There are some, frankly, comical suggestions on here. Anyone who played for us in the nineties wouldn't even get near to our first team (with the possible exception of Paul Lake if fate hadn't intervened). Even when we finished 5th we were probably around the 30th best team in Europe such was the relatively low status of the (then) first division.
I would say that we could reasonably claim to be one of the best 15 teams in Europe now. Even discounting the improvements in fitness (which the previous players would have no guarantee of being able to deal with) we are on another planet now, to then.
Moreover, anyone (other than Bernarbia) who played for us in a lower division (and I include Kinkladze) being included is even more absurd. If they were good enough they would have done it at a top European club, before or after playing for us.
On that basis the only players I have seen that I would include would be:
Watson
Bell (before Buchan assaulted him)
Francis
Anelka
and possibly Big Joe as back up for...not so Big Joe.
After that I'm struggling.
