10,000th post - the XI i've most enjoyed watching

The one I wouldn't have anywhere near my all time team would be Jack Lester.

Never rated him at all when he was here. Although he went on to have a half-decent career, the only thing he was good at (in my opinion of course), was conning referees out of penalties.

I've just noticed I joined over 10 years ago! (April 2008!)

My team would be fimiliar to yours except I'd have to have Steve kabba, Michael reddy, Disley and Coyne on my teamsheet somewhere... I'm slightly too young to remember the likes of Cummings though

Well....suprised at Omar being included amongst some genuine proven quality in there .....

and also at some of the Jack Lester unappreciation....in my mind Jack only "conned" the centre halves into making rash challenges ....which he duly fell over...i never had him as a diver or a conman just very slippery and adept at drawing a foul.

Quoted from Les Brechin

The one I wouldn't have anywhere near my all time team would be Jack Lester.

Never rated him at all when he was here. Although he went on to have a half-decent career, the only thing he was good at (in my opinion of course), was conning referees out of penalties.

I understand your logic.I agree we've had better forwards but what I'm getting at is the enjoyment i got from seeing him in his first games as a callow youth, develop steadily into a clever, skilful good player. Thought Daryl Clare would follow the same path but it wasn't to be

Fao moosey  included b ogle because he was a breath of fresh air , the best we've had for years. I used to look forward to going to watch him and that's a very rare thing. Used to love watching livvo but that was more for comedy value!

Livvo, when his back was not playing up(admit it was not easy to predict), but when he was sound, quality player and GTFC 100%.

What a great post, the eleven you've most enjoyed watching rather than the best eleven, adds a completely different dynamic to it I think.

Based on the enjoyment factor I would go with the following:

GK: Steve Mildenhall.  For me he set the benchmark of what a goalkeeper should be.  Commanding, dominant, vocal, strong and decent distribution.  There might be a breath of fresh air element with here after a few years of utter junk between the sticks.  I've enjoyed McKeown's reflex saves and also the way Henderson came in at such a young age and showed such authority.  Aidan Davison was of a similar style but Mildenhall edges it as a lot of our attacks came through his powerful and low punts forward or quick throws.

RB: Peter Bore.  No doubt will surprise a few people and I'm in no way suggesting he's a patch on Macca.  But for that 09/10 season there was large parts where he was the highlight.  Our only player with attacking intent with his long runs from defence into attack, usually came to nothing but he gave entertainment which is what this eleven is about.  

LB: Connor Townsend.  One of the most stand-out players I've seen in comparison to the level he was playing at.  Both spells he was simply awesome.  Every time he got the ball I was expecting something to happen, often it did.  It was against a poor side but the way him and Jamie Green tore Stockport apart in the 7-0 game is probably the best I've ever seen two Town players link up all game, that's including the Gary Childs/Tony Rees/Neil Woods back heel combos.

CB: Paul Futcher.  Simply gorgeous on the ball, I could have watched Futch all day, every day.  He was that good.  The only regret is that we didn't see him when he was younger and with a yard of pace, that said I don't recall him ever getting done for legs.  His battles with John Aldridge were worth the entry fee alone.

CB: Justin Whittle.  Similar to Mildenhall in that he benefits from coming into a position where we struggled for a few years but I just loved watching The Sarge play. Always had a smile on his face and just a genuinely hard (but fair) bloke.  It would have done my head in if he was on the opposing team but the way he used to  guide the ball out for a goal-kick from about 40 yards out was ace.

RW: John Oster.  Best player I've seen for Town, ever.  A pure magician on the ball, the first spell of his loan return he was unplayable at times. I dare say he more or less kept us in with a chance of avoiding relegation on his own that season.  The point he went back to Sunderland we just collapsed and never recovered.

LW: Dave Gilbert.  If you looked at him you would never think he was a footballer.  Tiny, probably carrying a bit too much timber, absolutely no pace but bloody hell you couldn't get the ball off him.  His trick was that dropped shoulder and the drag inside and everyone knew it was coming, even the defenders but they still couldn't do anything about it.  Thunderbolt of a shot and I loved his approach to taking free-kicks, no faffing about with whipping it in or bending it round.  Just hammer it!  

CM: Georges Santos.  Played most of his games for us at centre-back but he's in my midfield. Proper beast of a player in a side that seemed quite weak otherwise.  Could head the ball further than most people can kick it.  I think more than anything I just liked the way he conducted himself, he oozed self-confidence in what he did despite the fact he wasn't that great a player.  

CM: Wayne Burnett.  Everything he did was effortless.  He never looked to be trying or at times even moving but he had such an air of authority about him on the ball.  Good in the air, capable of going long or short, chipped in with goals, great vision.  Just lacked a bit of pace, which is probably why we had him.

ST: Steve Livingstone.  A real alternative to the tippy-tappy approach favoured by Alan Buckley.  Nothing quite like seeing him come on as a sub and just batter a defence into submission, classic examples of Leicester in the cup 1997 and Tranmere in the league 1999 (?) when he more or less killed their 'keeper.  

ST: David Neilsen.   Yeah he proved himself to be a greedy sod and his head dropped massively when it became apparent he wasn't going to be getting the money he wanted from us.  But when he first arrived he was electric.  The game he came off the bench (Huddersfield I think) he was a complete breath of fresh air and then the next game (QPR he was up top with Livvo and Bradley Allen just behind them.  It was poetry in motion.  A battering ram, sheer pace and then a little bit of know-how playing them in.  I seem to remember he wanted £6k a week which we refused and then a few months later we paid £13k+ for a bang average centre-back.  Odd.  

some good choices in there diehard.
another one i'd forgotten but comes into the reckoning would be Steve Kabba - very similar to Neilson in the spark he brought up front

Quoted from forza ivano

I understand your logic.I agree we've had better forwards but what I'm getting at is the enjoyment i got from seeing him in his first games as a callow youth, develop steadily into a clever, skilful good player. Thought Daryl Clare would follow the same path but it wasn't to be

Fao moosey  included b ogle because he was a breath of fresh air , the best we've had for years. I used to look forward to going to watch him and that's a very rare thing. Used to love watching livvo but that was more for comedy value!

Bogle frustrated the life out of me personally....appreciated his goals but never a consistent performer which drives me crackers...the Omar hands on head, mini sulk and lack of positional discipline as he dropped deeper and deeper to get the ball were as much a feature as flashes of excitement.
Next season will be a big one for him, wherever he is, as he hasn't hit the expected/predicted heights as yet.

GK Danny Coyne..made the job look so simple. Stand out game in a draw at Preston where his performance earned him 10/10 in the Sunday papers.
RB John McDermott...not just for his excellent defending but also the occasional goal..Bradford away in the cup in 99 springs to mind.
LB Dean Crombie. Another who made defending look easy.
CB Paul Futcher. Calmness personified.."You'll never beat Paul Futcher"
CB Chris Nicholl another super cool defender in my favourite season (83/84).
RM Although the truest definition of a right winger. Stuart Brace. When you are 11 and at your second ever Town game and the right winger gets the ball just inside his own half and 10 seconds later it's being walked into the opponents net it tends to stick with you.
CM Alan Pouton..you never knew what he was going to do..ridiculous step overs 100% tackling goals in the right end and a penchant for the occasional own goal.
CM Trevor Whymark class!
LM Michael Boulding..another with incredible, exciting pace..especially in his first spell.
ST Matt Tees. Best header of a ball I've had the pleasure of seeing. Best penalty getter (Lester eat your heart out) and so many important goals.
ST Kev Drinkell. Had everything...remember him pushing a Town player out of the way in front of the Pontoon to get to a ball. Two seconds later its in the net.
I've been blessed over the last 50 years...

No Dave Gilbert? most skillfull left winger I’ve ever seen play for town created loads of goals plus awesome free kick.