Best player from our doldrums years (1980 to roughly 2009)

[jamesha]

I agree, he was the best academy player i've seen, such a shame.

The way he was shipped over to the US cattle class was akin to sending a Faberge egg via Yodel

 

[BillCarlisle]

City have had plenty of world-class players in the Silva-Yaya-Sergio to the present times (I.e. since the money rolled in) but before that I've only seen three, Bobby Johnstone, Bell and Benarbia. That's using "best" to mean best, not just "very good."

You forgot to put Bert in there. I would absolutely include him in your list.

 

[Zabbasbeard]

Can still remember how low i felt when Clive left for Chelsea

My favourite player at the time. I loved watching him play and was so disappointed when Swales sold him.

 

[Colin Bells Boots]

You forgot to put Bert in there. I would absolutely include him in your list.

I forget about Bert, and he was the first superstar I saw in 1954 on my first visit to Maine Road.

He looked like a giant in the goal and picked the ball up in one hand. I was totally hooked on him and the club.

 

[pace89]

Objectively, it’s probably Anelka. Around 2003 someone wrote in City ‘till I Cry that he was the first world class player at around the peak of his career we’d had since Francis, which seems fair.

Most of the names mentioned are all good shouts but I tend to think Garry Flitcroft gets overlooked. It might also be an unpopular opinion but I always felt that, relative to one another, Benarbia was slightly overrated and Berkovic underrated. In combination with Horlock and SWP they were the best midfield the 2nd tier had seen for a very long time.

 

[BillCarlisle]

I forget about Bert, and he was the first superstar I saw in 1954 on my first visit to Maine Road.

He looked like a giant in the goal and picked the ball up in one hand. I was totally hooked on him and the club.

That makes at least 2 of us then !

 

[Whether or not]

He was the old head in Machin's team when I started going to Maine Road and, if I remember correctly, won player of the year in the promotion season. I loved his wind assisted goal against Birmingham.

I remember that wind assisted goal, which was such an intelligent finish. I also have a recollection that our starting right back was a very young Neil Lennon. I could be wrong about that.

 

[Stelea]

1 Trevor Francis
2 SWP
3 Nicolas Anelka
4 Paul Lake
5 David White
6 Ali Benarbia
7 Eyal Berkovic
8 Clive Wilson
9 Richard Dunne
10 Sylvain Distin

Several other very good players:
Asa Hartford, Paul Power, Niall Quinn, Tommy Booth, Peter Reid, Colin Hendry, Nicky Reid, Tommy Caton, Paul Waldh, Peter Beagrie, Uwe Rosler, George Kinkladze, Joe Corrigan, Tony Coton etc

Of course, there's no wrong and no right, just opinions, and I may have forgotten someone.

I will also say that I do strongly believe Trevor Francis, Clive Wilson and Paul Lake particularly would have been ideal in a Pep team.

Distin was a Rolls Royce of a defender in a poor team as was Curle.
Distin would have thrived in the current squad

 

[kingn6]

Distin was a Rolls Royce of a defender in a poor team as was Curle.
Distin would have thrived in the current squad

Curle was also great forgot about him at least the ladies in the gym did not.

 

[Goatmeal]

Elano been done?