The Definitive TWF Wolves XI Thread (1970 - present)

[Deutsch Wolf]

Thommo.....dont get the negativity

- Cost us about £10k when he was nowhere near Albion's team
- In 1993 we were ready to sell him to third tier Huddersfield for about £100k until Turner abruptly pulled the plug
- Released him in 1997 (before he turned 30) and he was then pretty rubbish for a poor Tranmere team, did bugger all else after that

There isn't much to suggest he was really a great full back who went under the radar, more that he was part of a team that is very fondly remembered (rightly so) at a lower level but had limitations which meant he moved to the fourth tier in the first place.

I have nothing against the guy at all, he's grown to be Wolves through and through, he gave it everything every time he turned out for us, he is part of a period that everyone who was around at the time looks back on with great pride. He wasn't really very good though.

 

[sycophantia]

- Cost us about £10k when he was nowhere near Albion's team
- In 1993 we were ready to sell him to third tier Huddersfield for about £100k until Turner abruptly pulled the plug
- Released him in 1997 (before he turned 30) and he was then pretty rubbish for a poor Tranmere team, did bugger all else after that

There isn't much to suggest he was really a great full back who went under the radar, more that he was part of a team that is very fondly remembered (rightly so) at a lower level but had limitations which meant he moved to the fourth tier in the first place.

I have nothing against the guy at all, he's grown to be Wolves through and through, he gave it everything every time he turned out for us, he is part of a period that everyone who was around at the time looks back on with great pride. He wasn't really very good though.

He wasnt the greatest defensive left back or the greatest attacking left back
But he was consistently decent in every aspect, plus a good penalty taker, and an excellent attitude over quite a long period.....I liked him

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Sure, but you said you didn't get the "negativity". Well there it is, such as it exists (ie no-one dislikes him, just he wasn't that good).

I have seen him play up front which was faintly farcical. Almost as bad as Taylor playing Rankine up front vs Notts County in 1994.

 

[sycophantia]

Sure, but you said you didn't get the "negativity". Well there it is, such as it exists (ie no-one dislikes him, just he wasn't that good).

I have seen him play up front which was faintly farcical. Almost as bad as Taylor playing Rankine up front vs Notts County in 1994.

I understand what your saying......but Golbourne and Elokobi better than Thommo............really?

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Elokobi scored against some giants of the game. Thommo didn't.

 

[WolfmanOz]

If anyone other than Derek Parkin wins the left back poll then I will be staggered. By a massive distance Squeak is the the best full back I have ever seen in Wolves colours.

100% spot on

PARKIN
PARKIN
PARKIN

The record games holder for the club with 90% games played in the top flight at left back - and he was bloody good at it

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

I understand what your saying......but Golbourne and Elokobi better than Thommo............really?

Aye, I would say so. Big George was a better defender, Scotty was a better athlete and gave us more going forward - I genuinely don't know what Cyber means when he says Thommo was a "good attacker", he wasn't at all.

Not sure why penalties are coming into it! 1) It's not that great a skill, 2) He wasn't infallible, I saw him miss at least two, 3) Even if he were, that shouldn't impact on an assessment of his day job

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

Obviously we all get that, but you understand I am sure why people are voting for players they have seen. If I had seen Parkin I would have him in in a shot

 

[sycophantia]

Aye, I would say so. Big George was a better defender, Scotty was a better athlete and gave us more going forward - I genuinely don't know what Cyber means when he says Thommo was a "good attacker", he wasn't at all.

Not sure why penalties are coming into it! 1) It's not that great a skill, 2) He wasn't infallible, I saw him miss at least two, 3) Even if he were, that shouldn't impact on an assessment of his day job

I loved George for his effort and attitude, but basically he was just a tank, as for Golbourne, not sure I agree with his athleticism.....he was broke half the time... anyway loving this thread, really interesting how peoples views are different according to a) what they see as quality and b) the difference age makes

 

[WolfmanOz]

Looking at the posts re the 70s team and Derek Parkin I think the thread is flawed. It should be starting from 1989 when Wolves were back in the old 2nd Division (2nd tier) which to be honest is where the club has been for the majority of the time since then.

To bring in the 70s team which pretty well played in the top flight, won trophies, came agonising close to others (including a European title) just doesn't make sense as most of the people here just didn't see them.

Generally the team (or teams as the early 70s team was different to the late 70s team) played against the best in the land, and with 50 years of watching Wolves I could only put Murray (GK) in the team.

Keane had real talent at Wolves but wasn't there long enough and despite Bully's fantastic scoring record - it wasn't in the top flight - which means Richards and Dougan would still be ahead of him, because they scored goals against the best defenders and keepers in the land.

The 70s team was at times very good, not outstanding, but it did play mostly in the top flight, but as most here didn't see them play, then including them in this thread doesn't make a lot of sense.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Looking at the posts re the 70s team and Derek Parkin I think the thread is flawed. It should be starting from 1989 when Wolves were back in the old 2nd Division (2nd tier) which to be honest is where the club has been for the majority of the time since then.

To bring in the 70s team which pretty well played in the top flight, won trophies, came agonising close to others (including a European title) just doesn't make sense as most of the people here just didn't see them.

Generally the team (or teams as the early 70s team was different to the late 70s team) played against the best in the land, and with 50 years of watching Wolves I could only put Murray (GK) in the team.

Keane had real talent at Wolves but wasn't there long enough and despite Bully's fantastic scoring record - it wasn't in the top flight - which means Richards and Dougan would still be ahead of him, because they scored goals against the best defenders and keepers in the land.

The 70s team was at times very good, not outstanding, but it did play mostly in the top flight, but as most here didn't see them play, then including them in this thread doesn't make a lot of sense.

And if I did that, the old buggers would moan that they couldn't include their favourite players, I had it when I restricted one of the other threads to Mexico 86 onwards. I can't win either way on that one.

I can't do anything about forum demographics! Geoff Palmer still came 3rd in the RB votes and as far as I know he wasn't universally popular at the time...so there is scope for the vote to be influenced that way.

I would dispute that ANY Wolves forward has a case ahead of Bully.

 

[Lycan]

McNamara
Ward
Naylor

 

[WolfmanOz]

And if I did that, the old buggers would moan that they couldn't include their favourite players, I had it when I restricted one of the other threads to Mexico 86 onwards. I can't win either way on that one.

I can't do anything about forum demographics! Geoff Palmer still came 3rd in the RB votes and as far as I know he wasn't universally popular at the time...so there is scope for the vote to be influenced that way.

I would dispute that ANY Wolves forward has a case ahead of Bully.

We'll have to agree to disagree then.

To be honest, since the late 80s, Wolves have been a 2nd tier team - whereas from that 30s to the early 80s Wolves were a 1st tier team - comparing players/teams over different eras is always difficult (but fun) but as most here really only remember Wolves as a 2nd tier team I don't think pulling in the 70s team does them justice.

Richards and Dougan scored their goals against the best defences in the land . . . Bully simply did not.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

I could argue that Bully got more England caps and goals than Richards. From an incredibly low base as well. It was about four years from Tipton Town and working in a mattress factory to scoring at Hampden Park.

It's just a bit of fun to fill the summer and provoke a bit of debate.

 

[WolfmanOz]

Agree . . . but Richards should (but didn't) have played more for England - his only cap was when Ramsay played him on the f**king left wing !

In the late 60s to the 80s there was an incredible favouritism towards London clubs in playing for England - Wolves players weren't the only one that always seemed to be ignored; anyone with flair was invariably only given a small amount of token games (e.g. Currie, Worthington) - but that's for another time and thread.

 

[b3h]

Naylor
Mcnamara
Golbourne

Can't have Ward, I was a right knocker

 

[Quirkafleeg]

Anybody that knocks Stephen George will get the back of my hand..

 

[Johnny75]

Froggatt
McNamara
Venus

Froggatt was fantastic when he played. No place for a Jamie Clapham.....

 

[NE66Wolf]

Parkin (by a country mile)
Naylor
Thommo (gets in because when I first started taking my son he loved him!)

 

[sycophantia]

I'm really pleased DW has used the era from 1970- its made the thread far more interesting and fun than if started from 89 which of course would have made more sense. As an old bugger I'm loving comparing the last decent top flight team to more recent ones, tbh the only players not from the 70's that would get near my final 11 are Murray, Stowell, Lescott, Bully and Keane, but thats not the point.

I'm looking forward to and dreading the midfield and strikers picks in equal measure, gunna be hard leaving some out of my top 3