MY ALL TIME FAVOURITE LEICESTER CITY TEAM

MY ALL TIME FAVOURITE LEICESTER CITY TEAM

 

This week in the ‘‘Meashamfox’’ all-star Leicester team I am looking at the left back position and once again I have to dig deep into the memory banks to find worthy contenders.

In recent years full backs are a position I feel we have struggled with and looking at today’s team it looks as though that situation is not going to change!

I had high hopes that when Paul Konchesky signed for us he would take the opportunity to emerge as a left back worthy of the status of legend but as of yet I think he is a long way off of achieving that status.

Just reverting back to the right back position for a moment, I do believe that Liam Moore has the quality and the look about him to achieve the status of being a Leicester legend if he is played in that position, and if we can keep him at Leicester long term.

The list of contenders for the left back position are my own choices based on players I have seen at Leicester over the years and once again you will all have your own opinions.

Looking back over the years and my shortlist is:

David Nish, Dennis Rofe and Richie Norman

Bobby Smith was in contention as was Mike Whitlow. Smith was signed by us as a midfield player but was eventually moved to the left back spot and he made the position his own for a few seasons under the guidance of Gordon Milne. I always thought Bobby Smith was an exciting attacking full back and he was a worthy contender to be included in my short list. Unfortunately Bobby passed away in 2010 a sad loss. Bobby played 181 games for Leicester scoring 21 goals.  Mike Whitlow was signed from Leeds United and soon established himself as a tough tackling defender and at City he played a total of 147 games scoring 8 goals.

The first contender for a place in my team is Richie Norman. When Richie broke into the first team in 1959-60 season he made the position his own for many seasons until 1967-68 when he made just 14 appearances before ending his long Leicester career and moving on to Peterborough. Richie has the distinction of never missing a game for Leicester from April 18^th 1960 to the end of February 1964, something that would be unheard of these days. Richie was a steady no frills full back and made a total of 365 league and cup appearances for Leicester scoring 5 goals.

I remember Leicester playing a friendly against Glasgow Rangers in 1966-67 at Filbert Street (which we won) the Rangers fans were in the east stand and following Derek Dougan’s goal an outbreak of hooliganism occurred with Rangers fans throwing bottles onto the pitch, and I am sure I can recall Richie Norman picking one up and throwing it back at them! A true Leicester legend - Richie Norman.

 

Contender number two is another local prodigy of Leicester, David Nish. David played for the local Measham side when he was spotted by Leicester and while he was still at school he was named as a substitute for the City first team.

Nish was an inspiring midfielder before moving position to play as an attacking left back, and he became the youngest player to lead out a team at Wembley when he captained Leicester in the 1969 FA Cup Final. David Nish was a classy footballer and won honours for England at under 23 level while at Leicester and went on to win five full caps when he was at Derby. David Nish played a total of 272 games for City scoring 31 goals. David Nish was a quality player and it proved to be when the then League champions Derby County prised him away from Leicester with a British transfer record of £250,000.

The final contender is the man Leicester bought to take the place of David Nish. And he did that so admirably, Dennis Rofe. he wasn’t the classy footballer that Nish was, but he was a competent full back and became part of the Bloomfield era at Filbert Street that served us supporters with some of the best football ever seen at Leicester. Rofe was signed from Orient and soon established himself with the Leicester supporters in a star studded team. Dennis made a total of 324 appearances for Leicester and he notched 6 goals.

A difficult decision to make for the left back spot and disappointing that I have to go so far back in the memory bank to find anyone who I think is good enough to fill the position.

My choice is ------- DAVID NISH

And so far we have three local lads taking up the first three positions - Shilton, Whitworth and Nish.

Next time I will be choosing one of the centre back positions, until then keep on giving Nigel and the team your full support.

 Alan “meashamfox” Bennett

Leicester till I die

 

 

MY ALL TIME FAVOURITE LEICESTER CITY TEAM

MY ALL TIME FAVOURITE LEICESTER CITY TEAM

 

I have to mention how pleased I was with the response the lads showed against Blackpool following the disastrous performance against Burton Albion, taking nothing away from Burton though well done to them. It was good to hear the supporters getting behind the team from start to finish. We have to remember that this is a tough league and we have to earn our right to win and to keep our expectations realistic.   

 

 

In my last blog I started to choose my all-time favourite Leicester City team and Peter Shilton took his place in the side at Number 1 as goalkeeper. It was a close call between Shilton and Gordon Banks with Mark Wallington coming third. I also mentioned a few other keepers who deserved recognition as servants to Leicester City and shame on me for not giving a worthy mention to Kevin Poole. Poole was goalkeeper at Leicester between 1991/1997 and made a total of 163 appearances.

Today I am choosing the right back position. This position has changed over the years from the days when teams would line up in a 2-3-5 formation, to the modern game and its different variation of formations that must baffle even the best coaches, let alone the players and us mortal supporters!

I have decided to choose the team as a 4-4-2 formation and so my choice at number 2 is ------- you will have to hang on to find out as I look at the contenders.

In all the years I have been following Leicester City I would have to say that full backs is a position that has caused us problems, especially in recent years and there is no one I can honestly say has been great in that position for many years, obviously you may have your own opinions.

When I first started going to Filbert Street many years ago our right back was Len Chalmers and I remember John Sjoberg and Graham Cross playing there as well, until we signed a player from Cardiff City who established himself as a permanent fixture at right back, Peter Rodrigues.

Rodrigues was a Welsh international and City paid a fee of £42,500 for him and he became a permanent fixture at right back from when we signed him in 1965 until he moved on to Sheffield Wednesday in 1970. Rodrigues was renowned for his attacking style of play and he was a master of the sliding tackle and very quickly became a fans favourite.

Rodrigues played in the 1969 FA Cup Final and probably missed our best chance to score, but I won’t hold that against him. He made a total of 140 appearances for City scoring six goals.

Contender number two is the player that stepped into the boots of Peter Rodrigues at Leicester and he made his mark in the Charity shield final in 1971 at Filbert Street scoring the only goal of the game, and as far as I can recall his only goal for Leicester. I give you – Steve Whitworth

Like Rodrigues, Steve Whitworth loved to get forward and he also became a stalwart at right back for Leicester. Steve was born just up the road at Coalville and Whitworth was a product of the youth set up at Leicester and so he was a true Leicester lad. He was a regular in the side from 1970 until he was sold to Sunderland in 1979. Whitworth also played six times for the England under 23 team and he played seven times for the full England team.

On the 7^th August 1971 Leicester as second division champions were invited to play league champions Liverpool in the charity shield final that was played at Filbert Street. I remember Whitworth breaking forward, and crossing the ball for Fern to send a tame shot towards goal and Whitworth steamed in to make sure the ball crossed the line. I believe his only goal for Leicester but he made a total 353 appearances for us, a Leicester legend.

Contender number three is a player who was signed from Leeds U nited -- Simon Grayson.

Grayson was an unknown player when he signed for Leicester a steady and committed player and always gave his all. He played a total of 229 matches for Leicester between 1992 and 1997. In 1997 Grayson helped City win the league cup and was voted the player of the season and in the same year was transferred to Aston Villa.

Other players that deserve a mention at right back are Ali Mauchlen and Paul Ramsey although I consider them to be midfield players and also Andy Feeley, Alan Woollett, Tommy Williams, Simon Morgan and Pontus Kamark.

I did have high hopes for Richard Stearman who I rated highly at right back until he departed for Wolverhampton.

In recent years we have struggled in that position and so again the position is filled by a legend from the past and taking his place in my all-time favourite Leicester team is --------------------------------------------

STEVE WHITWORTH

Just a reminder that the team is being picked from players that I have watched over the years at Leicester City.

Until the next time-- Leicester till I die