Jim Brown and Claudio chat about the top ten players that played in the Non-League and ended up in the First XI for Coventry City.
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the [Music] you very W welcome back to another edition of U sky blue History Podcast with Jim Brown and myself cloudy cardino good evening Jim how are you feeling today good in claudo yes I’m good um enjoying the nice weather until it started to rain about an hour ago yes yeah good I don’t mind about the rain I’ve I’m my roof fix so uh brand new roof so I’m good to go it can rain as much as it wants now now well we’re well into the close season although there are some uh um Championship matches going on which obviously will be the uh the playoff final at the weekend which uh we’re not taking part in um what do you think leads or Southampton to to go up um well I was I was quite surprised that leads well that both teams turned it on in the in the second leg because they both had they both had dodgy Runnings haven’t they um but leads came good Norwich seemed to um implode yeah um and I see anger gun who was in in in the second tier podcast was was their goalkeeper of the Season had a nightmare um that happens it sometimes yeah sampton look very strong um they’re the best two sides both just come out of the Premiership it’s going to be an interesting one should be a good game because they both you know both like to go forward don’t they yeah and I think ipt just threw the spanner in the works didn’t they because I I predicted those three to go up and I to be close so um yeah fair play to I for getting up there I I feel Southampton will sneak it personally do you yeah do I think from from a sky blue point of view I think I’d prefer leads to go up because you know they’re they’re going to be strong again next year probably stronger than Southampton if they stay down um although they’ll lose they’ll lose players like Somerville and Rutter I would have thought yeah there’s got to be bids coming in from other clubs I’ve imagine the wage Bill and all that they’ll have to reduce it so be it’ be interesting and of course hopefully we’ll have some new signings for our club which would be nice yes although give it a month’s time and there’d be lots of uh finger tapping on tables and thinking come on when we going to sign somebody but yes we’ll see what happens now if you want to uh talk to us about any particular part of our history and uh you can contact us on uh well contact Jim at Clary Borton gmail.com now uh obviously when you watch this later on the week on our YouTube channel you’ll be able to see that on the ticker going across the screen so you’ll have plenty of time to take down the email and please do contact us and we’re we’re happy to talk about anything aren’t we Jim we are yes and in fact tonight’s subject was was was um requested by one of our listeners and it yes and it was talking about n league players who made it into the first team and so Jim you’ve come up with your U Top 10 I have yes so this would be interesting yes it should be I’ve I’ve I’m going to go through it 10 down to one on a countdown but before I do it just talk about some of the players who didn’t quite make the top 10 um and the first one is qu one quite recently and that’s Sam mallum he came from Hearn Bay and um he was quite young but he he was very quickly into the first team wasn’t he yeah I like Simon he’s a he’s a he’s three he’s on a three at the minute I believe he’s been released yes he’s been released by his Club so I won’t mind him back um another Another one not not too long ago um you might have forgotten about him but a lad from dich Hamlet called reys alisan yeah he uh go on no I remember him coming on at Gillingham and I thought it looked really good um in the pouring rain on a bank holiday Monday I think it was in August time and he came on and looked really good and I think he’s did he’s ACL I think I think he did yes and didn’t he go end up going back to um dich yeah and they were producing some decent players at the time as well dich Hamlet um I thought he was going to do well for us I think Mark Robin soon moves him on doesn’t he if he’s not too Keen yes he um just looking at his record he only made uh one start and five sub appearances um and last heard of back at dulich in 2019 um so some of the other ones then um back in the 80s a couple of players who joined uh around the 86 time was Paul culpin you you must remember him magnificent scoring record in nonen Andy Williams who came from sool Bor yeah um not the singer I might add I think at times you could have done with the singer yeah Paul culpin if you remember he looked like a fish out of water when it was weird he he he was scoring goals in reserves as well wasn’t he I think he scored a lot for the reserves yeah I remember him playing one game where he spent most of the time just offside he was completely off the pace every time he played I think yeah um going back um into the 60s a lad called Peter Denon a tricky Winger who um signed from galliston um but he was hampered by the fact he had Ronnie Reese and Dave Clemens you know good Wingers at the time so he didn’t get many games um going further back into the 50s Jo I’ll mention George Curtis because he did come from non League he played for Snowden cury but he joined as almost from school so I don’t really I don’t really count that as as as non- League to be honest yeah I did I looked at your list I did see he’s not put George Curson I thought there must be a reason for that because yeah right yeah um then going even further back there dick Mason a fullback in the in the late 40s not no relation to George Mason but um he came from nonen burough again so that was a the was a was a a good hunting ground for City they signed a lot of players from n eaten over the years so should we go start with number 10 then yeah I I haven’t got the top the pops countdown so we just have to forget the music and go straight into in at number 10 straight in at number 10 um a brommie there’s a there’s a there’s a couple of brummies in the well there’s more than a couple there’s three brummies in the top 10 Andy Pierce Center half do you remember Andy I do yes I think I’m wearing a Shir he probably played in yes yeah he he was um signed from hail Owen um who had a I think they’ve had a pretty strong team in those days um and the number nine we’ll talk about in a minute he also came from hail Zen um he uh he joined us in um 1990 and he he was a center half he made his debut at Ellen Road um I’m trying to think who he played he played alongside would it been Peter billing maybe would he would have been playing with Peter billing Brian Kil Klein oh really yeah be K Klein’s final season so this is just after Terry butcher took over so this is when butcher was trying to get he was trying to get rid of the 87 boys wasn’t he oh yeah well he he sort of made space from South and he and yeah and then realized he couldn’t play anymore yeah so he made his debut at Ellen Road in a two-nil defeat and then um he made his home debut four days later and he scored he scored the winner and who against Lucent Town um Graham Roger scored for Luton right which was a rare goal for him I think yeah um Brian Burrow’s got a penalty on the hour and then Andy Pierce popped up it was I think it was a diving header at the West End um in the 83rd minute W you know Center half signing and scoring on his home debut that must be that must be rare mustn’t it uh I can’t think of well we haven’t really had prolific Center half goal scorers have I mean kill K’s probably the closest because he took penalties but uh we’ve never had a Steve Bruce have we no no I think Rita Johnson was prom was was promising to be a a top goal scorer but then um he lost his form um so yeah what so what happened to Andy he um he played uh 80 odd games right scored four goals and he joined Sheffield Wednesday for quite a big fee I seem to remember was it half a million I it it wasn’t some sort of record at the time for cental alha for us there something yeah it was it was a definitely uh a large son because he because I know he moved to Wimbledon for more than half a million yeah he he he played two two seasons at at Hillsboro was virtual ever present and then as you say he went to Wimbledon and he he only played eight games um I think he possibly got injured I don’t know but he later Jo he later played for hearts in Scotland and older shot town it’s it’s interesting because I don’t think it would happen now would it where you can’t I mean we’re in the sort of bottom half of the top league so we looking at maybe a a wolves uh nowadays they wouldn’t sign somebody from hail’s Owen would they and put them straight in at Center half it just wouldn’t happen would it no no Norwood City actually no exactly it’s it’s changed so much it’s and must be a stigma around it now whereas those days it was like oh give the give the lad a chance it was totally totally different attitude yeah but it must have been quite difficult to step up because I think the you know Andy was a worked on the building sites before he came to Coventry so he went from you know doing a day job and i’ probably training a couple of nights a week to being a full-time professional in the first division it’s it’s staggering isn’t it it is scoring on his home debut yeah and I remember he had a very upright stance didn’t he he uh yeah and um I spoke to him a few years ago um he joined the former Players Association and I spoke to him but he and he was he would he’d gone back to being in the building trade um I think he had his own business in Birmingham but he he’s never been to an event he’s uh I don’t know one of these types who didn’t fairly contribute a lot to the club’s history but you know they’re all welcome aren’t they yeah definitely most definitely so let’s move up to number nine shall we yeah number nine then te teammate of Andy Pierce sha Flynn yeah a his brother’s quite a characters on social media quite a lot and he keeps going on about sha so maybe we should get him on one in one episode sha is not his brother yeah well but he’s he’s another one who’s in the former Players Association but has never been to an event and hasn’t shown any real interest in in coming to to games um yeah so so he was another I say he was another Hellen chap he joined um he joined in 91 um so it probably be six about six months after after Andy Pierce was that a case of Andy Pierce telling us to go and get sha Flynn it might have been didn’t they win a didn’t we play them in a friendly at Highfield Road preseason friendly and they beat us I’m sure they did that wouldn’t surprise me I think you I’m sure they did yeah but he yeah um I think I think it was a preseason of 912 it was part maybe part of the deal with the Pierce transfer that um they came to H and they and they embarrassed us um but yeah Sean it was another another butcher signing and they did it again he scored on his debut um he’s his debut was on boxing day at Bram Lane and we won 3-0 that’s a good win it was Stuart Robson Shan Flynn and Peter billing three very unlikely goal scorers yeah yeah well it’s amazing sh robson’s on the pitch um but you know I think um it didn’t save Terry butcher’s job because he was sacked he was sacked 10 days later gosh so Sean must have been his last signing it’s interesting because I don’t don’t know how you remember it Jim but I remember people calling for John silet head I can remember it I remember Terry Butch coming in and a lot of people were quite pleased with it I think they thought it was going to be the new era he was coming as a player coach wasn’t he and uh and of course he well he hardly played he was and he was terrible yeah he and we gave we gave him a double contract yeah we we gave him a playing contract and a managerial contract and the club had to go to the high court to get out of it of the playing contract I think yeah he was raking in the money I bet he was um so yes so Shawn made his debut at bramma Lane and scored uh and you know he was a pretty regular for the rest of the season um I know it was 912 and we it was a Dreadful season and um we needed we needed all those donh how nil nil draws to um was it six was it was it six or something it was uh five in a row four in a row nil four nil Nils in a row um you know from Christmas to the end of the season we only won three games is that where we were at Villa last game of the season yeah yeah yeah I can remember going with a mate of mine called Mark Elliott who still goes up the city now and we was sat actually in the Viller end and I’d got transistor radio because as soon as siral scored for Villa uh we just started listening to the Luton Nots County match because you thought well that’s it then we’re stuffed yeah yeah because we’re not going to get a result here and the cheers when KN County because Luton were winning weren’t they at one stage we were down they were we weren’t going to be in the Premier League we and of course that was the season they disappeared Lon and didn’t come back till last season did they no so yeah so Sean sha played um over a 100 games for the club I liked him Jim I I thought he was a a real good TR good back he was he was tenacious yeah know he played um I think he The Following Season he must have had injury because he only made four starts but um then he came back he was virtual ever in 934 and 945 until um and it was big Ron really that ditched him he probably didn’t suit Big Ron’s you know flamboyant style but he was a great TR he was a great he um I think he probably got rid of him to bring Kevin Richardson in probably yes yes um so he went to Darby um and he in his first season at Derby they they won promotion to the to the Premier League and he actually played for them in the Premier League in 967 um then he went to West Brom he had three seasons at West Brom uh two seasons at tramier and two seasons at kidderminster um in the league when they were in the league and then he went into non League played for IAM redic and he ended up at bod in town in Cornwall and I think he I think he still lives in bobman I last I heard he was running a campsite down in cornall I’ll uh I’ll message brother and find out actually I’ll do that I’ll find out where he is I’ll make my mission moving up to number eight another from the same era Paul Furlong yeah this surprised me because I can’t remember him actually I like Paul Fon but he didn’t play that many games did he he played virtually every game in 912 but that was it was it yeah we sold him didn’t we that that summer uh we got quite a big fee for him um I seem to remember about 300,000 that’s yeah wow I think we paid 100,000 for him and we sold him for maybe 250 um to to Watford that’s um we did some good business out of these non- league players didn’t we really we did we did um and he was another who started well he scored he made his debut um first game of the season 912 home to Man City we lost one0 he came on as a sub um four days later we had Loon at home we won 5 nil and he came off the bench and scored right um and he scored he actually scored four goals in his first eight games did he not bad did he dry up after that yeah I think he did he did dry up he didn’t score between September and December um and then he didn’t score another goal it’s great but what well Watford saw something in him to sign him um he he he did well at Watford the following year in in the first division admittedly he got 19 goals and then 18 The Following season and then he joined Chelsea yeah and and the question I would say to anybody is in 93 4 what was Chelsea’s who was Chelsea’s record signing and it was Paul Furlong really yes 2.3 million deal wow it was at the time it was Chelsea’s record signing God that’s yeah he he didn’t he scored 10 goals in his first season at Chelsea and three the second season so he he didn’t hit the heights really well the problem was uh hullets signed um was there and Mar Hugh but they Jan Luca VII turned up all right he wasn’t gonna get in front of him was he no no fang over V who should we play on Saturday yeah exactly so he was he was at the start of the sort of the new era of Chelsea and all the foreign players basically when yeah that’s incredible 2.3 million for him yeah but he played um he went to Birmingham he played about 150 games for the blues um scored 50 odd goals and apparently it was Birmingham City’s record signing was it 1.5 million wow um then he went to QPR uh you’re tell me he was their record signing as well [Laughter] no um but he helped uh he helped QPR they were in the division the old division 2 which is the third tier and he helped them to promotion to the championship and uh then he went uh to Luton for a season South End and Barnett for a season so yeah he um we s where did we sign from we signed him from Enfield right um yeah so his son his son’s at QPR he was at QPR wasn’t he I think West Brom West Brom sorry yeah is it darell yes DaNell that’s right said West Brom yeah yeah yeah darell has been been around a bit Yeah QPR Northampton swinden West Brom he’s in he’s in West brom’s first team though isn’t he yeah right back yeah yeah I remember him at QP that’s obviously when his dad was yeah probably in and around the club but you know in his his whole career Paul made almost 700 appearances that is really good actually so up to number seven number seven going back a bit further now Brian joyy oh did you ever see him play uh well if I did I wouldn’t remember him because of obviously when it was cuz um I mean I started watching in 70 so he would have played but uh yeah I’d have seen him but I wouldn’t remember him playing basically well yeah I I remember him well um they signed him in the summer of 69 from uh the the nor the northern Northeastern amateur team North Shields and he played for them in the amateur Cup Final um and did they win it or runers up I can’t remember um um but it wasn’t a big fee was it 50,000 I I can’t remember probably probably 25,000 something like that but you know another one scored on his home debut these these non- league players they they come out of the woodwork and and hit hit hit the ground running don’t they they run out of steam yeah um obviously the club had Neil Martin and John O rock at the time so um Brian’s Brian’s opportunities were probably limited um but he made his debut at the baseball ground uh the night we won 3-1 there and um wrecked Brian kff start to the season and then three days later made his home debut against West Ham uh it was his first start and he scored in a two- two draw a great start his nickname apparently was Charlie Buck because he came from the Northeast where Charlie buckin came from of course he uh played for Sund and wrote the book didn’t he he have the Charlie book and magazine and book and that yeah yeah yeah he was a superstar back in the 20s yeah um yeah so he’s That season can you remember what he’s famous for uh would it be the goal that got us into Europe or something it was yes it was brilliant yeah at molu he scored the only goal that got then that was the night we clinched the European place that must been fantastic Jim I mean I mean obviously we we should have been in Europe in ‘ 87 but I mean to do it in the league it’s it was quite an achievement because we had we had a couple of seasons of desperation didn’t we trying to stay in the league yes we did it was yeah it was quite incredible really the turnaround that that season um but it was really based on N campell’s defensive Outlook um you know they very strong defense turn away wins 10 away wins yeah yeah and um and joycey got got two at Crystal Palace I remember that day in a 3-nil win um he also scored two against Southampton at home [Music] um and just before the molu game he scored in in a 4-1 win at Nottingham Forest he he was mainly used as a substitute um he made 13 starts that season six and six Off the Bench scored seven goals that’s a pretty good record isn’t it it’s interesting because there was only one sub in those days so to have an attacker yes on the bench you that’s quite Positive Thinking by no count well really so I suppose he set him up defensively if he needed a goal he have somebody to chck on basically yes yeah I like I liked him but um his goal scoring fizzled out the next season I think he made 16 starts he only got one goal in the league he did score against traa in the home leg in the fairs Cup right um but uh yeah he didn’t he didn’t develop um that potential we saw in the first season he was a little bit cumbersome um and um he was sold just at the start of 712 he went to Sheffield Wednesday it’s a big hit there I know there’s lots of Sheffer Wy fans of a certain age who yes thought he was great yes well he went it was a double transfer him and Dave Clemens went um to pay for Chris Chilton oh yes say no more is that because just because Chris Shon scored against us so we signed him basically yeah the sheffy Wednesday you say you’re right it was a massive hit he scored 16 goals the first season 19 the next um 12 the third season and he was he in total he played um over 100 50 games for the ows um and then he went he went down to the fourth division with barnesley and scored 26 goals in 767 um and uh then he went into nonleague bwell frickley athletic Matlock town and somebody called Royal Oak sounds like it sounds like it doesn’t it yeah his local yeah but he um he until he retired he was um he worked in it as a car salesman in Sheffield um which was probably a good job for a former player because you know people going in buying cars and realize it’s a sheffi Wednesday Legend it might persuade him to to buy or no yeah well well depend well if he was a a Sheffield United fan he wouldn’t buy off him probably no no there’s a there’s a little anecdote where apparently Mick McCarthy when he was at Barnsley with uh Brian Joyce and M McCarthy used to clean Joyce’s boots apparently really so McCarthy was a player would have been a player at barsley then was he yeah right yeah at the start of his career yeah you kind of forget that some of these players even though they played in the 60s were still playing when I started really remembering LS of course it’s only 10 years isn’t it it’s not that long really but no it’s I think what it is you got the transition of the black and white footage and into color haven’t you so yeah the black and white era looks feels like a lot earlier than 10 years beforehand yes it feels so it kind of felt really old basically but yeah yeah he’s still around yeah so moving moving up to number six modern hero Max oh yeah good old Max scorer of spectacular goals oh yes yes so where did he come from then um oh Sutton United was suton he did yeah fancy buying a player from Sutton [Laughter] United um and he uh he joined in July 2017 so he was one of the early Robins signings yeah um and he had a he had a strange start didn’t he he wasn’t one of those low uh non- league players who hit the ground running it took him a long time to score a goal didn’t it yeah um but he tried so hard didn’t he I I think is a character like I says he scored some absolutely fantastic goals and really important goals as well he did yeah and when you think about it he was he was at the club for four fantastic Seasons you know he won uh two uh two two championship medals yeah I felt sorry for him because it was it was it black pull away where he he did his cruise ship um was it was that was that his final season I think was one before it’s right the start of the Season wasn’t it one of the first games I think um I’m sure it was Blackpool away oh yeah because yeah um rather them at home in the promotion oh no that was the that was the covid promotion season wasn’t it um do you know I my memory is not oh it’s yeah 201819 it was at Blackpool yeah yeah I remember we had we had the whole stand behind the goal and there was hard Blackpool fans that in protest weren’t they that’s right and I can remember on the halfway line he just collapsed um and it’s a shame because I mean you go back to that Nots County match little bicycle kick and you know it was just brilliant well he he he he just came good in the last in the last 10 or 15 games didn’t he yeah yeah I think my memories of him was I loved him from the start because he was so wholehearted and we were just praying for him to get a goal you just deserved to score and it it took a long time and then he got that worldy against YoVille do you remember the Blaster yeah oh even though he lost 62 but then I mean the goal at Peterburg away that sort of flying scissor kick that he did that was Sensational he had that about him it’s just that it was so inconsistent wasn’t he but you’re right his personality and the fact he worked so hard and I mean he’s a fan favorite now he got a great reception at Legends day didn’t he absolutely fantastic reception yeah and he he is a lovely guy um I had a CH a long chat with him um my grandson was presented the player of the year for the former Players Association to to Ben sheath after the after the final game and Max was down there on the touchline ve very friendly with the current players many of them he’ played with you know Le um Liam Kelly Ben sheath and um and others and he he just is a Charming guy and do you remember do you remember when he got sent off um oh I should do shouldn’t I really um who’s that against J it was at St Andrews against Arrington um oh i’ have been there as well yeah was that um I can’t remember what for what was it for it was um it was for an elbow in the defender’s face and the defender made a meal of it I thought he was very unlucky to to get a red card I um that has gone out my memory all together isn’t that weird yeah anyway three days later he called a hatrick against Southampton under 21s at in the Football League trophy were you there for that no I didn’t I there was only about couple of thousand wasn’t there I I think there were a couple of hundred a couple of hundred yeah St Andre it was wasn’t it actually 375 were there no I wasn’t there for that no yeah he scored he scored the winner in the 93rd minute um against uh southampton’s under under 20 under 21s um so so yeah so um max won two promotions um you know he was a he was mainly used off the bench in the league one promotion season but he chipped him with some some good goals he got two in the Bristol Rovers FA Cup replay yeah um he got uh the vital goal a late goal against IP switch at home in the in the league just before Christmas um um he got the a goal against Blues in the FA Cup that’s in the in the second game the replay and he scored I think he scored the winner against Bolton as well he did a 90th minute winner against Bolton at St Andrews yeah I said he scored some important goals I can remember definitely that’s what he used to do and uh so he’s uh well I think he’s a a modern Legend um so he’s number six so into the top five top five this is an interesting choice this one will surprise you I’m sure if you’ve ever heard of him Ernie toland nickname Twinkle Toes it suggests he might be a Winger yes yeah now he was spotted um he was spotted playing we’re going back to the 20s here CL 1928 he played he played against City reserves for for a team called High ferah Town um and he impressed somebody in on the city staff because um they signed him um and he went into the reserves he was a flying right winger went into the reserves his first Reserve game he got he broke his collarbone um and he was out for best part of a year and um he came back he came into the side early the Early The Following Season 2829 season scored on his debut of course he did yeah we we lost 4-2 at Watford but but but toand scored um the the second goal um and he was he was phenomenal absolutely this is this guy had Pace to burn and if you read contemporary press reports people said he is the best he’s the best player we’ve had this since we came into the league he was that good um he played so he played 22 games and of course a player that good soon had the SC outs from the big clubs eyeing him up so you’re saying best player but of course we’ve been in the league about seven or eight years would that be about right yeah we came in the 1920 didn’t we yeah so okay so who came in for him Manchester City who were big big Club at the time um and I think they paid £3,000 for him which was a lot of money in those days um a hell of a lot of money and it would been our it would have been our record sale right up probably to the war I would imagine yeah isn’t it yeah yeah um of course Manchester City were a first division side big big Club um and he played for them right up until the second world war you know 10 seasons 11 Seasons actually he M he went on to make over 400 appearances for Manchester City I’m surprised he never played for England but I suspect that uh Stanley Matthews came along in the early 30s um and it it Matthews against toand it would have been Matthews would get the nod every time I would imagine yeah that was made up of about seven Arsenal players as well wasn’t the England yes it was it was AR Arsenal had Joe Hume who was an England International as well yeah he so he and he’s a legend at um at Main Road or at Manchester City um he played in the 1933 FA Cup Final um when they played uh Everton at Wembley lost 3-0 um so yeah he was the sort of first player to leave centry city and make it in the big time that’s why I put him so high in my my top 10 yeah and he he would have won the league with man city as well wouldn’t he they won the league definitely yeah they they they won the league in 367 didn’t they yeah and then were relegated The Following Season yeah which is AST you imagine that now man relegated next season yes they won the they won the league man united were relegated The Following Season man united got promoted and Man City got relegated yes and I think they’re relegated but were only 15 points off when in the league yeah it was so the table was so tight I mean and the goal for and goal I mean I think the season before did they some scored 100 l in almost as many goals it was bizarre that I mean football in those days is well yeah it’s it’s definitely all about goals there’s no the city scored 100 goals in Four Seasons out of five in the 30s you know that so it was the thing to do score lots of goals and concede lots of goals um yeah so he played uh he played right up almost up until the war he actually left Manchester City in uh March 39 and went to Sheffield Wednesday um and played who who were well man city were the second division Side by then obviously because they got relegated but uh Sheffield Wy was second division as well and then he was the war ended his career basically um he would have been 30 how old would he been 33 34 when war broke out so his career was over I mean in all fairness that’s still an age back then it’s not now but it yeah anybody over 30 still playing was uh class as almost superhero I know I know um so that’s number five Twinkle Toes um number four Dave boost oh interesting choice interesting choice yeah so where did Dave come from um oh let’s think oh obviously not hellzone no more more green more green yes more green they’re the predecessors to so Hall Moos aren’t they yeah I think he played in the same team as my mate well lad I went to school with Phil Davis he’s played up front who was touted by a lot of Midland clubs but decided to stay in banking instead of playing professional football yes now we’ve talked about Shan Flynn and Andy Pierce but booy came around the same time just after Terry butcher got sacked actually I don’t know whether he was a butcher signing that Don how sort of completed um but he came in in January 92 um and he he he went straight into the first team as well from in non- League um made his debut uh as a substitute at Cara Road in a cup game uh where we lost one nil and then three days later was back at Caro road for the league game and he he made his first start so who did he play alongside at that day at Center half do you know 93 can I say Peter billing again no Peter otherton Peter another Peter yes he was solid yes it was a good team actually that out that day Auggie Brian BOS Phil bab Aon boost John Williams Chris Greenman uh Mickey jyn Robert Rosario Mickey Quinn Kevin Gallagher yeah not a bad team is it that was that was the team that that finished eighth wasn’t it yeah well they were four they were fourth in February you got goals with Gallagher and Quinn haven’t you definitely yeah yeah no we finished uh we were fourth in February but we finished [Laughter] 15th oh that’s right we went we went down two places on the final day in the second half we drew three all with leads do you remember oh we were thre and up with an injury time weren’t we that’s the day the leads fans decided to get on the pitch yeah uh was it Wallace who scored two for them in the last the dying that’s right seconds yeah um and that’s just was that the season after they’d won the league wasn’t it yes and I had a bet with somebody at work who’s a leads fan I said I bet we finished above you next season and they lead finished six on bottom and we finished above them yeah and he never paid me but I couldn’t believe they won the lead to be honest the year before I was I was absolutely yeah but there you go so booy um he played 50 about 60 games for the club and obviously had that tragic injury at Old Trafford when he was I guess he was cementing his place in the side wasn’t he um he uh who was he playing alongside I presume Paul Williams um oh Liam D that day but we had we did have we had booy we had Liam Das we had Paul Williams I think Gary Breen came not long afterwards so we had you know we had a lot of um we had a lot of uh of good good Central Defenders yeah we I mean on the day we do we were we doing okay at the time weren’t we um we were well it we had a bad start in that that 956 SE didn’t we big run got moved upstairs and and Sten came in stepped up didn’t he and things things improveed for a while um but then we we slipped back into it um in the last sort of two months of the season um we uh we we we were great against the big clubs we beat Chelsea who were big you know much bigger Club then and we beat Liverpool at home um one nil um I think Wheeland got the winner but we you know we we lost some silly game we lost at home to Bolton um we we lost at um we lost at Mid at Middlesboro um yeah it was some sloppy results but we we we won 2-n at Wimbledon didn’t we when nudy scored to yeah to secure safety um that was after boost his injury of course but that was that was a tragic injury wasn’t it yeah and well because it it’s a rare injury as well really there’s not many players have had that sort of double break and normally you get it after a challenge a proper challenge yeah that was just it looked like something or nothing when you see the footage collide with Dennis irn didn’t he uh I think his foot his foot was just planted and his weight went one way and his everything else went the other way yeah um I mean Dave boost mean for what he does for the club now Absolut brilliant And the fact I mean Paul garer lost his leg you know yeah and and and I played football against him and that charity game the lemon and white supporters when he played the Legends four years ago and he was marking me and you know he still knew what to do he didn’t get a kick well yeah no exactly he was and he was sort of organizing the defense and you know chatting to people and getting them all you know in line and doing what they should be doing and he just got kept getting rid of the ball really quickly you know it’s I thought oh this is impressive considering you know his Mobility is restricted yeah he can still move enough around a football pitch and I think he justes walk in football now doesn’t he all players for lingon he played at the CBS at the weekend in that six aside competition and they won it they they did have Michael Doyle Gary mcaffrey and Patrick sufo in [Laughter] it yeah um so um let’s move up to number three John chuda oh did you ever you probably never saw on you to play did you I saw him play more for Newcastle United than cantry because obviously um he was there he used to he used to partner Mark and McDonald didn’t he at front he did yeah so I remember him then and my dad used to go on about John chud saying such a good player she never sold him that sort of thing um yeah I don’t remember him playing at Sheffield but definitely it’s Newcastle no well he um he we signed him from Elon town who uh Midland League side in uh early 6 early 1966 and he’d been round he’d be had trials with everybody over the over the previous few years um how old I’m just checking how old he would have been he would have been 20 so he was quite a you know late late Comer um and um he um he he I think he was quite prolific in the reserves and then he he got his chance early in the promotion season um at Preston scored a goal on his second game um and he was Bobby Gold’s um excuse me he was Bobby Gold standing um but he would always he would generally score a goal um he scored at Derby in a win he scored at um Huddersfield he scored against Cardiff at home hway pompy at home um and but he didn’t get um he didn’t really get um a clear run until Bobby got injured uh before just before the Wolves game at the end of the season and um John came in for those last three games and he scored a goal in the final game against against mwall um and then obviously Bobby went Bobby was uh he kept Bobby out the side um for the early part of the season and then they played together as as Strikers um for a while um but he obviously wasn’t as prolific the step up to the first division he he wasn’t as prolific but a couple of times he moved back to Center half um no more than a couple actually he um he had a SP um from Christmas right through till March where he played um as a as a c Central Defender um alongside moris setus really strange and he was good in that role um he was good in that role um and then uh obviously Bobby had gone had gone in January so he was back at um back as a striker and then the following season uh is when he left to to go to Sheffield um he he struggled scoring that that season um I think he only got three goals before he left in the November um and I’m just trying to think who we had Tony haitle by that time um and I’m trying to think who did did was he sold to pay for somebody um quite possibly they hadn’t paid for Hatley and he and they had to sell CH pay for haitle which was bad news really because he he was a better Striker than Tony Hatley I can tell you was uh Hanan was he about that time was he later he was the previous season he came in yeah um so he went on to Sheffield United he dropped a division to go to to Sheffield they were second division side but he was an instant hit at at Bram Lane uh I think he got 11 goals in half a season for them right um and he won promotion with them in 7071 back to the first Division and then he moved on to Newcastle and he was you know he’s a legend at St james’ Park as you say playing alongside Malcolm McDonald he always seemed to score against us didn’t he yes always so it’s funny because I’ve got I got sticker albums going back to about 69 and uh i t maybe that’s why because obviously you wouldn’t have been in one of the albums because they weren’t playing um in the Top Flight Sheffield so my recollection of John chuda was centry to Newcastle then the Sheffield United bit kind of gets forgotten about right because I think I was too young to remember him being there basically yeah and all my other sticker albums from mid 70s have all got John chuda and black and white stripes yeah so I was I was forget oh yeah he went to sheff United didn’t he after us not I was thought he went straight to Newcastle you know but obviously he didn’t did he no no he played over 200 games for Newcastle yeah um so up to number two another player from the 60s Ernie maing yeah a very uh a big favorite for a lot of sky blue fans of that era yeah well Ernie was they always said he was Jimmy Hill’s blue-eyed boy I think he was one of the first signings that Jimmy made I think they paid a Lancer club called nelson1 pounds for Ernie and Jimmy Jimmy Hill just loved him he would play him every week if he could and and he he came in so it would have been early 62 and um he was in the reserves for the best part of a year um made his debut um 623 he’d only been 19 8th of April 63 so just after the FA Cup run ended in 63 Ernie got his chance um came into the side played the last six games that season but then he was a regular from the start of The Following season and he was in brilliant form absolutely brilliant form they were even he was being tipped for England under 23 on us and then he had a dreadful knee injury at Watford um home to Watford um and he put him out well he I think he came back in the January for one game and he he relapsed and he was out and that knee injury affected his whole career on and off there’s always a a weakness there um so his career at centry was always injury he he he only played 14 games in 645 uh then he then he then he became a regular if he had four four Seasons um he was the in the champ in the um second division championship team scored some vital goals uh he got 11 goals that season from Midfield um he was the captain when after George broke his leg um you know he went on to play for us well he played 11 seasons for centry um made almost 300 appearances yeah you can see kind of 11 Seasons 300 appearances that’s um it’s it’s you probably expect more closer to 450 wouldn’t you normally yeah yeah but uh yeah always seemed to be bothered with injury but a great servant for the club very he was he was a a target for the knockers though especially in the second division days you know a lot of the fans didn’t like him didn’t rate him but you know Jimmy stuck by him and uh he delivered a great great player you you almost get that with every manager that there’ll be a player they seem to play regardless of the fans not wanting them to play that player yeah um and it’s uh it just happens isn’t it obviously in those days it was Ernie Ming I mean you know we’ve had quite a few over the years where the class is the manager favorite yeah sadly he’s no longer with us premature death in or about 10 years ago I think yeah so we’re up to number one well before number one I mean talking about ear m in 1972 became the first English football player to successfully challenge a fine suspension by the Football Association by video footage which is uh that’s right for mistaken identity or he got sent off it was it was it Newcastle it was yeah and that was the first time ever they used video footage and didn’t use it again I think they used it once more then didn’t use it again for years yeah that’s uh that paved the way for TV evidence basically yes and went as far as V at Wembley yes yes so number one yeah do I do a drum Rock yeah hav got a drum roll but let’s pretend there’s a drum roll Jim Stuart Pierce when you said the top 10 non- League to First 11 I thought surely he’s going to pick St p number one yeah it’s a no-brainer really isn’t it has there ever been a player who just walked into a football team and looked like he belonged in that football team that’s that’s Stuart Pierce wasn’t it incredible character he almost from the start looked the best player in the team yeah it was phenomenal um yeah he went from Wiston you know I don’t know I don’t know how he went under the radar of the London clubs but Bobby G tells the story went he took his wife along to see Wilson play and he left after 30 minutes told his wife that all right I’m going to sign that fullback tomorrow and he did 25,000 wasn’t he looking at somebody else or something I don’t know I I mean there’s all sorts of stories like he saw him make one tackle he meant that’s enough for me I’m I’m signing him kind of thing yeah but he played I I was looking at he played 176 matches for wistone before did he really yes but he was there from when he was 16 and he like a regular yeah it’s amazing nobody down south didn’t pick him up no and I remember his I vividly remember his debut against QPR at highi ra he just looked like a he played in the first division all his life yeah I just remember his tiny shorts and massive thighs basically and yeah and we I think we were lucky to get him for two seasons um and it was obvious he was going to go at some stage and um you know nodding and Forest came along and snapped him up and it’s sad really that both both his campaigns at Coventry were relegation battles weren’t they yeah I remember being at Stoke at night he scored that penalty was it a Friday night it was a it wasn’t normal it was a Friday night it was Friday wasn’t it and of course Ian painter then uh misses a penalty doesn’t he he could have got relocated there and then yeah saved our bacon um that one- nil win on the Friday night yeah um and then against uh Everton that was his final game that that 4-1 win on the Sunday morning to keep us up that was his final I think him and Butterworth were sold the following day weren’t they yeah and was Butterworth went for more money than Pi or something it was um no I don’t think so I mean he was still doing electrical work when he was at Forest apparently stories him going around to cliffy’s house and doing you know changing rewiring and changing light bulbs and doing stuff like that but and that was his problem wasn’t it because he didn’t know whether not to sign a contract because he at the time was earning more money as an electrician yes yes but you you’re you’re right he could see um well how good he was going to be and I think predicted he was going to have a really good career and he he definitely did is he have you ever managed to get him back at the Legends day at all no no um he does a lot of media work I think yeah um but he made over 500 appearances for Forest you know and then and then still carried on at Newcastle for two seasons um West Ham for West Ham for two seasons and even know the season at at Man City helped them win promotion in 2002 played 38 games then when how old would he have been um he’d have been 40 yeah when he when he when he retired at Man City so fantastic career and uh he likes one of my favorite bands the stranglers so uh oh does he wasn’t he oh yeah yeah he’s he used to play the punk rock in the changing room they used to yeah the tapes blasted in the chain room as you can see why he played like he did probably so that that’s my top 10 obviously it’s very subjective um it’s only my opinion Keen to hear from you know listeners if they’ve got uh any other any other players they think deserve a mention yeah because obviously these These are players who came straight to us so obviously people like sires came from non Le but he didn’t come to today you went the albian yeah you and you know so it’s um it’s players who’ve come to us from non- League football and there’s some good players there Jim yeah and and it’s yeah I can’t I mean I suppose you look at someone like did uh the F Leicester he started in non lead didn’t he Jamie vardy Jamie vardy and you know so it can happen you know you can get modern day heroes you know coming out of non League still he just got to give him a chance I mean um then Matty gotten starting on League he did yeah he did and he went to he actually he I can remember him saying that he actually dropped out of the football league to play non-league football to get lots of games that’s how you know that’s how he wanted to forward his career and just get plenty of games so it’s credit to Matty Goden so before we finish claudo just one thing we were talking the other week about penalty shootouts do you remember yeah and I had contact from a guy called Mark from London who who told me a very interesting fact because we were saying uh we’ve lost five penalty shootouts in a row yeah and Mark has told me that we’ve never in those five shootouts we’ve never kicked towards our own fans oh that’s interesting isn’t it yeah because the one we lost at reading was the down the other end it was I remember that as well that’s another one kicking towards our fans yes so I think one of those was in the covid season Gillingham do you remember yeah yeah so we didn’t there were no fans there but we um and one was at Forest Green where there was virtually no fans there but the uh at St Andrews we lost a shootout in front of their fans and then two at Wembley yeah so we need to change well we need not to get to penalties I think is the U yeah what needs to happen so are we going to call it a day I think we will we’ll be back uh next week and we’ll uh any ideas what we talk about next week have we CAU with anything yet no we’ll give it we’ll give it some thought so body’s got any suggestions let us know drop me an email yes at clar Borton gmail.com so any anything we can even talk about certain players or an era yeah um anything whatsoever but thanks again for listening and uh it’s always get it’s always nice to get together and have a little chat is it about our history there’s plenty of it there’s so much more we can cover yes and uh thanks again so it’s Tera from me Tera from me [Music] thank you a company thank you very much