Is Huckerby NCFC's greatest?

[Pete Raven 276]

Darren Huckerby wants to be remembered as one of Norwich City’s greatest players – but is he up there with the best? And who are the best? You can have your say here – and we’ll set the ball rolling with a few suggestions.

Martin Peters - Member of the 1966 World Cup squad who graced Carrow Road in the late 70s. Played more than 200 games and scored 50 goals.

Ron Davies - Awesome header of the ball who scored in each of his first four matches and went on to total 66 goals in 126 games between 1963 and 1966.

Terry Allcock - "The Count" is the second most prolific scorer in club history, with 127 in 389 games. Holds season record of 37 in 1962-63.

Darren Eadie - Striker with high-speed boots. 1997 player of the season. Sold to Leicester for £3m in 1999 after 200 City games, but injury forced him into premature retirement.

Kevin Keelan - With 673 games under his belt, holds the club appearance record. Great showman, fans’ favourite – and a quality stopper.

[nutty nigel 7,509]

I find all these "best ever" discussions difficult. I find it so hard to call. Older fans who have seen so many players will find this difficult.

Huckerby... best in his time certainly, but best ever?

Martin Peters captained England, has a World Cup winners medal and scored in the World Cup Final. For me he is undoubtedly the best player to play for our great club. But was he greater for us than Hucks?

I don''t want to choose!!

 

[I hate 1p5wich 0]

you have to add kenny foggo & gunny . big duncan forbers to this list.

[macdougalls perm 0]

Impossible to say whether he is the best of all time but he is undoubtedly up there with them. And, in recent history, he is the best that I''ve seen.  

[mbncfc 1]

If I recall, Hucks wants to be remembered here long after he''s finished.

He wants us fans to talk about how exciting it was to see him pick up the ball and run at players. He wants us to talk about how, when he picked up the ball on the halfway line, you could hear the sound of 12,000 fans in the Barclay getting up from their seats in anticipation.

He''s scored a fair few goals, played a fair few games, and has won this club some silverware.

Like NN says, there have been so many great players at this club of ours that to single out one would be impossible - we''d never agree.

However, I believe he should be Player of the Season 2006/7, that fans who have had the pleasure of seeing him turn out in the yellow shirt will always appreciate that fact, and that he should be regarded as a Norwich legend for his time here.

And I think he will...

[Saint Canary 0]

I know this will upset some people but I really am struggling to see why Eadie is named as all time great.  I watched him a lot and he was our best player for a period of time and was exciting to watch but he played in a poor side, in a poor league and didn''t actually achieve anything at City.

 

He was my favourite player when he was here but I would not put him in the same league as some of the others mentioned.  Sorry,……… let the mauling commence!

[Cluck 0]

He''s a good player but not up with the very best in my view. We''ve had some truly great players over the years....many of whom will pre-date the memories of us on here.

Very good...but not a true great for me.

[mbncfc 1]

[quote user="Saint Canary"]

I know this will upset some people but I really am struggling to see why Eadie is named as all time great.  I watched him a lot and he was our best player for a period of time and was exciting to watch but he played in a poor side, in a poor league and didn''t actually achieve anything at City.

 

He was my favourite player when he was here but I would not put him in the same league as some of the others mentioned.  Sorry,……… let the mauling commence!

[/quote]

Fair comment I think SC.

Pete, you should''ve stuck Iwan in your list. He ticked a few more boxes than Dazza Speedie Boots... [;)]

[farley 0]

Ian Crook

In my opinion, one of the best players never to have played for England. Had he have played for a "bigger" club during his peak, I think he would have been a regular in the England side. His footballing brain and accuracy of passing has never been seen again in a City shirt.

[Jimbo_Jet_Set 0]

I appreciate your point, but I don''t think that it is Eadies fault that he played in such a poor side and the fact that he did not win anything should not count against him- remember Norwich have never won that much.

I have been watching Norwich since the late 80s so I can''t comment on Peters, Foggo etc, but I know that Darren Eadie is the most exciting player I have ever seen in a Norwich shirt. The buzz that went round the ground when he got the ball was greater than for anyone else I have seen, including Huckerby.  If football is about entertainment then I think he fully deserves to be on the list.

[ricardo 7,347]

One of the best we''ve had? Yes. In my time of over 50 years watching Norwich I would have to say................................

Martin Peters was the greatest all round player we''ve ever had in City colours.

Keelan the greatest Keeper.

Ron Davies the greatest pure Centre Forward

And a toss up between McDougall and Earnie as the greatest goal scorer.

We have had some great ball playing midfielders, Crook, Suggett and Jimmy Hill being my personal favourites.

But for all round excitement when he''s on the ball and some of the most memorable goals ever scored at Carrow Road. then Darren Huckerby has to be right on that top shelf.

[Attack Barclay 2nd Half 0]

[quote user="mbncfc"]

the sound of 12,000 fans in the Barclay getting up from their seats in anticipation.

[/quote]Make that 4000

[chicken 0]

[quote user="Saint Canary"]

I know this will upset some people but I really am struggling to see why Eadie is named as all time great.  I watched him a lot and he was our best player for a period of time and was exciting to watch but he played in a poor side, in a poor league and didn''t actually achieve anything at City.

 

He was my favourite player when he was here but I would not put him in the same league as some of the others mentioned.  Sorry,……… let the mauling commence!

[/quote]

I agree, although he was a great player for us and he was one of the players I latched onto as a youngster as one of my heroes, I have to say that looking back was he really that great?

Others have commented on here that he did well in a bad team but I would disagree that this should be enough to suggest he was good. I would say that the team he had played in after relegation was better for their level then than we were in our promotion season when Huckerby provided the main impertus behind our launch into the premiership.

I would find it hard to single out THE most important/best ever player but I think Huckerby has to come in the top bracket of players. If you think about how much he cost to bring here in the current financial climate of football and the way in which he came, defying his agent etc and staying on when others left when it got tough you would have to say that at the very least he has shown us a lot of loyalty, especially from a player with no previous connections to this team or area.

[westcountrycanary 0]

I know this is far from the point but in these vote for great players type things no one ever mentons ruel fox?? as only really being a close supporter(going to matches) for 5 years and no i never jumped on the bandwagon the promotion year, i just woundered why he never seems to get a mention when i was younger he always seemed one of the really good players, my favourite player at the time from our great team of the mid 90s am i wrong about mr fox?

since i ve been watching norwich on there travels and a couple of times a season at home, yes i have to say hucks has been a really great player for the club and i just hope i get to see him a few more times before he hangs up his boots

hucks the leg-end

[John Boubepo 0]

macdougall wrote - Impossible to say whether he is the best of all time but he is

undoubtedly up there with them. And, in recent history, he is the best

that I''ve seen.  I think because he loves Norfolk we tend to have a soft spot for him,

otherwise I agree with you macdougall, now there''s a first!

[Tumbleweed 106]

When Martin Peters was here we were just about established as a first division side. He was a great player, and it was a joy to watch him play but did he actually make any difference to what the team would have achieved? Maybe not.

I would argue that Hux has probably had more impact than anyone else I can remember us buying, He almost single handedly created the wave of momentum which took us to the title. He was almost the only one who looked capable of standing alongside the Prem stars we were suddenly mixing with, he has provided our beacon of light this year and last.

The tingle one gets when Hux has the ball, has space to run into and puts his head down is almost tangible. His attitude to this club has been exemplary. He didn''t arrive as a big time Charlie- he looked genuinely to love it here as soon as he came. He has given as much every game as anyone else even when starved of service and marked out of the game.

He showed loyalty to his manager when all around were on the attack and has responded every single time that PG has asked him to perform or take his game to a new level.

As a sportsman for the young''uns to look up to he has no equal at the club except for Dion. I do feel privileged to have seen him at his peak.

Greatest? If you look at it in the round for the above reasons then maybe he might just be.........

[Blainsey 2]

i was about to say him.

ruel was just as exciting as hux and more exciting than eadie (my own personal favourite norwich player).

 

votes for ''ru-el''???

i''m in

[nutty nigel 7,509]

[quote user="Tumbleweed"]

When Martin Peters was here we were just about established as a first division side. He was a great player, and it was a joy to watch him play but did he actually make any difference to what the team would have achieved? Maybe not.

[/quote]

When we signed Martin Peters we were a second division club. It was the season after we got relegated and we had only ever spent two seasons it the top division in our whole history. It was March 1975 and we were not even in the promotion places as we battled with Manchester United, Aston Villa and Sunderland to get back up. He made his debut in the 1-1 draw at Old Trafford amd was a big factor in us finishing third and gaining promotion back to the top flight.

For the next five seasons we remained in the top division and Peters played 232 games for us scoring 50 times. He left in August 1980 and we promptly got relegated again in that very season.

I am sure he made a huge difference to what the team achieved and I would suggest he was the biggest reason we started to become established as a first division side. I still can scarcely believe we had the great Martin Peters at the club for so long, and not just at the end of his career but for five glorious years. Imagine if it was aplayer of that standing now? A player who had a World Cup winners medal and had actually scored in the final!!!

I don''t mean to take anything away from Darren Huckerby and any player can only be the best in their time. I didn''t want to choose but having remembered all of this there is no doubt in my mind that Martin Peters is the greatest player in my time as a fan.

 

 

  

[faraway 0]

Huckerby is the best match winning individual I have seen in sixty years of following the club. Best goal keeper by far Ken Nethercott  a fine keeper with first class positional sense and great courage.Played out half a match with a dislocated shouldar in the great cup run of 1959

[blacko 0]

[quote user="ricardo"]

One of the best we''ve had? Yes. In my time of over 50 years watching Norwich I would have to say................................

Martin Peters was the greatest all round player we''ve ever had in City colours.

Keelan the greatest Keeper.

Ron Davies the greatest pure Centre Forward

And a toss up between McDougall and Earnie as the greatest goal scorer.

We have had some great ball playing midfielders, Crook, Suggett and Jimmy Hill being my personal favourites.

But for all round excitement when he''s on the ball and some of the most memorable goals ever scored at Carrow Road. then Darren Huckerby has to be right on that top shelf.

[/quote]

Ricardo you have hit the nail on the head.........................but what about Percy Varco?

[ricardo 7,347]

[quote user="Blainsey"]

i was about to say him.

ruel was just as exciting as hux and more exciting than eadie (my own personal favourite norwich player).

 

votes for ''ru-el''???

i''m in

[/quote]

Ruel Fox was a fine player and very exciting on the ball.

However, he was never a scorer of great goals and in my opinion thats what puts Huckerby in a class apart.

[Faded Jaded Semi Plastic SOB 1,020]

With all these thing it depends on the criteria for "greatest", maybe we will have to wait 20 years or so and see if Hucks name is mentioned the way players such as Martin Peters are now. As far as his impact on Norwich city, and the fact he is one of those players that gets you on your feet everytime he runs with the ball then I would say that Hucks would b in my NCFC "Hall of Fame". How far do you want to go back?, I would say for goals scored/entertainment then add Johnny Gavin to the list. For me personally I would include Ted McD, and Bellamy in the list.

[USAcanary 0]

Love Hucks but he is behind King Kevin Keelen and Teddy Mac in my opinion.

A City player who rarely gets mention but was up there in the excitement stakes was Jimmy Neighbour.

 

[ricardo 7,347]

[quote user="blacko"][quote user="ricardo"]

One of the best we''ve had? Yes. In my time of over 50 years watching Norwich I would have to say................................

Martin Peters was the greatest all round player we''ve ever had in City colours.

Keelan the greatest Keeper.

Ron Davies the greatest pure Centre Forward

And a toss up between McDougall and Earnie as the greatest goal scorer.

We have had some great ball playing midfielders, Crook, Suggett and Jimmy Hill being my personal favourites.

But for all round excitement when he''s on the ball and some of the most memorable goals ever scored at Carrow Road. then Darren Huckerby has to be right on that top shelf.

[/quote]

Ricardo you have hit the nail on the head.........................but what about Percy Varco?

[/quote]

Ha Ha Ha Even I''m not old enough to have seen him...........but my dad always reckoned he was a bit special

[Foggo_on_the wing 0]

The greatest - No. There have been too many better all-round players, but  I do think he''s the most exciting.

I can''t ever remember a player who caused so much anticipation whenever he got the ball. It doesn''t matter where on the field he gets the ball we''re all on the edge of our seats.

[yella belly 0]

not quite don''t forget IWAN[:D]

[Huddy 0]

Well i''ve had a season ticket contsantly since 1998/1999 and Huckerby is the best player i believe we''ve had in that time!

 

[Canary Pirate 0]

Have been watching Norwich since 1964 and although its easier to remember more recent players I can''t remember a player, who cant tackle, cant head the ball ( although he did manage that one against QPR ) who has entertained and excited crowds as much as Hucks. He gets my vote.

[BlyBlyBabes 0]

No. Too many weaknesses. Never really suceeded on a sustained basis at Prem/1st division level. We''ve had scores of players over our 22 Prem/1st division seasons who were consistently good at that elevated level.

People got excited when Bobby Brennan got the ball, when Bill Punton got the ball, when Ruel Fox got the ball, when Dale Gordon got the ball.............not to forget when that jet-heeled Canadian Errol Crossan got the ball and gave some opposing full backs 10 yards start! That buzz of excitement is par for the course with top wingers. 

IMHO people are confusing great with exciting.

OTBC

 

[sheded 0]

[quote user="BlyBlyBabes"]

No. Too many weaknesses. Never really suceeded on a sustained basis at Prem/1st division level. We''ve had scores of players over our 22 Prem/1st division seasons who were consistently good at that elevated level.

People got excited when Bobby Brennan got the ball, when Bill Punton got the ball, when Ruel Fox got the ball, when Dale Gordon got the ball.............not to forget when that jet-heeled Canadian Errol Crossan got the ball and gave some opposing full backs 10 yards start! That buzz of excitement is par for the course with top wingers. 

IMHO people are confusing great with exciting.

OTBC

 

[/quote]

No Bly .... its you that is confused !    fans actually go to matches  to be entertained  !!   it  IS  , and always has been , an entertainment  industry  ,  or do you go  to matches to check out each players ability to head ,  to " track back " , to tackle ,and all the rest of the bulls***   ?  how boring is  THAT ?    maybe you`ve forgotten that footballs a simple game   ? ball - goal  , get ball into goal  , HOW its done   can be boring ... or exciting   ,  99% of fans  want the goals to be got  in an exciting way  ,  and Hucks does this in spades !  

As for the perpetual drone that he never " succeeded "  in the prem  , how many more times eh ?   he SUCCEEDED in getting THREE  ragbag teams  into the prem  !   wtf more do you expect ?   a guy who`s scored more than a HUNDRED goals  in his career   , DESPITE  being saddled with idiot managers  ,   DESPITE   being forced to play alongside  an increasing   number of bone idle dropouts,  that are not fit to be in a pub team  ,   Hucks has soldiered on  regardless   , you  should get a reality check  Bly ......  it might stick in your throat ,  but the truth is ,that without him  , we would , almost certainly  , be in league 2   !   players like him do NOT grow on tree`s   ,  just appreciate what you`ve got  while you`ve got him , cos you sure as hell will miss him when  he`s not here any longer !!