Post by andyl on Jan 5, 2015 17:24:44 GMT
Yesterday Marc Iles posed a question seeking ideas re most memorable BWFC debuts witnessed. A problem is that over 55 years of Burnden and Reebok/Macron I cannot remember exactly what was a very early glimpse for me but not precisely a debut- hence the extneded thread title. I think there's also a distinction to be made between the debuts of home grown young players such as Clough on Saturday and the impact made by more experienced players when bought or loaned . I shall try to include examples of both in quite a short list of memories
1. When I was 9 in the early part of 1962 Bill Ridding introduced a young, fair haired winger whose impact was spectacular. He scored one or more in his first few home games and the game I particularly remember was v Man City. I can still see the open play goal and remember how excited I was-- Francis Lee
2. In the same era just before we signed a new centre forward essentially to replace Nat. In the first game he rose to a goalkick and powered a header to a wing colleague and I thought ' wow'. Wyn Davies
3. A little later in the 60s I made my way to Burnden for the last 20 minutes of a reserve game. A young centre forward had scored two or three goals I saw one and he was terrific. His first team debut was less spectacular but he was to become a stalwart - Roy Greaves. Also from that era we signed a Welsh wing back and in that first game he unleashed a thunderous shot from a long way out much as Richard Sneekes was to thirty years later but few others compare- Gareth Williams
4. Bet no one remembers this one. In 1969/70 I think it was the end of the season and there was nothing to pay for. A young left winger started and was brilliant. I think the game itself ran out at 0-0 and he hardly ever played again but I remmber that debut- Chris Duffey.. In somewhat similar circumstance albeit in a winning cup game v Sheff Utd Jeff Smith played a really exciting cameo debut
5. Back to the 70s by which time I was in the Burnden Paddock occasionally and we signed the old Liverpool great , Peter Thompson, He played superbly electrifying the crowd , beating men for fun and thinking his way through the game faster even than his colleagues . Pure class
6. Similar era I went to Huddersfield for a night game and a promising young centre half turned out in midfield all in red and we won and he was superb- Paul Jones
7 Much time then passes in part becasue we were poor and also I saw many fewer games and was less impressionable
8. I went to Oxford for an evening game in the 90s. It was 0-0 but Bruce Rioch had asked a young 19 year old to play at centre forward. He won lots in the air and impressed me a lot- Alan Thompson
9. I learnt that we had signed an ex Celtic player and couldn't attend the match but watched highlights to see this very clever opportunist goal against Bradford City- Andy Walker
10. i'm sure that the likes of Campo, Djorkaeff, Hierro must have impressed greatly and Eidur before but they rather grew on me so I'm not picking any of those
11. More recently after repeated cries for his inclusion Joe Riley got game v Stoke and made a memorable debut
12. And last and in all that time second only to Francis Lee for me Zach Clough on Saturday. If I had 50 more years to watch BWFC I would remember that debut for all of them. He was briliant and this is not just the euphoria of the immediate. After taking 15 minutes to settle he did everything superbly and took one of the best goals we have seen in ages. Will he go on to be a great like Francis Lee and andy Walker or a one hit wonder like Chris Duffey. Time will tell
1. When I was 9 in the early part of 1962 Bill Ridding introduced a young, fair haired winger whose impact was spectacular. He scored one or more in his first few home games and the game I particularly remember was v Man City. I can still see the open play goal and remember how excited I was-- Francis Lee
2. In the same era just before we signed a new centre forward essentially to replace Nat. In the first game he rose to a goalkick and powered a header to a wing colleague and I thought ' wow'. Wyn Davies
3. A little later in the 60s I made my way to Burnden for the last 20 minutes of a reserve game. A young centre forward had scored two or three goals I saw one and he was terrific. His first team debut was less spectacular but he was to become a stalwart - Roy Greaves. Also from that era we signed a Welsh wing back and in that first game he unleashed a thunderous shot from a long way out much as Richard Sneekes was to thirty years later but few others compare- Gareth Williams
4. Bet no one remembers this one. In 1969/70 I think it was the end of the season and there was nothing to pay for. A young left winger started and was brilliant. I think the game itself ran out at 0-0 and he hardly ever played again but I remmber that debut- Chris Duffey.. In somewhat similar circumstance albeit in a winning cup game v Sheff Utd Jeff Smith played a really exciting cameo debut
5. Back to the 70s by which time I was in the Burnden Paddock occasionally and we signed the old Liverpool great , Peter Thompson, He played superbly electrifying the crowd , beating men for fun and thinking his way through the game faster even than his colleagues . Pure class
6. Similar era I went to Huddersfield for a night game and a promising young centre half turned out in midfield all in red and we won and he was superb- Paul Jones
7 Much time then passes in part becasue we were poor and also I saw many fewer games and was less impressionable
8. I went to Oxford for an evening game in the 90s. It was 0-0 but Bruce Rioch had asked a young 19 year old to play at centre forward. He won lots in the air and impressed me a lot- Alan Thompson
9. I learnt that we had signed an ex Celtic player and couldn't attend the match but watched highlights to see this very clever opportunist goal against Bradford City- Andy Walker
10. i'm sure that the likes of Campo, Djorkaeff, Hierro must have impressed greatly and Eidur before but they rather grew on me so I'm not picking any of those
11. More recently after repeated cries for his inclusion Joe Riley got game v Stoke and made a memorable debut
12. And last and in all that time second only to Francis Lee for me Zach Clough on Saturday. If I had 50 more years to watch BWFC I would remember that debut for all of them. He was briliant and this is not just the euphoria of the immediate. After taking 15 minutes to settle he did everything superbly and took one of the best goals we have seen in ages. Will he go on to be a great like Francis Lee and andy Walker or a one hit wonder like Chris Duffey. Time will tell
