[Albion] Craig Mackail-Smith

[martin tyler]

Well said. Gave it everything for us. Some short term memory loss for some on here.

I don’t think anyone is disputing he ever gave less than 100% I mean he did run and run and run and he chased down those defenders for fun - its just that well he isn’t a naturally gifted finisher anyone thinking otherwise is wrong

 

[Was not Was]

I'm sure he was interviewed on an Albion podcast (Albion Unlimited, I think) 3 or 4 years ago, and was trying to make a living as a crystal therapist or something like that - you know, helping people get healed by crystals. He said he was hoping to bring some of his, err, expertise into professional football.

 

[Flounce]

I don't think I'd been more excited about a signing since Bobby signed permanently first time round.

He'd scored a bucket load of goals for Peterboro, we'd beating off Leicester and West Ham and we spent at the time an awful lot of money on him.

Then I saw him play. Was obvious from day one he wasn't much cop and we'd been sold a dud. Still people liked him because he ran around a lot and had shiny hair.

Has to be up there as pound for pound one of our worst signings ever when you bring everything into account. Locadia probably pips him for that crown now given the figure he cost. Jahanbask (sp) or Percy may also have a claim.

I enjoyed the signing frenzy but I had my doubts about him from day one having watched him run around like an ineffective Duracell bunny in the Nightmare on London Road game. When it was clear he’s be replacing Murray, my heart sank as I don’t think I’ve ever been as gutted to see a player leave, especially when he went up the road.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

For those too young to have seen him, go to your local park and watch an owner throwing a ball for their Golden Retriever to chase.

That was what it was like watching CMS, especially the bit where the dog runs past the ball, skids and chases back to the ball.

Innit.

I read someone once describe his playing style, as 'watching a dog chase a crisp packet around a windy car park'....

 

[HastingsSeagull]

Was gonna say something where he sat on his arse all day

 

[JetsetJimbo]

I've always noticed players who are too good for the second tier, but not quite good enough for the Premier League. Mitrovic looked like he was going to be one of those players for a while, until he eventually started scoring in the Prem. I'd put our own Knocky in that category too. It's a weird one, because these are players you'd expect to be able to make that step up but for some reason they just don't or can't, even when supposedly less capable players around them manage it.

CMS was like that, just a division lower. Too good for League One but not good enough for the Championship.

 

[Albion my Albion]

CMS was like that, just a division lower. Too good for League One but not good enough for the Championship.

In baseball they like to call them AAAA players because below the major league level you have AAA, then AA then high A & then low A. When you can't stay in the major league level but constantly yo-yo back and forth between the major and minor leagues until you are out of options then you can sign a minor league contract or play in an independent league that don't have any affiliation with the MLB.

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

View attachment 181738
I hope not!

Hmmm if ever someone hasn't aged well . . .

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

I've always noticed players who are too good for the second tier, but not quite good enough for the Premier League. Mitrovic looked like he was going to be one of those players for a while, until he eventually started scoring in the Prem. I'd put our own Knocky in that category too. It's a weird one, because these are players you'd expect to be able to make that step up but for some reason they just don't or can't, even when supposedly less capable players around them manage it.

CMS was like that, just a division lower. Too good for League One but not good enough for the Championship.

I honestly believe that he was good enough for the Championship, but just didn't suit our style at the time.

He certainly didn't have the attributes of the man he replaced. Sir Glenn Murray was an entirely different sort of player, a different style entirely.

 

[Brian Fantana]

I mean his best moment for us was probably that cross for Ulloa's goal at Forest, which says a lot about the impact he had in front of goal himself.

 

[Dorset Seagull]

Lumberjack?

Yes but he is ok

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I don't think I'd been more excited about a signing since Bobby signed permanently first time round.

He'd scored a bucket load of goals for Peterboro, we'd beating off Leicester and West Ham and we spent at the time an awful lot of money on him.

Then I saw him play. Was obvious from day one he wasn't much cop and we'd been sold a dud. Still people liked him because he ran around a lot and had shiny hair.

Has to be up there as pound for pound one of our worst signings ever when you bring everything into account. Locadia probably pips him for that crown now given the figure he cost. Jahanbask (sp) or Percy may also have a claim.

A girlfriend of the wife was randomly taken to a Brighton game, she’d never been to a football match before. Meeting her in the pub after the game, one of her various observations was “why does that guy with the blond hair keep falling over and complaining”?

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I've always noticed players who are too good for the second tier, but not quite good enough for the Premier League. Mitrovic looked like he was going to be one of those players for a while, until he eventually started scoring in the Prem. I'd put our own Knocky in that category too. It's a weird one, because these are players you'd expect to be able to make that step up but for some reason they just don't or can't, even when supposedly less capable players around them manage it.

CMS was like that, just a division lower. Too good for League One but not good enough for the Championship.

I guess opponents are just that little bit better. This was certainly the case for Knocky, he just couldn’t get away with what he did in the Championship as defenders were smarter and could read him.

 

[Easy 10]

Someone needs to state the bleeding obvious. At Posh he played number 10 to the target man Aaron McLean number 9. They both banged in goals for fun because it was a formidable partnership. Gus brought him in, played CMS at number 9, and guess what, he couldn’t. It was pretty much that simple.

I think it was more George Boyd playing the 10 behind him at Peterborough. Boyd was absolute MUSTARD, he and CMS struck up an almost telepathic understanding. I'd wager more than half CMS's goals would come from a Boyd assist.

We should've signed both of them.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

I think it was more George Boyd playing the 10 behind him at Peterborough. Boyd was absolute MUSTARD, he and CMS struck up an almost telepathic understanding. I'd wager more than half CMS's goals would come from a Boyd assist.

We should've signed both of them.

Boyd is a Palace fan. Not that that should prevent a lower league player from embracing a dream signing at a club on the up, but....

 

[Dick Swiveller]

A girlfriend of the wife

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

I mean his best moment for us was probably that cross for Ulloa's goal at Forest, which says a lot about the impact he had in front of goal himself.

His goal at Burnley was pretty spectacular

 

[London Irish]

He's got 166 career goals, (despite an injury hit career). Is that not a decent record?

And certainly good enough to coach in non-league. Good luck to him

 

[Bold Seagull]

Well said. Gave it everything for us. Some short term memory loss for some on here.

No memory loss at all, should have had 2 x 20 goal championship seasons with the chances created. No one would dispute he gave everything - sadly his everything wasn’t championship standard, nothing against him for that, but it’s the truth of it.