Cannot agree with that statement Noel Cantwell created the “shite” team you mention. Jimmy Hill’s team was an excellent team with a lot of good youngish players but Cantwell broke it up and replaced them with inferior players, he sold Bobby Gould, John Tudor, Ronnie Rees, Dave Clements. He bought centre forwards like they were going out of fashion and for big money, Gerry Baker, £30k, Neil Martin, £90k, Ernie Hunt £80k Tony Hateley £80k, John O’Rourke £72k, Chris Chilton £100k,, Bobby Graham £72k all in a 3 and a half year spell. They were good fees in those days the record transfer at the time fee was £115k only Martin and Hunt were any real good, we struggled for goal, what’s new, yet Gould and Tudor banged lots of goal.
Cantwell instilled a lot of discipline and got results when they mattered. You make a valid point with purchase of dud strikers but this was offset with some gems in defence. Barry for instance was immense until he broke his leg and only cost £45K.
Cantwell was a defender himself and his teams were set up accordingly...and in his best year one ten times on the road.
