The top 50 Sheffield Wednesday players of all time..

[Earlsfieldowl]

Its always slightly misleading comparing players from different eras, IMO it just isn't a reliable way to compile a 'Top' list.  Different balls, conditions, lack of footage etc...

 

How would Di Canio have got in in the 1950's..Would Jack Allen have been more/less prolific today?

 

Never thought I ever see Carbone compared to Dean Windass...Dooley's record 63 in 63 - it really is remarkable.

 

That said, Hirst and Waddle are the two most talented players I have seen play for the club and deserve to be top 10, irrespective of pretty much anything as they would have fitted in any era IMO

Edited December 2, 2016 by Earlsfieldowl

[Inspector Lestrade]

Best players in my time of watching Wednesday since the late 60's have to be Hirst, Waddle and Dicanio.  Dicanio if he played more games for us would probably be my all time  favourite as his ball skills were second to none.  

 

One player who seems to get overlooked all the time is Dan Petrscu made the game look simple and often dictated the game whilst playing in defence!!!  A remarkable player and no wonder Chelsea were so keen to sign him.  

 

More recently I enjoyed watching Antonio and I'm not surprised that he's done so well for himself in the Premier. 

 

Over the years I have see many a decent player and love to watch the players who have natural ability and skill but have also enjoyed watching players such as Shelton, Megson, and Hawkes who gave their heart and soul in every game.

 

Thanks to every single player who have pulled on the Wednesday shirt, brilliant memories.      

[Greenhgate Owl]

38 minutes ago, ChinaOwl said:

 

That has to be a wind up.

 

At around the same time as Bullen was playing, the club also had Brunt and Whelan. Please tell me on what serious measure of football ability could anyone rate Bullen over those Brunt and Whelan? Cult hero status maybe or commitment to the club but ability based purely on football, hahahahaha.

 

exactly

id add bougherra to that too

he was about average in league 1 but in the championship he was dreadful

[manicowl]

Got to have Mark Bright in there for me, maybe not at the top but he scored a lot of goals for us.

[Doctor John]

That's an interesting list.

 

The thing that jars with me is Fantham being so low down on the list. He was the real thing, and only kept from being a regular England international by Bobby Charlton, who was marginally less talented, but a much harder worker. It all seemed to come so easy to Fantham; his mazy run and shot which set up Ford's tap in for the second goal against Everton in the 1966 Cup Final epitomised his style and just how special  was as a player. As well as being a consummate attacking forward, he was also a first class cricketer and golfer, and he even made a reasonable fist of his post-footballing business career.

 

I also think Springett should be much higher up on the list. Small for a goalkeeper and short-sighted to boot, he was remarkably agile and one of the world's best ever 'stoppers'. It was a joy to watch him. 

[sheriwozgod]

I can hear my old man (RIP) saying  ,   what........no Jackie Robinson ??

 

Pretty good list .........Gary Shelton , Imre Varadi and Siggi Jonsson are maybe good shouts as well.

 

But without a doubt Viv Anderson , Paul Warhurst  and arguably Mick Pickering  should all be ahead of Lee Bullen...sorry Lee!

[mark1948]

Whoever put this list together hasn't a clue. Just for one Benito "I'll just mess up this trick and give you a goal" Carbone ahead of John "Lino" Fantham, no chance. John Fantham was a consistent high performer week in week out for years, Not flaky around the edges or over-hyped like Carbone. Now Paulo Di-Caneo he was a proper footballer.

Edited June 20, 2017 by mark1948

[beloved_aunt]

On 12/2/2016 at 04:38, EccOvOwl said:

Andrew Wilson should be number one. He has the all time appearance and goal scoring records, And two league championships. The fact we have no statue of him outside hillsborough is a disgrace. Most Wednesday fans I know Don't have a clue who he is.

 

Wholeheartedly agree with this.  Clearly our most legendary ever player.

[torryowl]

On ‎02‎/‎12‎/‎2016 at 12:24, sheriwozgod said:

I can hear my old man (RIP) saying  ,   what........no Jackie Robinson ??

 

Pretty good list .........Gary Shelton , Imre Varadi and Siggi Jonsson are maybe good shouts as well.

 

But without a doubt Viv Anderson , Paul Warhurst  and arguably Mick Pickering  should all be ahead of Lee Bullen...sorry Lee!

and I think your old man would be very justified in saying it ......that's a very dodgy list to say the least .

[Holmowl]

Wow I didn't realize Chapman had been so prolific for us. A goal every other game is outstanding.

 

He improved at Hillsborough. Maybe worked very hard at his game. I remember the opening match of a season where he seemed to have gained at least a yard more pace.

[millo]

On 02/12/2016 at 11:59, Holmes said:

Best players in my time of watching Wednesday since the late 60's have to be Hirst, Waddle and Dicanio.  Dicanio if he played more games for us would probably be my all time  favourite as his ball skills were second to none.  

 

One player who seems to get overlooked all the time is Dan Petrscu made the game look simple and often dictated the game whilst playing in defence!!!  A remarkable player and no wonder Chelsea were so keen to sign him.  

 

More recently I enjoyed watching Antonio and I'm not surprised that he's done so well for himself in the Premier. 

 

Over the years I have see many a decent player and love to watch the players who have natural ability and skill but have also enjoyed watching players such as Shelton, Megson, and Hawkes who gave their heart and soul in every game.

 

Thanks to every single player who have pulled on the Wednesday shirt, brilliant memories.      

Chesney Hawkes? What about John Harkes?

[Inspector Lestrade]

4 minutes ago, millo said:

Chesney Hawkes? What about John Harkes?

 

Never heard of him 

[scilly owl]

Other notable mentions, Paul Williams, Viv Anderson, Paul Warhurst, Imrie Varadi, Carl Shutt, Emerson Thome, I'm not saying deffo top 50 but they are players that I liked. I'd include Nigel Pearson if only for his commentaries.

[Mr Meadows]

On 20/06/2017 at 13:17, mark1948 said:

Whoever put this list together hasn't a clue. Just for one Benito "I'll just mess up this trick and give you a goal" Carbone ahead of John "Lino" Fantham, no chance. John Fantham was a consistent high performer week in week out for years, Not flaky around the edges or over-hyped like Carbone. Now Paulo Di-Caneo he was a proper footballer.

 

never heard of him...

 

Beni was class, kept us up almost single handed after Paolo went

[Mr Meadows]

can only comment since about 84, but not sure how, Mark Smith, Madden, Bullen, Shirtcliff, Chapman, Megson and Pressman make a top 50 all time player list

 

 

[TheRedanator]

No Ndumbu-Nsungu?

[mark1948]

4 hours ago, Mr Meadows said:

 

never heard of him...

 

Beni was class, kept us up almost single handed after Paolo went

 

 Sorry about the spelling mistake. Mr Carbone was average at best when taken overall. The number of times he invoked the "Hillsborough Hush" when he lost the ball in midfield were so common it was just expected. Often shortly afterwards you would hear the ball ripple into our net. But we have had this argument before and it was Rudi's goals that kept us up. Carbone wasn't even top scorer that season.

[bradowl]

Some cracking players amongst that lot but Imre Varadi and Gary Shelton should be ahead of Lee Bullen and Roger Wylde. 

 

Surprised that Dalian Atkinson, Chris Brunt and Glenn Whelan aren't in 50. 

[Mr Meadows]

1 hour ago, mark1948 said:

 

 Sorry about the spelling mistake. Mr Carbone was average at best when taken overall. The number of times he invoked the "Hillsborough Hush" when he lost the ball in midfield were so common it was just expected. Often shortly afterwards you would hear the ball ripple into our net. But we have had this argument before and it was Rudi's goals that kept us up. Carbone wasn't even top scorer that season.

"Average at best" 

 

Give over, he was different class, in a team full of well below average footballers

 

As for the goal machine Rudi, I suggest you get your facts right,  Carbone was our top scorer.

[Emerson Thome]

Very good list, with a good range of eras.

 

I agree with the comments that Fantham should be higher and that Bright should be in there (Tricky Trev was a bit lucky to scrape in I feel). As the list was compiled in 2009 maybe with hindsight some of our stars from the 2005 promotion like Whelan, Brunt and MacLean would now be more appreciated, and in the years since Antonio, Westwood and Lee have made a case for inclusion but probably all near the outer end of the list.

 

But for me there is only one shocking oversight in the list - no Jimmy Seed.

 

Seed was sold to us by Tottenham out of spite in 1927, to prevent him taking up a managerial role but by all accounts his football intelligence and skills were the catalyst behind the greatest Wednesday team ever. Seed being made captain halfway through his first season led to an amazing run of form to narrowly escape relegation they went on top win back-to-back Division One titles in the next two seasons with the veteran Seed defying the pain barrier to play nearly every game these seasons. Already in his 30s when he signed, he scored 32 goals in 134 league games from midfield before chronic knee injuries finally got the better of him. It seems to me he should have a similar place in the list to John Sheridan, who is perhaps the most similar player we've had since.