The Third Redcafe Sheep Draft

Putting up a great piece of Billy McNeall for some of those who don't or struggle to remember him:
Fullname: William McNeill
aka: Billy McNeill
Nicknames: Cesar, King Billy, The Big Man
Born: 2 March 1940
Birthplace: Bellshill, North Lanarkshire

'If ever a man was made for a specific club, it was Billy McNeill and Glasgow Celtic.... His heart was always at Parkhead.'
Peter Swales (Chairman of Man City 1989)
Playing CareerBilly McNeill 1973
An undoubted Celtic great, Billy McNeill, 'Cesar', was the captain of the Lisbon Lions and the lynchpin in the team Stein led to much success.

McNeill was born on 2 March 1940 in Bellshill, North Lanarkshire, of part Irish and part Lithuanian descent.

He was signed by Celtic from nearby junior team, Blantyre Victoria, in 1957 as a defender. As captain he won nine Scottish League Championships, seven Scottish Cups, and six Scottish League Cups, as well as the European Cup final. He had the honour of being the first British player to lift the European Cup.

He retired as a player in 1975 after over 800 appearances for Celtic. During his career, he won 29 caps for Scotland.

Whenever someone discusses our nine-in-a-row, the focus is always on Jock Stein and what he did. Sometimes it can just overshadow the part that the players played in this, and in some ways that is very true of Billy McNeill ('Cesar'), possibly Celtic's greatest elder statesman.

Billy McNeill is pivotal in the history of Celtic and even more so in the golden era under Jock Stein. Raised in Bellshill (Lanarkshire), in his youth he used to go watch Motherwell (the nearest big club) and used to play for Our Lady's High School football side. After signing for Celtic (having been spotted by Bobby Evans) he soon cemented his place in the Celtic defence. However, all was not well and before the arrival of Jock Stein at Celtic, things at Parkhead weren't so good, with poor coaching and management difficulties that made him close to jacking it all in and was attracting interest from Spurs. Strange how things could have turned out or could have been if he had decided to go, but thankfully the arrival of Stein changed things for him to stay and all for the better.

It's said that Stein's appointment as manager was important to Billy McNeill yet the truth is that Billy's presence at Parkhead was just as important for Stein. Celtic's rise to the top began step by step and it was Billy who scored the pivotal winning goal in the 1965 Scottish Cup final against the match final favourites Dunfermline to give us our first senior trophy since 1957. A late charge with eight minutes to go saw Celtic win a corner. Charlie Gallagher swung in a perfect inswinger into the box which McNeill connected to and headed the ball into the back of the net. Billy was only in the box as he was pushed by Jock Stein to do so, previously defenders were told not to do so. The importance of the game was acknowledged by Stein years later and it was through a combination of Stein's tactics and Celtic's determination that we won the trophy and set us up for the years to come. Billy McNeill's place had now been marked in Celtic's annals, and it is fair to say that he had helped to kickstart us into the Golden Era (or headed us in!).

From here on in, Billy's ability as a player was now at the forefront of Celtic's play. A strong determined footballer, he commanded respect not only from his fellow players but from opposition players as well. Strong in the tackle and in the air, he was a commanding player but it was his organisational skills and communicational abilities on the park that gave him an edge over others. He had an aura and despite his strong will, he was actually a pleasant and decent person at all times and few if any have ever had anything to say bad about him. There was no high & mighty attitude with Billy, and all were treated fairly.

One important point is that some players can be made better with the players round them, and in Billy's case this was where John Clark came into play. Generally overlooked by many when reviewing Celtic's history, it is true to say that Billy McNeill was twice the player with John Clark beside him but this is not to take anything away from either at all. When players combine well together (as Larsson and Sutton did so well in the 90s), it's almost as if you have an extra man on the pitch.

The league title in 1965-66 increased Billy's stature at the club, but the first signs of what could be achieved were sown in the European Cup Winners Cup in 1965-66 where Celtic bowed out in the semi-finals. It was a disappointment but a pre-cursor to the glorious 1966-67 season where Billy McNeill was the lynchpin to our success. The role of honour can never be understated, the domestic treble (league, Scottish Cup and League Cup) with the European Cup is as much a testament to his abilities as Captain of the side as it was to Jock Stein's managerial ability.

mcneill with the euro cup
The European Cup final of 1967 was the pinnacle of his career. In his own words: “The biggest thing I had to do as captain was in illustrating to the team that we had nothing to fear. I had to swap pennants with their captain, Picchi before the kick-off. We exchanged words but I didn’t have any Italian and I don’t think he had any English, but you always manage to get through.” A stout Celtic defence sadly conceded an early goal, but the team was more than ably captained by McNeill, and Celtic fought back to defeat the Catenaccio of Inter Milan. His crowning glory was his sole march to lift the trophy after the final whistle, which the rest of the team themselves didn't see (stuck in the dressing room). He lifted the trophy above his head and immortalised his image and proclaim us champions of Europe. He was more 'Caesar' than 'Cesar [Romero]' at this moment, a befitting moment for him as much as a great man as a player of his stature. Still makes us all proud when we see that picture.

The following World Club Championships, where we were kicked and assaulted to defeat by Racing Club, was a low point for Celtic, but an interview with a Racing player later depicted a side to Billy McNeill's character that showed him to be a giant against above all other men. The player saw Billy McNeill approach at the final whistle and expected an assault after what had transpired in the previous 90 mins. Instead, Billy McNeill graciously and humbly held out his hand and they shook hands followed by an exchanging of jerseys. The player was so taken by the gesture in the strained circumstances that he grasped McNeill's jersey tight and ran back to the dressing rooms so as to ensure no one could take it from him. He stated that after all that happened he was humbled by Billy McNeill and hoped they might play again in the World Cup 1970 (which Scotland sadly didn't make). It was the mark of the man that he was able to still be a gentleman even in the face of so much tension and havoc. (See match page.)

Coming years saw us continue to dominate domestically under Jock Stein's auspice, with Billy McNeill at the helm on the field and we were coasting league victories and titles. Rangers were unable to match Billy McNeill for presence or stature, and we were comfortable in the knowledge that he was always our man.

Even in European games, Billy McNeill continued to excel with the games against Leeds in the European Cup semi-finals of 1970 another high mark. The opposition employed long ball tactics were completely undone as the Celtic defence under Billy McNeill stood tall and won everything thrown at them. The final was another matter and disappointingly we lost. Sadly, Billy McNeill was party at the centre of the losing goal, and in his own words the club lost a lot of self-belief after this defeat.

As a captain Billy was the main man and a total inspiration to those around him on the pitch and on the terracing. For a centre half to score in three Scottish cup finals is a magnificent achievement (1965, 1969 and 1972) and his leadership was inspirational during the glory years. It's no coincidence that when Celtic lost 4-1 to Partick Thistle in the 1971 LCF that Billy's presence in defence was badly missed. The fans admired him tremendously and Billy McNeill was greatly loved by the Celtic support.

Nevertheless, he was forgiven as after all he'd done for us on the pitch, moments like as happened in the 1970 final do happen to all the greats (as here). Further forays in the European Cup to semi-finals in 1972 and 1974 showed we were a strong force and Billy McNeill was always there to push us further.

An additional point must be added to how Billy also fostered the careers of many around them. The 'Quality Street Gang' of players in the early 1970's were always looking up to him and loved him, and he played a strong part in their development. If only the club was managed better at the board level then Billy McNeill could have played with them for longer, but the Quality Street players departed one by one as financial matters came to a head.

In 1975, Billy McNeill played his last game for the club. It was the end of an era for the man we'd all loved. At the final whistle of his last game (Scottish Cup Final victory v Airdrie), he was carried aloft by all his fellow players as the fans chanted his name. Thankfully this was not to be Billy's last involvement with the club, and he has been in love with Celtic as much as any fan has ever been.

Many like to talk about Jinky or Stein but Billy McNeill is a name that should never be sidelined. A wonderful player and person, and never one whom Celtic will ever be able to replace man for man.

Major Honours as a Player
European Cup

1966-67

Scottish Division One

1965-66, 1966-67, 1967-68, 1968-69, 1969-70,
1970-71, 1971-72, 1972-73, 1973-74

Scottish Cup

1965, 1967, 1969, 1971, 1972,
1974, 1975

Scottish League Cup

1965-66, 1966-67, 1967-68, 1968-69, 1969-70,
1974-75
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axe33p.jpg


PLAYER PROFILES:

(To be updated).

Goal keeper

Ubaldo Fillol:

Considered by many to be the best ever keeper to come out of the great footballing nation of Argentina. Others again take it up a notch, and class him as the best to ever emerge from the continent of South America. What counts against him, some would say, is that his peak didn't last as long as those of other historically great keepers. That may be so, but in the years preceding and following Argentina's World Cup triumph in 1978, Fillol was just about as good as it gets. A keeper whose most conspicuous strength was his immense reflexes, he pulled off saves that rank among the most spectacular in the history of the game.

Defenders

Billy Wright:

One of the greatest defenders in the long history of English football. An archetypal stopper if there ever was one. Wright's approach to playing the defensive game was as no-nonsense as it gets: My task, he famously said, is to stop the attacker. When I've done that, I give the ball to someone else. In the early days of the Ballon d' Or, he came in second behind Di Stefano in 1957, the only centre half to rank that highly until Bobby Moore repeated the feat more than a decade later). The captain of captains was extremely proficient in the air in spite of his height (shades of several other grand centre halves there, but Wright preceded the likes of Passarella by decades as a high leaping header of the ball) and a tackler of rare precision. He should form an ideal partnership with his more elegant, ball playing comrade (see below).

Neil Franklin:

A man with a peculiar career, and a peculiar story to his name which is worth telling in some detail (see below). Franklin was what is usually labeled "untypical" (and for the era, not to say most eras, this is appropriate enough) in the sense that he was a ball player as well as a first rate stopper. In that regard he resembled a much more celebrated player, one who many have compared him to in terms of style, namely Bobby Moore - but I would personally add to this (apt enough) comparison that Franklin was even more prone than Moore to use his technique and passing skills in an offensive, or creative capacity. Far more obscure to the modern fan than he should be, Franklin's quality may be summed up by the assessment of one Tom Finney, who considered him the best defender he had ever played with – or against.

More:

https://www.redcafe.net/threads/the-third-redcafe-sheep-draft.411575/page-55#post-18519370

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituaryneil-franklin-1318228.html

Júnior:

Volodymyr Bezsonov:

Midfielders/forwards

Alan Mullery:

Danny Blanchflower:

Blanchflower left an indelible mark on the history of British football with his often innovative captaincy of Tottenham Hotspur in 1960-61, the season in which the north London club became the first since Victorian times to achieve the coveted League and FA Cup double. It was a fittingly glorious zenith to a remarkable career.


For all his excellence, Blanchflower was not a spectacular footballer, more a subtle, all-pervasive influence from his position of right- half (a 'midfielder' in modern parlance). In his prime, between 1957 and 1962, he was one of the most creative players in the game, capable of dictating the tempo of a match like few others.


Neither quick nor muscular, though endowed with a wiry strength, Blanchflower had an instinct for slipping into space at crucial moments. Having seized the initiative while less thoughtful performers milled around unproductively, he would impose his presence with his remarkable passing skills. One moment Blanchflower was shackled, the next free and bellowing for possession; then, an instant later, the ball was nestling in the opponents' net, deposited there by Jimmy Greaves, Bobby Smith or Cliff Jones, but all courtesy of their skipper's exquisite vision.
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http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-danny-blanchflower-1466455.html

Gaizka Mendieta:

Dragoslav Šekularac:





http://www.crvenazvezdafk.com/en/istorija/zvezdine-zvezde/dragoslav-sekularac.html

Henrik Larsson:

Michael Owen:

Sheep

Kevin Kilbane:
 
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Invictus said:
Scratch that. Something's come up, let's do next week. Any day's fine (14 onward). Can't do this weekend either.

@Joga Bonito.
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Yeah I can't make it today too, but unfortunately it also looks like I will be bogged down for the next 10 days or so. Thus, I'm giving you a walkover. @Gio

Good luck with your future matches mate.
 
Skizzo said:
I can be around Friday for half the day, but we're leaving in the afternoon to take the little one to Disneyland for a few days before Christmas. If @Pat_Mustard can be around after I'm gone, then Friday would be fine with me/us.
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I'll only be around for the first half of Friday too. I'm happy with whatever you lads decide but how about starting the match on Thursday evening and finishing Friday evening? That way Skizzo and/or I will be around for most of the start and middle of the match, and if @Stobzilla can't get online in the early stages then he should get the majority of the posts in towards the end.
 
UPDATED FIXTURE SCHEDULE:

Stobzilla v Skizzo/Pat_Mustard - Thu/Fri 17/18 December
Tuppet v Cal? - Thursday 10 December
Sjor Bepo/Physiocrat v Snow
The Stain v Isotope
Joga Bonito v Invictus/KM - possible w/o but let's try and play the game if we can.
Mazhar13 v Edgar Allan Pillow/ctp - Tuesday 15 December
Marty1968/bleezy v Chesterlestreet
MJJ v Enigma_87/RedTiger - Monday 14 December
 
Chesterlestreet said:
Defenders

Billy Wright:

One of the greatest defenders in the long history of English football. An archetypal stopper if there ever was one. Wright's approach to playing the defensive game was as no-nonsense as it gets: My task, he famously said, is to stop the attacker. When I've done that, I give the ball to someone else. In the early days of the Ballon d' Or, he came in second behind Di Stefano in 1957, the only centre half to rank that highly until Bobby Moore repeated the feat more than a decade later). The captain of captains was extremely proficient in the air in spite of his height (shades of several other grand centre halves there, but Wright preceded the likes of Passarella by decades as a high leaping header of the ball) and a tackler of rare precision. He should form an ideal partnership with his more elegant, ball playing comrade (see below).

Neil Franklin:

A man with a peculiar career, and a peculiar story to his name which is worth telling in some detail (see below). Franklin was what is usually labeled "untypical" (and for the era, not to say most eras, this is appropriate enough) in the sense that he was a ball player as well as a first rate stopper. In that regard he resembled a much more celebrated player, one who many have compared him to in terms of style, namely Bobby Moore - but I would personally add to this (apt enough) comparison that Franklin was even more prone than Moore to use his technique and passing skills in an offensive, or creative capacity. Far more obscure to the modern fan than he should be, Franklin's quality may be summed up by the assessment of one Tom Finney, who considered him the best defender he had ever played with – or against.
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They have a strong case for being England's greatest ever central defensive partnership. England had some impressive results in the immediate post-war period with them at the helm. I'd probably place Franklin in a top three with Bobby and Rio.
 
Gio said:

They have a strong case for being England's greatest ever central defensive partnership. England had some impressive results in the immediate post-war period with them at the helm. I'd probably place Franklin in a top three with Bobby and Rio.
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Yep, I'd say so. It's them or Moore/Charlton, I suppose. You'd have Moore over anyone, but then again I'd definitely rate Wright a notch above Jackie.

A candidate from the modern era is Rio/Sol, but you could argue that they were less of an actual partnership - and they certainly weren't part of any great team, unlike the other two pairs.
 
UPDATED FIXTURE SCHEDULE:

Stobzilla v Skizzo/Pat_Mustard - Thu/Fri 17/18 December
Tuppet v Cal? - Thursday 10 December
Sjor Bepo/Physiocrat v Snow
The Stain v Isotope
Joga Bonito v Invictus/KM - possible w/o but let's try and play the game if we can.
Mazhar13 v Edgar Allan Pillow/ctp - Tuesday 15 December
Marty1968/bleezy v Chesterlestreet - Monday 14 December
MJJ v Enigma_87/RedTiger - Monday 14 December

@Marty1968 @bleezy

If you'd rather play Tuesday, that's fine too .
 
Chesterlestreet said:
UPDATED FIXTURE SCHEDULE:

Stobzilla v Skizzo/Pat_Mustard - Thu/Fri 17/18 December
Tuppet v Cal? - Thursday 10 December
Sjor Bepo/Physiocrat v Snow
The Stain v Isotope
Joga Bonito v Invictus/KM - possible w/o but let's try and play the game if we can.
Mazhar13 v Edgar Allan Pillow/ctp - Tuesday 15 December
Marty1968/bleezy v Chesterlestreet - Tuesday 15th December
MJJ v Enigma_87/RedTiger - Monday 14 December

@Marty1968 @bleezy

If you'd rather play Tuesday, that's fine too .
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Tuesday sounds better for me if you don't mind?
 
UPDATED FIXTURE SCHEDULE:

Stobzilla v Skizzo/Pat_Mustard - Thu/Fri 17/18 December
Tuppet v Cal? - Thursday 10 December
Sjor Bepo/Physiocrat v Snow
The Stain v Isotope
Joga Bonito v Invictus/KM - possible w/o but let's try and play the game if we can.
Mazhar13 v Edgar Allan Pillow/ctp - Tuesday 15 December
Marty1968/bleezy v Chesterlestreet - Tuesday 15 December
MJJ v Enigma_87/RedTiger - Monday 14 December
 
doing some research on m sheeps and i have to say it, thanks @Gio and the evil committee:angel:
Obviously i know about Finnan and at the time i was glad that i got him as he was decent but this Holebas guy looks pretty decent as well and more important, the perfect fit tactically :devil:
 
Stobzilla v Skizzo/Pat_Mustard - Thu/Fri 17/18 December
Tuppet v Cal? - Thursday 10 December
Sjor Bepo/Physiocrat v Snow - Thursday 17 DEcember
The Stain v Isotope - Monday 14 December
Joga Bonito v Invictus/KM - possible w/o but let's try and play the game if we can.
Mazhar13 v Edgar Allan Pillow/ctp - Tuesday 15 December
Marty1968/bleezy v Chesterlestreet - Tuesday 15 December
MJJ v Enigma_87/RedTiger - Monday 14 December
 
So quiet on this thread this weekend...

Any hints on the reinforcement round?
 
Player Profiles (more comprehensive profiles coming soon)

Goalkeeper + Defence:
  • David Seaman
    People may think of Ronaldinho's goal, Nayim's goal, or Giggs' goal when thinking of Seaman, but many forget about how good he was in goal. He was an amazing shot stopper, saving some almost-guaranteed goals out of nothing, and being a great marshal of the defence. His presence in the box made him strong in the air, and his big frame made it tough to score against him. When Wenger made his team more open with his more progressive style, it was Seaman who ensured that Arsenal wouldn't concede as many goals as they could have.
    Here is a save that epitomises David Seaman in every way:
  • Antonio Benarrivo
    Now here's a full back who truly was one of the best, if not the best, in the world in his time. When he came through at Parma, he showed himself to be a complete full back. Being utilised as a wing back for Parma's 3-5-2, he was able to make the most of his attacking and defensive qualities. A two-footed player, he was equally capable of playing on the left and the right, and this will make him a perfect partner for Matthews, providing Matthews options on both the inside and outside. His energy levels will mean that he is capable of making up the ground to recover his position, and his defending made him tough to get past. His technique on the ball was impeccable, so good that he could have been a great winger of the time if he had a full back behind him.
  • John Charles
    "Il Gigante Buono" was what Juventus fans used to refer to John Charles, and he is so revered by Juve fans that he was selected as their best foreign player ever ahead of Michel Platini of all people! In terms of versatile players, John Charles epitomised that perfectly and then some. He was good wherever he played, whether at full back, centre back, midfield or striker, but his best performances came either at centre back or striker. In both positions, he utilised his speed, technique and strength on the ball, and aerial prowess to perfection. His speed of thought, pace, and strength will make him tough to get past for any player from any era. Defensively, he was so good that Nat Lofthouse, a great striker back in the day, referred to him as the toughest defender he ever faced. He was so good defensively that Juventus would put him in defence to protect their leads. Sir Bobby Robson described him as being on the same level as Pele, Maradona, and di Stefano but being world class in two positions instead of just one. For me, whether as a defender or striker, Charles will be a key weapon.
  • Fernando Quirarte
    I'll be honest, referring to him as a "sheep" would be a massive understatement to him. Referred to as "El Sheriff" by Chivas fans, he is a Mexican football great, especially for his awesome performances at the 1986 World Cup. His (and Mexico's) first goal at the World Cup spurred Mexico on to the Quarter Finals, where Quirarte did a great job stopping and frustrating a strong West Germany side, keeping a clean sheet in the process. Not only that, but he scored two crucial goals in the World Cup (one against Belgium and the winner against Iraq), and he did a great job against a strong attacking team in Belgium as well. His reading of the game and technique on the ball should make him a test for any great attack that he will face, and his strong performances against Belgium and West Germany in the 1986 World Cup prove this to be the case.
  • Igor Netto
    I will admit, when I first picked him, I didn't know much about him, but man, what an awesome player he is. He is one of the most complete players I have ever seen, possessing all sorts of attributes that made him strong defensively and going forward. When he started off his career, he was a defensive half back for Spartak Moscow. Whilst he was a very solid defender, his willingness to dribble past players and carry the ball forward (successfully I might add) made manager Abram Dangulov place him on the wing. Whilst his dribbling, passing, and vision was put into good use out wide, his defensive skills were missed by the team, so Dangulov, in the end, placed him in the centre of midfield again as a box-to-box midfielder, making him one of the first ever great box-to-box midfielders to play in the sport. His strong passing, dribbling, vision, and technique on the ball made him effective in Spartak's short-passing system of the time, and his defensive abilities made sure that Spartak wouldn't be too open with him in the team. His feints and slight, accurate touches of the ball made it tough for opponents to win the ball of him, and his accurate passing and vision allowed him to split open defences. Not only was he great on the ball, he was also a role model athlete for all Soviets at the time, and this also made him perfect for the midfield role. Finally, he became captain of the Spartak and Soviet teams at a young age, and teammates would be uplifted by his presence on the pitch. His ability came to fruition as Spartak Moscow won countless league titles under him, and the Soviet team won the Olympics and European Championships under him. For me, I'm proud to have Netto, and his abilities will make him useful wherever he will be on the pitch.
    If there is still some doubt on his defensive ability, here's a video of the 1960 European Championship final where Netto played a more defensive half back role:
 
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Midfield + Attack:
  • Uli Stielike
    Between Beckenbauer and Matthaus, Stielike was Germany's main libero of the time, and he filled the gap quite well, too. He found success wherever he was, winning league titles with Monchengladbach, Real Madrid, and Neuchatel Xamax. For West Germany, he won the European Championship once, and he was a runner up at another European Championship and a World Cup. Stielike is well-known for his technique on the ball combined with his great defensive reading of the game. He was a great defensive player with his tackling and reading of the game, and on the ball, he was a great passer. His high energy levels meant that he would cover lots of ground and prevent the opposition from ever settling into their game, and it also meant that he could go forward and score quite a number of goals, particularly down to his great positioning. He really is a complete defensive player with tenacity, aggression, strong positioning, and a knack of being in the right place at the right time. His ability on the ball will also make him very useful for me in starting off attacks, building up plays, and supplying the attacking players.
  • Armando Castellazzi
    Little is known about this player. When casually searching him up, you'll notice that he's a Scudetto winner with Inter at the 1929/30 season as well as a World Cup winner with Italy in 1934. However, what you won't see is that he's a great defensive half-back for both Italy and Inter. His defensive qualities made him a reliable player for both Inter and Italy. He was also decent on the ball, so it's not like he's prone to losing possession of the ball easily. He'll be a great anchor man for my team, providing a good amount of attacking freedom for his teammates.
  • Sir Stanley Matthews
    We all know about how great a dribbler he was and how he was a menace for anyone who faced him. We also know about his longevity and the fact that he played until he was in his 50's, too. Like Netto and Charles, he was a proper athlete, who was fast, tireless, and energetic for the whole match. His quickness and close control of the ball made it extremely difficult for anyone to stop him, and he was also quite a complete winger, capable of both scoring goals as well as creating them. He could drop deeper and provide pinpoint crosses a la Beckham, but he could also go for goal if he wanted to (he had 38 goals in his four seasons before 1937/38 at a time when inside forwards and strikers were the main sources of goals). His jinks and feints made it tough for any defender to read and stop him, and his technique on the ball made it difficult for anyone to win the ball off of him. Keep in mind that, back then, the ball was heavier, and the pitches were in worse conditions than today. When people ask who epitomises consistency and reliability throughout their career, most mention Giggs or Maldini, but Stanley Matthews did it better than both of them at a time when sports science wasn't even a thing. For this reason, he really is one of the greatest players ever.

  • Bernard Genghini
    When people think of France in the 1980's names such as Platini, Tigana, and Tresor come up, all of whom were fantastic players. However, Genghini was an amazing player himself for France and for his clubs. For both Sochaux and Monaco, he was an elegant and classy midfield playmaker, demonstrating great close control of the ball and a wonderful strike, whether from open play or set pieces. He was quite a prolific goalscorer for both clubs as well, making him a potent goal threat as well as an elegant creator. His set pieces were famous back then, and he was the first player ever to score two free kicks in one World Cup. It was too bad that he had to play as a deeper playmaker for France because he would have been a great partner for Platini in the magic square, having demonstrated a great goalscoring and playmaking ability for his clubs.

  • Juan Alberto Schiaffino
    I'd love to do my own write-up on Schiaffino, but it would be a great injustice to the player himself. Instead, I'll let antohan describe him perfectly here: link to the post

  • Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink
    Most know about Jimmy from his time at Chelsea (and goals against us), but few know about his tough beginnings. At the age of 3, his leg was broken by a moped. He lived without his mother at the Netherlands as a kid. When he was growing up, he joined a street gang and had multiple disciplinary issues through his youth career. All of these obstacles made it difficult for him to establish his footballing career, and yet, he still surpassed all of them and eventually established himself as a world class striker of the late 1990's and early 21st century. He was a clinical finisher during his professional career wherever he went, and even if he suffered injuries/a lack of playing time, he would frequently finish as his club's top goalscorer (or close to it). Combining his finishing ability with his technique on the ball, hold-up play, and intelligent positioning, he was a threat for all defences all around.
 
Cornelius (Neil) Franklin was born in Shelton on 24th January, 1922. A talented centre-half, Franklin joined Stoke City in January 1939. The team included players such as Stanley Matthews and Freddie Steele.

Franklin's career was interrupted by the Second World War. He joined the Royal Air Force but as he was based in Blackpool he was able to continue to play football and made 186 appearances for Stoke City in friendly and regional fixtures as well as representing England in 10 wartime internationals.

Franklin was made captain of Stoke City in the 1946-47 season. After the war stories circulated that Stanley Matthews was dropped from the team by Bob McGrory and replaced by George Mountford because he was "unpopular" in the dressing-room. As his friend, Tom Finney, later explained: "Neil called a meeting of the players, sought their collective view, informed Stanley by letter of his intentions and strode off to see the board to quash the rumours and pay handsome tribute to his illustrious team-mate." Matthews later wrote: "The problem was not resolved, but knowing that I had the support of my team-mates, including George Mountford who had replaced me, made me feel a whole lot better about the whole sorry affair."

Franklin won his won his first international cap for England against Northern Ireland on 28th September, 1946. Franklin retained his place and that season played against Republic of Ireland (1-0), Wales (3-0), Holland (8-2), Scotland (1-1), France (3-0), Switzerland (0-1) and Portugal (10-0). The England team that season included players such as Raich Carter, Tommy Lawton, Wilf Mannion, Harry Johnston, George Hardwick, Laurie Scott, Tom Finney, Stanley Matthews, Stan Mortensen, Billy Wright and Frank Swift.

Stoke City challenged for the First Division league title in the 1946-47 season. However, after Stanley Matthews moved to Blackpool in May 1947 the club went into decline.

Franklin retained his place in the England team and in the 1947-48 season he played against Belgium (5-2), Wales (3-0), Northern Ireland (2-2), Sweden (4-2), Scotland (2-0) and Italy (4-0). Franklin was now considered to be one of the best centre-halves in the world. Wilf Mannion, who played with Franklin for England, wrote that he was a confident tackler and a master header of the ball.

In his autobiography Stanley Matthews argued: "Neil won everything in the air, tackled with superb timing and when the ball was at his feet possessed the nous to pass it will all the guile and intelligence of the most cerebral of inside-forwards. An erect physique belied tremendous mobility and breathtaking speed over four or five yards." Tom Finney agreed and claimed that Franklin was the "best defender I ever played with or against".

Franklin, like all top professionals at the time, earned £12 per week in the season and £10 per week in the summer. There was also a £2 win and £1 draw bonus, the £750 benefit every five years. He also received £20 every time he played for England. Other clubs would be unable to pay more because of the maximum wage rule. If he managed to get a transfer to another club he would only be paid a £10 signing on fee. However, while on international duty he heard that some clubs offered illegal cash inducements and jobs that did not really exist as an attempt to fool the authorities.

Other legal methods of persuading players to join or stay with a club included setting them up in a business or finding them lucrative part-time jobs. Stoke City did not do any of these things and Franklin wanted to go to another club that did. At the start of the 1948-49 season Franklin asked for a transfer. The club refused and Franklin was forced to stay at Stoke.

Wilf Mannion of Middlesbrough also wanted a transfer and when it was refused he went on strike. Jimmy Guthrie, chairman of the Players' Union, added his support of Mannion: "The transfer system as it is at present was evolved in the days of Alf Common. It just will not do today. We want a free market and none of this present restriction." After losing £400 in wages Mannion was eventually forced back to work.

Neil Franklin played against Denmark (0-0), Northern Ireland (6-2), Wales (1-0), Switzerland (6-0), Scotland (1-3), Sweden (1-3), Norway (4-1) and France (3-1) in the 1948-49 season.

Franklin told his friend Tom Finney: "You know, Tom, we are at the top of the tree and clubs are taking fortunes off people who want to see us play. We should be getting more of that money. It's a scandal."

On 15th April 1950, Franklin played in his 27th international game against Scotland. England won the game 1-0. A few days later Franklin announced that he was leaving Stoke City to play for the Independiente Santa Fe club in Colombia. Rumours began to circulate that Franklin and his club colleague, George Mountford, had been promised down payments of around £3,400 each plus £170 per match, plus free accommodation.

As his friend Stanley Matthews later pointed out: "At first all went well, but Santa Fe were never forthcoming with the money they had promised. The country was very unstable politically and at 6.30 p.m. street curfew fueled anxieties. Neil returned to England after two months having received only one week's wages and no signing-on fee." He only played in six games while in Colombia.

Franklin was banned from playing in Britain by the Football League and the Football Association and he was unable to play for Stoke City or England. The ban was eventually lifted and in February 1951 he was sold to Second Division club Hull City for £22,500, at the time a world record fee for a defender.

Franklin suffered a serious knee injury and missed the second-half of the 1951-52 season. Another injury meant that he hardly played in any games in the 1952-53 season. He never fully recovered from this knee injury and unable to command a regular place in the team he moved to Crewe Alexandra in February 1956. This was followed by brief spells at Stockport County and Mansfield Town.

Franklin retired from playing football in 1957. He did manage several non-league clubs before joining Third Division side Colchester United in 1962. This was not a success and he later ran a pub called the Dog and Doublet in Sandon, Staffordshire.

Neil Franklin died on 9th February, 1996.

Source: http://spartacus-educational.com/STOKEfranklinN.htm
 
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