Top 20 Saints of all time

[gio1saints]

Discussion on Adam Lallana elsewhere got me thinking on this as I’d say he is in the top twenty. But where? And what’s the criteria? Future /previous glory at other clubs / internationally can make a big difference - I’m going to give it a try off top of my head so apologies for missing some out and I’m allowed to come back and edit these names! 

1. MLT ( no arguing allowed) 2. Shearer ( mainly for England and Premiership goals) 3. Shilton ( our best ever goalie so also no arguing allowed) 4.Bale ( who won EVERYTHING as a player) 5. Paine ( appearances) 6. Keegan Eng captain & pfa player of the year AT Saints! 7. Channon 8. Ball ( he won a World Cup so don’t argue!) 9. Van Dyke ( our best ever CB) 10. Ron Davies legend 11. Mane multiple title winner 12. Adam! 13. Sir Rickie Lambert (because) 14. Luke Shaw 15. Theo 16. JWP ( direct free kicks  and consecutive matches) 17. Tadic (class) 18. Jose Fonte 19. Chivers 20 Bates/Franny legend. 🤣

That was my first off top of my head version. So please calm down it’s only for fun. Now to check google ChatGPT grok Siri and Alexa plus no doubt get schooled by MLG and Saints historians shortly! 😇

[Turkish]

Is this list the top 20 players who have ever played for Saints or is this the top 20 players of what they achieved whilst at Saints or something else? It appears to be a mix of and lacks consistency.

For example you've go Bale in at second who had one good season at Saints never achieving anything whilst here, Shearer at second whose best ever goal tally whilst at Saints was 13 but both went onto achieve great things. You could argue that Shearer and Bale are not even in the top 50 of what they achieved at Saints but no doubt went onto become great players elsewhere. The confusing issue here is you then include JWP at 16 who has achieved very little in his career aside from being a fans favourite with us. You also include Fonte who with all respect is not even fit to lace Mark Wrights boots. 

For us to provide a comprehensive list we need more clarity as to the qualification criteria as your current list is, at best, a hodgepodge. 

[gio1saints]

Yes T it’s entirely subjective and there’s no clear rules just my  top of the head opinion. You can make up your own criteria, for fun, and see how it matches up. Someone like Bale and Mane did v little for us for instance but got wardrobes full of medals. 
 

Mark Wright good shout. It was not his fault he got his leg broke in the semi. Always liked him The ginger Beckenbaur. 

[VectisSaint]

1 hour ago, gio1saints said:

Discussion on Adam Lallana elsewhere got me thinking on this as I’d say he is in the top twenty. But where? And what’s the criteria? Future /previous glory at other clubs / internationally can make a big difference - I’m going to give it a try off top of my head so apologies for missing some out and I’m allowed to come back and edit these names! 

1. MLT ( no arguing allowed) 2. Shearer ( mainly for England and Premiership goals) 3. Shilton ( our best ever goalie so also no arguing allowed) 4.Bale ( who won EVERYTHING as a player) 5. Paine ( appearances) 6. Keegan Eng captain & pfa player of the year AT Saints! 7. Channon 8. Ball ( he won a World Cup so don’t argue!) 9. Van Dyke ( our best ever CB) 10. Ron Davies legend 11. Mane multiple title winner 12. Adam! 13. Sir Rickie Lambert (because) 14. Luke Shaw 15. Theo 16. JWP ( direct free kicks  and consecutive matches) 17. Tadic (class) 18. Jose Fonte 19. Chivers 20 Bates/Franny legend. 🤣

That was my first off top of my head version. So please calm down it’s only for fun. Now to check google ChatGPT grok Siri and Alexa plus no doubt get schooled by MLG and Saints historians shortly! 😇

Anyone who puts Channon 7th needs seriously arguing with, you cannot be serious. Personally will always think he was better than MLT. Also don't recall Dick van Dyke ever playing for us, not even as a sweeper. I guess youth influences your list, given it omits Steve Williams and Rod Wallace. 🫢

[gio1saints]

Stevie Williams is my favourite saints player of all time. Just loved his attitude. nobody close to his mf tenacity since then imo. Bad move to Arsenal and being played out of position for England put paid to him. So 
not quite in my top twenty best players overall. 

Rodney’s brother Danny was much better - imo.And he’s pretty close too. Fastest player I’ve seen at Dell. 

I’ve never seen a Channon highlights video ( unlike numerous mlt montages) but his goal celebration is certainly #1 all time for saints and he’s been / was v influential as an Eng player. 

Apologies for my spelling VVD incorrectly but I did expect pedantry of that nature so no harm done. 😁

[Badger]

4 minutes ago, gio1saints said:

 

I’ve never seen a Channon highlights video ( unlike numerous mlt montages) but his goal celebration is certainly #1 all time for saints and he’s been / was v influential as an Eng player. 

Apologies for my spelling VVD incorrectly but I did expect pedantry of that nature so no harm done. 😁

I posted one on here the other week.

[franniesTache]

My 20 would be

Le Tiss

Channon

Ron Davis

Terry Paine

Nick Holmes

David Armstrong

Ricky Lambert

Mark Wright

Shilton

Niemi

Pahars

Beattie

Ball

Moran

Schneiderlin

Van Dijk

Michael Svensson

Bertrand

Steve Williams

Keegan

Would've maybe included Danny Wallace, Golac and Flowers in there too and you could make a case for Bridge

[Holmes_and_Watson]

4 minutes ago, Badger said:

I posted one on here the other week.

I guess it's time to tell you that we don't read your posts. I didn't even read the one that prompted this post. It's pure coincidence if  this post seems to follow on from it. 🙂

[gio1saints]

17 minutes ago, Badger said:

I posted one on here the other week.

Sry Badger. Channon is a Saints superstar but I never felt he was as good as MLT.
And I thought Shilts as a goalie was more world class than Channon.
Some of mine ARE dubious- are Mane&Bale really valud Saints players? - but there’s no denying they won more medals after saints than we have ever had in our entire history. I claim a slice of the credit for saints and rank them high accordingly. Poor reason perhaps but ho hum. 

[benjii]

My top 20 favourites. Not necessarily the best. The ones I enjoyed watching the most. Emotions. For example, Shearer doesn't make it as I can barely remember him playing for us.

Didn't think for too long.

1. MLT

2. Beattie

3. Lambert

4. Pahars

5. Niemi

6. Bale

7. Doddsy

8. M Svenson

9. Lallana

10. Belmadi

11. Jay Rod

12. Ekelund

13. Bridgey 

14. KWP 

15. Mane

16. Ostenstad 

17. Kachloul

18. Marsden

19. Oakley

20. Guly

[gio1saints]

I like it- an emotion based list! Surely Danny Wallace? For Emo value I’d have SRL tops closely followed by Marian and Steve Moran. 

Edited 5 hours ago by gio1saints

[benjii]

My top 11 in a team. 

---Jay Rod---Lambert---Beattie----

-----Pahars----MLT------Belmadi-----

Bale----Svensson--Doddsy--Lallana

--------------Niemi---------------

[benjii]

2 minutes ago, gio1saints said:

I like it- an emotion based list! Surely Danny Wallace? 

I'm not old enough to have seen him. I saw Rod Wallace a few times and thought he was brilliant, but I can't really identify with him the same as the others.

[benjii]

My best actual XI from my top 20.

-----------Lambert---------

Mane-------MLT-------Bale

-------Ekelund----Oakley---

Bridgey--Svensson-Dodd-KWP

------------Niemi------------

 

[gio1saints]

It’s disgusting and I’m outraged no mention of Mark Dennis. Heroic player nasty as anything dirty as anything. Fantastic. Not like our sweet and lovely fullbacks today. Back then the job was to maim or destroy your opposing winger. He was good at it. Made Dodd, Benali and Ruddock look angelic. Maybe Stevie Williams was as nasty. Maybe. 

Edited 5 hours ago by gio1saints

[gio1saints]

Seems to me we were better when we were nasty. When did we get so nice to opponents? 

[Badger]

13 minutes ago, gio1saints said:

It’s disgusting and I’m outraged no mention of Mark Dennis. Heroic player nasty as anything dirty as anything. Fantastic. Not like our sweet and lovely fullbacks today. Back then the job was to maim or destroy your opposing winger. He was good at it. Made Dodd, Benali and Ruddock look angelic. Maybe Stevie Williams was as nasty. Maybe. 

Dennis was a cult figure at the time, and a bit of an icon. But best 20 Saints might be stretching it, even for me as one of his biggest fans at his time with the club. (Perhaps he could have been had he stayed for longer).

Could put John McGrath in same category. (In my view, but probably not widely held). 

[Holmes_and_Watson]

20 favs 

Nick Holmes

Dave Watson

Some other folk... 🙂

 

Mick Channon

Ronnie Ekelund

Matt Le Tissier

Steve Williams

Oriel Romeo

Kevin Keegan

Mick Mills

Danny Wallace

Steve Moran

Ricky Lambert

Antti Niemi

Michael Svensson

Tim Flowers

Marians Pahars

Alan Ball

Jimmy Case

David Armstrong

Chris Nicholl

 

[Toussaint]

Not sorted, but mine are

Ivan Golac

Matt Le Tiss

Joe Jordan

Mark Dennis

Alan Shearer

Jimmy Case

Dave Watson

Steve Williams

Kevin Keegan

James Beattie

Graziano Pele

Anti Niemi

Tim Flowers

Michael Svenson

Danny Wallace

Rod Wallace

Francis Benali

Marian Pahars

Jason Dodd

Wayne Bridge

[gio1saints]

11 minutes ago, Holmes_and_Watson said:

20 favs 

Nick Holmes

Dave Watson

Some other folk... 🙂

 

Mick Channon

Ronnie Ekelund

Matt Le Tissier

Steve Williams

Oriel Romeo

Kevin Keegan

Mick Mills

Danny Wallace

Steve Moran

Ricky Lambert

Antti Niemi

Michael Svensson

Tim Flowers

Marians Pahars

Alan Ball

Jimmy Case

David Armstrong

Chris Nicholl

 

So 1983/84 give or take a few players lol. Have to say I agree. Our best vintage. 

[gio1saints]

7 minutes ago, Toussaint said:

Not sorted, but mine are

Ivan Golac

Matt Le Tiss

Joe Jordan

Mark Dennis

Alan Shearer

Jimmy Case

Dave Watson

Steve Williams

Kevin Keegan

James Beattie

Graziano Pele

Anti Niemi

Tim Flowers

Michael Svenson

Danny Wallace

Rod Wallace

Francis Benali

Marian Pahars

Jason Dodd

Wayne Bridge

Joe Jordan!!!!!! We had Joe Jordan the monster.

He’d show our upfront lightweights what it’s all about. Talk about defending from the front! Harassing the defenders by biting their ears off tearing their arms off and such like. Him and Dowie mind. 😁😇

[Holmes_and_Watson]

2 minutes ago, gio1saints said:

So 1983/84 give or take a few players lol. Have to say I agree. Our best vintage. 

I really should have had Golac in there.

A period of sheer class in our history. 🙂

[gio1saints]

1 minute ago, Holmes_and_Watson said:

I really should have had Golac in there.

Our ONLY period of sheer class in our history. 🙂

Corrected it for you. 😁

[Holmes_and_Watson]

7 minutes ago, gio1saints said:

Corrected it for you. 😁

Oh, I don't know...

Nicholl's time with Le Tissier, the Wallace's, Shearer and Rideout; Under Koeman; Poch's system clicking; Ekelund and Le Tissier in the better bits of Ball in charge; That first moment of foresight in Anders Svensson's first pass, before he realised his team mates weren't good enough to see it. 🙂

[Saint Fan CaM]

4 hours ago, gio1saints said:

Discussion on Adam Lallana elsewhere got me thinking on this as I’d say he is in the top twenty. But where? And what’s the criteria? Future /previous glory at other clubs / internationally can make a big difference - I’m going to give it a try off top of my head so apologies for missing some out and I’m allowed to come back and edit these names! 

1. MLT ( no arguing allowed) 2. Shearer ( mainly for England and Premiership goals) 3. Shilton ( our best ever goalie so also no arguing allowed) 4.Bale ( who won EVERYTHING as a player) 5. Paine ( appearances) 6. Keegan Eng captain & pfa player of the year AT Saints! 7. Channon 8. Ball ( he won a World Cup so don’t argue!) 9. Van Dyke ( our best ever CB) 10. Ron Davies legend 11. Mane multiple title winner 12. Adam! 13. Sir Rickie Lambert (because) 14. Luke Shaw 15. Theo 16. JWP ( direct free kicks  and consecutive matches) 17. Tadic (class) 18. Jose Fonte 19. Chivers 20 Bates/Franny legend. 🤣

That was my first off top of my head version. So please calm down it’s only for fun. Now to check google ChatGPT grok Siri and Alexa plus no doubt get schooled by MLG and Saints historians shortly! 😇

I’m taking this list as those who have played for Saints at some point, had some affinity to the club and had really careers whether before, during or after. With that criteria most of this list I’d have to agree with, although I’d make the following changes (not observing a particular order)…

1. Shearer was hardly here for 2 minutes and has never particularly recalled his time with us with any fondness. Would sub in Beattie.

2. Fonte was instrumental in our rise through the leagues under Markus’ watch, however in terms of pure class I’d have to chose ‘Killer’.

3. Not sure I’d agree on Bates/Franny, although they’ve clearly got a piece of Saints history around them. I’d actually reserve this spot for a future star - for example, despite his teammates putting in a poor shift, Fernandes was a shining star last season and in my view will have a stellar career injuries permitting. It would be awesome if that journey had a bit more longevity at Saints.

[Gloucester Saint]

1 hour ago, gio1saints said:

So 1983/84 give or take a few players lol. Have to say I agree. Our best vintage. 

My first season of being a supporter…

[tttdcs]

Not in order but enjoyed watching these 20 .... Mick Channon Matt Le Tissier George Lawrence  Ivan Golac Mark Dennis Nick Holmes Steve Williams Jimmy Case Steve Moran Alan Ball Phil Boyer David Armstrong Matt Le Tissier Chris Nicholl Alan Shearer Anti Niemi Marian Pahars Peter Shilton Ricky Lambert Oriel Romeo

Edited 2 hours ago by tttdcs

[Golac's Cunning Stunts]

Glad to see Ivan getting a few mentions. I idolised him as a kid

[John B]

6 hours ago, Turkish said:

Is this list the top 20 players who have ever played for Saints or is this the top 20 players of what they achieved whilst at Saints or something else? It appears to be a mix of and lacks consistency.

For example you've go Bale in at second who had one good season at Saints never achieving anything whilst here, Shearer at second whose best ever goal tally whilst at Saints was 13 but both went onto achieve great things. You could argue that Shearer and Bale are not even in the top 50 of what they achieved at Saints but no doubt went onto become great players elsewhere. The confusing issue here is you then include JWP at 16 who has achieved very little in his career aside from being a fans favourite with us. You also include Fonte who with all respect is not even fit to lace Mark Wrights boots. 

For us to provide a comprehensive list we need more clarity as to the qualification criteria as your current list is, at best, a hodgepodge. 

Terry Paine did more for Southampton over the last sixty years getting us to Div 1 with Martin Chivers and getting a World Cup winners Medal. Martin was a fine player too better I think than Shearer and Lambert

 

Most of the others performed well at other Clubs with Shilton Bale VVD and Keegan being outstanding Peter Osgood was a fantastic player until he broke his leg did not achieve much with the Saints except of course an FA Cupp winners medal