http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PkfvJp5awJc

Great to look back as you forget games like that, great atmosphere and brilliant stadium the Reebok when it’s nearly full, one thing that stood out was how quickly we moved the ball and most passes were forward and with a purpose, hope one day we can get back to those levels. 

2 minutes ago, Mr Grey said:

I think he only scored 1 in his first 19 games, slow start, he had power and was a good foil for McGinlay.

He did take time 

didn’t he get 12 in the premier league which for us was great 

but in the end 1m was money well spent 

Blake was a right handful, big, strong and powerful and he couldn’t half hit a ball.

scored quite a few from defensive errors and really swatting defenders away.

a proper centre forward

Once met Nathan Blake, he may have been strong but he is not big. 

Blake was brilliant for us. He scared the life out of central defenders - especially in that promotions season. SKD didn't have the pace but he did have the power and the frame. For his longevity at the top level you'd class him above Blake as that type of striker. Otherwise there's been nobody to touch Blake in the last 25 years. Mixu was slightly before Blake and another good un with the characteristics we are talking about.

Ngog, Craig Davies, Magennis .... nah.

Jutikievicz - not bad.

^ & Ricketts, who for 12 months tore opposition defenders to pieces.  What a waste of talent he became 

5 hours ago, Duck Egg said:

What a waste of space he became 

😉

18 hours ago, Marc505 said:

How frustrating to watch was that even now!

That does bring back the feeling of watching us around that time, a load of frustration.  We really struggled to score and goalkeepers kept having blinders, that goalie Jones was succeeded by Anti Niemi who seemed unbeatable every time we played Saints.  Plenty other keepers used to have blinders, whereas in recent seasons as bad as we've been our goals to chances ratio feels much higher, we'll often create very few chances in a game but still score 1 or 2.  By the way, the crowd wasnt the most supportive was it?  That's another memory of that time, atmosphere very poor at times as if we had a right to beat the likes of Saints.  Now we are buzzing to get a draw against Accrington.

9 hours ago, paulhanley said:

Blake was brilliant for us. He scared the life out of central defenders - especially in that promotions season. SKD didn't have the pace but he did have the power and the frame. For his longevity at the top level you'd class him above Blake as that type of striker. Otherwise there's been nobody to touch Blake in the last 25 years. Mixu was slightly before Blake and another good un with the characteristics we are talking about.

Ngog, Craig Davies, Magennis .... nah.

Jutikievicz - not bad.

Yes Blake can hold his own with our best strikers of last 40 years.  Juke was great for us, what a waste to lose him so quickly, he's been top quality at Birmingham in a very average side, could have been a bit of a legend for us in different circumstances.  To add to the "nah" list, a big nah for Madine.  Comparing Madine to Blake would be laughable but I bet only one of them is laughing all the way to the bank.

1 hour ago, Johnnyrotten said:

Yes Blake can hold his own with our best strikers of last 40 years.  Juke was great for us, what a waste to lose him so quickly, he's been top quality at Birmingham in a very average side, could have been a bit of a legend for us in different circumstances.  To add to the "nah" list, a big nah for Madine.  Comparing Madine to Blake would be laughable but I bet only one of them is laughing all the way to the bank.

Absolutely. I didnt bring Madine in to it because we're talking about players who played at high levels. SKD, Blake, Mixu did it either in the top flight or right at the top end of the second tier. Madine doesn't come in to the equation. Not in their class.

23 hours ago, Duck Egg said:

^ & Ricketts, who for 12 months tore opposition defenders to pieces.  What a waste of talent he became 

Very true. Ought to have included him.

15 hours ago, Johnnyrotten said:

That does bring back the feeling of watching us around that time, a load of frustration.  We really struggled to score and goalkeepers kept having blinders, that goalie Jones was succeeded by Anti Niemi who seemed unbeatable every time we played Saints.  Plenty other keepers used to have blinders, whereas in recent seasons as bad as we've been our goals to chances ratio feels much higher, we'll often create very few chances in a game but still score 1 or 2.  By the way, the crowd wasnt the most supportive was it?  That's another memory of that time, atmosphere very poor at times as if we had a right to beat the likes of Saints.  Now we are buzzing to get a draw against Accrington.

I'm sure I heard booing at the end, that was first season at Reebok! We were just a slightly better cutting edge away from staying up with room to spare that first season, regardless of the non goal v Everton.

I'd be buzzing for us even to have a match against Accrington at the moment 😀

1 hour ago, Marc505 said:

I'm sure I heard booing at the end, that was first season at Reebok! We were just a slightly better cutting edge away from staying up with room to spare that first season, regardless of the non goal v Everton.

I'd be buzzing for us even to have a match against Accrington at the moment 😀

Wouldn’t pick Accy after the 7-1 though. 

Back to Nathan Blake,  a great "into the box - one touch - goal" striker but I do recall him as fairly hit and miss if he sprung the offside trap and ended up one v one with the opposition keeper. 50/50 at best is my recollection if his one-on-ones. 

 

Edited May 15, 20206 yr by MickyD
Auto spell taking over my life

6 hours ago, MickyD said:

Back to Nathan Blake,  a great "into the box - one touch - goal" striker but I do recall him as fairly hit and miss if he sprung the offside trap and ended up one v one with the opposition keeper. 50/50 at best is my recollection if his one-on-ones. 

 

He certainly wasn't a natural finisher but was a perfect foil for SJM. 

7 hours ago, MickyD said:

Back to Nathan Blake,  a great "into the box - one touch - goal" striker but I do recall him as fairly hit and miss if he sprung the offside trap and ended up one v one with the opposition keeper. 50/50 at best is my recollection if his one-on-ones. 

 

Yeah that's my recollection too.  I can remember him missing a few one on ones.  Andy Walker (pre injury) & Anelka were the two best strikers I ever saw in one on one situations.  They never missed! 

You cant leave ricketts out of the best finishers

Always liked klasnic 

Imagine him few years younger and injury free 

1 hour ago, radcliffewhite1 said:

Always liked klasnic 

Imagine him few years younger and injury free 

Aye, it seemed like everytime it fell to him in the box he'd get a shot in

 

Ice cold him, what a weapon to bring off the bench.

3 minutes ago, Marc505 said:

Ice cold him, what a weapon to bring off the bench.

Aye, what a weapon kept leaving him out...

16 minutes ago, Steejay said:

Aye, what a weapon kept leaving him out...

Wasnt he one of these that "couldn't do a full 90"?

17 minutes ago, Marc505 said:

Ice cold him, what a weapon to bring off the bench.

He was on our train back from Spurs one year so when it got into Manc me ,colonel, DG pulled him on the platform after a day on the ale 😀

had time for chat and wasn’t very complimentary of that wanker coyle 

2 minutes ago, radcliffewhite1 said:

He was on our train back from Spurs one year so when it got into Manc me ,colonel, DG pulled him on the platform after a day on the ale 😀

had time for chat and wasn’t very complimentary of that wanker coyle 

What did he have to say about him? I first read that as you got him out with you, fucking hell that would have been a sight 

6 minutes ago, Marc505 said:

Wasnt he one of these that "couldn't do a full 90"?

 

3 minutes ago, radcliffewhite1 said:

He was on our train back from Spurs one year so when it got into Manc me ,colonel, DG pulled him on the platform after a day on the ale 😀

had time for chat and wasn’t very complimentary of that wanker coyle 

Coyle was probably jealous.

Klasnic was the player he wanted to be.