Legends XI - Forward nominations

Good enough?
By Neil Ravenscroft
August 1 2003

With all the activity surrounding the Saddlers in the last few weeks we have postponed the Legends XI elections. This is the final component of the squad - The Forwards -.

The Legends XI – Strikers

The real heroes for every young fan are always the strikers. This means that the choice of the greatest ever for any side is always the most difficult to make of any position on the field. Walsall FC is no different. There are five positions to fill in the squad and some hard decisions in eliminating six names!

My apologies also go to the memory of Mo Lane, probably the most prolific striker the club has ever seen (51 goals in 57 games), but his record, I thought, was not well enough known to most fans. I left out the likes of Dave Massart for similar reasons. Amongst others who could have made it were Christie, Penn, Harry Middleton, George Kirby and Nicky Cross.

The current squad members are: -

Alan Buckley - Walsall's record signing (when arriving the second time from Blues), an exciting player who played for and managed the club for 12 years from 1973 to 1985, and scored 183 league goals in 465 appearances for his three clubs. Scored 34 in a season for us in 75/76.

Gilbert Alsop - A true Walsall legend, had two spells with us between 1931-35 and 1947, 169 goals in 222 games. Alsop is also famous for his goal in the 1933 tie with Arsenal.

Alan Clarke - Made his name at Leicester and Leeds, but was prolific between 1963-66 with 49 goals in 82 games. Won 19 England caps and also won, with Leeds, a League Championship in 1974; an FA Cup winners medal in 1972, a runners up medal in 1970 and 1973, a European Cup runner-up in 1975 and a UEFA Cup winner in 1971. While with Leicester, was one of the very few to have won man of the match on the losing side in an FA Cup Final.

Tony Richards - Voted Walsall's greatest ever player after scoring 198 goals in 358 games between 1954-1963. His partnership with the free scoring left winger, Colin Taylor, was the stuff of legends.

Roger Boli - Scored some spectacular goals (including what is generally considered to have been the best on the ground, against Southend) in his one and only season with Walsall, arguably one of the most exciting Walsall players ever.

David Kelly - Spent Seven years at the club (1983-1988), but it was in 1986 when he made his mark, showing his goal scoring talents getting 26 goals. Sold for a record £0.6m to West Ham, Kelly went on to play in the World Cup for Ireland.

Other nominees are: -

Jorge Leitao – The club centre forward for the most successful period in its history. Born in Portugal, took his degree before turning professional and coming to Walsall for a fee of £150,000. A tireless worker up front and chaser of lost causes. 37 goals in 107 full League games, with a further 7 in 17 Cup games.

Andy Rammell – A legend wherever he’s been. Groans greeted his signing from Southend, where he hadn’t distinguished himself, but they soon changed as he became the darling of the crowd for his no nonsense, all action displays. Never a prolific scorer, he still managed 23 goals in 60 league games for us, out of a career total to date of 109 in 335.

Kevin Wilson – One of the more skilful strikers to grace the red shirt, the Northern Irish International (although, like our most capped Irish International, he was born in Banbury) he was always a firm favourite with the Bescot faithful. Another who was not a prolific scorer, he did have the ability to bring others into the game and create chances for them.

Kyle Lightbourne – Always laid back, the Bahamian International has scored goals wherever he has played. He scored 65 league goals in 158 appearances for us between 1993 and 1997, before going to Coventry for more than half a million. Is still playing, having recently been on trial at Kidderminster.

Stuart Rimmer – Walsall paid 150,000 for him in 1989, one of 5 times he was sold for that amount or more. Unfortunately, it was at a time the club was first on the slide, then in transition (he was the first Walsall scorer at Bescot). He still managed 31 league goals in 85 full appearances, in a struggling side.
You have 2 votes for this poll, and the top 5 will make it in to the Legends XI Squad. It is a tough choice, you can choose just two from list....

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