Ali Benarbia

[allan harper]

City should make him a guest of honour for a match like they did with Sun jihai.

 

[Free Ian Brown]

Which game was it where he had his front tooth knocked out, looked for it on the floor, shrugged his shoulders, smiled and carried on with the match?

I'm pretty sure it was against Palace at home. One of their midfielders elbowed him in the gob and there's a classic photo of Ali smiling with a big gab where his tooth should have been and pointing it out to the ref (who didn't even give a foul).

 

[the goats backside]

Was an absolute joy to watch

 

[Free Ian Brown]

Was an absolute joy to watch

When Ali B played, it was the only time I made any effort to get in the ground before kick-off. I used to love watching him warming up before the game in front of the north stand. His skills were outrageous.

I think he won French footballer of the year one season, and that was when Zidane and a couple of others were still in the French league.

 

[Nevizade]

Re: ALI BERNABIA

He only hung up his boots in 2006 ...... and considering Benarbia wasn't really here that long he made one hell of an impression , really good player.

He scored something like 11 goals in around 70 games for us , but he's 43 now and that particular 'dog' has had his day , as they say .....

Ah that wonderful shirt with our sponsors name EIDOS !!
Eleven
Idiots
Dreaming
Of
Success.
Well it was in those days.

dreams come true in blue.

From that to:

Every
Thing
I
Have
Always
Dreamed

As for Ali, what a player, one of my all time favourites. IIRC he scored an absolute belter in the last minute to win at home to Rotherham in the 'Negouai game', volley into the top corner I think. Watching him and Eyal together was like poetry in motion.

 

[BluePurgatory]

Re: ALI BERNABIA

He was originally on his way to Sunderland for a trial, stopped of at our training ground and we hijacked the move. One of my favourite players at the time.

I thought he'd been to Sunderland but Peter Reid couldn't make up his mind and asked him to return for another, to me that is as bad a Trevor Francis telling Eric Cantona that he can't sign him until he's seen him play on grass, after an indoor trial.

May have been tonge in cheek, but i can recall reading in the MEN that KK said he decided to stay after we fed him and he liked the food.

 

[bobmcfc]

Told us he was retiring so we released him from his contract, promptly signed for a new club 5 days later and played on for another 3 years

 

[BluePurgatory]

"He see's you before you see yourself" Paulo Wanchope commenting on AB.

 

[BringBackSwales]

City should make him a guest of honour for a match like they did with Sun jihai.

yes, yes they should

 

[Sky Blue]

What a footballer....Fucking loved Ali B.