The greatest footballer that you ever saw play live

[Lord Bracknell]

I'll play the Old Git card and say Stanley Matthews, playing for Stoke City in a league game at Villa Park.

 

[Megazone]

Glen Hoddle at Steve Foster's testimonial.

 

[Bwian]

Pele, Beckenbauer, Best, Rush, Moore, for starters

 

[GT49er]

I'll play the Old Git card and say Stanley Matthews, playing for Stoke City in a league game at Villa Park.

Correction. That's the VERY Old Git card!

 

[Lord Bracknell]

Correction. That's the VERY Old Git card!

It was his SECOND spell at Stoke, not the one that started in 1932.

 

[Mackenzie]

Easy to answer this one. Ian Rush.

Watched him play against us at the Goldstone, just so sharp in front of goal. It made me realise how he had scored so many goals in the top division, such quick reflexes and fast movements. Incredible really.

No one that I've seen live has impressed me as much as he did.

 

[glasfryn]

Giles
Haynes
Both could put a ball on a sixpence

 

[um bongo molongo]

s I watched Jurgen Klinsmann in his prime, demolish Forest back in the 90s for Bayern M.

I was at that game as well. Was at uni at Loughborough and got tickets for the game - from memory forest had drawn 1-1 in Munich and fancied pulling off an upset. They got spanked in the return and klinsmann got a hat trick. I remember he had this amazing way of running that he almost bounced, like he had springs in his feet - just seemed to have more energy than anybody else.

Other contenders for best performance I've seen live (maybe not the same as best player) would be batistuta, David Villa and Gazza. Gotsmanov the best in the stripes.

 

[el punal]

In no particular order - Bobby Charlton, Bobby Moore, Gordon Banks, George Best, Denis Law, Johan Cruyff . . . I was a lucky boy, watching the strongest England team, that of the late 1960s/early 1970s.

 

[patchamalbion]

Messi and Christiano Ronaldo.

 

[dejavuatbtn]

Jennings, Osgood, Mullery, Coppell

Ah, Roy Jennings. My first Albion hero. I was pleased to tell him that directly at the Centenary Dinner.

 

[WildWood]

Did anyone else go to the beach football tournament that was held on Brighton beach about 10 - 15 years ago? Watching Eric Cantona playing for France was an absolute joy! Oldest player in the team by a mile, playing barefoot & he absolutely destroyed every player in front of him! Genius!

 

[blue'n'white]

George Best and Jurgen Klinsmann

 

[sully]

Bobby Moore and Louis Suarez different eras and styles, but both had me just watching them rather than the ball.

 

[Nixonator]

Pavel Nedved

 

[The Camel]

Saw Glenn Hoddle on te plastic pitch at QPR.

He was awesome, it seemed like every pass went exactly where it was meant, made 3 assists and scored one as well.

 

[perseus]

Mark Lawrenson.

He just never made mistakes. Just one at the Goldstone and that when he was playing for Liverpool. Just the failure to control the ball in the middle of the park, not a costly error.

Honourbale mentiosn to Trevor Brooking, Ian Rush, Ray Kennedy, Trevor Beattie, plus.

 

[Luke93]

Only seen Brighton games live so not too many 'legends' of the game, but I do remember Vincent Kompany when we played City in 08. Could tell he would go on to great things. Missed the Liverpool game so missed out on Gerrard and Suarez!

 

[1066familyman]

Bernie Baker.

Played for The Harrow Inn in the East Sussex Sunday Div 1.

I watched him most weeks when I was a nipper. Never left the centre circle without getting his asthma pump out, but boy could he spray a ball about! Not sure his John Smiths "Av it!" quite put the ball on a sixpence like, say a Hoddle or an Arnold Mühren, but a great player nonetheless








Oh alright then, Hoddle and Arnold Muhren.

 

[8ace]

Mark Lawrenson.

He just never made mistakes. Just one at the Goldstone and that when he was playing for Liverpool. Just the failure to control the ball in the middle of the park, not a costly error.

Honourbale mentiosn to Trevor Brooking, Ian Rush, Ray Kennedy, Trevor Beattie, plus.

No Will Buckley