Best ever on our patch

Messy · Post by **Messy** » Fri Feb 22, 2013 6:48 pm

Who is the best player to ever grace the Holker Street grass? I saw Peter Shilton,he was pretty good.

pjdaly · Post by **pjdaly** » Fri Feb 22, 2013 6:59 pm

Bobby Charlton (during one of his recent visits as an ambassador on the landmines technology) apparently pointed out that he had played at Holker Street sometime in the mid 50's as a second or third teamer at Man Utd.

I am not sure if Tom Finney played in some testimonial in the late 50's or early 60's (may be wide of the mark there).

If you are sticking to first team appearances and competitive matches then I agree Shilton would take some beating (though Dave Storf did it successfully at the Crossbar End) when he appeared as a lad of about 18 in goals for Leicester in Jan 1968 in the 3rd Round of the FA Cup. After all, he does have the record number of caps for England - - - - - .

Before my time, but Billy Wright (105 caps and former captain of England) was skipper of the Champions of England, Wolves, when they played us in the 3rd round of the FA Cup in early 1959.

Many many other internationals have graced the turf but they are about the top names I can think of.

Reg · Post by **Reg** » Fri Feb 22, 2013 7:00 pm

In a competitive game that I have watched, probably Billy Kenny for me.

spirit of 1990 · Post by **spirit of 1990** » Fri Feb 22, 2013 7:19 pm

Reg wrote:In a competitive game that I have watched, probably Billy Kenny for me.

Cracking player & a wasted talent.

Suffolk Blue · Post by **Suffolk Blue** » Fri Feb 22, 2013 7:54 pm

I thought legend had it that Barrows biggest ever home gate of over 16,000 against Swansea Town in 1954 was mainly due to attraction of watching the legendary John Charles in his prime.

If you go back into the 60's you'll find Ron Atkinson, Graeme Taylor and David Pleat all turned up regularly at Holker Street.

In Lancashire cup games in the sixties you'd have found Nobby Styles and Keith Newton turning up. Also a fleeting appearance for Blackpool by one Emelyn Hughes in 65/66.

Peter Shiton has been refered to. In the Southampton FA Cup tie in 66/67 I think Martin Chivers, Mick Channon, Ron Davies and Terry Payne played. The best game I've ever seen at Holker Street incidentally.

I personally remember Malcolm Macdonald turning out for Luton and making offensive comments about the dressing room lavs. I also remember Johnny Haynes turning out for Fulham and many years later an aging Tommy Hutchinson turning out for Merthyr Tydfil and Kevin Hector for Boston.

Dig deep into the past and its amazing who you'll find.

munt · Post by **munt** » Fri Feb 22, 2013 8:06 pm

Mike Marsh was a class above.

Jim · Post by **Jim** » Fri Feb 22, 2013 8:44 pm

I believe we played Newcastle in a friendly about 1956. i remember my Dad telling me about the great Jackie Milburn before the game, but I can't remember whether he played.

Suffolk Blue · Post by **Suffolk Blue** » Fri Feb 22, 2013 9:12 pm

This gets quite addictive. I've looked back at 66/67 & 67/68 and have come up with the following that appeared on team sheets at Holker Street

Bruce Rioch - Luton later Derby Co. and Scotland
Roy Macpharland - Tranmere later Deby Co. and England
David Webb - Southampton later Chelsea
Ron Davies - Soton and Wales
Terry Payne - Soton & England
Don Rodgers - Swindon T - scored winning League Cup Final Goal same season v QPR
Steve Kember - Crystal Palace and later Chelsea
Tony Currie - Watford - later Sheff Utd and England
Keith Eddy - Watford - later Sheff Utd (formerly Barrow)
John Bond - Torquay Utd and later Multiple Manager
Mel Machin - Torquay, formerly Coventry asnd Wales
Frank Large - Twice in same season for Northampton then Leicester City
Bobby Collins - Bury formerly Leeds and Scotland
Alec Lindsay - Bury later Liverpool
Alan Hunter - Oldham Ath later Ipswich Tn and N Ireland
Peter Rodrigues, David Nish and Mike Stringfellow - Leicester and Wales/Scotland/Wales
Don Givens, Carlos Sartori, Jimmy Rimmer, Shay Brennan,Alan Gowling, Jimmy Ryan (+ Nobby Stiles)- Man Utd (Lans Cup)
Barry Fry - Orient and later mighty mouth
Eddie Hemsley - Shrewsbury later Sheff Utd (Wales?) and Yorkshire CCC ?
David Pleat (again) - Shrewsbury Tn
John Colquhoun - Scunnie later WEst Brom and Scotland

Some before their time, some after. none really during.

Holkerbird · Post by **Holkerbird** » Sat Feb 23, 2013 12:19 am

Jim wrote:I believe we played Newcastle in a friendly about 1956. i remember my Dad telling me about the great Jackie Milburn before the game, but I can't remember whether he played.

I was at that match and I think Jackie Milburn did play and I also a player called Len White? on the wing who was very nifty but my memory is not good so I hope someone else can confirm this.

colyates · Post by **colyates** » Sat Feb 23, 2013 9:24 am

Ronnie Goodlass

frankums · Post by **frankums** » Sat Feb 23, 2013 11:39 am

No question - Cowps.

boyliegladbach · Post by **boyliegladbach** » Sat Feb 23, 2013 11:51 am

pjdaly · Post by **pjdaly** » Sat Feb 23, 2013 12:06 pm

I reckon only two British players have ever lifted the European Cup TWICE as skipper - - - and both played on Holker Street.
The first of course is our own Emlyn Hughes (Liverpool skipper 1977 and 1978). The other is John McGovern (Notts Forest skipper 1979 and 1980).

I well remember McGovern turning out for Hartlepool (or Hartlepools as they seemed to be in those days) during the mid 60's. I remember him as a spindly thin stick of a lad who looked like he would snap if he was tackled. Who would have imagined what he would go on to achieve? Of course if we were to extend this topic to include the best managers to ever sit in a Holker St dugout then you do of course come to the Hartlepools manager, a certain Brian Clough. McGovern was obviously highly rated by Clough as he signed him wherever he moved to - - - Hartlepools, Derby, Forest.

LDBF · Post by **LDBF** » Sat Feb 23, 2013 1:33 pm

pjdaly wrote: (though Dave Storf did it successfully at the Crossbar End)

Steelworks end, carbuncle had not been thought of on 27th January 1968

pjdaly · Post by **pjdaly** » Sat Feb 23, 2013 1:39 pm

Further to my post above about the only two players to skipper TWO European Cup wins and the fact that both turned out at Holker Street, I should of course add that I believe there is only ONE British player who scored the winning goal in TWO European Cup Finals and that is Alan Kennedy (in 1981 and 1984 I think). One of them was the deciding goal in a penalty shoot-out. For the benefit of younger Forum readers, not only did the historic Kennedy play on the Holker St turf but he actually played for us for a spell during the mid 1990's at the tail-end of his playing career.