Football Enforcers

[HomerJSimpson]

With the mention in another thread of Crazy Horse, Tommy Smith and Souness it got me thinking. We all know football has moved on leaps and bounds from the late 70's and early 80's and for the better. However having spent a lot of that time watching football in the lower divisions, it seemed every side had their enforcer who seemed to be out there to solely get retribution for wrong doings.

I guess Bremner, Ron Harris and and Don McKay spring to mind from the old division one. Fulham had one for a season called Doug Rougvie, a no nonsense Scot who wasn't a stranger to the FA disciplinary panels both sides of the border. I can still remember the Fulham crowd (as they were in those days) always chanting "Douggie's going to get you" every time one of our creative players got chopped. He usually did.

I remember going to Mansfield one season and they had a guy, allegedly playing centre half. His brief was definitely if you can't get the man get the ball. A colossus of a man he was a missing link away from the prehistoric age but did his job to perfection and never even got booked. I'm sure other sides must have had their own enforcers, usually a huge crowd favourite....until they got sent off!

Who do you remember from your club that wasn't afraid to stick a boot and the odd elbow in

 

[DCB]

Rougvie was well looked after when he played for Aberdeen. You have to remember that Willie Miller was the the Aberdeen Captain and as such had the ear of every referee in the top flight of the game. Willie seemed to have a way with words and the refs just couldn't help but run the game the way Miller wanted it run.

Rougvie was just a cart horse at best. Miller on the other hand had the skills of a ninja and the appearance of an angel, even if caught red handed.

 

[pokerjoke]

From my era Roy Keane.
Just a leader of the highest order.
Used to enforce the opposition and his own team mates.

Also used to love Vinnie Jones just a total nutcase.
I remember a tackle he put on Liverpools Steve Mcmahon within 5 seconds of a match,
flattened him and got booked,probably should have been sent off.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

From my era Roy Keane.
Just a leader of the highest order.
Used to enforce the opposition and his own team mates.

Also used to love Vinnie Jones just a total nutcase.
I remember a tackle he put on Liverpools Steve Mcmahon within 5 seconds of a match,
flattened him and got booked,probably should have been sent off.

Didn't he do that in the FA cup final either as well or in the example

 

[Deleted member 15344]

From my era Roy Keane.
Just a leader of the highest order.
Used to enforce the opposition and his own team mates.

Also used to love Vinnie Jones just a total nutcase.
I remember a tackle he put on Liverpools Steve Mcmahon within 5 seconds of a match,
flattened him and got booked,probably should have been sent off.

It wasnt the first time he clattered him as well

Remember he got his revenge later as well

For us there was Tommy Smith but dont really remember him - then Souness who was one of the best in the middle and you didnt mess with him. Mc Mahon was pretty nasty at times and certainly very much a protector. Then we had Gerrard - just a supreme player

Keane and Veira were two outstanding enforcers

 

[pokerjoke]

Didn't he do that in the FA cup final either as well or in the example

I believe it was the cup final.
Stand to be corrected.
Maybe the story could be told by a Liverpool Supporter.
But I believe it was lost before they went on the pitch,as the screaming
and shouting scared the Liverpool players.
Also stand to be corrected.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

I believe it was the cup final.
Stand to be corrected.
Maybe the story could be told by a Liverpool Supporter.
But I believe it was lost before they went on the pitch,as the screaming
and shouting scared the Liverpool players.
Also stand to be corrected.

Yeah they certainly tried to intimidate the Liverpool team and there were stories of lost of noise and music and a bit of intimidation before hand but we still had the ball in the net early ( stupid ref decision ) - but they physically battered the players that day - really did get their faces , deny people like Barnes and Beardsley space to create and Vinnie Jones just went around clattering people. They did a proper number on us that day

 

[Foxholer]

Not my Club, but Roy Keane was certainly ManU's enforcer/hard man!

Denis Wise was Chelsea's.

It seemed to be a definite part of the (central) mid-field role - now virtually eliminated thank heaven!

I watched a mate playing National League (CM of course) get his opposite number sent off for retaliating after having his head used as a prop to get back upright!

Most of the cheating - and that's what it is - now goes on between Strikers and Fullbacks at set pieces in/near the PB.

I once started to construct a Fantasy League 'Hardmen' team. Schmeicel was Keeper and Stam and Adams were shoe-ins for defenders. Can't remember many others (Terry?) but there was an over-supply of potential mid-fielders - the 2 mentioned above, Vinnie Jones, Gazza and a host of others! Couldn't really find a real partner for Sparky though - Shearer came closest I think.

 

[Jensen]

Graham Roberts as a centre half for Spurs was fantastic, a real hard man who got his teeth kicked out by his own player. Graham Roberts has said that he protected Glenn Hoddle and viewed anybody that went overboard on our Glen as fair prey, good on ya Graham.
Graham Roberts also put Charlie Nicholas in the stand while Charlie was playing for Arsenal much to the delight and sung about by the Spurs fans.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Graham Roberts as a centre half for Spurs was fantastic, a real hard man who got his teeth kicked out by his own player. Graham Roberts has said that he protected Glenn Hoddle and viewed anybody that went overboard on our Glen as fair prey, good on ya Graham.
Graham Roberts also put Charlie Nicholas in the stand while Charlie was playing for Arsenal much to the delight and sung about by the Spurs fans.

As I remember it, way back when, it was the lower league clubs that had that one real clogger. Not really that great a player. (Rougvie definitely wasn't). Pretty sure there was some real crowd favourites out there. Also seem to remember them getting away with far more than you did in the Old Div 1

 

[pokerjoke]

Not my Club, but Roy Keane was certainly ManU's enforcer/hard man!

Denis Wise was Chelsea's.

It seemed to be a definite part of the (central) mid-field role - now virtually eliminated thank heaven!

I watched a mate playing National League (CM of course) get his opposite number sent off for retaliating after having his head used as a prop to get back upright!

Most of the cheating - and that's what it is - now goes on between Strikers and Fullbacks at set pieces in/near the PB.

I once started to construct a Fantasy League 'Hardmen' team. Schmeicel was Keeper and Stam and Adams were shoe-ins for defenders. Can't remember many others (Terry?) but there was an over-supply of potential mid-fielders - the 2 mentioned above, Vinnie Jones, Gazza and a host of others! Couldn't really find a real partner for Sparky though - Shearer came closest I think.

Duncan Ferguson?

 

[Steve Coll]

After Gerrard calmed down a bit Masherano took the mantle for me although sometimes he wasn't pretty to watch he done the job he needed to albeit not so pretty sometimes.

 

[Doon frae Troon]

I don't think I would like to hear the loud footsteps of Bobo Balde when on the ball.

Dave Mackay from my younger days with Hearts then Spurs.

I think Norman Hunter was probably the most feared.

 

[richart]

Terry Hurlock.

Robin Friday was the only striker I know that would frightened centre backs.

 

[Simbo]

Stuart Pearce.

Sourness was as tough as a 2 quid steak though, brutal!! Top of the tree hardman that could also play a bit.
Duncan ferguson was nuts, big scary guy on the pitch and the same off it, mind him leather ins 2 burglars he caught in his garage!, lol

 

[Hobbit]

Up front; Malcolm MacDonald of Newcastle.
Midfield; Rory Bremner of Leeds
Centre back; Adams of Arsenal
Keeper; Neville Southall of Everton

 

[richart]

Up front; Malcolm MacDonald of Newcastle.
Midfield; Rory Bremner of Leeds
Centre back; Adams of Arsenal
Keeper; Neville Southall of Everton

Love your midfielder Brian. Is he related to Billy ?:rofl:

 

[Hobbit]

Love your midfielder Brian. Is he related to Billy ?:rofl:

Old age....

 

[Liverbirdie]

With the mention in another thread of Crazy Horse, Tommy Smith and Souness it got me thinking. We all know football has moved on leaps and bounds from the late 70's and early 80's and for the better. However having spent a lot of that time watching football in the lower divisions, it seemed every side had their enforcer who seemed to be out there to solely get retribution for wrong doings.

I guess Bremner, Ron Harris and and Don McKay spring to mind from the old division one. Fulham had one for a season called Doug Rougvie, a no nonsense Scot who wasn't a stranger to the FA disciplinary panels both sides of the border. I can still remember the Fulham crowd (as they were in those days) always chanting "Douggie's going to get you" every time one of our creative players got chopped. He usually did.

I remember going to Mansfield one season and they had a guy, allegedly playing centre half. His brief was definitely if you can't get the man get the ball. A colossus of a man he was a missing link away from the prehistoric age but did his job to perfection and never even got booked. I'm sure other sides must have had their own enforcers, usually a huge crowd favourite....until they got sent off!

Who do you remember from your club that wasn't afraid to stick a boot and the odd elbow in

Don't forget Jimmy Case, Homer (ex saints and Brighton also). Real hard man and a cracking footballer as well.

Opposition players:-

Peter Reid, Fash the Bash, Mick Harford and Steve Foster (Brighton and Luton - hated him).

Vinny Jones, although did score a cracker for Chelsea at the Kop end years ago.

 

[MegaSteve]

Nobby Stiles was hard as they come... Also the 'battle' between Ian Ure and Denis Law will not be forgotten by those that witnessed it... Another I remember, from back in the day, was Peter Storey...