TOP 10 COLLECTION

TOP TEN COLLECTION

THIS WEEK WE LOOK AT THE TOP 10 ECCENTRIC FOOTBALLERS EVER....

10 JOSE LUIS CHILAVERT

They say all goalkeepers are mad. And this one certainly lives up to this view. Not only did he manage to score an incredible 27 goals for his country Paraguay and countless more for his clubs, he also stole the cap off a ball boy and threatened to beat-up a photographer by the pitch for taking too long to throw the ball back. The sight of him sprinting back to goal after an unsuccessful free-kick fully deserves the title eccentric.

9 PAUL GASCIOGNE

No list of eccentrics, footballers or otherwise would be complete without a mention of Gazza. His close relationship with Vinnie Jones and extraordinary celebration after scoring against Scotland in Euro ’96 epitomised his unique character.

8 GEORGE BEST

Whether or not he was truly eccentric, his actions off the pitch were at best memorable. Of particular note was his legendary popularity with women and his constant enjoyment of going out when meant to be training or even a match. Although by today’s standards he may seem tame, in his day Best was a bit special in many ways.

7 STUART PEARCE

Anyone whose nickname is ‘psycho’ surely deserves a place in this list. Pearce’s toughtackling and thunderous free-kicks were not his only notable features with his shouting and extraordinary celebrations during his playing career and also evident on the touchline as a manager.

6 ERIC CANTONA

Cantona was one of those players that for 99% of the time was sheer brilliance and for the rest of it was a bit barmy. Whilst some remember his FA. Cup Final goal and his sublime skill, he will largely be known for his karate kick on a Crystal Palace supporter and numerous stamps on opposition players.

Bungs and match fixing aside, Grobbelaar truly was an eccentric footballer. For all his brilliance, he could be seen sprinting half the length of the pitch to berate his players, and wobbling his legs to put off opposition players. His amazing ponytail whilst playing for Southampton only serves to emphasise his position as eccentric.

4 FRANCIS LEE

The Manchester City legend was seen as a completely eccentric in his day as he was the first to use a simulated fall (dive) to win penalties. As well as this he had several memorable on-the-pitch fights with opponents and team-mates alike – truly unique.

3 SOCRATES

This man would have avoided this list hadn’t joined the British non Town after his glittering career with Brazil, sparking Pele to name him as ‘one of the best ever’. Whether this was a shrewd transfer or not is unclear, but certainly a little eccentric. if only he -league side Garforth

2 FABIAN BARTHEZ

Another goalkeeper! For all of his brilliance, Barthez has had moments of deep eccentricity in his career, such as trying (and failing) to take on an opposition striker when keeping goal for Manchester United and also requiring a kiss on the head from Laurent Blanc before every international game for his native France. Mad.

1 VINNIE JONES

Jones was central to the resurgence of Wimbledon during the era of the ‘Crazy Gang’ during the 1990’s and his behaviour certainly lives up to the title. He once got a booking after five seconds and was one of the original Premiership hard men getting sent off twelve times in his career.

Travellers’

EDITOR KEVIN PIPKIN CONTINUES TO WRITE ABOUT FOLLOWING THE STREET ON THEIR TRAVELS THIS SEASON. THIS WEEK WE LOOK BACK ON THE LONG TRIP TO NEW MILTON...

TALES

NEW MILTON TOWN ● SATURDAY 28th AUGUST 2021

THE JOURNEY It’s an early start for one of our longest trips of the season, not only do we have the Bank Holiday traffic to contend with but we also have a festival in the local area resulting in an earlier kick-off time of Noon.

I’m at Foxcotte Park nice and early to get the team sheets printed off, there isn’t much else I can do as John has the kit and Jamie has all the warm-up equipment.

The management and backroom staff arrive at 8:30 and before we set off the shirts are put onto coat hangers. The new light blue goalkeeper’s shirt has had a modification after the number 1 on the back was put on back to front and wasn’t noticed until before setting off for the Moneyfields game in midweek New Street! – only at

We set off at 9am and make good progress, missing out the potentially hazardous A34 & Bank Holiday traffic on the M3 by taking the back roads through Romsey and joining the M27 before driving through the picturesque New Forest.

Physio Pete Tunney gives me a history lesson on the origins of the New Forest and that it was claimed as a royal forest by William the Conqueror, featuring in the d book. oomsday

We arrive at New Milton’s JMC Stadium with plenty of time and get the dressing room ready with some of the players already there waiting.

THE GROUND

The JMC Stadium is a nice venue, with main stand running centrally along one of the sides. With the earlier kick-off a larger crowd is expected with ground hoppers given the opportunity to watch this game and then catch one of the nearby games at 3pm. official attendance of 79 was recorded so I guess many decided to watch the Man City Arsenal game on TV instead. However, an vs.

THE FOOD

The refreshment kiosk offers hot or cold drinks, as well as a hot pie, sausage roll, vegan sausage roll or chocolate bars. There are no cheese burgers or hot dogs offered and I don’t have time to partake in a pie, although I do have a sausage and chips in the clubhouse

after the game.

THE PROGRAMME

The programme had a welcome to the Street from both the New Milton Chairman, Lou Fern and also Linnet’s boss Paul Turner. A page was dedicated to the club’s history and there was a back page squad list but that aside there wasn’t a great deal in it.

THE GAME It was all change for the Street with five changes, with Danny Field, Adam Pearson and Lee Morris all making returns to defence. Shane Lock also returned after missing Tuesday’s defeat at Moneyfields and Ross Cook also returned to team after getting stuck on the A34 on Tuesday.

The Street were looking to get a good start to continue their recent form but were up against a New Milton side who had won their opening four league games. Despite going into the wind first half, the Street got off to a perfect start within 4 minutes when Ross Cook took on his marker and then smashed his effort past the New Milton keeper.

Halfway through the half the lead was extended thanks to the persistence of Lloyd Thompson, who quickly intercepted a pass out from the back and fired his effort past the keeper to make it 2-0!

New Milton did create a couple of chances but nothing that caused Sean O’Brien any issues in the Street goal and if anything we could have added to the lead with a couple of efforts from Cook and Luke Hooper.

The second half started with New Milton pushing further forward and their main threat Chris Long missing the target with a couple of efforts. The game was effectively killed off thanks to a brilliant counter attack move that started with the energetic Shane Lock winning the ball in the middle of the Street half and playing a delightful ball on the right to Ross Cook, who squared the ball into Luke Hooper’s path and the young striker showed why he’s at the top of the goal scoring charts with a fine finish.

New Milton to their credit kept going and got what turned out to be a consolation halfway through the second half when a deep free was headed home. This woke up the local support that had been relatively q majority of the game.

Towards the end of the game t getting a little feisty with some poor challenges going in, but there was little threat in front of goal and at the finish it was the Street out as winners and was New Milton’s first taste of defeat in the League this term.

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH -There were a number of candidates for man of-the-match after this game. Lee Morris putting in another solid performance at left back, Shane Lock was his usual energetic self, full of running and keeping possession well, but Ross Cook got the award with his fine display that was noticed by not only Street supporters but by the opposition fans on Twitter during the game, with one tweet claimin 8 was superb!

SUMMARY

An excellent day overall, despite the early start, we leave New Milton smiling and t three points were crucial in closing the gap at the top with Newport also losing. Folland Sports continue to set the pace with 5 wins out of 5 and I monitor the scores as we head for home and we safely arrive back at forward to another long midweek trip to Cowes in the League Cup! -kick uiet for the

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Pre-season Predictions

By Matthew Badcock

Pressure in football is supposedly reserved for managers, players and even referees – but there can’t be anyone who has to perform when it really matters like the physio.

Most of the time we’re used to seeing them dash on for minor knocks and strains. A bit of treatment, a blast of the freeze spray, a dab of the magic sponge, a squirt of the water bottle and on we go (I’m sure it’s roughly that easy!). Yet nobody is in the bar after saying, “Physio had a great game today”. It’s probably how they prefer it. Unseen, just going about their business quietly and efficiently.

But I’m here to argue physios – and other medical staff at games – are the most important people in a football ground. Because when something really goes wrong, they are front and centre – often with hundreds, if not thousands, of eyes staring right at them.

Anyone who has been in a ground when a bad injury occurs knows it can be quite a scary time – especially anything involving the head, neck or spine. I’ll never forget hearing a striker’s leg break in a challenge at the other end of a ground. Or seeing a player having a seizure on the ground.

But the medical experts can’t get caught up in all that. Keeping calm, assessing the situation, they go through their processes, using all their knowledge from years of studying and observing to give the best possible care to a player.

Already this season we’ve seen cases of games abandoned because of really bad injuries.

Last season Darlington’s Nicky Hunt suffered a head injury in a National League North game against Boston United.

Darlo therapist Danny O’Connor helped by the Pilgrims’ medical staff as well spoke after about the situation that even saw Hunt stop breathing twice. The team stayed in position for hours waiting for an ambulance, keeping Hunt comfortable. – who was –

“You kind of go into robot mode when something like this happens,” he told NE Sport News. “It’s a bit strange because you’re just dealing with the situation and everything else becomes irrelevant.

“It’s quite interesting really because when I’ve spoken to people afterwards the majority say they wouldn’t know what to do in that situation, whereas I felt quite comfortable knowing what to do and when to do it, but that just comes down to experience.”

It’s a remarkable responsibility to take on I’d wager the majority of us couldn’t do a job like that.

Last month Hallam physio Shannon Brooks drew high praise for her expertise and care when assistant referee Andrew Jarvis fell in during a game. Her quick actions saved his life and has led Shannon to fundraise for defibrillators having seen the importance of one being available first-hand.

Thankfully, incidents like this tend to be few and far between. Hopefully at your game today you have no real need to notice any of the medical staff. But let’s keep showing them the appreciation they deserve.