Did Rodney Marsh Cost City the League Championship in 1972?

[cibaman]

Yes. Not entirely his fault, although he has admitted he wasnt really fit, but he just didnt fit into the team. Davies & Lee had formed a terrific striking partnership with Buzzer out wide. We just didnt need another forward. His selection at the expense of Towers just completely upset the balance of the team.

T'other bloke who costs us the league that season was Gordon Banks who just had to reserve the greatest goalkeeping display of all time for one of our final games.

 

[oakiecokie]

I watched Rodney Marsh in that end of season and noway did he cost us the league

Based on what ??

 

[Prestwich_Blue]

Hasn't Marsh admitted as much himself?

Yes he has. Also Mike Doyle and other players were quite insistent as well. They weren't being unkind to Rodney but our style at the time involved slick one-touch, quick passing (much like now) and Rodney used to hold the ball up and try all sorts of fancy stuff. Players would make runs expecting the ball to be delivered but would look up to see Marsh trying to dribble round three players.

Plus he was nowhere near as fit as the rest of the team.

 

[nijinskybell]

OK by me to have signed Marsh but playing him did cost us that Championship imho - harsh to blame Marsh for playing when he was picked - down to the management imo.

 

[BatBlue]

I would of thought it was the fact that Joe Corrigan was injured and could'nt play for the rest of the season and we had to play with a complete duck egg in goal. I think Marsh just says it was his fault because that is what everybody has been saying for 30 years.

 

[Simon Le Tom]

Way before my time but my Dad says pretty much the same as most in here... if we hadn't of bought him we'd have won the league.

 

[blue order]

I think he did but to be fair, I'm largely going on what my Dad told me. Whilst I was at his debut game, I was a little too young to analyse the effect.

For younger members of bluemoon, a reasonable and more recent analogy would be when Keegan introduced Faustino Asprilla to the Newcastle team in the 95-96 'I'd luv it' season.

Rags pipped them to the title that year when the Geordie's season collapsed.

Asprilla was very skillfull but a sort of slow, bendy, round the houses sort of player. Newcastle, like City in the early 70's played a fast paced pass and move game.

I believe Marsh had on City, the same effect that Asprilla had on Newcastle with a similar outcome.

 

[mackenzie]

I would of thought it was the fact that Joe Corrigan was injured and could'nt play for the rest of the season and we had to play with a complete duck egg in goal. I think Marsh just says it was his fault because that is what everybody has been saying for 30 years.

They have been saying it for years because it's got a lot of truth in it.
I think the fact that Marsh admits it is admirable.

 

[Blue Smarties]

I wasn't born until 1982, but my Dad has always said that Wynn Davies fitted into the side well and when Marsh came in the way City played changed. Davies was dumped, Marsh automatically put in and when he had the ball he stopped out free flowing style of play and slowed it down so all the world could see him doing some sort of skillful play then doing something for the team. Whereas my uncle loved Marsh.

 

[blue order]

I would of thought it was the fact that Joe Corrigan was injured and could'nt play for the rest of the season and we had to play with a complete duck egg in goal. I think Marsh just says it was his fault because that is what everybody has been saying for 30 years.

They have been saying it for years because it's got a lot of truth in it.
I think the fact that Marsh admits it is admirable.

Was the 'duck egg' Ronnie Healy? Small for a keeper if I remember correctly and used to 'drop kick' the ball up field.