City players who polarised opinion

[bugsyblue]

First few games for City Adebayor looked fantastic then reverted to the disinterested player for the rest of his time with us that has signified his career in football. I remember one home game against Spurs, for his size and mobility he worried Spurs defenders not one jot whereas Crouch for Spurs caused our defenders no end of concern. One City wag remarked if Adebayor and Berbatov shared a flat they'd both die of thirst waiting for the other to brew up!

Yeah adebayor was a strange one. At first he was keeping tevez out of the side and then he got banned and soon after injured I think. Never bothered coming back. Could have been a great player if he tried.

 

[Abattoir Blue]

You may be surprised to learn you are not on your own. I knew a guy who thought he was really good, always Remember him trying to convince me Gareth was the reason we beat the Gills at Wembley. The only game I remember him doing OK was when we beat Stoke 2.1 over the Xmas period, think he got both goals.
Do you live in Mossley and like real ale and cricket? If so it is just you.

Hmmm. I like cricket, but not real ale. And only time I've been to Mossley was to watch a City Old Boys XI in a charity match.

So there are two of us! Oh, big Garth played well v Pompey at home the season after too...

 

[mainemanc1066]

Spencer Prior. Great getting promotion, found out in premier league

 

[roj]

Totally agree on Dickov! He averaged 5 goals a season in his City career, most of which was in the lower leagues.

Him scoring that goal has brainwashed people in to thinking he saved the club from oblivion. But people don't look at the bigger picture that he was one of the reasons we were facing oblivion in the first place because he was so toss!

Still, he ran around a lot chasing lost causes so that buys you a lot of favour with some fans. Lovely lad, a real grafter, but a really poor player.

If Dickov had've played under Pep (who would've loved him), he'd've grown into a Scottish Wales-Bale.

Hmm, probably not - and it's a good point @The Pink Panther, but he's still my hero and helped make hundreds of footy stories between all of us. Nevermind Gills keeper having been his best man - who'd've thunk it.

Mark Hughes is/was/always will be a rag ****.

 

[the blue panther]

I'm surprised that there hasn't been more of a mention of Rodney Marsh in this thread. He divided not just the supporters but the dressing room as well.
In my 50 odd years of watching City, no other player has come closer to dividing opinion. I remember going to games with my mates, who would start moaning as soon as he received the ball, but others within our group couldn't wait to see what magic he would produce. He would laze about, jogging through a game, doing F all, then beat a couple of players, and lay on a goal for someone, or score with an overhead kick, or a scissor kick. He had no pace, looked as lazy as F, but, he was our record signing. AND, by popular consent - even he agrees - he was signed at the end of a season - a cockney, displacing the ever popular local boy, Neil Young, - at a time when we were several points clear at the top of the league before transfer deadline day, and I don't think we won any of the last 6 games, and we finished 4th (Not checked - this is from memory). Absolutely blew it!
Bellamy, Adebayor, etc had nothing on Marsh. Controversial from day 1 to the day he left us, but, he did try for us, Coming into a team with Bell, Lee, Summerbee, & big characters like Book, Doyle, Donachie - and Alison/Mercer in charge - it was a lot for any big time Charlie to walk into. But, he was THAT big at the time.

 

[Shirley]

I'm surprised that there hasn't been more of a mention of Rodney Marsh in this thread. He divided not just the supporters but the dressing room as well.
In my 50 odd years of watching City, no other player has come closer to dividing opinion. I remember going to games with my mates, who would start moaning as soon as he received the ball, but others within our group couldn't wait to see what magic he would produce. He would laze about, jogging through a game, doing F all, then beat a couple of players, and lay on a goal for someone, or score with an overhead kick, or a scissor kick. He had no pace, looked as lazy as F, but, he was our record signing. AND, by popular consent - even he agrees - he was signed at the end of a season - a cockney, displacing the ever popular local boy, Neil Young, - at a time when we were several points clear at the top of the league before transfer deadline day, and I don't think we won any of the last 6 games, and we finished 4th (Not checked - this is from memory). Absolutely blew it!
Bellamy, Adebayor, etc had nothing on Marsh. Controversial from day 1 to the day he left us, but, he did try for us, Coming into a team with Bell, Lee, Summerbee, & big characters like Book, Doyle, Donachie - and Alison/Mercer in charge - it was a lot for any big time Charlie to walk into. But, he was THAT big at the time.

That's a really good call.
I remember him nutmegging a defender and patting him on the head as he ran past him.

Oh Rodney, Rodney
Rodney, Rodney, Rodney, Rodney, Rodney Marsh.

 

[Bozo]

Richard Dunne. My god he divided his own defenders regularly with his own goals. Great lad, gave his all, but was crap. Holds the record for POTY??? aswell. Insanity.

Dunney was very good for us. Maybe a few too many blunders but he saved us on numerous occasions.

 

[roj]

That's a really good call.
I remember him nutmegging a defender and patting him on the head as he ran past him.

Oh Rodney, Rodney
Rodney, Rodney, Rodney, Rodney, Rodney Marsh.

Nicky Summerbee never did that. He also didn't polarise opinion. Though there were those that shouted at him and those that didn't.

 

[peoffrey]

Great reply

Bit of irony there.

 

[franksinatra]

It would have to be Kinkladze. To me he was the most breathtaking player to watch and a shining light in dark times to others he was lazy and only sporadically turned up.

18 years ago he left and last week we were still arguing about his contribution on this forum.