Who really ARE the top five players to have featured here ?

[arana peligrosa]

While this has doubtless come to the fore in one form or another in past discussion within our fan base, caught a watch of this short clip recently that features (what they believe) ‘the top five players in (our) club history’

Won’t reveal the order or who fills the #1 spot, but a level of scope for argument in what was presented.

Didn’t go along with it so included a different top five of what I feel represents the best players ever to feature here.


#1 John Wark

It wasn’t as easy choice as first appears. But held a midfield scoring record over his career that a number of then and present center forwards could take pride in. Largely responsible for the successes of the 1980 - 81 season, and one of the most pivotal players of that era overall, he featured three different times and was always able to contribute. Would be worth an astronomical sum in today’s market.

#2 Ray Crawford

Straight choice between him and Ted Phillips as most prolific and recognized striker, but again was another player who played a leading role in taking the club to honors : this time the 1962 League Championship. Played at a time when goals where not so easy to come by and another player who would be of tremendous value to team endeavors. Would have been a considerable pleasure to have followed the team at a time when Crawford was making his name and to behold such a talented player.

#3 Mick Mills

Outstanding club servant who was another pivotal performer in the success years of 35 - 40 years ago. Not just being captain for the FA Cup and UEFA successes, he could also weigh in with important goals and other contributions.

#4 Edward Phillips

Has to be included in any fans top five list and while it’s another center forward, not quite as prolific as Crawford, and only had the one spell. Nevertheless a name that you could nearly always depend on to deliver and without his contribution, most likely would never have won back to back championships in the early 1960’s.

#5 Kevin Beattie

Many people’s favorite player but not to say he was the greatest. All the same probably most deserving of filling the final place and yet another example of one individual alone who could contribute so much to a season and featured prominently in the glory Robson years.


(names considered but ultimately omitted : Trevor Whymark, Paul Mariner, Mick Stockwell, Matthew Holland, Terry Butcher, Alan Brazil, Paul Cooper, Roy Bailey, Eric Gates, Russell Osman)

[Bluemike]

Everyone will have their own ideas on who were the best, normally based around players that played at a certain time when each individual went to support the team. For me the top five players that I have had the pleasure of watching are (and in order) :-

1.. Kevin Beattie

2. Johnny Wark

3. Arnold Muhren

4. Terry Butcher

5. Frans Thijssen


Clearly they all come from a similar passage in time, the "glory years". For me Beattie was simply the best, the greatest ever ITFC player, a colossus who had it not been for injury and personal issues would have played so much more, especially for England where his paltry number of caps is a travesty. I have had the pleasure of meeting "The Beat" on a fair few occasions and he is so natural and down to earth that is a refreshing change from so many of the prima donna players we see today. Had he been playing today he would be worth mega mega millions. Bobby Robson once said that Beattie was the best player he ever worked with, that says it all.

Johnny Wark was a great servant of the club, his record breaking season when he score 36 goals from Midfield was absolutely stunning and a joy to be part of, the two Dutch maestros brought a touch of class and finesse to the club and both were top players, while Terry Butcher was for me the typical English lionheart who would run through brick walls to win a tackle or a header, the image of him in the England shirt drenched in blood tells you exactly what he was about, a man mountain.

Obviously Crawford & Phillips will be on many of the slightly older fans lists and rightly so, what I have seen and heard of them they were Two great players who were part of the team that won the ultimate prize. Others that may have been close to my list were Mariner, Gates and Burley but they fall just short of the big Five.

Players like Holland, Stockwell, Cooper, Mills, Whymark & Brazil were great club men not shgort of ability but but for me they didn't stand out, they didnt have the Xtra factor, Mills will surprsie many but I was never truly sold on him even with his many caps, a great servant and club man and a superb leader but a top player ? I actually thought Burley to be a better Fullback.

When one looks at our famous past it shows you just how blessed we were and spoilt really, I certainly never realised just what we had at the time, going down to Portman Road week after week expecting to win every game comfortably, taking apart the Man Utd's and Arsenal's on a regular basis was the norm back then. I think this is why the players of today suffer even more stick than perhaps they should, following in the footsteps of so many greats is far from easy, in fact nigh on impossible.

[Tangfastic]

Can't believe the first lists of players didn't include Thijssen and Muhren. They were in the same era as Wark, so not sure why they were ignored- not an era thing.

Can't comment on Phillips and Crawford (too young) or to be honest Beattie as his golden days were in the mid 70's and he was never the same after injuries.

I know we won the league in the early 60's, but can't help but think the best ever Town team was the UEFA cup winning team. Should have won the league... and quite possibly the FACup as well. Just ran out of steam.

It's an era thing, unless you were old enough to witness Crawford, etc you're just living of reputations and others nostalgic memories so hard to list best players over 50 years.

Thijssen, Muhren and Wark would be in my top three, because I'm thinking they were the best players we've ever had. The other 2 places would be living of second-hand accounts, so leave that for the older folk.

[arana peligrosa]

Can't believe the first lists of players didn't include Thijssen and Muhren. They were in the same era as Wark, so not sure why they were ignored- not an era thing.

Can't comment on Phillips and Crawford (too young) or to be honest Beattie as his golden days were in the mid 70's and he was never the same after injuries.

I know we won the league in the early 60's, but can't help but think the best ever Town team was the UEFA cup winning team. Should have won the league... and quite possibly the FACup as well. Just ran out of steam.

It's an era thing, unless you were old enough to witness Crawford, etc you're just living of reputations and others nostalgic memories so hard to list best players over 50 years.

Thijssen, Muhren and Wark would be in my top three, because I'm thinking they were the best players we've ever had. The other 2 places would be living of second-hand accounts, so leave that for the older folk.

The two players mentioned were without doubt two great names and featured at a pivotal time in club history, but when you've only five places to accommodate greatest names (from club history) there isn't an awful lot of room for all inclusions.

Yes the best era was the period of say 1976 - 82, (even better than the Championship team of '62) - Robson had assembled by that time a team more capable of honors than Ramsey before him, but from all those names involved - went with Wark, Mills and Beattie as most deserving of places. (It wasn't an easy choice)

I think when you put together a greatest team list from club history some would choose favorite players over say greatest players, and Yes the other point being, it can be largely dependant on age. (A twenty year old attempting this would pick maybe Counago, Kuqi, Stewart, Scowcroft etc) but still more than content with what was initially presented.

[jaykay]

all legends and not one cost over £250000.many came through the youth team or bargain buys.as a kids we use to catch the train from near where i lived at 10 in the morning,to spend time in town then off to the match.who would be on that train but ted phillips going to portman rd to join up with his team mates.dont think that would happen today .another story about ted i will always remember was about how hard a shot he had,when danny blanchflower was asked ,when was ted most dangerous with his shooting abilty,he replied ,the minute he crossed the half way line.

[arana peligrosa]

all legends and not one cost over £250000.many came through the youth team or bargain buys.as a kids we use to catch the train from near where i lived at 10 in the morning,to spend time in town then off to the match.who would be on that train but ted phillips going to portman rd to join up with his team mates.dont think that would happen today .another story about ted i will always remember was about how hard a shot he had,when danny blanchflower was asked ,when was ted most dangerous with his shooting abilty,he replied ,the minute he crossed the half way line.

Sorry I didn't realize you had posted at the same time.

Ted Phillips on a train going to a game with supporters - for nostalgia purposes it's great to read. Certainly something that wouldn't occur in today's day and age.

I didn't take an interest in the team until after Phillips had departed so never got the chance to see him play live, but his power with the ball has always been well documented. He and Crawford alone at their most prolific would be valued at something like 60 million in today's market, possibly more.

That's not an exaggeration, they were truly great players and attacking combination and contributed an awful lot to the team. Ramsey invariably takes plaudits for leading the club to it's one and only 1962 League Championship, and I think many people overlook sometimes that Crawford and Phillips deserve equal credit for that achievement.

[marko69]

Wark
Muhren
Mariner
Thijssen
Gates.

But that's ^^^based on actually seeing them a lot on MOTD early 80's. Didn't see much of Kevin Beattie. And certainly didn't see anyone 78 and before.

How about a top 5 from 1990 onwards?

[The Odious Mr Rossi]

I've had the pleasure of watching teams from the Crawford/Philips era onwards.
We've had some fabulous players over the years, and choosing the 5 best is really an impossible task owing to the way the game changed between the '60s and the '00s.
As far as I'm concerned, though, the best I have seen are, in reverse order:

5) Frans Thijssen
4) Ray Crawford
3) Arnold Muhren
2) Kevin Beattie
1) Trevor Whymark

[number 9]

Mariner
Thijssen
Muhren
Beattie
Whymark

Clive Woods worth a mention for the banana shot!