@DevC , McClelland didn't make any appearances for us. I can see that his playing record on the internet gives Wycombe as a club, with no games, but I can't find any news on when he arrived or left, in 1994 I believe.
I know the XI is based on top level performance and not with us, but it pains me to see Wicks in there. He played a handful of games then scarpered, hanging onto his large signing on fee. It pleased me no end when he returned as manager of Scarborough in 93/94, and we turned them over 4-0.
Rumour at the time, was that Wicks had trousered a hefty signing on fee before his sudden departure. Not sure if there was any truth in it. With the possible exception of Nigel Gray, I can't remember a slower central defender in a Wanderers shirt.
@ChasHarps , slower than Oliver and Westwood?
I still have visions at Norwich away of them walking a goal in at OAP pace, but with Westwood being roasted
He sure did, it was quite painful to watch. The slowest 'turner' i can recall is from the early 80's, Slough Town had a huge dominant in the air central defender called Joe Moloney, but he would start his turn in autumn and complete it in Winter.
He had a brother who played for Chesham, i think his name was Bill ?
The very same man, sprayed the ball about at Loakes park in a handful of games for the Wanderers in the glorious 86-87 season. Even got subbed early in one game so he could nip off to see his greyhound running that evening.
The same Barry Silkman who nicked my parader's coat from my holdall when I was racing one of my dogs one rainy night at Wembley. (I guess he'd forgotten to pack one himself. He did put mine back afterwards). I knew someone had used it because it was wet when the time came for me to prepare for my race -and there was a vaccination reminder from the Wembley racing office addressed to Mr Silkman in one of the pockets.
Silkman was just glorious for us, a really classy player, to have him and Ashford together for those few games was a sight to behold.
I remember Nigel Gray as our least mobile defender, and it was sad to see that Keith Mead's legs had gone completely in his final couple of seasons, after such a fine career.
In midfield I can't forget the size of Neil Lennon's backside, which no doubt contributed to his immobile performances. Up front, Trevor Aylott's unique running style, quick, short steps going nowhere fast, was unintentionally comical. For me, the most immobile performance of all time was Ray Wilkins in his one game, walked all the way through it.
Slow players - I remember Nigel Gray as our least mobile defender, and how Keith Mead's legs had gone completely in his last couple of seasons, sadly after such a fine career with us.
The size of Neil Lennon's backside no doubt contributed to his immobile performances. Trevor Aylott's unique running style, short, quick steps going nowhere fast, was just comical. For me, the most immobile performance of all time has to be Ray Wilkins, he walked all the way through his one game
Disappointed my mention of Matt Spring and his illustrious Premier League career at Watford didn’t elicit any response, would have sent the old Gasroom into meltdown.
I think the reason could be, @perfidious_albion, that (on the iPhone at least) your comment about Matt Spring was subsumed into @DevC’s comment which you were quoting. Anecdotal evidence suggests that few Gasroomers nowadays can be arsed to read the whole of each and every one of @DevC’s contributions, riveting as some can be.
As someone who runs his finger along the line and sounds out each word under his breath, I certainly did react inwardly but I was still sulking as a result of that wounding comment a couple of weeks ago by you know who and I am only now sufficiently recovered to venture a response. I am incensed. It is outrageous that a player of the calibre of Matt Spring (and who else knew that he once graced the Premier League with two starts at a club as pre-eminent as Watford) should have been cold-shouldered for so long by little old Wycombe. Who did we think we were, for goodness sake?
It was 18th Oct 1986, we were giving Tooting a spanking at Loakes Park, im sure some Greyhound data nerd could find out which of his dogs were running that night and where they finished.
I remember Silkman getting an ovation when he sprinted off, (a proper ovation, not a Parryesque fictional one).
James Harper! Right up there with Duberry for those ex premier league players you can't believe you have playing for your club. Then the sheer disappointment that they are absolute garbage even at your level.
In fairness to Wilkins though, he was 40, it was for Smith - hardly a Barcelona - esque style of ball play, and we were an average outfit too.
It'd have been amazing if he had been a stand out in that context!
@Malone, I agree about Harper and Duberry. Some top level players seem to fade quicky. I thought Frank Sinclair played really well for us, and Gary Holt. Rob Lee was just outstanding.
Just makes me respect Ainsworth, Bayo, Tyson and CMS even more, for keeping up such high standards into the twilight years. I think enthusiasm is the key.
You really have to want it to play on into your mid 30s, that's for certain. Especially if you've made your money and don't have to play on for sheer financial reasons.
You never quite can judge when a player will just drop off a cliff, and even those players that don't rely on pace aren't immune.
Hayes was immense for us at times, but then just completely dropped away.
Simon Garner is the ultimate for me. With an, at best, questionable approach to fitness he still oozed class and enthusiasm for playing the game well beyond what he needed to.
I remember when he turned out for a testimonial game (Cousins?) a couple of years after he retired. He still ran around like he was 10 years younger and looked a class apart from everyone else on the pitch.
Comments
Hogan Ephraim I think played in the Premier League, but he wouldn’t make your squad anyway.
Loanees include Steven Taylor & Luke Moore.
@DevC , McClelland didn't make any appearances for us. I can see that his playing record on the internet gives Wycombe as a club, with no games, but I can't find any news on when he arrived or left, in 1994 I believe.
I know the XI is based on top level performance and not with us, but it pains me to see Wicks in there. He played a handful of games then scarpered, hanging onto his large signing on fee. It pleased me no end when he returned as manager of Scarborough in 93/94, and we turned them over 4-0.
In the Swansea programme on 22 March 1994, McClelland is welcomed to the club. Believed to have left at the end of the season.
Steve Wicks
Remember how awful he was for Wycombe?
Rumour at the time, was that Wicks had trousered a hefty signing on fee before his sudden departure. Not sure if there was any truth in it. With the possible exception of Nigel Gray, I can't remember a slower central defender in a Wanderers shirt.
@ChasHarps , slower than Oliver and Westwood?
I still have visions at Norwich away of them walking a goal in at OAP pace, but with Westwood being roasted
I forgot about Oliver, Westwood was no longer the quicket but he could still turn. The other 3 mentioned were the proverbial QE2's.
Distribution Dave had difficulty turning!
He sure did, it was quite painful to watch. The slowest 'turner' i can recall is from the early 80's, Slough Town had a huge dominant in the air central defender called Joe Moloney, but he would start his turn in autumn and complete it in Winter.
He had a brother who played for Chesham, i think his name was Bill ?
@ChasHarps Is that the same Barry Silkman that turned out against us for Harrow Borough in the FA Cup aged about 80?
The very same man, sprayed the ball about at Loakes park in a handful of games for the Wanderers in the glorious 86-87 season. Even got subbed early in one game so he could nip off to see his greyhound running that evening.
The same Barry Silkman who nicked my parader's coat from my holdall when I was racing one of my dogs one rainy night at Wembley. (I guess he'd forgotten to pack one himself. He did put mine back afterwards). I knew someone had used it because it was wet when the time came for me to prepare for my race -and there was a vaccination reminder from the Wembley racing office addressed to Mr Silkman in one of the pockets.
Silkman was just glorious for us, a really classy player, to have him and Ashford together for those few games was a sight to behold.
I remember Nigel Gray as our least mobile defender, and it was sad to see that Keith Mead's legs had gone completely in his final couple of seasons, after such a fine career.
In midfield I can't forget the size of Neil Lennon's backside, which no doubt contributed to his immobile performances. Up front, Trevor Aylott's unique running style, quick, short steps going nowhere fast, was unintentionally comical. For me, the most immobile performance of all time was Ray Wilkins in his one game, walked all the way through it.
Silkman's few performances for us were glorious, a classy player and a real treat to have him playing alongside Ashford.
Slow players - I remember Nigel Gray as our least mobile defender, and how Keith Mead's legs had gone completely in his last couple of seasons, sadly after such a fine career with us.
The size of Neil Lennon's backside no doubt contributed to his immobile performances. Trevor Aylott's unique running style, short, quick steps going nowhere fast, was just comical. For me, the most immobile performance of all time has to be Ray Wilkins, he walked all the way through his one game
What about that ex-Reading guy we got on loan from Hull (Harper?) he was still running back to defend while we were launching our next attack
James Harper - playing for Walton Casuals at the moment I think
Disappointed my mention of Matt Spring and his illustrious Premier League career at Watford didn’t elicit any response, would have sent the old Gasroom into meltdown.
I think the reason could be, @perfidious_albion, that (on the iPhone at least) your comment about Matt Spring was subsumed into @DevC’s comment which you were quoting. Anecdotal evidence suggests that few Gasroomers nowadays can be arsed to read the whole of each and every one of @DevC’s contributions, riveting as some can be.
As someone who runs his finger along the line and sounds out each word under his breath, I certainly did react inwardly but I was still sulking as a result of that wounding comment a couple of weeks ago by you know who and I am only now sufficiently recovered to venture a response. I am incensed. It is outrageous that a player of the calibre of Matt Spring (and who else knew that he once graced the Premier League with two starts at a club as pre-eminent as Watford) should have been cold-shouldered for so long by little old Wycombe. Who did we think we were, for goodness sake?
Do I remember correctly Silkman being substituted in one game so he could get to an evening function?
It was 18th Oct 1986, we were giving Tooting a spanking at Loakes Park, im sure some Greyhound data nerd could find out which of his dogs were running that night and where they finished.
I remember Silkman getting an ovation when he sprinted off, (a proper ovation, not a Parryesque fictional one).
Castledine in his 2nd spell was permanently running in treacle
James Harper! Right up there with Duberry for those ex premier league players you can't believe you have playing for your club. Then the sheer disappointment that they are absolute garbage even at your level.
In fairness to Wilkins though, he was 40, it was for Smith - hardly a Barcelona - esque style of ball play, and we were an average outfit too.
It'd have been amazing if he had been a stand out in that context!
@Malone, I agree about Harper and Duberry. Some top level players seem to fade quicky. I thought Frank Sinclair played really well for us, and Gary Holt. Rob Lee was just outstanding.
Just makes me respect Ainsworth, Bayo, Tyson and CMS even more, for keeping up such high standards into the twilight years. I think enthusiasm is the key.
Rob Lee's (final?) game for us away at Cheltenham was one of the all time stand out Wanderers performances IMHO.
@Lloyd2084 he played for John Gorman, not Wycombe Wanderers
You really have to want it to play on into your mid 30s, that's for certain. Especially if you've made your money and don't have to play on for sheer financial reasons.
You never quite can judge when a player will just drop off a cliff, and even those players that don't rely on pace aren't immune.
Hayes was immense for us at times, but then just completely dropped away.
Simon Garner is the ultimate for me. With an, at best, questionable approach to fitness he still oozed class and enthusiasm for playing the game well beyond what he needed to.
I remember when he turned out for a testimonial game (Cousins?) a couple of years after he retired. He still ran around like he was 10 years younger and looked a class apart from everyone else on the pitch.
@bookertease I don't think it was Jason Cousins' testimonial. Maybe Dave Carroll's?
Simon Garner now a painter and decorator based in Cookham I believe.