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Your Saints 'cult' hero


Colinjb

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Jhon Viafara was always good entertainment value - I remember him doing a simple 10 yard passing drill with George Burley before an away game and really struggling. But I loved how he drove us on in matches and his goals against Derby were certainly unexpectedly well executed. in hindsight probably should have cashed in on him after the play off semi - Derby were linked with a £5 or £6m move for him IIRC, must not have come forward with a proper bid as surely we would have taken that if offered.

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Already, I think, people are missing the point of "cult hero". A cult hero is an individual within a field of endeavour who is not immediately recognisable as a prominent figure. He, or she, is known and celebrated by a minority of "informed" aficianados.

 

For example, in popular music The Rolling Stones are not cult heroes; Kevin Ayers is. In literature, James Joyce is not a cult hero, but Knut Hamsun is. Cult heroes would be considered secondary or tertiary figures to mainstream taste. So, in the realm of SFC Le God is NOT a cult hero. Pahars is not a cult hero.

 

Hope that clarifies the concept.

 

This is dead right and why most people's suggestions don't qualify. However, as farawaysaint suggests Papa Waigo comes close, although surely his full name was Papa Waigo - Offside.

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There are a few obvious options for a Saints cult hero. Fanny, Claus, a certain hero-esque Guernsey-man...

 

But who else stands out for you? A particular player who may not have been the most talented but always stuck in your mind due to commitment to the cause, a few specific moments or just something that you couldn't specifically pinpoint, you just always liked the guy!

 

I'll get the ball rolling with Richard Chaplow.

 

They called him 'The Crab' at Preston North-End. He would only move and pass sideways, yet when he came back to St Mary's in 2010 I was really quite pleased.

 

His appearance, as a sufferer of alopecia was striking, but it was memories of his first loan spell with us in 2005 which came back, thinking of the composed and promising midfielder who came to us briefly to keep us in the championship after 'he who must not be named's' reign.

 

With Morgan and Hammond as his competition for a place he quickly made himself at home. Playing a strong role in our promotion and scoring a wonderful goal against Peterborough (where he ended up in the back of the net after a surging run through the middle to volley in a cross) and his thunderous strike against Manchester United in the FA Cup.

 

He revealed himself to be hot-headed too, and deserved his red card at Barnsley in the Championship for catching an opposing player in the groin with a high foot (his; ‘What did I do?’ expression afterwards was rather priceless.)

 

As we rose up the leagues, Chaplow, like Hammond, Seaborne, Martin, Sharp, Dickson, Harding, Butterfield, Fox and a few more, found himself now out of his depth. A couple of Sub appearances in our first season back in the top flight were his last for us, and he moved onto pastures new. But I always enjoyed watching Chaplow play for us. A bit unconventional, now a little bit forgotten, but very important player for us during one of our best times.

 

Still only 32, and now playing in the American second tier.

 

I look forward to other people’s suggestions.

 

You consider Fanny a potential cult hero?

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For people of my age group there can only be one John McGrath (RIP).

 

From the same era for me would have to be Eric Martin.

 

Big Crazy Hair, which gave he his Nickname of Harpo from The Marx Brothers and as becomes goal keepers quite eccentric.

 

His ritual of throwing the pre match kick about balls into the groundsman sack on the touch line and swapping positions with Channon and taking penalties whilst Mickey took up the keepers position,

was often more entertaining than some of the matches that followed!!

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Already, I think, people are missing the point of "cult hero". A cult hero is an individual within a field of endeavour who is not immediately recognisable as a prominent figure. He, or she, is known and celebrated by a minority of "informed" aficianados.

 

For example, in popular music The Rolling Stones are not cult heroes; Kevin Ayers is. In literature, James Joyce is not a cult hero, but Knut Hamsun is. Cult heroes would be considered secondary or tertiary figures to mainstream taste. So, in the realm of SFC Le God is NOT a cult hero. Pahars is not a cult hero.

 

Hope that clarifies the concept.

 

I fear there are some very thick people on this forum, who post without thinking.

 

And lo. :mcinnes:

 

Le tissier by miles
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Guly definitely in with a shout but for me it's got to be Maya Yoshida, never rated particularly highly by most here, but just a great team player who gives everything he's got, bloody love the bloke. One of those guys where it feels extra good when he contributes something big to a game, when he scores it feels like the whole stadium turns to one another in surprise when they realise it was Maya that popped up.

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Bit of a strange one but Billy Sharp for me. Only really featured for us over a 5 month period but his goals were vital and it seemed to mean so much to him, perhaps due to his family circumstances at the time. Glad to seem him do well with Sheff United.

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Phil Boyer - and very kindly he marked my first trip to the Dell with a brace.

 

Best of all he knocked my gobby mate off the wall at the Milton Road end during the tapping about just before kick off, my mate was in a heap on the floor, our little posse of nippers were on the verge of wetting ourselves with laughter, I swear Phil had a grin on his face probably having just won a fiver off Channon for knocking the nipper off the wall first time!!

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Moran, Le Tiss, Pahars, Beattie and Lambert in that order.

Don't have one today as players no longer hang around enough.

It takes a special kind of person to name not one but five players who are clearly not cult heroes.

 

Seriously, bravo.

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