The best footballer to never play in the top flight is......?

[Buzzer]

Did Brian Clough ever play in the first division?

Good call but I'm going to say yes because he played for Sunderland and Boro. No way were they 2nd division minnows in the 50s.

 

[Buzzer]

Pretty sure that Marco played for Sunderland and Palace in the top flight.

Ah, bugger. That was my ace in the pack.

 

[anygivensunday]

Robert Prosinecki

Vicente

Nuno Gomes

 

[Baldseagull]

Good call but I'm going to say yes because he played for Sunderland and Boro. No way were they 2nd division minnows in the 50s.

Not minnows but they both were second division clubs when he played for them, he was injured in a second division game for Sunderland, but according to Wiki he made a brief comeback two years later when they would have been 1st Division for three games, unless they were friendlies or cup games he is out.

 

[Buzzer]

Not minnows but they both were second division clubs when he played for them, he was injured in a second division game for Sunderland, but according to Wiki he made a brief comeback two years later when they would have been 1st Division for three games, unless they were friendlies or cup games he is out.

Cheers for that. I'm staggered that regional powerhouses like Boro and Sunderland would have been in the second div back then.

 

[AZ Gull]

Not minnows but they both were second division clubs when he played for them, he was injured in a second division game for Sunderland, but according to Wiki he made a brief comeback two years later when they would have been 1st Division for three games, unless they were friendlies or cup games he is out.

Yep, the only 3 appearances of Clough's career that were in the top flight were when he was attempting to come back from injury, during the 1964-65 season - The Stat Cat - Brian Clough

 

[Binney on acid]

Adam El Abd. A footballing genius if ever I saw one.

 

[Baldseagull]

Robert Prosinecki

Vicente

I can't top either of those.

 

[BensGrandad]

Except that he did play internationally.

I think the true interpretation of playing in the 'top-flight' should be having played in the Champions League proper.

My mistake I misread his record he played 8 times for England.

 

[Eeyore]

Tommy Tynan was a pretty prolific scorer at Plymouth Argyle. I think he would have scored goals in the First Division.

Not many players have played in a European quarter final and not played in the top flight.

 

[skipper734]

Vicente. His career talent speaks for itself.

 

[pottert]

Steve penny

 

[Paris]

Ian Durrant. Edit: Played 5 games on loan at Everton(1994).

Junior McDougald.

 

[Gullflyinghigh]

Robert Prosinecki

Vicente

Well, that's this thread finished then.

 

[The Camel]

Amazing that Paul Lambert never played in the Premier League.

Won the Champions League with Dortmund and was man of the match in the game, marking Zidane totally out of the game.

When he came back to Britain he opted to play for Celtic instead of coming to the Premier League. Had a decent career there, but I wonder if he regrets not playing here.

Fantastic player, I'm sure if he arrived on the scene 10 years later he'd have had a very successful time in the EPL.

 

[countryman]

Vicente. His career talent speaks for itself.

After watching this season it's hard to believe we were watching a player of that quality a couple of seasons ago.

There surely can't be any more players who have played in the Championship and not the Premier League who have had bids of €36 million by a club as big as Real Madrid for them.

 

[Mowgli37]

Ross McCormack is 28, a very solid one in three striker, has been transferred for £8 million in his career yet has never played a top flight game. I wonder if he ever will now unless someone takes him off Fulham's hands.

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

Socrates, the former Brazil captain, played for Garforth Town in 2004, but, at 50, was unable to inspire them to rise up through the divisions to the top flight.

 

[Norman Potting]

John Crumplin

 

[Mowgli37]

Socrates, the former Brazil captain, played for Garforth Town in 2004, but, at 50, was unable to inspire them to rise up through the divisions to the top flight.

Great shout. Didn't he die quite recently?