Gazza when Spurs beat us at Selhurst 89/90 was the best individual performance I have seen.
Would love to to have seen George Best, only time I did was in Dover St wine bar and the only dribbling he was doing was into his pint glass
I remember that game very well and would agree...
Also against Charlton: Unknown Roni Rosenthal against us for Liverpool, midweek at Selhurst park. As his name was announced - being the unchallenged expert on holly land football, I reassured my mates that: "take it from me, this guy couldn't even make it in Israel"
George Best. Also saw Maradona when he was about 19 when England played Argentina - who were world champions - at Wembley and we beat them 3-1. Would love to have seen Pele play.
Henry, Bergkamp, Ronaldo, Weah (not at his peak unfortunately). Most like to have seen Simonsen.
Simonsen was fantastic. About 5 stone dripping wet but what a footballer. Most skilful player ever to wear a Charlton shirt (IMHO) - and I have been watching us for 50 + years.
It's quite amazing how so many people who were around at the time he was playing view George as the greatest they've seen - me included of course.
Those who weren't tend to fall into two camps - those who realise that us old fogies can't all be wrong (and who bother to search youtube to see for themselves) and those who feel he was of his time and wouldn't have been a stand out in the modern game. For those who fall into the second group I would remind them of the out and out thugs of defenders back in the day who could get away with ABH on the pitch. If George was playing today with the protection he would get from referees he would have been even more stand out as the GOAT.
Have seen Messi and Ronaldo in recent years for Barcelona and Real Madrid but the best I have ever seen is Zidane - pure artistry and should be regarded as one of the best ever. Complete genius.
Best I have seen live was George Best,the one player I watched many times on TV and really wished I had seen him live was Andres Iniesta,this man made the game seem so easy,and I doubt if Barca ,bearing in mind Messi and the rest of the team,would have been as good without him.
Bobmunro exactly my opinion,would Ronaldo Messi survive an afternoon at Elland Road in the 60s,playing on a cabbage patch with Johnny Giles and his mates decapitating anything that moved.
So many, depending on position. Best, Gazza in afore mentioned games, Vialli at 92 Euro final, Roy Keane (controversial but brilliant), Glenn Hoddle. Obvious Charlton players, Sam, Leary, Summers, Ufton and the man the latter rates as the best he ever played with - Billy Kiernan. Non Charlton - Duncan Edwards.
Jimmy Greaves was very special: smooth, sly and lethal. As a nipper at one of my first games in the mid-1960s, I saw him score directly from a corner for Spurs against Liverpool.
I remember seeing Marcelo Salas score for Chile against England at the old Wembley and thought Wow. Also seen Gazza Cantona, Dion Dublin 😬 etc, wished I'd seen (agreeing with a few) Bobby Moore.
Saw him in the early 60's playing in a "world team" against an "FA 11 " at the old Wembley. Scored with his trademark ' banana shot ' if I remember correctly.
Franco Baresi - 40 yard pass along the floor into the path of Baggio. Almost supernaturally seemed to know where opposition were going to move or pass before they did. Far more impressive than any forward whatever the reputation. Wish I’d seen the Dutch in the 70’s mainly because I wanted to be Johnny Rep.
Saw George Best destroy Spurs at White Hart Lane (used to be featured on the Big Match every week). Also was at the Fulham match when he and Rodney Marsh toyed with Hereford Utd (another famous TV match). And also saw him at the Les Berry testimonial when, complete with booze belly, he sprayed superb 50 yard passes around for fun and made our lot look quality against a top notch Arsenal.
Special mention for having seen world cup winners: Charlton (R), Nobby Stiles, Bobby Moore, Martin Peters and Alan Ball.
Greatest Charlton: Simonsen and Costa
Wished I could have seen Duncan Edwards play (my dad said he was a force of nature).
Best individual performances I've seen: Charlton game - probably Kanchelskis at O.T. v us in the cup or Giggs at the Valley in the prem; for Charlton - probably De Canio at Portsmouth single handed and by sheer force of will dragging the whole team to a result; best player I've seen play maybe Gianfranco Zola, his powers were slightly faded when he was turning out for Chelsea but a privilege to behold; best individual performance of all probably Teddy Sheringham for England at Wembley v Scotland Euro 96. Most consistently 'best' Charlton player match to match (since early 90's) was Yann Kermorgant. Players I'd have liked to have seen in the flesh, George Best on one of those days when he seemed to be a higher form of life on a football pitch. Jimmy Greaves & Duncan Edwards are the two names that always come up with the older generation as being really special.
Comments
Most like to have seen Simonsen.
Would have loved to have seen Pele.
Wish I had seen Bobby Moore
Also against Charlton:
Unknown Roni Rosenthal against us for Liverpool, midweek at Selhurst park.
As his name was announced - being the unchallenged expert on holly land football, I reassured my mates that: "take it from me, this guy couldn't even make it in Israel"
He went on to score a hat trick...
Would love to have seen:
Diego Armando Maradona
Would loved to have seen Maradona and Cruyff.
Would love to have seen Best and Van Basten
Wish - Best
Obvious Charlton players, Sam, Leary, Summers, Ufton and the man the latter rates as the best he ever played with - Billy Kiernan. Non Charlton - Duncan Edwards.
Pele
Would love to have seen Pele
Bergkamp
Scholes
Merson
Gascoigne
Barnes
Waddle
Sheringham
Rivaldo
Djorkaeff
Henry
Ronaldo
Bowyer
Di Canio
Gerrard
Shearer
The one I wished I'd seen play in the flesh was Andrea Pirlo, a footballer in the purest form.
Saw him in the early 60's playing in a "world team" against an "FA 11 " at the old Wembley.
Scored with his trademark ' banana shot ' if I remember correctly.
Lev Yashin made a fantastic save as well.
For us.....Paulo Di Canio.
Liked to have seen...Alfredo Di Stefano
Buffon, Cannavaro, Pirlo all played for Italy. Ronaldinho was probably the most famous Brazilian on show.
Wish I’d seen the Dutch in the 70’s mainly because I wanted to be Johnny Rep.
Special mention for having seen world cup winners: Charlton (R), Nobby Stiles, Bobby Moore, Martin Peters and Alan Ball.
Greatest Charlton: Simonsen and Costa
Wished I could have seen Duncan Edwards play (my dad said he was a force of nature).
Players I'd have liked to have seen in the flesh, George Best on one of those days when he seemed to be a higher form of life on a football pitch. Jimmy Greaves & Duncan Edwards are the two names that always come up with the older generation as being really special.