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davieG

Greatest Leicester City XI - Full Backs

By davieG, in Leicester City Forum

Best Full Backs  

114 members have voted

  1. 1. Right backs

    • Adam Black
      9
    • Peter Rodrigues
      14
    • Steve Whitworth
      39
    • Simon Grayson*
      52

  2. 2. Left Backs

    • David Nish
      81
    • Denis Rofe
      19
    • Richie Norman*
      5
    • Bobby Smith*
      9

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davieG

davieG

Posted
Posted

The merc's next offering has lumped all the defenders together but I've split them into 3, the full backs in this thread and a separate one for centrebacks, I've added a couple of fullbacks (marked*) to the list as there wasn't too many to choose from.

Merc.

 

In our search for the greatest Leicester City team of all time, we today turn our attention to the back four. Firstly, we are looking for the resolute solidity you come to expect in the heart of defence and also the leadership qualities they possessed.

But we are also on the lookout for those attack-minded defenders who were always eager to get forward and with a keen eye for goal. Here is our shortlist.

 
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    Colin Appleton

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DEFENDERS

Colin Appleton

Position: Centre-back

Appearances: 333

Verdict: We start off our search for City’s finest back line with the captain of one of the most celebrated sides in the club’s history. Establishing a fearsome partnership alongside Frank McLintock, Appleton led his side to the FA Cup final in 1963. While this resulted in defeat, he did captain the club to their first-ever major trophy, the 1964 League Cup, beating Stoke in the final. He led them to the final the following year, too, scoring in the first leg, but they ultimately lost 3-2 to Chelsea.

Adam Black

Position: Right-back

Appearances: 557

Verdict: No-one in the club’s history has made more Football League appearances than Black. He plied his trade at Filbert Street for 16 seasons, picking up a Second Division winner’s medal in 1925. Despite a slight build, he was a master at the defensive game combined with great agility and movement. His failure to win a full cap for his country was scandalous.

Graham Cross

Position: Centre Back

Appearances: 599

Verdict: No list would be complete without ‘The Tank’ – the only player to outnumber Black for total number of appearances for the club. Cross was a versatile footballer who started his career as an inside-forward and could also play at right-half. It is often said that his versatility ultimately cost him an England place, despite winning 11 caps at under-23 level. With a League Cup, a Charity Shield and a Second Division title to his name, he also featured in two FA Cup finals. Cross was a naturally-gifted all-round sportsman, also representing Leicestershire at cricket between 1961 and 1977, scoring more than 2,000 first-class runs and taking 92 wickets.

Matt Elliott

Position: Centre-back

Appearances: 290

Verdict: The rock-solid centre-back, almost unbeatable in the air, cost Martin O’Neill a then club-record fee of £1.6million from Oxford United in 1997. Thanks to his grandmother’s heritage, Elliott won 18 caps for Scotland, including a trademark headed goal against San Marino. His finest hour in a City shirt came in the League Cup final in 2000. Leading from the front, the skipper headed home both of his side’s goals in a 2-1 victory against Tranmere.

Frank McLintock

Position: Centre-back

Appearances: 200

Verdict: All managerial short-comings aside, McLintock was the ultimate footballing defender, combining genuine class with an uncompromising toughness and resilience. Capped nine times for Scotland, it came as no surprise when Arsenal manager Billy Wright broke the bank to acquire McLintock’s services for a club record fee of £80,000. He ultimately became the club’s captain and led them to the double in 1971.

David Nish

Position: Left-back

Appearances: 272

Verdict: A cultured, attacking full-back who was experienced far beyond his years. After making his debut for City’s A side at the tender age of 15, he became the youngest-ever captain in an FA Cup final when he led the side out at Wembley in 1969, aged just 21. Despite suffering defeat at the hands of Manchester City and the relegation that followed, Nish led his side back to the top flight in 1971 by winning the Second Division. He secured five England caps as well as the 1975 Division One title – albeit it with Derby, who had signed him for a British record fee of £225,000 in 1972 – before persistent knee injuries saw him move to the less-demanding NASL in the USA.

John O’Neill

Position: Centre-back

Appearances: 345

Verdict: A cool, calm and collected centre-back with a fantastic ability to read the game. O’Neill first played for City on a non-contractual basis while he finished off his economic studies at Loughborough University. The intelligent defender personified, he was part of two promotion-winning campaigns and also showed his class during two World Cup campaigns on his way to winning 39 caps for Northern Ireland.

Dennis Rofe

Position: Left-back

Appearances: 324

Verdict: Signed as a direct replacement for the departing David Nish in 1972, Rofe, while by no means as elegant and classy as his predecessor, more than made up for it with sheer determination and effort. But that is not to underplay his high technical ability, that he was very alert and strong in the tackle, always with an eye for going forward. Awarded the captaincy under Frank McLintock’s tenure before moving to Chelsea in 1980.

Peter Rodrigues

Position:@ Right-back

Appearances:@ 163

Verdict:@ On joining from Cardiff City for a record fee of £42,500 in 1965, the Welshman brought a previously-unseen attacking flair to Filbert Street. His blistering pace, willingness to overlap down the right, combined with his complete mastery of the slide tackle, he was the complete modern full-back. It was no surprise that he was capped 40 times by his country.

Steve Walsh

Position: Centre-back

Appearances: 449

Verdict: There is arguably no one who has Leicester City running through their veins more so than Walsh. City’s talismanic leader captained the side to play-off victory in 1996 as well as to the League Cup title in 1997. But he was more than just the rock at the heart of defence, he was more than capable of making a difference at the other end. He scored 62 goals for the club and was even top scorer in 1992-93. No City fan will ever forget the sight of him peeling away at Wembley as his two goals against Derby in the 1994 play-off final secured the club’s place in the Premier League for the first time.

Steve Whitworth

Position: Right-back

Appearances: 400

Verdict: The effortlessly cool Ellistown lad first made his mark in a City shirt as a stand-in for the injured Peter Rodrigues during the promotion-winning side in 1970-71. Despite not scoring a league goal until his 570th appearance, Whitworth did find the net once for City, prodding home from close range to clinch the 1971 Charity Shield against Liverpool. He missed a mere three games during Jimmy Bloomfield’s six years at the helm, including a run of 198 consecutive appearances (then a club record), winning seven England caps before completing a £120,000 move to Sunderland in 1979.

Also considered, but failed to make the shortlist:

Tony James (1989-94) saw much of his career at City plagued with injury. But he was strong in the tackle and boasted an enormous throw. His goal against Oxford United essentially kept City in Division Two in the 1990-91 season.

Pontus Kaamark (1995-99) will forever be remembered for his immense man-marking of Middlesbrough’s Brazilian magician Juninho throughout both games of the 1997 League Cup final.

Russell Osman (1985-1988) spent three years at City after being a part of Bobby Robson’s 1981 UEFA Cup winning side.

John Sjoberg (1958-1972) was a consistent performer for City in partnership with Graham Cross, and was part of the Second Division title-winning side in 1971.

Gerry Taggart (1998-2004) inherited the Northern Ireland captaincy from team-mate Neil Lennon and was capped on 51 occasions. City’s player of the Season in 2000.

 

 

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dynamark

dynamark

Posted
Posted

Ridiculous to even try to pick but in the same team I would go for Rodriguez(sliding tackle)and Nish (stayed on his feet).Different players but but both greats.liked steve Whitworth until he started seeing my girlfriend June.Married her eventually and divorced (he not me)

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Leicester_Numan

Leicester_Numan

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Ridiculous to even try to pick but in the same team I would go for Rodriguez(sliding tackle)and Nish (stayed on his feet).Different players but but both greats.liked steve Whitworth until he started seeing my girlfriend June.Married her eventually and divorced (he not me)

2 of us with sense then, I went for Rodrigues & Nish as well
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Leicester_Numan

Leicester_Numan

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How is Grayson winning the vote for right back? Very versatile player and was usually good for 89 minutes but for the 1 minute he wasn't concentrating he always made a schoolboy error which cost us a goal when he played in defence. I preferred him when he played in midfield

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AdamN

AdamN

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Posted

Impossible to vote because I've only seen one of them in my lifetime (Grayson), and even then, I was hardly noting the intricacies of fine full back play when I was an 8 year old. It'd be interesting to see how many people on here have actually seen all eight players play and remember them well...

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stockyfox

stockyfox

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Posted

Two names that should warrant some consideration - Tony Knapp and Theo Zagorakis and what about Willie Cunningham? Having said that, I would have to give my vote to Frank McLintock but there again, Frank played at Right Half. but he was truly immense.

 

If you've never actually seen a player play, then with the best will in the world, you cannot fully appreciate their skills and their value to the team.

 

When I first followed City, the full backs were Arthur Lever and Jimmy Baldwin.Then there was Stan Milburn and in another era, one Roberto Mancini!

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bob gregory

bob gregory

Posted
Posted

Mancini was a forward

Two names that should warrant some consideration - Tony Knapp and Theo Zagorakis and what about Willie Cunningham? Having said that, I would have to give my vote to Frank McLintock but there again, Frank played at Right Half. but he was truly immense.

If you've never actually seen a player play, then with the best will in the world, you cannot fully appreciate their skills and their value to the team.

When I first followed City, the full backs were Arthur Lever and Jimmy Baldwin.Then there was Stan Milburn and in another era, one Roberto Mancini!

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stockyfox

stockyfox

Posted
Posted

Mancini was a forward

 

...... and an exceptionally talented one as well. However, in all, he made only five appearances in a City shirt of which I saw him once! But that 'once' in Jan 2001 was a memorable game in itself. Mancini spent most of the game at right-back as City, down to ten men following Matt Jones dismissal, somehow held out for a 0-0 draw against the might of Arsenal. However, he then received many plaudits for his deft passing skills and lightning football brain in a frenetic game against the Villa

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Trav Le Bleu

Trav Le Bleu

Posted
Posted

Kamaark was far better than Grayson but injury stopped him showing it I guess.

 

Sinful that he's not mentioned, but Mancini was mentioned as foward having played only 5 games. Incidentally I believe he (Roberto) was on of the best players ever to play for us - but 5 games does not a legend make. Pontus played for us over 4 years.

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