100 most popular players of all time

Gerry Ingram
Before training: arrived on the bus.
After training: straight in the Belle Vue.
What a star.
Allegedly.

 

I reckon you're in a club all on your own with that one.

 

Sam Barkas. Remember him around my middle school mid 80s, somewhere I have a ManYoo v QPR programme signed my him, Lou Macari and Steve Coppell from a school trip to play against a school in Manchester followed by Old Trafford.

 

Not necessarily in this order and probably a bit subjective with some of them but...
1. Stuart McCall
2. John Hendrie
3. Peter Beagrie
4. Jamie Lawrence
5. Lee Sinnott (the first time around)
6. Karl Goddard
7. Dave Evans
8. Des Hamilton
9. Dean Windass
10. PC Showler

 

Saw every one of them when it was about 2 bob (10p) to get in.

 

Yep. Very skillful, didn't make make the most of his talent but I enjoyed watching him.

Having read through other posts, Darren Moore is another player I loved watching.

Nicky Summerbee was quality for us. Have we had a better crosser of the ball in the last forty years?

 

Not easy to pick an all time favourite 10 from my time watching us(96 onwards), but here it goes in this order:

1. Stuart - Not many footballers you just call by their first name, but he's Mr Bradford City he's the exception.

2. Lee Mills - What a strike I absolutely idolised him in one of our most successful teams of all time, without his goals I'd have never got to see my club in the top flight.

3. Jamie Lawrence - Surprised he's not in everyone's top ten. The ultimate reformed character story, you'll struggle to find a player who cares and worked harder for this club. And an important part again of one of our most successful sides. He might not have grown up supporting us, but he's hurting as much as us atm he really is one of us.

4. Robbie Blake - I'll try get some players in from other eras but it isn't easy, an X factor player in that team, what a magician on his day made the game look like child's play. Turns out when I tried to play like him at school it wasn't so easy.

5. James Hanson - Limited footballer, who probably stayed a year to long. But some of the goals he scored are some of my best footballing memories they won't leave me, unlike a player like Carbone with all the talent in the world who I have no everlasting memories of. Who can forget Villa, Wembley etc. But my favourite was the volley at Burton away, for 6 long years I was desperate to see us get out of that league, and it wasn't until that goal that I thought it was finally going to happen. Thanks for the memories Big Jim.

6. Gary Jones - Wow when we announced his signing I was thinking really? A past it from Rochdale who's never played higher than the 3rd tier seriously. How wrong I was He was the torch barer to reignite our club when it looked like it could be going for good, everything you want in not only a footballer but a man, someone to look up to and someone to tell your kids to look up to. Probably the only player I'd describe as a legend who'd played for us for so little time, unbelievable the impact he made of the whole ethos of the club in such little time.

7. Nahki Wells - I won't but him into the legend category like some of the others, but what a player he was for us in his time with us some of the goals and most importantly the volume of goals for us, we couldn't have had the history making team without him. Smile though Nahki lad!

8. David Weatherall - A long standing player, but for the Liverpool goal alone he has to be on this list, one of the most important and iconic goals in our history. Not a bad defender in his day either! His reputation was probably tarnished a bit by the fact he stayed so long in a team on the decline, but it's by no means his fault.

9. Peter Beagrie - One of the players you'd put in the bracket of, him alone being worth the admission money. What excitement on his day, a true wing wizard. What I'd do to see a player with his ability in a City shirt again!

10. Stephen Darby - It wasn't easy to pick a number 10. So I went with someone who should be an inspiration to us all with what he is going through, and the dignity he's handling it with. Not to mention a long standing player in some of our most successful teams in recent history and former club captain. The whole of Bradford is with this lad, and that says it all about the man he is.

Two special mentions to make. Firstly Bobby Campbell, I wasn't alive to see him play. But I was at the Northampton game after he died. And you could see what he meant to the older supporters who'd seen him, you don't get that sort of appreciation at a club without being a true legend.

And Finally Phil Parkinson who never even played for us. Maybe Jewell will go down as the better manager for his achievement of getting us to the top flight, however Phil came in when the club was in risk of going into non league and going out of existence with it. He stopped that them built a team that would give me some of my best memories as a City fan.

 

John Hendrie
Stuart McCall
Sir Bobby Campbell
Walking in a Waddle wonderland
Leigh Palin
Robbie James ( step above in a lot of games)
Jamie Lawrence
Lee Sinnott
Peter Jackson
Benny Carbone

 

Another one to throw into the mix, Joe Cooke, very good player (and popular) whether he was wearing no 5 or 9. Also a very good athlete, so would be a good player to have in the present game, especially in our situation now.
What the Bradford End used to sing about Joe and Cec back in the seventies would not be acceptable now, can't believe it was then.

 

Mention also for
Mills
Windass
Mitchell
Ormondroyd
Wetherall
Tommo
Gareth Whalley
Basically anyone b4 last year really

 

I’m surprised Gregg Abbott’s not been mentioned and also Jimmy Quinn.

 

Liked Jimmy the Tree when he played for us.

 

Loved Pepper, he was in the 90's, what Jones was in the 2010's, a midfielder of their ilk next season and we have half a chance.

 

Great memories there
Those were the days when players were characters on and off the pitch
Not like the faceless nobodys of last season who weren't fit to wear the same shirt as those you have mentioned

 

You missed out Big Jims winner against Weeds which was my favourite goal of his

 

What? No Shaun Murray!

 

I did but I was going on importance as much as anything, that got us through the League Cup second round where as the others were all vital to our success.

But it was certainly a very satisfying goal!

 

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