MY ALL TIME FAVOURITE LEICESTER CITY TEAM - STRIKERS / MANAGER
The final pieces of the jig saw and in my latest blog I will be picking the two strikers who I believe will be worthy of a place in my all-time favourite Leicester City team
It is a pity I can’t be writing about the exploits of Arthur Chandler, Arthur Rowley, Ernie Hine, Derek Hines and Arthur Lochhead, as those great players sit in the top 5 as the all-time record goal scorers at Leicester. But unfortunately they were before my time.
In my early years going to Leicester the strikers I was cheering on were Jimmy Walsh and Ken Keyworth and another prolific goal scorer was also in the same team, Mike Stringfellow. All three are included in the top 20 record goal scorers for the club.
The first centre forward that really caught my imagination was the enigmatic Derek Dougan. The ‘Doog’ was a hero of mine during his short time at Leicester and he became a cult hero for the supporters. As I mention in a previous blog when he left to play for Wolverhampton a lot of supporters boycotted Leicester to go and watch Dougan make his debut for Wolves and saw him score a hat trick v Hull. A true legend.
In 1968 City splashed out £150,000 which was a record fee for Allan Clarke and expectations were high, but instead of firing us up the table unfortunately we ended up being relegated, we did reach the FA cup final though and Clarke moved on to Leeds for another record fee!
In the two years we spent in the second division following relegation the main striking duties fell on the shoulders of Ally Brown and he helped fire Leicester back into division one.
Once back into the top flight it wasn’t long before Jimmy Bloomfield took over as manager and a whole new era began at Leicester and probably one of the most colourful entertaining footballers of all time arrived at Filbert Street. Frank Worthington. Worthington was renowned for his flamboyant and skilful football but he was more than that, he also knew where the net was and he sits at number 12 in the record scorers chart at Leicester with 78 goals
I had to wait until the season of 1979/80 until a striker caught my imagination again and it was Alan Young who was to set Filbert Street alight in the opening fixture of that season by scoring both goals in a 2-0 win over Watford, and he was making his debut. Young scored a total 29 goals for City. As we all know he now commentates with Ian Stringer on Radio Leicester.
A young player who began to emerge in the squad when Jock Wallace took over the reigns was to become a legend at City and become our most prolific goal scorers since the days of Arthur Chandler and co. Gary Lineker. Lineker didn’t make much of an impression when he first broke into the team because I remember that they even spelt his name wrong in the programme! Lineker was, and always will be a legend at Leicester and he is the greatest striker I have seen play in a Leicester shirt, and when Alan Smith joined us from non-league Alvechurch he formed what I believe to be the best striking partnership I have ever seen at Leicester, alongside Lineker. Smith is also in the top 20 record scorers at City.
When Gary Lineker moved to Everton the young striker to take his place was Mark Bright who had to be content with being understudy to Lineker at Leicester. In the opening game of 1985/86 season Lineker returned to Filbert Street with Everton but it was Mark Bright who stole the headlines scoring with two stunning strikes at the kop end in a 3-1 win for City. Bright never played many games for City and only managed 6 goals but he was worth a mention for those two goals v Everton. He went on to make his name at Crystal Palace.
Andy Lochhead, Steve Moran, Mike Newell, Jimmy Quinn, David Oldfield, Kevin Russell, David Kelly, Ian Ormandroyd, Phil Gee, David Speedie, Iwan Roberts, Tony Cottee, David Connelly, Steve Claridge, these are just a few of the strikers that I have cheered over the years and there are a lot more that I haven’t mentioned, but as with the other positions in the team I have struggled to choose any really prolific player that stands out as true Leicester legends from recent years.
Under Martin O Neill I can’t argue that, that period was one of the most exciting and prolific times at Leicester City and Emile Heskey as a Leicester lad, deserves a special mention for his achievements.
I have to mention that Matty Fryatt who served us well in leagues 1 and 2 stands at number 17 in the record scorers chart at Leicester.
The choice for me really came down to three players and as I have said I believe that Gary Lineker and Alan Smith formed the best partnership I have seen at Leicester, but I am going to choose Gary Lineker and Frank Worthington as my two strikers.
My all-time favourite Leicester City team
Shilton
Whitworth Walsh (c) Cross Nish
Weller Roberts Izzet Glover
Lineker Worthington
On the subs bench
Banks, Sjoberg, Elliot, A. Smith, Stringfellow, Gibson, Sammells
To manage the team I have looked long and hard and I have made a short list of four contenders Matt Gillies.Gillies was manager of Leicester from 1958 to 1968 making him Leicester’s second longest serving manager and he was at the helm during one of my favourite periods as a City supporter. Gillies also steered the club to two League cup finals and two FA cup finals and during his ten years as manager, City played their football in the top flight.
Jimmy Bloomfield. The only trophy Jimmy Bloomfield won at Leicester was the charity shield when City beat Liverpool 1-0 at Filbert Street. But he gave us supporters some of the most exiting football ever seen at Leicester with his team of all stars.
Jock Wallace. I have chosen Jock Wallace because I truly believe that if it wasn’t for him Leicester would never have recovered to be where we are today. Following the worst period I have witnessed at Leicester (the Frank McLintock season) it was Jock Wallace who came into the club and totally rebuilt the playing staff.
Martin O’ Neill. O’Neill had to be included as a contender with a promotion and three league cup finals, two ending as winners and European football returning to Leicester. After a shaky start as manager and having some of the crowd on his back! O’Neill turned the club into a force to be reckoned with.
The manager of My All Time Favourite Leicester City Team
Martin O’Neill
I hope you enjoyed my blog and no doubt you will have your own ideas and opinions on which your favourite Leicester City Team is. A Happy New Year to you all -- Leicester till I Die Alan’meashamfox’Bennett
It is a pity I can’t be writing about the exploits of Arthur Chandler, Arthur Rowley, Ernie Hine, Derek Hines and Arthur Lochhead, as those great players sit in the top 5 as the all-time record goal scorers at Leicester. But unfortunately they were before my time.
In my early years going to Leicester the strikers I was cheering on were Jimmy Walsh and Ken Keyworth and another prolific goal scorer was also in the same team, Mike Stringfellow. All three are included in the top 20 record goal scorers for the club.
The first centre forward that really caught my imagination was the enigmatic Derek Dougan. The ‘Doog’ was a hero of mine during his short time at Leicester and he became a cult hero for the supporters. As I mention in a previous blog when he left to play for Wolverhampton a lot of supporters boycotted Leicester to go and watch Dougan make his debut for Wolves and saw him score a hat trick v Hull. A true legend.
In 1968 City splashed out £150,000 which was a record fee for Allan Clarke and expectations were high, but instead of firing us up the table unfortunately we ended up being relegated, we did reach the FA cup final though and Clarke moved on to Leeds for another record fee!
In the two years we spent in the second division following relegation the main striking duties fell on the shoulders of Ally Brown and he helped fire Leicester back into division one.
Once back into the top flight it wasn’t long before Jimmy Bloomfield took over as manager and a whole new era began at Leicester and probably one of the most colourful entertaining footballers of all time arrived at Filbert Street. Frank Worthington. Worthington was renowned for his flamboyant and skilful football but he was more than that, he also knew where the net was and he sits at number 12 in the record scorers chart at Leicester with 78 goals
I had to wait until the season of 1979/80 until a striker caught my imagination again and it was Alan Young who was to set Filbert Street alight in the opening fixture of that season by scoring both goals in a 2-0 win over Watford, and he was making his debut. Young scored a total 29 goals for City. As we all know he now commentates with Ian Stringer on Radio Leicester.
A young player who began to emerge in the squad when Jock Wallace took over the reigns was to become a legend at City and become our most prolific goal scorers since the days of Arthur Chandler and co. Gary Lineker. Lineker didn’t make much of an impression when he first broke into the team because I remember that they even spelt his name wrong in the programme! Lineker was, and always will be a legend at Leicester and he is the greatest striker I have seen play in a Leicester shirt, and when Alan Smith joined us from non-league Alvechurch he formed what I believe to be the best striking partnership I have ever seen at Leicester, alongside Lineker. Smith is also in the top 20 record scorers at City.
When Gary Lineker moved to Everton the young striker to take his place was Mark Bright who had to be content with being understudy to Lineker at Leicester. In the opening game of 1985/86 season Lineker returned to Filbert Street with Everton but it was Mark Bright who stole the headlines scoring with two stunning strikes at the kop end in a 3-1 win for City. Bright never played many games for City and only managed 6 goals but he was worth a mention for those two goals v Everton. He went on to make his name at Crystal Palace.
Andy Lochhead, Steve Moran, Mike Newell, Jimmy Quinn, David Oldfield, Kevin Russell, David Kelly, Ian Ormandroyd, Phil Gee, David Speedie, Iwan Roberts, Tony Cottee, David Connelly, Steve Claridge, these are just a few of the strikers that I have cheered over the years and there are a lot more that I haven’t mentioned, but as with the other positions in the team I have struggled to choose any really prolific player that stands out as true Leicester legends from recent years.
Under Martin O Neill I can’t argue that, that period was one of the most exciting and prolific times at Leicester City and Emile Heskey as a Leicester lad, deserves a special mention for his achievements.
I have to mention that Matty Fryatt who served us well in leagues 1 and 2 stands at number 17 in the record scorers chart at Leicester.
The choice for me really came down to three players and as I have said I believe that Gary Lineker and Alan Smith formed the best partnership I have seen at Leicester, but I am going to choose Gary Lineker and Frank Worthington as my two strikers.
My all-time favourite Leicester City team
Shilton
Whitworth Walsh (c) Cross Nish
Weller Roberts Izzet Glover
Lineker Worthington
On the subs bench
Banks, Sjoberg, Elliot, A. Smith, Stringfellow, Gibson, Sammells
To manage the team I have looked long and hard and I have made a short list of four contenders Matt Gillies.Gillies was manager of Leicester from 1958 to 1968 making him Leicester’s second longest serving manager and he was at the helm during one of my favourite periods as a City supporter. Gillies also steered the club to two League cup finals and two FA cup finals and during his ten years as manager, City played their football in the top flight.
Jimmy Bloomfield. The only trophy Jimmy Bloomfield won at Leicester was the charity shield when City beat Liverpool 1-0 at Filbert Street. But he gave us supporters some of the most exiting football ever seen at Leicester with his team of all stars.
Jock Wallace. I have chosen Jock Wallace because I truly believe that if it wasn’t for him Leicester would never have recovered to be where we are today. Following the worst period I have witnessed at Leicester (the Frank McLintock season) it was Jock Wallace who came into the club and totally rebuilt the playing staff.
Martin O’ Neill. O’Neill had to be included as a contender with a promotion and three league cup finals, two ending as winners and European football returning to Leicester. After a shaky start as manager and having some of the crowd on his back! O’Neill turned the club into a force to be reckoned with.
The manager of My All Time Favourite Leicester City Team
Martin O’Neill
I hope you enjoyed my blog and no doubt you will have your own ideas and opinions on which your favourite Leicester City Team is. A Happy New Year to you all -- Leicester till I Die Alan’meashamfox’Bennett
Very well put together meashamfox we have had some class players over the years.
ReplyDeleteCheers Gaz, I have been lucky to have seen so many great players at Leicester.
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