City's "Hard Men"

[Beanhead]

The hard man in these can tend to be someone who never backed down always looked to cause trouble etc.

But not backing down on a football field is easy, you know very rarely you are getting anything other then a push and if you did get hit, your team would thank you for it.

For me the Vinny and Ruben model of simply being composed and calm (however you know they have it in their locker if needed) over the more scrappy doo type Roy Keane Hardman.

Saying all that Big Dunc the protection of a football pitch or not, couldn’t see me squaring up with him.

Fern.. he’s calm.. and calculated ;)

 

[Silva2021]

Fern.. he’s calm.. and calculated ;)

Did Costa in a great way where he got to stay on the field.

 

[Nebuchadnezzar]

This.. can’t believe so few mentions.. unassuming looking and pretty slight of build.. but make no mistake… he’s absolute nails. If I liken his on field spikiness to an episode outside a pub he certainly wouldn’t be “that guy” noising off and making a fuss without any action. He would just lay you out with no warning.. then look down smile at you and walk off into the night.

Fear the quiet man. I reckon its one of those where he could look into your eyes and in that moment you'd just know it wasn't worth it.

 

[dennishasdoneit]

Neil McNab and Peter Reid liked to let you know they were there, always good for the odd 'strong' tackle! - Also Steve McMahon could give it out.

Correct.Neilj Mcnab was a central midfielder for us with a biting tackle.
Hard but fair.The good old fashioned Block Tackle,as it used to be called was his meat and drink.
Same for Reid.never saw him shit out of any challenge.
Watched him at Coventry city away,two men came in for the ball,centre mid,Reid smashed straight into the challenge left the two Coventry players on their arse,as he scuttled forward with the ball to launch another attack.
Great player for us.

 

[Ja Salford Blue]

Ederson!

 

[Ja Salford Blue]

Lovely fella and all that but Sun Jihai was without doubt the worst footballer to ever play for City in the top flight. Only Peter Bodak and Laurent Charvet come close

You obviously havn't seen City play much in the top flight!

We had 32 squad players when we got relegated in 1996, I can count on one hand the ones I would pick over Sun Jihai!

 

[TheThirdDeano]

Not a hard man I guess but yaya was funny when he picked up Henderson

 

[Gaz in Zurich]

I know for a fact you didn’t mess around with Eric Nixon. Hard as nails.

In my class at school. Hardest kid in the school

 

[ws01]

Don't think he's a classic hard man in the way the term gets used, but I don't think I ever saw Yaya pushed off the ball. He was a complete bully whenever he had it.

 

[spacecadet]

Sure I read in Andy Morrison's book that Paolo Wanchope could do a bit.