Greatest RFC XI Debate - left wingers

[biscuitsrus]

Skin him Gilksey. Must admit he was a favourite of mine, great trick, kick the ball pass the full back and run like the wind, simple but effective.

[Jagdpanther]

Convey, no contest.

You having a laugh. Convey 1st season sh**e, 2nd season excellent, but petered out at the end, last year luckily for him has the excuse of being injured because when he did play he was sh**e. Run Run Run Gilksey for me, although Paul Canoville would have given him a run for his money if he hadn't had his career ended when it was.

[Compo's Hat]

Possible contender for the final 8



Saying that, he was only good when he was on loan and this is just an excuse to post this brilliant picture.


AND WHEN IT SNOWS.....



Gilkes

[handbags_harris]

I'd argue that Convey is a far better footballer than Gilksey ever was. I was a fan of Gilkes and he deserves the legend status he has at Reading but lets not forget half his games for the Royals were at full-back and his crosses from the wing were....well, its already been mentioned above.

I wouldn't say half his games were at full back. He started out as a full back (something I only found out a few days ago after posting the Simod Cup Semi Final highlights and questioned the 3 on Gilkesy's back). I remember starting to watch Reading in '89, and Steve Richardson was the left back then until the end of 91/92. Richardson was in the 92/93 squad but was rarely played, with his position being taken by a number of stand-ins, and gilkesy playing number 7 on the left wing. 93/94 saw the arrival of Dylan Kerr (m'lord). 94/95 saw Gilkesy play some games at left wing back, 95/96 saw a number of left backs again including Dylan Kerr (m'lord), and 96/97 saw the success that was Paul Bodin arrive...so not really a chance to play half his games at left back.

[Ark Royal]

Gilkesy, end of.

Having seen him, I can attest that Tommy Jenkins played on the right wing, not the left. HTH.

[wolsey]

Gilkesy, end of.

Having seen him, I can attest that Tommy Jenkins played on the right wing, not the left. HTH.

So did I. You sure?

http://www.margatefchistory.co.uk/tommyjenkins.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_Jenkins

[rabidbee]

I'm going to nominate John Salako, just so that this debate doesn't end up like the Labour leadership contest. (Wonder if Gilkesy is even now planning a seven week tour of the country?)

He might have passed his best playing days when he joined us, but he was still a good player, and had been a very good player; he might have lost his pace, but his skills were still there, he chipped in with the odd goal, and only Williams surpassed him in the gamesmanship stakes in tricky away games. A Burnley-supporting mate still gets annoyed about Salako when I remind him of the 5-2 win at Turf Moor. He won't win the vote, but as a former England player he deserves to be ranked, and it will give Gilkesy the satisfaction of winning a more credible contest. So there.

[rabidbee]

Frankly, I'm shocked that nobody has mentioned Mr Brooker yet. Even in jest.

He really was Mr Anonymous, wasn't he?

[Berkshire Born]

I'm going to nominate John Salako, just so that this debate doesn't end up like the Labour leadership contest. (Wonder if Gilkesy is even now planning a seven week tour of the country?)

He might have passed his best playing days when he joined us, but he was still a good player, and had been a very good player; he might have lost his pace, but his skills were still there, he chipped in with the odd goal, and only Williams surpassed him in the gamesmanship stakes in tricky away games. A Burnley-supporting mate still gets annoyed about Salako when I remind him of the 5-2 win at Turf Moor. He won't win the vote, but as a former England player he deserves to be ranked, and it will give Gilkesy the satisfaction of winning a more credible contest. So there.

Good shout.

[bassavage]

From what I've seen in the flesh it would be Hunt, Convey or Salako but from what I've seen on videos etc. it's Gilkes for me.

[Berkshire Born]

I'd argue that Convey is a far better footballer than Gilksey ever was. I was a fan of Gilkes and he deserves the legend status he has at Reading but lets not forget half his games for the Royals were at full-back and his crosses from the wing were....well, its already been mentioned above.

I wouldn't say half his games were at full back. He started out as a full back (something I only found out a few days ago after posting the Simod Cup Semi Final highlights and questioned the 3 on Gilkesy's back). I remember starting to watch Reading in '89, and Steve Richardson was the left back then until the end of 91/92. Richardson was in the 92/93 squad but was rarely played, with his position being taken by a number of stand-ins, and gilkesy playing number 7 on the left wing. 93/94 saw the arrival of Dylan Kerr (m'lord). 94/95 saw Gilkesy play some games at left wing back, 95/96 saw a number of left backs again including Dylan Kerr (m'lord), and 96/97 saw the success that was Paul Bodin arrive...so not really a chance to play half his games at left back.

If you take into account his earlier games pre and post loan move abroad (somewhere cold) around 85/86 the lad was most definately a full-back. I would agree however, that most will remember him as a speedy winger.

[Dirk Gently]

According to Alan Sedunary he started as a left winger :

Initially, Michael lacked the consistency to go with his searing pace but in August 1987, Ian Branfoot experimented by playing him at left back and three months later Michael was given his chance in this role in the League. Revelling in the space he got from starting his runs from a deeper position Michael was ever-present from then on and capped his season with a sensational performance in the Simon Cup final......

From then on Michael was rarely out of the first team...

Later on, talking about 92/93 :

]Although Michael invariably wore either the number 7 or 11 shirt he was used equally on the wing and at full back.

[SpaceCruiser]

We're going to do a vote on this soon, so we need a shortlist of 8 left wingers. The following have been nominated:

Michael Gilkes (15 nominations)
Bobby Convey (9 nominations)
Martin Williams
Byron Glasgow
Stephen Hunt (5 nominations)
Tom Jenkins (2 nominations)
Paul Canoville (4 nominations)
Anthony Rougier
Lee Hodges
Jimmy McIntyre
David Crown
Neil Smillie
James Lambert
John Salako (4 nominations)
Paul Brooker

So judging from that, the shortlist should be:

Michael Gilkes
Bobby Convey
John Salako
Paul Canoville
Stephen Hunt
Tom Jenkins

We need two more, I'm thinking Neil Smillie (just for his goal in the Simod Cup Final) and James Lambert. Would anyone dispute with that?

[T.R.O.L.I.]

Lambert - if only for his goal against Forest.

[SpaceCruiser]

Lambert - if only for his goal against Forest.

Just what I was thinking.

[Berkshire Born]

Lambert - if only for his goal against Forest.

Agreed. Used to love those Sky opening credits.

[bassavage]

Darius Henderson played on the left wing against Wolves in the play-offs IIRC

[woody61]

Lambert - if only for his goal against Forest.

Agreed. Used to love those Sky opening credits.

Yeah. Pity his attitude and his thirst did for for his career.

[Darlo Royal]

Gilkesy, end of.

Having seen him, I can attest that Tommy Jenkins played on the right wing, not the left. HTH.

So did I. You sure?

http://www.margatefchistory.co.uk/tommyjenkins.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_Jenkins

I also saw him many times, and all my memories of him were his lightning speed and ability to cut inside to devastating effect from the RIGHT wing.

[SpaceCruiser]

Will be posting up the poll in a few minutes, lads. Any disagreements? None so far, apart from whether Jenkins is a left winger......