[Albion] If Dunky stays will he be our greatest player ever?

[Robinjakarta]

Albion Roar?

I'm sure he's very warm when talking purely about Brighton to Brighton fans but he tends to forget all about it when he's on big media.

Albion Roar, yes, but others, too including a long interview on one of the others. Football, The Albion and Me was another. Yes, true as far as I've seen that he hasn't said so much on more national media but what he's said has been warm. I suppose in view of his achievements (as a player and NOT as a pundit), that's only to be expected, though. I was fortunate to be able to see all the home and many of the away matches he played in. Fantastic player.

 

[Charity Shield 1910]

Point of order. If we are talking our all time great then he might be up there with Foster, Ward and others but no cigar. Charlie Webb scored the goal that gave the Albion it's only trophy of note with bragging rights of Champions of England. During WW1 he led drill on the Goldstone, then fought on the Western Front. He was appointed manager of the Albion whilst still in a prisoner of war camp after WW1. And that is only half the story. Charlie Webb takes a bit of beating.

 

[jimhigham]

Any statue should be in this characteristic “last ditch block” type pose...

 

[Skaville]

Any statue should be in this characteristic “last ditch block” type pose...

View attachment 133181

Agreed, but you could improve it by putting Gary Cahill somewhere in the rough vicinity of the ball

 

[dazzer6666]

If Dunk retires at the Albion then he deserves a statue outside the Amex, and I’d argue he’d be our greatest ever player (although it might be a generational thing.) I mean let’s look at the facts.

• Local lad who has been at the club since he was 11(I think)
• Is currently on 298 league games for the club. Another 5 1/2 years injury free years could see him pushing Tug Wilson for most Albion appearances ever (509). He’s already in the top 20.
• Apart from 2 loan games to Bristol City he’s a one club man.
• Only the 4th player to get an England cap whilst at Brighton
• Came with the club from L1 to the Prem
• Top scorer in one league season
• Should hopefully reach double figure Prem goals.
• Captained us in the Premier League
• Responsible for some massively iconic moments; especially Fulham away and the promotion celebrations
• Been happy to stay here despite rumours of a Chelsea transfer.

The word legend is thrown around way too much in football imo. For my money we’ve had 2 legends in the 21st century. Zamora and Dunk. The bloke is a f*cking legend and they day he stops playing for us, whether through retirement or transfer is going to be heartbreaking. A Rolls Royce of a defend who clearly bleeds blue and white and f*cking loves the club to his very core. No doubt he’s our greatest ever player if he stays forever, imo.

Nailed it really.

 

[n1 gull]

Yes I think he would be

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Charlie Webb. Player and manager.

I nearly replied with 'did you see him play?' but thought better of it.

Big shout out for Tommy Cook.

 

[BN9 BHA]

If Dunk retires at the Albion then he deserves a statue outside the Amex, and I’d argue he’d be our greatest ever player (although it might be a generational thing.) I mean let’s look at the facts.

• Local lad who has been at the club since he was 11(I think)
• Is currently on 298 league games for the club. Another 5 1/2 years injury free years could see him pushing Tug Wilson for most Albion appearances ever (509). He’s already in the top 20.
• Apart from 2 loan games to Bristol City he’s a one club man.
• Only the 4th player to get an England cap whilst at Brighton
• Came with the club from L1 to the Prem
• Top scorer in one league season
• Should hopefully reach double figure Prem goals.
• Captained us in the Premier League
• Responsible for some massively iconic moments; especially Fulham away and the promotion celebrations
• Been happy to stay here despite rumours of a Chelsea transfer.

The word legend is thrown around way too much in football imo. For my money we’ve had 2 legends in the 21st century. Zamora and Dunk. The bloke is a f*cking legend and they day he stops playing for us, whether through retirement or transfer is going to be heartbreaking. A Rolls Royce of a defend who clearly bleeds blue and white and f*cking loves the club to his very core. No doubt he’s our greatest ever player if he stays forever, imo.

I will put Lewis Dunk down as a maybe

 

[BN9 BHA]

https://youtu.be/w9Io_q6P1a4

No Dunky thread is complete without this.

 

[Icy Gull]

Albion Roar?

I'm sure he's very warm when talking purely about Brighton to Brighton fans but he tends to forget all about it when he's on big media.

He’s a Preston lad and I reckon we come third at best in the clubs he likes but it doesn’t take away that he is our best ever player since I started watching. Dunk, however, will go down as an absolute legend and be very fondly and easily remembered when he hangs up his boots. Not our greatest ever football player though for me. If he was he would now be playing for a top three team

 

[WATFORD zero]

In my time of watching (50+ years), I think he is the greatest Albion player I have ever seen, and I may have said it once or twice over the last season or two

Playing the highest level of football I have ever seen at the Albion (modern game being so demanding), Playing his best years, Number of games, played for the Albion at every level from U12's (even I was surprised when I looked that up), Captain, so consistent. I certainly can't think of anyone close during my time.

Certainly not the best, but greatest for me

And when Balogun scored against palace, instead of celebrating with the players, he ran all the way along the front of the Palace supporters fist pumping

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I nearly replied with 'did you see him play?' but thought better of it.

Big shout out for Tommy Cook.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Jimmy Case


PEter Ward is still top of the pile for me. I'll never be a kid again trying to emulate Dunk in the Park.

Jimmy Case four years as a player and three as a manager. What did he win?

Charlie Webb
Captained the side that won the Charity Shield
Six years as a player interrupted by WW1 - 248 games, 73 goals
Twenty Eight years as Manager of BHA from 1919-1947 interrupted by WW2
3 caps for Ireland

 

[Robinjakarta]

He’s a Preston lad and I reckon we come third at best in the clubs he likes but it doesn’t take away that he is our best ever player since I started watching. Dunk, however, will go down as an absolute legend and be very fondly and easily remembered when he hangs up his boots. Not our greatest ever football player though for me. If he was he would now be playing for a top three team

Agree with all of that.

 

[Doonhamer7]

Greatest has to be a combination of skill, ability, achievement, length with club, attitude and love for the club. Otherwise Hibs and Fulham could call George Best a club legend.

Maybe not the most skilful player (Vincent’s in the little I saw was class, Lawrenson a more skilful defender) but certainly one if not the club’s greatest legends. I don’t remember a game where he didn’t appear to give it all (even in rare games he played badly)

 

[Wellesley]

He already is

I agree. Our best ever in my opinion.

 

[SweatyMexican]

If he stays with us his entire career, definitely. (Another 5/6 seasons)

 

[zefarelly]

Jimmy Case four years as a player and three as a manager. What did he win?

Charlie Webb
Captained the side that won the Charity Shield
Six years as a player interrupted by WW1 - 248 games, 73 goals
Twenty Eight years as Manager of BHA from 1919-1947 interrupted by WW2
3 caps for Ireland

I'm not that old!

 

[Posh Spice's wet dreams]

Still yet to see anyone get close to breaking Darren Freeman's record of being the 1st man on earth to score a goal this millennium.

Freeman hands down greatest for me.

 

[nwgull]

Vicente I would say was our greatest ever player it was short lived but what a player. Dunk has been superb though and clearly loves the club.

Not for me. Vicente was probably the player who'd reached the highest level in his career out of all that played for us, but he's nowhere near the greatest player we've had in terms of his performances for us. He was brilliant in half a dozen games for his first season and barely featured in 12/13, and this was at Championship level. Knocky bossed far more games in his season and a half in the Championship for us.

I'd say Dunk probably is our greatest player in that he's done it at every level for a decade now, and many pundits reckon he should've had far more England caps than he has based on his consistent level in the Premier League.