[Albion] Semi-legendary players who will surely get forgotten over time, but deserve a shout for doing their bit

[Tom Hark Preston Park]

Sir Anthony Rougier. This devout Christian joined us on loan at the tail end of the 2002/03 season. Made an immediate impact, scoring with many of his body-parts and some of other people's. Tho sadly not enough to prevent us being relegated from League One, despite the Argus helpfully providing a cut-out-and-keep Anthony Rougier Prayer Mat before the final game

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Page 5 and no one has yet mentioned Johnny Crumplin Football Genius!

Banned.

 

[Munkfish]

Vicente (Vincente to the WUMs); more of a brief cameo in Albion’s recent tapestry but for me it was the first sign that we were onto something with our signings and had ambitions to be absolutely flair.

I don't think there will ever be more of a, are you f***ing kidding me signing in my lifetime.

 

[Robinjakarta]

So... to sum up... just about everybody who ever wore the stripes then?

Not Mickey Thomas.

 

[SULLY COULDNT SHOOT]

And maybe Daniel Webb (personal favour from Peter Taylor to Diving Daniel's strangely-chinned dad David)

And the Fox brothers!!!

 

[zuidgull]

I always felt that Mark Morris was a big part of us surviving in 97…

Beyond that, and of those not already mentioned… Dean Blackwell was fairly solid until his injury, and Simon Rodger was okay too - all things considered… ahem.

I always had a soft spot for Derek Allan - probs our best defender for a while…

Akinbiyi had a superb loan spell with us too…

And Junior McDougald falls into a legendary category for being Texan and having a brilliant name… Peter Smith, all legs but silky too… these names should not be forgotten!

Oh, and Ormerod for that late save against Hereford…

His birth certificate may say Texas but Junior McDougald grew up on the Oxmoor in Huntingdon, not quite as romantic an idea.

 

[Kosh]

No offence meant, but this thread of semi legends is turning into a list of basically former players who we didn't dislike at the time.

Blackwell was indeed decent at the time, but wasn't here for long, and didn't do anything significant. How does that make him a semi legend? Peter Smith was rubbish. He was a slow lumbering right back(?) who often sliced his passes into touch. Dreadlocks don't make him a semi legend. Derek Allan was a nothing player. McDougald was bang average and happened to be our only goal scorer as we slumped into what is now league 2.

If you want to go back to the era 1995 to 1999 where we got relegated to the bottom division, nearly went out of the league and then were absolutely shit in Gillingham, I think you could make a case for Storer, Mayo, Reinelt, Hart and possibly Barker, but after that it's a major struggle. And of those 5, only Hart and Mayo make semi legend status for me.

I’m not having that Peter Smith bashing ! His dreads were only part of his mystique, and his overlaps were legendary - not even semi, absolutely 100% A grade legendary.

I think you need to have a word with yourself tbh…

 

[portlock seagull]

He sold me my first pint as an 18 year old. He and his wife ran the Witch Inn in Lindfield for many years after his retirement from football.

Yes, some of us old enough to remember him serving left backs before pints at the Witch. Still a great pub under current owners

 

[portlock seagull]

I’m not having that Peter Smith bashing ! His dreads were only part of his mystique, and his overlaps were legendary - not even semi, absolutely 100% A grade legendary.

I think you need to have a word with yourself tbh…

Peter Smith was the maze in amazing runs, a bright spark in an otherwise downward spiral. Definitely qualifies, and that’s before his cool looks and persona!

 

[Kosh]

Peter Smith was the maze in amazing runs, a bright spark in an otherwise downward spiral. Definitely qualifies, and that’s before his cool looks and persona!

Thanks Peter…

 

[El Presidente]

Kurt Nogan

He had a little money for a Burnley restaurant curry
But legged it without paying and ran home to his wife

 

[El Presidente]

Chuba Akpom. Always put in a shift, played with a smile on his face and a huge fan favourite for his work ethic. Many of us said at the time that one day he would play for a club like Ajax.

 

[The Optimist]

Jeff Minton was always a good player in some poor teams.

 

[Right Back]

Danny Wilson.

 

[dangull]

Mark Gall. Exceptional pace, career sadly shortened by injury, I think.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

Peter Suddaby.

We were wobbly in our first season in the old first division, but he steadied the ship.

Another unsung hero from that season….

Ray Clarke

 

[herecomesaregular]

(not an exhaustive list but off the top of my head) Paul Wood, Clive Walker, Stuart Storer, Craig Noone, Jaime Murphy - all non legendary* players who, when watching them, really excited me and always felt they could turn a game in our favour. Thanks for the memories lads. *edit - Storer probably legendary to me. He really turned up in some tough games.

 

[Reddleman]

Jeff Minton, Kurt Nogan, Gary Chivers, Ian Chapman, Clive Walker and Nicky Bissett (who scored the first Albion goal I ever saw live) will all be legends to a young impressionable me, no matter how good we are now these are my boys.

 

[big nuts]

Steve Gatting & Simon Morgan

 

[Questions]

Concerning Kishishev my pick in this category I really do think that if he was young enough he could have been the DM we are looking for.