Exceeding Good Pies - Girly Footballers XI Tuesday, 25th Sep 2007 06:32
EGP is back with a look back at some of the girliest footballers to have played for Dale over the years.
It was said many years ago by Vinny Jones that whilst Gary Lineker may well have
been a better player than he was, if it came down to who you'd want stood next
to you in the trenches, you'd take Jones every time over Lineker. Of course, if
you wanted someone to come on for that England v Germany Paul McCartney thingy,
then Leicester's favourite goal hanger would have been an ideal late
introduction.
Anyways, with this mind, pre-match pub discussion over the weekend turned to
some of our former players who perhaps would be deemed more Lineker than Jones.
And not because they came close to equalling Bobby Charlton's England record, or
spent three years with a poorly toe in Japan.
We're talking the sort of players who perhaps didn't like it when it started
raining, or perhaps weren't ones to get stuck it when it mattered. The ones who
could be scared into submission after getting a bit of mud on their socks in the
opening five minutes of a game. The ones who "didn't like it up them". Not
without an allegedly anyway.
These are what we have christened the girly Dale players.
1) Kevin Pilkington |
When
collating this list the initial thoughts were that we had three problem
positions. The two centre backs and the keeper. Then someone mentioned this
loaned in clown. He wasn’t girlie I hear you all cry. I disagree he has let
more balls go between his legs than any woman I have ever met. Just for that
reason he makes the eleven
|
2) Andy Thackeray |
Now
it would be fair to say that poor Andy's time at Dale has been harshly
judged. He wasn't the worst right back we've ever had, and if you look at
some of the dross that we've had in that position over the years, we were
probably lucky to have him. But there was still something undeniably girly
about him. He came across as quite an intelligent chap. Nothing wrong with
that, but in footballing terms, it's a complete no go. Look at Le Saux.
Quite a nasty and malicious footballer at times, but he admits that he reads
a newspaper which doesn't feature women's breasts and it's assumed by one
and all that he lives on Canal Street. Forget that, anyway Thackeray's in
there for different reasons. He's in here for being the teacher's pet. He
was Sutty's model footballer and the one always being held up as an example.
No one likes a swot, so therefore he's got girly written all over him.
Besides, we featured him in EGP wearing lingerie years before photoshop was
invented. Our Andy was a centrefold back in October 1994. |
3) Alan Goodall |
Right
here we go. Proof that girly doesn't mean that we're talking about bad
players. Goodall was a fine left back who served us well. But you know what
you got with him. The sleeves were religiously rolled down. The socks were
at their regulation height and you can bet that he had the best sock ties in
the entire club. He was squeaky clean. He never once had to wash his kit in
all the time he was at Spotland. He never argued with anyone, would never
give away a cynical yellow card. Without doubt, a 21st century version of
Thackeray.
|
4) Simon Gibson |
Back
in the 1980's, centre halves were centre halves. Back then, every player in
this position looked like either John Bramhall or Joe Cooke, and defenders
described as being two footed were those who could kick you with both feet.
Twice. But looking back, one particular defender didn't fit the mould. Simon
Gibson was a bit part player who would no doubt have played more had he not
been such a girl. Dyed hair? Check. Hair gelled to the side? Check.
Suspenders under his Dale shorts? Most probably. The picture to your right
is the only picture which exists of Gibson as he refused all other pictures
unless he'd checked his make up and had his eye brows plucked. A great bit
girl.
|
5) Adam Reed |
In
this day and age, players like Reed are probably the more common type of
defender. The days of your Alan Johnson's seem a long time ago. But Reed no
doubt saw himself as having more to his game. He even went around the pitch
having the most ridiculous mullet this side of the Aussie Outback. But he
would be definitely more Sheila than a Bruce if ever he was to venture Down
Under. |
6) Jason Peake |
Our
talented Jason was a maestro on the field. When on form he had the vision of
a player who really should have made more of his career. Girlie? Definitely!
Anyone with blonde flowing locks such as his definitely makes this eleven on
that alone. He didn’t exude much machismo on the field in comparison to your
Shaun Reid’s of the world. If there was a fifty fifty ball you could have
pretty much guaranteed Peake wasn’t the Dale player challenging. He’d be on
the half way line preening himself.
|
7) Sean McClare |
This
bloke personifies everything about a girlie player. Couldn’t tackle to save
his life, ponced about midfield like Lilly Savage in a football kit and to
top it all off had white boots to match. Even Gary Jones came round to our
way of thinking on McClare’s last appearance for Dale when he openly laughed
out loud at Shauny performing the worst backheel in the world, where the
ball got stuck on one of his stiletto heels and went straight out of play.
Never have I seen a player so obviously scared of the ball that he would
mince away from it. And was genuinely seen wearing nail varnish on one
Player of the Season evening.
|
8) Ian Bishop |
Right
we know what you're thinking on this one. But we've never been one to
survive on bits of gossip regarding players. Well we have actually, but
that's a different story. But Bishop's in there for so many other reasons.
But above anything, you can't look beyond the hair. Here he is - a player
approaching the latter stages of his 30's and he still sees himself as being
some sort of glamour model. You can guarantee that he spends more time
looking in the mirror than he did on the training ground. Oh if only someone
could have come up behind him and point out the error of his ways.
|
9) Paul Connor |
Connor's
inclusion is for so many reasons. Far too much of a pretty boy for a start
to play for Dale. And in true girly style, at the beginning everything was
fantastic, but as time passed by, the true self started to reveal itself,
and those good old times seemed just a distant memory. But it was the way he
carried himself around the pitch. Always dropping to the floor, always
complaining, and that look that he used to give out suggested that one game
soon he would scream out "It's not fair" if he damaged a nail. I swear he
was only ever five minutes from crying. Referees suffered plenty of nag pie
when Connor was on the pitch. And let's not forget the way he was always
ruled out once a month. What more proof is required? Girl girl girl girl
girl.
|
10) Blair Sturrock |
When
looking for reasons for putting people in this girlie eleven, Sturrock has
one of the best reasons of all. He scored a goal with his tits, I hear you
cry. True but not the reason why in my mind he is making this particular
role call! And contrary to popular opinion it is not due to the reason that
many fans named him Lionel, after the tap dancing charade playing bell end.
No because Sturrock had the unerring ability to make a shot so powder puff
that you thought that he was wearing those comedy slippers that your ‘crazy’
relative bought you last Christmas, that look like jesters shoes. After a
Sturrock shot you were confident that only way the ball would hit the back
of the net was if the keeper died of old age waiting for the ball to arrive
or was doubled over laughing.
|
11) Andy Milner
(captain) |
We
had to put a ginger in, we don’t want the PC brigade on our backs do we.
Milner was a good player firstly. But unfortunately Milner was an 8 or 9 on
the girlie-ometer. Many times you saw the ginger winger pass one player and
then slip and fall, like a teenager tart pissed up on bitch piss on the way
to a prom. So much so that now many years later even now in the Sandy Lane
you can often hear somebody say ‘He’s got Milner’s boots on’ when a current
player slips and falls for no reason. Without doubt, Milner would be captain
of this side. Which other Dale player was universally recognised as being
called Mandy?
|
managed by Paul
Simpson |
All
the female traits were with this one. Always someone else's fault and a
desire to have his own way. "I'll take this corner", "I'm having this free
kick", "I think you'll find I'm in charge so I'll take the penalty". If he
was ever not involved for more than two minutes, he felt like he was being
ignored and would sulk until he got his own way again. He would decide. |
Photo: Action Images
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