That's about it, it was in that pub/club (Captain's Corner?) on the corner opposite the casino on Terminus Terrace. The bloke who did it got chucked out and Hurlock stayed there but he never got a punch in IIRC.
Took a brave - or more likely very drunk - man to stick one on Terry Hurlock imo. That’s what having a reputation as a hard man does for you, I suppose. Someone is always lining up to have a pop.
Lee Barnard got a massive hiding in a club where my mate was a doorman but apparently, he was acting like a complete twat.
I'm not sure if I actually got the right player Can anyone confirm? I seem to remember he was in hospital for a while.
I remember Dan Seaborne was allegedly a dickhead to some blokes girlfriend at a club ...ended up getting a hiding and spending a spell in hospital.
Too right, Palmer gets my vote. A rubbish footballer, kept letissier out of the England team for a while and from what I remember he was a bit of a twt...
As a young whippersnapper, I once went to the training ground to interview then manager, Dave Jones. All the team were in having their meal after training, and Carlton Palmer came over and interrupted the chat between me and Dave, complaining that there weren't any beans to have with his jacket potato. Dave Jones turned to me and said, "he'll never win Mastermind, that one..."
I think that this survey is perhaps reflective of the generation in which you grew up supporting Saints. It think that the comments about fringe players who rarely played in the first team is not really appropriate as they did not get the chance to disappoint! As a supporter, I think the question needs to be considered in conjunction with the team and manager of the time to put things in perspective. It is strange but I cannot recall any Saints players being truly unpopular until Branfoot managed us. The likes of George Lawrence was sometimes mocked yet he was something of a cult figure. There are plenty of signings who i felt did not live up to expectations yet this does not really deserve to make them "least favourite." I would also be disinclined to list players whose departure was acrimonious. Adam Lallana was sensational for us under Poch and i feel that this should not be forgotten. Nichol struggled towards the end of his spell yet the transformation of the team by Branfoot had to be experienced to be believed. It was undoubtedly the worse period for being a Saints supporter I recollect and the first time I can recall since the early 70s when what was served up as football was so truly dreadful. Relegation was a horrible experience yet you can forgive the ineptitude of the players under Redknapp who was the source of the problem. Personally, any "least favourite" player needs to come from the Branfoot era as far as I am concerned - a time when even a Wembley appearance in the ZDS final was insufficient to make you feel much pride in the team. I think Branfoot's teams were so horrible to watch that it seemed impossible to appreciate how good the team have been only 5 years before. It felt catastrophic at the time and underlined that the board of directors were totally clueless in allowing this happen to the club. It felt like a total disaster and his replacement by Alan Ball was an epitheny. For me, you could pick any number of players from Branfoot's team and put them on that list of "least favourite". It is the only time I am aware of where you dreaded transfer activity which usually mean the addition of another has-been or journeyman to the squad. (Take tour pick - Dixon, Speedie, Groves, Wood, Moody etc, etc. ) I think the only decent signing was Dowie and he did not achieve his potential until much later. (pretty sure it was Branfoot who signed him.) I can recall seeing Branfoot's first friendly in charge at The Dell and being in a state of shock afterwards at the change in style of play. , Therefore, I think that as the symbol and figurehead of Branfoot's team and his brand of football, it has to be Terry Hurlock for me who gets this accolade. He was the epitome of uncultured football. Difficult to see what he brought to the game and he was a thug. However, more than this, he symbolized how bad Branfoot was. I appreciate names like Carlton Palmer being on the list yet Hurlock's appearance on any team sheet was indicative of not only a very uncultured footballer but also indicative of how far Saints had fallen by embracing Branfoot's football philosophy. For me, Hurlock must go on this list as much as for what he represented as his footballing ability.
I can’t remember which match it was, but toward the end of Branfoot’s tenure. I also would never advocate crowd ‘interference’ in this sense, but I remember Branfoot walking out of the tunnel at The Dell, and promptly getting struck on the head by a tangerine. I also remember a younger LTL laughing out loud at it, I’m afraid. I never actively disliked the players then, as I put the blame squarely with Branfoot. But yes, Dixon and Speedie were bloody awful.
I was an occasional visitor to the dell because we were so awful to watch. I spent my Saturdays watching non league football and being entertained. As soon as Branfoot went I got a season ticket
