Here's an opportunity for old gits to (metaphorically – or actually, if they feel inclined) dust off their rattles and rosettes.
Mahrez scoring so many goals this season made me wonder about the last time we had a winger who scored so freely. You have to go back half a century to Jackie Sinclair, who played on the right wing in Matt Gillies' side during the mid-late 60s.
Signed from Dunfermline for £25,000 (which coincidentally would be around £450,000 today), Jackie was top scorer (I'd forgotten this) with an amazing 46 goals during his two full seasons at Filbert Street, as well as providing crosses for 'The Doog' to bag a load more. A completely different type of player from Mahrez, he was stocky, compact, quick, direct and robust.
It's obviously because that side was the first I watched that I recall them with such fondness: Banks, Rodrigues, Norman, Roberts, Sjoberg, Cross, Sinclair, Goodfellow, Dougan, Gibson, Stringfellow. They were a really good and entertaining side, but nostalgia aside, I think the current team are better (GK apart) and, fine player that Jackie was, Mahrez is undoubtedly the better all round footballer.
Sadly, Jackie died in 2010 at the age of 67.
So: downsouf, Nev, longtime and all you other oldies, what do you reckon?
Jackie Sinclair
posted on 17/12/15
Thanks guys!
It was my birthday yesterday and I was feeling old until I read this thread.
From my era of goal scoring wingers I'd throw in the name of ooooohhhhh Tommy Wright!
posted on 17/12/15
longtime
Like most fans of that era, I loved and despaired of Stringy in equal measure, he could be hugely frustrating to watch, skinning a couple of defenders, then running the ball out of play. He did score quite a few though as you say, especially when they played him as a centre forward in 68.
'come on without, come on within,
you'll not see nothing like the mighty String'
Graham Cross, aka the tank. They don't make them like him anymore. As you say, he'd make the grade now, no problem, though he'd probably be dwarfed by some modern CBs.
downsouf
what's that about you telling WHU fans to flack off?
posted on 17/12/15
Thats my first team of the sixtys but for some reason Jackie passed me by as did Goodfellow, but the rest are indelibly etched in my Memory.
Banks, Rodrigues, Norman, Roberts, Sjoberg, Cross, Sinclair, Goodfellow, Dougan, Gibson, Stringfellow.
Stringy our first supersub, of course uncle Derek and the Boss Gibo, Roberts and Rodrigues couls we do with them. Banks the best keeper in the world and good man with it. But fro me my name sake Graham Cross ticks all the boxes and prison sacks. the last man to play for LCFC and LCCC at the same time. how i remembered him being carried around at his testimonial.
posted on 17/12/15
Nev: Cross was a decent all rounder for the county, from what I remember, rather better than his stats would suggest, especially given LCCC were the perennial punchbags of the Championship in the 60s (until Tony Lock).
A bit later (late 70s) when LCCC were a force to be reckoned with, Chris Balderstone was opening for them and playing for Carlisle Utd.
Must be amazing to be professional standard at two sports.
posted on 17/12/15
Vulpesy-although I have some roots in Leicester, I 'ploughed a lonely furrow' with a blue-and-white scarf amongst hundreds of clarets.
posted on 18/12/15
How rude of me not to mention it...
A Happy Birthday to you Jobsy. I guess the first round is on you
posted on 18/12/15
I've come late to this party but reading all the posts has brought back many memories of the 60s players and have to agree with Nev on Graham Cross - easily gets into my all-time top 10 of players to have worn the City shirt. And Davie Gibson - what could he have done with today's lightweight ball on the carpets they play on today? He could do magical things with the old heavyweight leather ball on the muddy, grassless pitches - what a footballer!! So sad to hear about Gordon Banks' battle with kidney cancer - hope he'll get over it.
posted on 19/12/15
gally – you're dead right about Davie Gibson, only reason I didn't mention him is that I'm always banging on about him on here at every opportunity!
I didn't know about Banks until Nev mentioned his illness, hope he recovers.
posted on 19/12/15
Gibbo handed out the boys wages and held the ball up on his own.
Remember going in the changing room after the game with Uncle Derek and all the players where in the communal bath except Banks who was having a long soak on his own. I was more impressed with the crates of Hoyes lemonade and orangeade than anything else.
Balderstone coached a friend of mine said he was the best bloke he ever met.
posted on 9/3/16
Vulpesy-I realise this is a year on but I only found out a few weeks ago that Dominic 'Nick' Sharkey had very sadly passed away.
I vaguely remember him at Leicester for whom he only turned out on half-a-dozen occasions but he still managed to score 5 goals. The club then sold him on to Sunderland where he was prolific and something of a legend.
I can't find out City sold him after such a limited number of appearances.