Highfield Road Memories: Best Player (5 Viewers)

[TrueSkyBlueLiam]

As part of the 10 year anniversary of the final match held at Highfield Road, Sports Lounge is commemorating the old ground for the next few weeks. Last week we asked you for your favourite Highfield Road goal. This week, we want to know who you think was the bets player to ever grace the turf of the famous old stadium. Theres a few names I could mention. Carr, Hunt, Machin, Hutchinson, Regis, Bennett, Oggy, Speedie, Huckerby, Dublin, Keane, McSheffery, I could go on. But whats your view? Let us know who your favourite Highfield Road star was and why

 

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[DazzleTommyDazzle]

Tommy Hutchison (no "n").

End of thread, no more to be said

 

[The Gentleman]

Different players at different times for me. Also, different players for different reasons. Loved Regis and Speedie because I always remember their headers. Loved Keane because he was a great footballer and tried some unbelievable things. Loved every player from the 87 cup run and final. Loved Huckerby for 'that' goal against Man U. Loved Peake as he never seemed ruffled. Loved Ndlovu because he always got me off my seat.

Won't be a choice for anyone else but is for me, Mick Harford because of the winner he scored against Newcastle in 1993. Went out to celebrate that night and met my wife
and I still bore her today with talk about CCFC.

 

[Qwerty70]

First game highfield road in 1975 : probably missed about 15 until we left. Best individual performance I saw : a young Paul Gascoigne playing for a terrible Newcastle side. Kid was brilliant.

 

[colin101]

Every player from 1967 – Coventry City promoted as Second Division champions to the top flight for the first time in their history. This made manager and BBC Sport presenter Jimmy Hill a legend at the club. Coventry's record attendance was also set in this year – officially recorded as 51,455, (although many people who were at that game suggest the attendance was a lot higher, possibly much over 60,000) against Wolverhampton Wanderers, the team that finished a close second to Coventry at the top of the table.

 

[bringbackrattles]

George Hudson for me as he was the complete centre forward as he could head goals,score with his feet,and was as hard as nails which helped back when he played for us. So the Hud gets my vote.

 

[Senior Vick from Alicante]

Robert Jarni, the way he took his seat in the stand for that one match was unforgettable. Seriously has to be either Ndlovu or Huckerby both had pace poise and the ability to thrill, but then we have had some class acts in the middle over the years as well like Yorath and Hunt. One of my favourite bits of action was when Ray Gooding had to stay on injured and could only hobble, defender launched at him from ten yards away which he side stepped and then crossed for Thommo to score.

 

[Nick]

I'd probably say ndlovu it huckerby for my era!

Richie partridge and thommo are not club legends but I have memories of them getting people off their seats

 

[LastGarrison]

Roland Nilsson - true world class!

 

[Macca]

Speedie far better than anything else we had

 

[WestEndAgro]

Speedie far better than anything else we had

Speedie was class, he often showed moments of absolute genius, similar to Le tis and Eric Cantona on the deck, but even better in the air, hugely underrated in my opinion.

 

[Alan Dugdales Moustache]

Tommy Hutchison.

 

[Gazolba]

George Hudson was easily the best player I ever saw at Highfield Road. His skills could be compared to much more famous names in higher divisions. He could do it all with either foot or his head and virtually never missed a routine chance. But he was also the type of player that could conjure up a goal from absolutely nothing. I believe his goals to games ratio is the highest of any Coventry striker except perhaps Clarrie Bourton. There were plenty of other very good players but since Hudson was the one who most often stuck it in the back of the net, he is the most memorable to me. By the way, it's George Hudson in my icon, which is cropped from the cover of the CCFC program.

 

[rupert_bear]

Between Hudson and Ian Gibson, he conducted the orchestra that got us promotion to the top flight.

 

[davebow87]

Once I saw Tommy hutch on the ball he was always gonna be my hero. Wonderful player. Oh how we needed someone today who could take on a defender!

 

[Hobo]

Tommy Hutchison and Dave Bennett could take the ball past anyone.
Trevor Peake and Roland Nilsson made defending look effortless.
Gary McAllisterr Stuart Robson and Denis Mortimer could all make a midfield tick
Wallace, Keane and Speedie were class finishers
Cyril Regis for leading a line link play and holding the ball up
Bill Glazier and Jim Blyth on their day looked unbeatable.
if you want grit and granite George Curtis and Terry Yorath.

 

[phildownunder]

Can`t comment on players post mid 80s but very much doubt it would make any difference to my choice anyway.Tommy Hutchison stands head and shoulders above any other City player for me.

Remember, he dazzled (to coin a phrase!) in the 1st division against the best defenders of his day unlike other players mentioned who only played in the 2nd or 3rd divisions.

Being the type of player he was he often came in for some "treatment" from defenders and yet he missed very few games in his 8 years at the club either from injury or for disciplinary reasons.

He was one of those players who you could sometimes say was worth the price of admission alone to see.

 

[ajsccfc]

Not sure about who's best, but Hadji was the most technically gifted player I've probably seen represent us.

 

[Sbarcher]

Different players at different times for me. Also, different players for different reasons. Loved Regis and Speedie because I always remember their headers. Loved Keane because he was a great footballer and tried some unbelievable things. Loved every player from the 87 cup run and final. Loved Huckerby for 'that' goal against Man U. Loved Peake as he never seemed ruffled. Loved Ndlovu because he always got me off my seat.

Won't be a choice for anyone else but is for me, Mick Harford because of the winner he scored against Newcastle in 1993. Went out to celebrate that night and met my wife
and I still bore her today with talk about CCFC.

Hmm - 22 years eh? She must be ready for a re-bore by now.

 

[Greggs]

Hadji, Keane, McAllister and Boateng all playing in the same side ffs!

 

[Covstu]

Gary Mac for me, a player with sure skill, awareness and calmness even at his age. Class was certainly permanent for that man, he was even amazing at Liverpool.

 

[skybluelee]

McAllister in his last season with us was absolutely phenomenal and would get my vote.

 

[Grendel]

Tommy Hutchison (no "n").

End of thread, no more to be said

Agreed

 

[LastGarrison]

Gary Mac for me, a player with sure skill, awareness and calmness even at his age. Class was certainly permanent for that man, he was even amazing at Liverpool.

Although, undoubtedly, he came good I think time clouds how crap he was at the start of his time with us!

 

[Covstu]

Although, undoubtedly, he came good I think time clouds how crap he was at the start of his time with us!

maybe or the team around him!

 

[Gazolba]

Once I saw Tommy hutch on the ball he was always gonna be my hero. Wonderful player. Oh how we needed someone today who could take on a defender!

Ronnie Rees our Welsh international winger from Jimmy Hill's 60's team was equally good. As soon as he got the ball, he went at the opposing full back and more often that not either dribbled past him or beat him for pure speed and got in a cross. He banged in a fair number of goals too.

 

[Silence_Is_The_Enemy]

Craig Pead (needs no explanation you know why)

 

[Hobo]

Ronnie Rees our Welsh international winger from Jimmy Hill's 60's team was equally good. As soon as he got the ball, he went at the opposing full back and more often that not either dribbled past him or beat him for pure speed and got in a cross. He banged in a fair number of goals too.

I never had the pleasure, but will take your word ford it, and other fans have waxed about the Welsh wizard.

 

[dadgad]

Between Hudson and Ian Gibson, he conducted the orchestra that got us promotion to the top flight.

Can't argue with that.....Gibson always had that something a bit special, a great crowd pleaser and provided the guile which got us promoted.

 

[Gosford Green]

Tommy Hutch, Dave Bennett, Big Cyrille, Trevor Peake , Ian Wallace , Stewart Robson, Gary Mac, Hadji, Huckerby, Ndlovu, Dublin etc etc.

If I have to pick one its David Speedie. A fantastic footballer, never gave up and played on the edge which meant he was either going get sent off or score a goal from absolutely anywhere either on the ground or in the air.

In the summer of 1987 we signed one of the best strikers in the country from Chelsea. That now sounds like a statement from someone on acid.
If you are old then you have been spoiled at the time we never realised it. Young fans will not reminisce about Adam Barton like this.

 

[Malaka]

Although, undoubtedly, he came good I think time clouds how crap he was at the start of his time with us!

I think that is an unfair comment. I think he was too good for us and often played the ball to where a player should be. alas most of his team mates were not on the same level as him.

 

[Malaka]

My stand out players were hutch, dion. McGrath (for his tenacity) Keane and Niellsen.

 

[ajsccfc]

That's what I tell people when I'm playing football, but they have none of it.

 

[Gazolba]

Other notable players from Jimmy Hill's 1960's team (although it is somewhat unfair to single out players as they were a fantastic team unit) were George Curtis an absolute rock in defense who would invariably win 90% of 50-50 balls. And Ron Farmer our cool as a cucumber wing-half and penalty-taker (only ever missed one and that hit the post).

 

[TrueSkyBlueLiam]

Sports Lounge kicks off at 10am so tune in if you can lads