Now then Chaps- as a bit of light relief during the close season
What would be your all time Pools 11?
Now the rules are simple, you have to have seen the players play
(not sure how to quantify that) for Pools. You can only select players that we have owned outright- so that would rule out Jan Ove and Kevin Poole for instance. You can also select 5 subs and a Team Manager -

I've been going since the Mid 80's - this is my selection (4-4-2)

Dimi in goal

Shuggy LB, Nelson CH Strodder CH, Sterry RB

Monkhouse LM, Miller CM, Boland CM, Williams E. RM

Joel Porter , Gordon Watson

Subs- Paul Haigh, Paul Baker, Brian Honour, Joe Allon & Paul Smith

Manager - Danny Wilson

1. Dimi
2. Hugh Robertson
3. Nelson
4 Ayre
5. Sterry
6 Monkhouse
7 Sweeney
8 Holahan
9 Allon
10 Boyd
11 Baker
Subs Miller, Boland, Baker , Barron, Porter
Manager Dave Challinor

You must be young if you place Sterry ahead of Rob McKinnon.

Sterry is no where near his level.

Playing 4-3-3.
Goal. Green
RB Barron
LB Drysdale
CB Moore (Wattie)
CB Linighan
RM Mc Govern
CM Newton (Jackie)
LM Luke
ST Johnson (Ken)
ST Newton( Bob)
ST McGuigan
Subs Watling, McKinnon, Nelson, Porter, Phythian.

Manager. Clough.
For GK either Green or Watling as first choice, both great keepers.

No room for Stamper?

You must be young if you place Ste5g7rry ahead of Rob McKinnon.

Sterry is no where near his level.

Thanks, I'll take that- I'm 45

MacKinnon is a good shout- remember him scoring a late winner in a 4-3 home victory I think it was against Wigan circa 92. It was a huge relief after Pools went 3 up after about 15 mins before almost snatching defeat from the jaws of victory!

1. Les Green
2. Tricky Dicky Malone
3. Brian Drysdale
4. Tony Parry
5. David Linighan
6. Micky Spellman
7. Eric McMordie
8. Ernie Phythian
9. Big Bad Bob Newton
10. KEITH HOUCHEN
11. Paul Baker

Subs: Too many to choose from
Manager Brian Clough and Peter Taylor

Any 11 if Mr Clough and Peter Taylor are managing.

Youre just a nipper,lol

Les Green proper keeper, And Killip thinks he is one.

Surprised not mentioned Jimmy Mulvaney, 67Apps , 31 Goals.

http://barryhugmansfootballers.com/player/14204

GK Dimi
RB Barron
LB McKinnon
CB MacPhail
CB Gilchrist
RM Honour
LM Dalton
CM Tinkler
CM Miller
CF Baker
CF Allon

Subs Monkhouse, Watson, Sterry, Armstrong, Porter
Manager Neale Cooper

Watling
Potter
Linighan
Dawes
McKinnon
Miller
Tinkler
McMordie
Honour
Williams
Allon

Subs Carson, Barron, Baker, Houchen, Baldwin

Manager Turner ( based on his 1st spell and the quality of football we played)

Gk Dimi
LB Mckinnon
CB Gilchrist
CB Nelson
RB Nobbs
CM Miller
CM Emerson
LW Dalton
RW Brown
ST Boyd
ST Porter

Subs
Westwood, Honour, Tinkler, Saville, Allon

Manager Knowles

Thought of him and many more but, as usual, such an idea has limited answers but my emphasis is the shape of the team rather than individuals.
Rock solid in defence, ultra creative in midfield and deadly finishers. I could however put
at least another thirty into the squad and still leave favourites out. Hard job.

Same age as me then, I remember that goal well.

I started going a similar time to you, I think I would possibly stick in Dean Emerson over Boland though

all fans do stuff like this and its surprising the names you have forgotton about till you see em in print again.

Same age as me then, I remember that goal well.

I started going a similar time to you, I think I would possibly stick in Dean Emerson over Boland though


Emerson was quality up until the point he smashed his cheek bone, lost his bottle a bit after that, and was a shadow of his former self.

Andy Saville was another favourite from those days- think he scored on his debut v Darlo in a 2 nil win which seemed to be a really sunny day from memory - think the second was an own goal by Kevin Smith who had the turning circle of a tanker and us Poolies were pissing ourselves laughing as much as we celebrated ! Saville also bookended our infamous goal drought

1 Watling
2 Goad
3 McKinnon
4 Ayre
5 Rowlands
6 Tinkler
7 Dalton
8 Sweeney
9 Newton
10 Boyd
11 Honour

1. Eddie Blackburn
2. Jamie Sterry
3. Rob McKinnon
4. Dean Emerson
5. Andy Linighan
6. Billy Ayre
7. Nathan Thomas
8. Mark Tinkler
9. Bob Newton
10. Adam Boyd
11. Paul Smith

How about:
Brown
Smithies
Gibbon
Moore
A linighan
McCluskey
Dolan
Herring
Folland
Johnson
Lithgo

All Hartlepool born and bred. Could name many many more and they say we never give local lads a chance.

Hmmm

Tough call but here goes

1 Dimi
2 Sterry
3 McKinnon
4Macphail
5 Westwood
6 Humphries
7 Boyd
8 Sweeny
9 Allon
10 Porter
11 Honour

Subs: Nobbs, Hodge, Beardsley, Halliday, Williams

1-Dimi
2-Nobbs
3-McKinnon
4-Tinkler (M)
5-McPhail
6-Ayre
7-Honour (B)
8-Miller
9-Houchen
10-Watson
11-Dalton

Subs: Sterry, A. Linighan, Pederson, Boyd, Allon

Manager-N. Cooper

Anyone who hasn’t put Barry Watling in goal is on crack!

Also, no room for Ray Kennedy or Peter Beardsley? Are we ignoring England internationals?

Tough call this....

Dimi
Nobbs
McKinnon
Nelson
Gilchrist
Honour
Mark Tinkler
Miller
Dalton
Baker
Allon

Subs
Hodge
Porter
Barron
Boyd
Boland

Bakes and Joe get the striker positions as they were my heroes as a kid and their partnership was fantastic.
A few unlucky to miss out like Macphail, lee, Emerson,widdrington,saville, Watson,eifion, monkhouse and sweens.

Agree with Watling, a fantastic keeper who absolutely smashed the League record for minutes played without conceding. Think he had an outstanding penalty saving run too if memory serves.

As for Kennedy and Beardsley, both were well past their sell by dates when they came to us and although I remember flashes of brilliance I dont remember either as being consistently stand out players.

Kennedy was just before my time.
Beardsley's debut goal from about 30 yards on New Year's Day v Cambridge was Roy of the Rovers stuff- being stood on the Town End right behind it. Think Barron scored his only goal that day too in a 2-2 draw.

Jan ove pedersen has got to be in midfield what a player, gabbiadini and Watson up front what a pair they would of been.

Mr BP - may I refer you to the original post-

you have to have seen the players play
(not sure how to quantify that) for Pools. You can only select players that we have owned outright- so that would rule out Jan Ove and Kevin Poole for instance. You can also select 5 subs and a Team Manager


,Gabbiadini- assuming you mean Riccardo rather than Marco! lol

Riccardo Gabbiadini- seem to remember he had thighs like tree trunks and he was shite!

Marco was a class act though more Darlo, Sunlun and Norfampton. Probably only played about a dozen games for us- scored some good goals - particularly remember a late winner at Stockport on a Tuesday Night.

I’m obviously in Derwent era and look to Wattie Moore, Ken Johnson and my favourite all time forward George Luke. Without sub. appearances Moore and Johnson would have the record number of appearances. I must admit however I was not Johnson’s greatest fan but his loyalty to Pools was second to non.

Aye Mr J, us old codgers have witnessed some great players from the fifties. Wattie Moore and Kenny Johnson were actually signed from Seaton Holy Trinity and were extraordinary servants to Pools. Those two were members of the Mr Consistent club, always gave their all. The day we played Chelsea, who were champions of England at the time. in the FA Cup, I watched Wattie completely tuck Roy Bentley, England centre forward, in his pocket.
Us two are lucky enough to be able to include such as those when selecting our Pools eleven. We have a massive advantage.
And yes George Luke was class. Good enough to get a move to Newcastle from Pools.

personally i thought ken johnson possibly stayed at pools a couple of seasons too long. cannot knock his loyalty or the lub to him at the time but thought he was a shadow of himself in the end. Watty Moores lack of height possibly stopped him reaching the top of the game. just imagine how good he would have been a few inches taller.

At the tail end of his career Kenny played in midfield occupying the old right half position having lost a bit of pace and he did struggle and it was typical of his attitude of not giving in, but father time always wins in the end. Wattie did lack a bit of height but the height and timing of his jumps made up for that. He was also a great passer of the ball which enabled him to turn defence into attack in a flash. He started off as a centre forward so knew the value of a finely weighted through ball. It is over sixty years since I last saw him play but it is credit to his ability and entertainment value that I remember him vividly.

At the tail end of his career Kenny played in midfield occupying the old right half position having lost a bit of pace and he did struggle and it was typical of his attitude of not giving in, but father time always wins in the end. Wattie did lack a bit of height but the height and timing of his jumps made up for that. He was also a great passer of the ball which enabled him to turn defence into attack in a flash. He started off as a centre forward so knew the value of a finely weighted through ball. It is over sixty years since I last saw him play but it is credit to his ability and entertainment value that I remember him vividly.

I could be wrong but I believe Wattie played for Oxford St OB I don’t believe he ever played for Seaton. The only other Seaton player from that time was Jackie Smith.

The record books also state that Wattie signed from Oxford St OB. It's just that I seem to remember that Kenny once told me that he and Wattie signed from Seaton but it is obviously wrong information.