Saints Greatest XI - Nominations For Best LB.

[St Landrew]

Put you suggestions here. Nominees need not be specialist LBs, just the best performers in that position.

Note: The position of goalkeeper is not a problem, but outfield players have to suit a formation. Modern day formations can be almost anything they want to be, and some of the older formations like 2-3-5 just wouldn't be recognised by the majority of today's fans. So let's just stick with 4-4-2, which is the formation Saints adopted as early as 1967 for Away matches.

[Roman]

Wayne Bridge - let me be the first to be unoriginal.

[Arizona]

Younger generation, I'm going for Bridgey aswell. Either him or Olivier Bernard.

[St Landrew]

Saints haven't been blessed with many outstanding LBs, over the years. Wayne Bridge is an obvious good suggestion, and Mark Dennis is another. But I think I'll go for David Peach.

[GeckoSaint]

Bridgey or Bale for me. I can only go back as far as Derek Statham!

[St Landrew]

Younger generation, I'm going for Bridgey aswell. Either him or Olivier Bernard.

Sorry Arizona, but that made me LOL.

[The Fat Controller]

well youve got Mark Dennis, Gareth Bale, Wayne Bridge, Derek Statham. My Vote out of loyalty even though not the best is for Franny Benali

[NickG]

Mick Mills
Reuban Agboola

[fish fingers]

Patrick Colleter, solid

[DarrenLeTiss]

Left back is a hard one, seeming we had Benali for so long and despite his enthusiasm he was quite pants.

Think I will go for Bale.

[Panda]

Tommy Traynor?

[fanimal]

Like Bridgey.

Who scored most goals, got in crosses, made tackles and blocks ie defended and attacked with real effect - I bet David Peach would come out on top just ahead of Denis Hollywood.

[Papa Shango]

In my time following Saints, has to be Bridge.

[Chez]

Bridge is the best crosser of the ball I have ever seen. Totally one footed though and doesn't look like he has improved much since he joined Chelsea. I'd liked to have seen Bale in ther top flight for us, as its impossible to compare his performances with Bridgers due to the difference in quality of the opposition. He looks a more gofted player to me, but looks rather nieve when I have seen him for Spurs and Wales. Mark Dennis was good but not as good IMO. Statham had a terrific season for us but I'd describe him as solid rather than special.

[derry]

Tommy Traynor?

Ahead of his time, lovely left foot, great sliding tackle would do for me.

He won't win it as he won't be known to the latecomers after the sixties.

Mick Mills would take some beating, even though he played both sides and probably one of the most influential players ever.

[krissyboy31]

Mark Dennis for me. Great player in Saints' best ever team. Bridge, Peach, Statham and Bale all deserve a mention (although Bale didn't play enough games for us to really be included).

Just a question!! Why the left back before the right back? Or am I the only one that still thinks of the RB wearing No.2 and LB wearing No.3?

[slickmick]

Denise Rolfe... only kidding. Mark Dennis for me, he scared the sxxt out of wingers.

[derry]

Put you suggestions here. Nominees need not be specialist LBs, just the best performers in that position.

Note: The position of goalkeeper is not a problem, but outfield players have to suit a formation. Modern day formations can be almost anything they want to be, and some of the older formations like 2-3-5 just wouldn't be recognised by the majority of today's fans. So let's just stick with 4-4-2, which is the formation Saints adopted as early as 1967 for Away matches.

They played under Ted Bates from 1954, - Nos 2, 5, 3 at the back with a defensive 6, - 4 and 10 in midfield, 7 and 11 wide with an attacking inside right 8 supporting the centre forward 9.

My God! isn't that what they are playing this season? 4 4 1/1 and isn't that 4 4 2? (or if the bloke in the hole got his finger out and got up in support of the front man, as he is supposed to, it would be).

[Fowllyd]

Saints haven't been blessed with many outstanding LBs, over the years. Wayne Bridge is an obvious good suggestion, and Mark Dennis is another. But I think I'll go for David Peach.

Good call, and I'd add Nick Holmes to the list. Not his favoured position admittedly, but he was pretty good there. And I'd just want him to be in a best-ever Saints team!

[Oz]

tommy traynor - 400+ league games

[Teddy Nutkins]

Steve Mills, great player, career cut short by injury, life cut short by illness.

[VectisSaint]

I know there is always disagreement because of the age of subscribers, but for those of us a little longer in the tooth, Dave Peach has to be the greatest LB for Saints. Can you forget the pen against Palace that got us to Wembley? Highest scoring full back in League history (at the time) 34 goals in 224 apps. Played in 2 cup finals for Saints (how many others can claim that? Nick Holmes is the answer by the way). Scored the opener in the League Cup Final against Forest. On top of all of that, was one of the best blokes I ever met at Saints. At the time was more of a cult hero than even Franny became. I know we don't need 2 expert pen takers in a team, and assume Tiss will make the greatest ever XI, but it is actually debatable which one was the best at this skill. Oh what we would give for either of them to take pens for us now.

[new_zealand_saint]

i'd go for Benali personally

bridge was good, but didn't have the legendary status that benali had

and as for bale...well, he couldn't defend to save is life!! for me, best £10m we ever made

[eurosaint]

Would anyone like to consider Jermaine Wright who played a few games in that position ??
Perhaps not, eh !!

[mynameisthehulk]

Micky Adams?

[bridge too far]

It's gotta be my boy

[Channon's Sideburns]

Peachie with no doubts!

Saw him in Lymington the other day, used to play with his son Dan in my younger years...we were 11, he was 8 and used to run rings round everyone.

As far as I'm concerned, the others are nowhere close - can you find another LB these days who....

a) Scores Perfect Penalties;
b) Bombs down the wing like a man possessed.

[Thedelldays]

bridge

[badgerx16]

David Peach, closely followed by Frannie Benali. Bale and Bridge weren't here long enough and still hadn't matured by the time they left; and neither had half the commitment and willingness to die for the cause that always made up for FB's lack of ability.

[Hatch]

Note to all above.

the answer is Mark Dennis

[bjk]

Mark Dennis without a doubt.Hard as nails and he could put in a great cross.My mind goes back to a Friday night at the Dell in 1984 when we played Liverpool in a live televised game in which he put in a brilliant cross after darting down the left wing,Mark Wright nodded it back and Danny Wallace scored the goal of the season with an overhead kick.Those were the days.

[Arizona]

Would anyone like to consider Jermaine Wright who played a few games in that position ??
Perhaps not, eh !!

Outclassed by Steven O'Halloran IMO. (He was playing for Swansea reserves the other night and still looked distinctly average.)

[adriansfc]

Bridge every time. He's a useful part of one of the best squads in the world now, and will win a lot of England caps. He has no doubt improved since us, but he was more consistent than anyone and set up a lot of goals from full back. Much better than Bale.

His only problem with Chelsea and England is the number of games. If he played every game he'd be on far better form. If I were any other Prem manager I'd want him signed at any cost.

[Appy]

Bridge in my lifetime.

[John B]

LB

Mark Dennis

Wayne Bridge

David Peach

Dennis Hollywood

RB

Stuart Williams

Ivan Golac

Mick Mills

Peter Rodriques

[saint1977]

Saints haven't been blessed with many outstanding LBs, over the years. Wayne Bridge is an obvious good suggestion, and Mark Dennis is another. But I think I'll go for David Peach.

I normally agree with you St L on most things, particularly real ale, but not on this. LB has been a rich area for Saints, compare it to other clubs in the same period. David Peach, Mark Dennis, Derek Statham (would have been a England regular but for injury at WBA and Saints), Wayne Bridge (is an England regular), Gareth Bale (might be PL star for a long,long time) and we could be seeing Joseph Mills in the PL in years to come but it is unlikely to be with Saints!

I vote for Wayne Bridge just about over Mark Dennis, Dennis was a better player than Bridge and should have had 50 England caps but his disciplinary record was shocking!

[saint1977]

Actually Micky Adams pre-knee injury was a very decent left-back, he was still a crowd favourite with a good dig on him afterwards but had lost a bit of pace and bite.

[Hunty]

Mark Dennis. Only his temperament stopped him being an England regular!

[Saint Mary]

All good JohnB but those of us who can go back to the 50's would probably put Tommy Traynor above them.

[John B]

All good JohnB but those of us who can go back to the 50's would probably put Tommy Traynor above them.

No I thought of Traynor as I saw him play lots of times but I felt as he played in Div 2 and 3 he did not have the Quality to be the greatest LB

[John B]

Mark Dennis. Only his temperament stopped him being an England regular!

Exactly

It was not only his temperament on the field , I understood from a friend who lived in Birmingham that he caused all sorts of problems off the field

[ottery st mary]

Grew up watching Tommy Traynor and then Dennis Hollywood.
Very much like Wayne Bridge for my greatest saints side with David Peach a close second.


Wayne BRIDGE for LB.

[rpb]

Grew up watching Tommy Traynor and then Dennis Hollywood.
Very much like Wayne Bridge for my greatest saints side with David Peach a close second.


Wayne BRIDGE for LB.

I could have written that... my views and experience exactly.

I also played against Dennis Hollywood in the local leagues after he retired and had put on many pounds - he still knew how to tackle!

[ottery st mary]

I could have written that... my views and experience exactly.

I also played against Dennis Hollywood in the local leagues after he retired and had put on many pounds - he still knew how to tackle!

Apart from Gabriel/McGrath, Dennis Hollywood probably one of the hardest on the field but a nice guy away from football...we could do with some of these players now to stiffen up the back line.

[Window Cleaner]

Steve Mills was probably the best left back I ever saw at SFC,
Mick Mills after that.

[s0108787]

Wayne Bridge

[St Landrew]

Mark Dennis for me. Great player in Saints' best ever team. Bridge, Peach, Statham and Bale all deserve a mention (although Bale didn't play enough games for us to really be included).

Just a question!! Why the left back before the right back? Or am I the only one that still thinks of the RB wearing No.2 and LB wearing No.3?

You're not alone KB. Although I started this particular thread off, the topic itself is not mine, it being Darren LeTiss's. He asked for the LB position to be nominated for first, so who am I to argue..?

Normally I would have asked for RB nominations first. Perhaps we'll correct the faux pas once we get to the midfield. How about that..?

EDIT: Just looked up through the thread, and there appears to be some misunderstanding. We're looking for the BEST LB as a footballer, not the most popular, or one with the greatest legendary status. It might be a good idea to remember that.

[Marlborough Saint]

David Peach was the best, closely followed by Nick Holmes.

[explorer saint]

Steve Mills of course!

[Window Cleaner]

David Peach was the best, closely followed by Nick Holmes.

Nick Holmes at left back?? don't remember going to that game then.