, Louis carey soon to be im sure the player with the most appearances for the reds My 2nd option is a young lad. Has a 100% scoring record for England and soon to be a club and country legend. He took our team by storm the same with Swansea and Yeovil and is now cemented a place in the spurs team Yep Steven Caulker. most fans on here are still looking to replace him after he left us almost 2 years ago The winner of the RB position was Gerry Sweeny with Bradley Orr 2nd ------------------------Gibson--------------------------- Sweeny-----------CB-----------CB-------------------LB RM----------------CM-----------CM------------------LM -------------------ST-------------ST----------------------
Keith Curle and Steven Caulker for me. I know we only had him on loan but Caulker was and is something special. Curle for the other vote but closely followed by Norman bite yer legs Hunter
Geoff Merrick and Jack Connor, a bit like little and large but giants for Bristol City. Geoff was a true leader when we had several leaders in the team around him. Only weakness was he was weak on his right foot. Jack handled the big centre forwards but did not like playing against small opponents. Also lethal for own goals as Mike Gibson always testified "the most dangerous attacker I ever met while playing for City was our own centre half Jack Connor. You younger ones don't have the dilemma that I have with every position; in that after 63 years supporting City nominating only two centre backs is impossible. So with a bit of "age" licence here are a few more that deserve my recognition; Billy Wedlock, Dennis Roberts, Jack White, Ernie Peacock, Gordon Low, Gary Collier, David Rodgers, Rob Newman, Mark Shail, Keith Curle, David Moyes, Shaun Taylor. PS how could I miss Norman Hunter from my list. And yes I do not rate Carey up there with those above.
My choice has to be, probably the best pairing in my time, Gary Collier & Geoff Merrick, Norman Hunter didn't play long enough, but we all know how good he was, Carey, legend, but better than Collier, no way, Collier was the best footballing centre half i have seen at city, Caulker being the other, but also didn't play long enough.
Your fans dress as backing singers for the village people. There is an idea you can keep. And Collier & Merrick
Calm down Chris. Are you running the same on your site? If so I'll come over and vote for all the oldies from the 50's when you had a very good squad.
'Norman Hunter didn't play long enough' - He kept us 4 Years in the top flight. Merrick was ok in the 2nd division but was massively 'found out' in Div 1 - That's why AD bought Hunter. Collier and Caulker were the same kind of players but Caulker is/was better. Collier would have never played for England. However I'd put Collier with Hunter as Caulker only played 1 season for City. The very best by a million miles was Norman Hunter.
Sorry Red but Norman only played 3 seasons in Div 1 1976 till 1979, playing 122 games, no doubt Hunter was a better footballer than Merrick, you only have to look at his career to know that. You say Merrick got found out in Div 1, well he played full back most of the time in 76-77 & 77-78, and only missed playing 78-79 through a bad injury, thats why AD bought Terry Cooper. with a career record of 437 games thats why i put him ahead of Hunter.
Surprised to see so little nominations for carey? as well as caulker. May not have been here long but for the time he was at 18 years old you could see how good he was and no doubt if he wants to be the best defender in the country in a few years. Delighted to have seen him play
'You say Merrick got found out in Div 1, well he played full back most of the time in 76-77 & 77-78' Need I say more - we were asked to name our best Centre Backs.
'Surprised to see so little nominations for carey?' Carey is up there and probably better than Merrick - neither were CB's, they are/were more of a Left/Right Half as was the great Hunter. Shiny please take it from me, you will NEVER see a better defender and leader as Norman Hunter play for Bristol City. Centre Half is a Caulker, Collier,Taylor, Rogers, Connor type of player. Shiny - FFS get rid those bottoms, I'm going blind.
Yep you are correct when asked to name your best centre back, thought you gave the impression that Merrick wasn't good enough to play in the first Div, agree he wouldn't get ahead of Hunter at centre back, but i'm taking his overall career record.
'thought you gave the impression that Merrick wasn't good enough to play in the first Div' No, I didn't mean he wasn't up to playing Div 1. He was, and a better player at LB in Div 1 than LH. He was built like a full back not a LH and Physique was even more important in the game back then. AD - I was responding to your 'probably the best pairing in my time, Gary Collier & Geoff Merrick'. Collier I can agree with but Hunter is without equal, even if as you say he only played 122 games.
