| Psychokiller |
An unsung hero IMHO, signed by Steve Coppell during his first season, though he made few appearances that year until Peter Nicholas and Jerry Murphy left, to me Ticker was a key man in our upturn in fortunes under Steve Coppell. A proper gritty midfielder with no mean shot, his introduction to the team coincided with us finishing in the top six rather than the bottom five for the two following seasons (85-86 and 86-87). Unfortunately when the play offs were first introduced in 86/97 the club third from bottom in division one got another bite of the cherry and played off against the club that finished 5th (I think) in the second division (as a result Clowntown survived that year). Kevin liked to play it simple and often held the midfielder together whilst his midfield partner of the time, Steve Ketteridge, ran around doing nothing of note apart from doing a bizarre "run and scream" ritual every time the opposition took a free kick. He also tended to weigh in with five or six goals every season, which believe me made him a high scoring midfielder in those days!
Unfortunately for Kevin, come 1987-88 Andy Gray had started to establish himself in midfield and Steve Coppell had just signed a certain promising young midfielder from Crewe, so after a couple of games against Newport in the Full Member Cup, Kevin was on his way. He signed for Scunthorpe during the season and went on to captain them for many years. I remember as a lad of about 13 checking out the player ratings in Shoot (or perhaps Match) magazine, and Kevin appeared to get their "man of the match" rating on a weekly basis. Anyone know what he's up to now? |
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| Lord Flange |
He was my fave player way back in the days when I would stand at the front of the AW enclosure and enjoy the smell of the 'chocolate tobacco' that some old pipe smoker used to blow for what seemed like the whole game.
All his goals used to be belters as well IIRC.
I Remember him scoring in injury time in a 3-3 evening game V somone..it's all a bit foggy now. :) |
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| David of Kent |
quote:
Originally posted by Lord Flange
All his goals used to be belters as well IIRC.
I Remember him scoring in injury time in a 3-3 evening game V somone..it's all a bit foggy now. :)
Ipswich in Mark Bright's (goal scoring) debut?
Very much a favourite of mine back in the day. Kind of came in at a time (after Peter Nicholas left) when we were bereft of any sort of quality in midfield.
I don't know if he was particularly good, or if he just looked good compared to the rest of the dross (like Ketteridge) that we had.
I remember him scoring around 10 in a seaon from midfield and being staggered that a Palace midfielder could do this. He wasn't particularly attacking (a la a Gerrard/Lampard style forward going player), really just a dour gritty northern midfielder that kept possession well and unleashed cracking shots from time to time.
Once Thomas and Redfearn arrived (along with Gray's move back to midfield) he suddenly seemed really outdated in our young side, but he was excellent value for us at the time and thoroughly suited his nickname, unlike some footballers (hello Paul Ince!) |
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| Billy Rhino |
I remember a particularly boring game at home to Barnsley around 1986 when he unleashed a cracking 30 yarder into the top corner to win it.
It's still so rare to see a Palace player with that shooting ability.
Steve "The Windmill" Ketteridge. :clown: |
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| David of Kent |
| I also seem to remember him cracking one in against Oldham in one of the first examples of Ian "supersub" Wright coming in. I think Wrighty got the other. We were 2-1 down and won 3-2 with two goals in the last couple of minutes. |
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| stevek |
quote:
Originally posted by David of Kent
I also seem to remember him cracking one in against Oldham in one of the first examples of Ian "supersub" Wright coming in. I think Wrighty got the other. We were 2-1 down and won 3-2 with two goals in the last couple of minutes.
Indeed. Wright's goal was his first for the club. |
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| telodaja |
| Good little player was Taylor unlike Ketteridge and that other waste of space from around that period Andy Higginbottom |
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| David of Kent |
quote:
Originally posted by telodaja
Good little player was Taylor unlike Ketteridge and that other waste of space from around that period Andy Higginbottom
I preferred Higginbottom at that time to our first choice left midfielder, Barber.
This is not the highest of praise however. |
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| Psychokiller |
quote:
Originally posted by David of Kent
I preferred Higginbottom at that time to our first choice left midfielder, Barber.
This is the highest of praise however.
Higginbottom was woeful, he DID score a belter of a goal against the blades though :p |
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| David of Kent |
quote:
Originally posted by Psychokiller
Higginbottom was woeful, he DID score a belter of a goal against the blades though :p
I know he has his fans on here, but I felt the same way about Barber.
Arguing over which of these two was the better player is akin to arguing about which of the Bros twins was the most talented. |
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| Sam Spade |
quote:
Originally posted by Lord Flange
He was my fave player way back in the days when I would stand at the front of the AW enclosure and enjoy the smell of the 'chocolate tobacco' that some old pipe smoker used to blow for what seemed like the whole game.
All his goals used to be belters as well IIRC.
I Remember him scoring in injury time in a 3-3 evening game V somone..it's all a bit foggy now. :)
Hello Foggy! It was, as someone has posted, v Ipswich, but definitely a Saturday, around November 15 1986 ish. 1down and then 3-1 down, ticker scored a belter at the Whitehorse end almost straight from the kick off from Ipswichs 3rd. Seemed to galvanise the team and we did get a very late equaliser. Game notable for the first appearance together of Wright and Bright who also both scored. |
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| Psychokiller |
quote:
Originally posted by David of Kent
I know he has his fans on here, but I felt the same way about Barber.
Arguing over which of these two was the better player is akin to arguing about which of the Bros twins was the most talented.
Barber at least played in THAT game at Villa Park, and was clearly committed to the cause. |
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| Sam Spade |
quote:
Originally posted by Psychokiller
Barber at least played in THAT game at Villa Park, and was clearly committed to the cause.
........and got us through with the only goal against Rochdale in the 5th round, after they threatened to nick it. A real trier always. |
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| David of Kent |
Yes, yes, he was a trier. Mr 110%. Etc, etc. He also got a gazillion (that's a proper number) more opportunities that young Higginbottom, and therefore many, many more chances to put his name into our folklore.
As I've already said, I don't think Higginbottom was a good player, likewise to argue that Barber was is completely baffling to me.
Now as for Mr Taylor...... |
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| Psychokiller |
quote:
Originally posted by David of Kent
Yes, yes, he was a trier. Mr 110%. Etc, etc. He also got a gazillion (that's a proper number) more opportunities that young Higginbottom, and therefore many, many more chances to put his name into our folklore.
As I've already said, I don't think Higginbottom was a good player, likewise to argue that Barber was is completely baffling to me.
Now as for Mr Taylor......
Not saying Barber was good at all mate. His skill levels were division one at best. But Steve Coppell obviously liked him and he played his part in our successes back then. |
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| David of Kent |
quote:
Originally posted by Psychokiller
Not saying Barber was good at all mate. His skill levels were division one at best. But Steve Coppell obviously liked him and he played his part in our successes back then.
I never said he didn't.
I think we're at crossed purposes. |
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| Sam Spade |
quote:
Originally posted by David of Kent
As I've already said, I don't think Higginbottom was a good player, likewise to argue that Barber was is completely baffling to me.
Now as for Mr Taylor......
As a long time Palace watcher, I came to the conclusion long ago, that our team, when doing well, is largely made up of triers who would never appear on any Premiership managers radar. Thats one of the reasons that I love Palace. Who would you rather have? The man that is Geoff Thomas or the inconsistent, petulant box of tricks that is Cesc Fabregas? |
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| David of Kent |
quote:
Originally posted by Sam Spade
As a long time Palace watcher, I came to the conclusion long ago, that our team, when doing well, is largely made up of triers who would never appear on any Premiership managers radar. Thats one of the reasons that I love Palace. Who would you rather have? The man that is Geoff Thomas or the inconsistent, petulant box of tricks that is Cesc Fabregas?
Geoff Thomas!
For example, in the playing style of the team in which Geoff played so well, in 90/91 it could be argued he would be more suitable than Cesc.
How good would Cesc have been & looked in a team when the ball bypassed him for most of the game, and in which his chief function was to run barrell chested from one box to the other trying to bundle in the odd ugly goal and intimidate the opposition with his aryan looks!
What this has to do with Barber-Higginbottom (who were both "triers" but by and large useless) I don't know?
And as for Kevin Taylor...... |
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| Billy Rhino |
So who were the best long-distance shooters in Palace history?
I've followed Palace since the early 80's and cant think of anyone better than Kevin Taylor in that time. |
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| stevek |
quote:
Originally posted by David of Kent
I preferred Higginbottom at that time to our first choice left midfielder, Barber.
This is not the highest of praise however.
Barber was far better than Higginbottom. And Barber also improved over his time at Palace. (He went, basically, from a player who tried really hard but wasn't really quite good enough for the 1984 Palace team to one who tried really hard but wasn't really quite good enough for the 1990 Palace team. Given how much Palace improved between 1984 and 1990, that also means so did Barber. The 1990 version of Barber would have been about the best player in the 1984 team.) |
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| Psychokiller |
quote:
Originally posted by stevek
Barber was far better than Higginbottom. And Barber also improved over his time at Palace. (He went, basically, from a player who tried really hard but wasn't really quite good enough for the 1984 Palace team to one who tried really hard but wasn't really quite good enough for the 1990 Palace team. Given how much Palace improved between 1984 and 1990, that also means so did Barber. The 1990 version of Barber would have been about the best player in the 1984 team.)
Apart from Jim Cannon, and Vince Hilaire if you're talking 83/84. |
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| Psychokiller |
| Oh, and Peter Nicholas and Jerry Murphy. And Kevin Mabbutt. |
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| Psychokiller |
| And Billy Gilbert if you're including 83/84 |
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| David of Kent |
quote:
Originally posted by stevek
Barber was far better than Higginbottom.
I disagree. For my reasons why, read my previous posts (what you expected me to read the rest of yours when you didn't read mine?
;) ) |
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| David of Kent |
quote:
Originally posted by Billy Rhino
So who were the best long-distance shooters in Palace history?
I've followed Palace since the early 80's and cant think of anyone better than Kevin Taylor in that time.
Me neither, I can think of less accurate harder hitters that occassionally got it right, but not someone that hit it so sweetly so often. Madden had a good shot I think, but perhaps more of a passing it to the net style |
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| Panther |
quote:
Originally posted by Billy Rhino
So who were the best long-distance shooters in Palace history?
I've followed Palace since the early 80's and cant think of anyone better than Kevin Taylor in that time.
He pre-dates the 80s, but Colin Taylor took some beating. Cliff Holton too. |
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| stevek |
quote:
Originally posted by Psychokiller
Apart from Jim Cannon, and Vince Hilaire if you're talking 83/84.
I was talking 84/85, which was the first season I started going regularly - though the Cannon point still applies. |
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| stevek |
quote:
Originally posted by David of Kent
I disagree. For my reasons why, read my previous posts (what you expected me to read the rest of yours when you didn't read mine?
;) )
There's a difference between reading a whole post and quoting a whole post ;) |
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| David of Kent |
quote:
Originally posted by stevek
There's a difference between read.....
Indeed |
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| orp pisshead1 |
quote:
Originally posted by Psychokiller
An unsung hero IMHO, signed by Steve Coppell during his first season, though he made few appearances that year until Peter Nicholas and Jerry Murphy left, to me Ticker was a key man in our upturn in fortunes under Steve Coppell. A proper gritty midfielder with no mean shot, his introduction to the team coincided with us finishing in the top six rather than the bottom five for the two following seasons (85-86 and 86-87). Unfortunately when the play offs were first introduced in 86/97 the club third from bottom in division one got another bite of the cherry and played off against the club that finished 5th (I think) in the second division (as a result Clowntown survived that year). Kevin liked to play it simple and often held the midfielder together whilst his midfield partner of the time, Steve Ketteridge, ran around doing nothing of note apart from doing a bizarre "run and scream" ritual every time the opposition took a free kick. He also tended to weigh in with five or six goals every season, which believe me made him a high scoring midfielder in those days!
Unfortunately for Kevin, come 1987-88 Andy Gray had started to establish himself in midfield and Steve Coppell had just signed a certain promising young midfielder from Crewe, so after a couple of games against Newport in the Full Member Cup, Kevin was on his way. He signed for Scunthorpe during the season and went on to captain them for many years. I remember as a lad of about 13 checking out the player ratings in Shoot (or perhaps Match) magazine, and Kevin appeared to get their "man of the match" rating on a weekly basis. Anyone know what he's up to now?
Spot as per norm on this forum, his family used to sometimes travel with the train mob to northen away games.
ps how many goals did ketteridge score for us? i missed his goal up at stoke after being kicked by a bloody police horse:grrr: :D |
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| Psychokiller |
quote:
Originally posted by orp pisshead1
ps how many goals did ketteridge score for us? i missed his goal up at stoke after being kicked by a bloody police horse:grrr: :D
Probably about as many times as he actually touched the ball ;) |
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| Harry Holmesdale |
Nice bloke too, he used to play pool against my old man in one of the bars after the game, him and Gavin Nebbeling sorted me out with a pair of Palace shorts once as they lost a doubles game against my old man and uncle !
Kevin Taylor got us comp tickets to Derby away and before kick off came to the away end terrace to find us and say hello.. decent player and top bloke |
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