First Post....Coventry Heroes (1 Viewer)

[scroobiustom]

This is my first post on the forums so I thought why not add some cheer to the gloomy situation the club is in.

My question, who was your favourite sky blue player growing up and why?

Mine has to be John Salako, when after a cup game vs. Gillingham (local team) he took the time to sign my programme before taking my pen and signing everyone else's, he then opted to seek me out in the stand and return it to me before shaking my hand, ruffling my hair & saying thanks.

Small things, big impression. (no innuendo)

Who's yours?

 

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[Delboycov]

I think my 1st real hero was Ian Wallace. Master of the overhead kick and his partnership with Mick Ferguson remains the best I've ever seen at the club. I always remember the West End used to sing "Ian Wallace walks on water..." and as a kid I thought he literally could! Be good to have a forward that was capable of just walking these days ;-)

 

[slyblue57]

colin stein, home debut scored two goals with his leg bandaged up could hardly walk but just carried on playing.

 

[covkid69]

colin stein, home debut scored two goals with his leg bandaged up could hardly walk but just carried on playing.

i remember that game colin stein played in and if i remember correctly he scored with a header and i can still see them bandages now....
tommy hutch for me....never have a seen a player twist defenders in knots like he could

 

[rob9872]

Terry Gibson then David Speedie and then Dion Dublin as heroes but Oggy all time favourite and was there through all of them.

 

[cloughie]

Tommy Hutchinsom and then Dave bennett followed by who ever gets rid of sisu

 

[rob9872]

Tommy Hutchinsom and then Dave bennett followed by who ever gets rid of sisu

I like Benno more in recent years. He's a Manc who seems to have our club at heart and for this I love the man. Despite being part of our best ever day and having so much skill, I often found him frustrating to watch. On his day a world beater, but so many times for me he just wasn't. I think he would have been fantastic in a much better team than ours. Always showed up on a tv live game or teh big games when he was up for it.

 

[blueflint]

defo george curtis followed by arthur lightning but i am going back a bit recently got to be dublin

 

[skybluegod]

only supported the club for less than 2 years and still growing up but westwood, doyle, deegan for me all of them have really been great for me.

 

[DazzleTommyDazzle]

First hero was Neil Martin - a "proper centre forward".

 

[shmmeee]

Kevin Gallagher. Had my Mum sew a 7 on the back of my cov top. Was gutted when we sold him.

 

[wingy]

Kevin Gallagher. Had my Mum sew a 7 on the back of my cov top. Was gutted when we sold him.

Great Player ,often overlooked ,I've seen most of them from the mid sixties onwards ,and those mentioned and in other threads and they ar e truly all great ,but for sheer impact on a whole team ,admittedly for a brief period ,and in this division its Dirty Dennis.

 

[superskyblue]

For me it's either Mustapha Hadji or Robbie Keane, what a season we had when we had those 2 alongside Chippo and McAllister.

 

[You'll Never Beat McPake]

As a child, my sky blue hero was Dennis Mortimer. Remember how bad it felt when he was sold to the Vile. Sort of set the scene for the coming years where every promising good young player seemed to move on after a couple of seasons. Most memorable are Ian Wallace, Tommy Hutch, Gary Gillespie, Phil Babb, Danny Thomas, Peter Ndlovu, Terry Gibson, Robbie Keane, Huckerby & Dublin. Not been too many heroes for the kids to get excited about in the last 10 years though...

 

[DazzleTommyDazzle]

My "formative years" were the 70's - I think back to the players I saw:

Bill Glazier, Roy Barry, Ernie Hunt, Neil Martin, Willie Carr, Dennis Mortimer, Colin Stein, Tommy Hutchison, Jim Blyth, Graham Oakey, Ian Wallace, Mick Ferguson, Terry Yorath, Jim Holton, Gary Gillespie, Danny Thomas, Steve Hunt, Garry Thompson and many others.

It's really not fair on those that started watching in the last decade.....

 

[KersleyDigs]

Mustapha Hadji

Saw him play Chelsea away at Stamford bridge, we lost 5-1 (i think) Kirkland sent off early in the game. He was the best player on the park, even in a poor team AND with Zola on the pitch!!!!!

Absolute class.

 

[Moe-Lask]

Mine has to be Gary McAllister. Such a great leader, excellent role model and just excellent technique. Use to do his famous run up when taking penaltys... Class. Also Steve Froggatt when he got running at defenders was awesome! He also got me a signed football by the team when i won a comp when i was 10 back in the 2000-2001 season. Thats probs why i've now suffered for 11 years now...

 

[keef]

Ndlovu just entertaining to watch.
Micky Quinn for being fat but banging in goals for the fun of it

 

[georgehudson]

GEORGE HUDSON a footballing genius born way ahead of his time

 

[Nonleagueherewecome]

Terry Gibson, Dave Bennett, Speeeeeeed-ohhh, Brian Borrows (Mr. Consistency), Nuddy, and Lee Hurst (possibly part of the best City central-midfield pairing in my lifetime alongside Stuart Robson, both robbed of their careers by injury-cheers, Gouldy!).

 

[MayallMan]

Gary McAllister, Dion Dublin and Roland Nilson..100% every game and would do anything for the club!..Robbie Keane for the memories! and a strange one this... Israle Zuniga for that volly against Bradford!

 

[bulkingtonskyblues]

at first it was gallagher, ndlovu, quinn before moving on later to the likes of huckerby, dublin, whelan, keane, mcallister, david thompson in more recent years i liked westwood must admit, and king would probably have turned into my only favourite in modern times

 

[TasmanSeaSkyBlue]

`The Animal' Bobby Gould, Tommy Hutch, Graham Oakey, Willie Carr, Big Cyrille Regis, Ernie Hunt, Killer just off the top of my head.

 

[johnniericoh]

It has to be GEORGE HUDSON, centre forward extraordinaire, for me with his unbelievable close control of the ball, two footed, great header of the ball, scorer of impossible goals.

What is puzzling is that we have seen nothing like him since - possibly Robbie Kean comes close followed by the Huckster both capable of similar types of play occasionally - not included the great Dion or Tommy Hutch as I am comparing ball playing central strikers.

PUSB

 

[Bloodnut1964]

I am surprised nobody has mentioned Stuart Pearce, my favourite was Robbie Keane, closely followed by Terry Gibson and Noel Whelan.

 

[skybluelee]

Terry Gibson. Watched him score the winner at HR v Sheff Weds in my first ever game in 1984. 52 goals in 2.5 seasons, and in each of those seasons those goals kept us up. Cried my eyes out when he left, although tbf I was only 9.

Met him in 1996 or 1997 at the NEC MOTD roadshow. He had a stall selling Football Club themed bikes. Was genuinely taken aback by how tiny he was. Treasure the picture I had taken with him.

His hat trick v Liverpool kept my plastic Scouser mates quiet in the playground as well. At least for a couple of weeks.

 

[TheParsonsHose]

Dion and Whelan for me.

 

[Stoppercurtis]

George Hudson head and shoulders above all others. Distant second Ian Gibson.

Stopper

 

[LastGarrison]

McGrath, Quinn, Gallagher, Ndlovu, Babb, Konjic, Hadji, Keano, Ooh Steve Morgan, Isiais just for his first ever thing he did in a city shirt was absolutely crunch someone on the half way line!!, Nilsson, Thompson, Wegerle.

There's a few I've admired over the years. You have to feel sorry for the current generation, can you imagine their choices on a (probably 3D) thread like this in 20 years time?

 

[andrew.roberts]

For my son´s tenth birthday we came over from Spain to see the Man Utd. game at Highfield Rd. in November 2000 when we lost 2 v 1. (I remember Beckham chasing a lost cause ball and crossing perfectly for Cole to score). We managed to get permission to watch the players train on the following Monday at Ryton and meet them briefly afterwards when they came out of the changing rooms.
Both Mustapha Hadji and Youseff Chippo were absolutely fantastic with my son, especially Hadji who having previously played for Deportivo La Coruña appeared to be delighted to use the opportunity to speak spanish with him.
I´ll never forget Chippo almost crashing his car as he drove away waving goodbye to us.
True professionals (and pretty decent players too !!).

 

[dazzled2u]

There's the usual names that spring to mind McGrath, Quinn, Konjic, Hadji, Nilsson, Keano, Dublin, etc

But I thought George Boetang was immense for us when he first joined he played more senior players off the pitch and marked the like of Paul Ince out of games.

 

[harvey098]

Im 20 so not really had a cult figure at the club in my time. If I had to name a "hero" growing up though it would be between big mo and Mcsheffery.

 

[Houchens Head]

As a defender (and later goalie) myself - way, way back in my playing days - I have to be say I was always influenced by my all time favourite defender for the City. Bobby McDonald. Hard as fukc. Brick wall defender! Then it would have to be The Hutch, Fergie & Wallace, Robbie Keane. And of course........................................ KEITH HOUCHEN!!!!!! (even if it was only for his glorious '87 header!!!)
Sorry guys. None from recent years have impressed me so much that I can call them "favourites".

(Can't stand the word "hero" being used for anything else other than what it is meant for and that is bravery in battle for your country.)

 

[The Reverend Skyblue]

My first,(i have others), favorite player was Mick Coop.
When i was a wee lad my first position was full back, and every sentance according to my Dad contained a reference to Mick Coop.
I have so many like Ernie Hunt, Willie Carr,Ian Wallace and i loved killer Kilcline, but Mick Coop was my first favorite

The Rev

 

[Stevec189]

Tommy Hutchinson for me. I remember first seeing him on Match of the day playing for Blackpool and saying to my Dad wish he played for us and sometime later he was! Absolute genius. I remeber the Norwich boxing day game that ended 5-4 and I sure at one point we Hutch and John Beck playing full back. Also I think the pitch was frozen down one side at Hutch just stayed out on the frozen surface and literally skated around the defenders. Might not not have been the Norwich game with the frozen pitch! Magical player poorly treated by the club at the time when he left. But we have always been a selling club so why the suprise! PUSB