From what is being said on this board not many of you have ever played football, certainly not in the times before Sky sold us their wonderful product. Most football league clubs had a renowned tackler on their books, we had Tommy Smith, Graeme Souness, Phil Thompson was more of an artist, he would take the ball and the opponent never knew he had lost it. Norman "Bites ya legs" Hunter, Billy Bremner, Nobby Styles, "Chopper" Harris, the list go's on and on and these players were selected for their ability to take the ball off an opposing player. I remember an occasion in the fifties, we were playing against I.CI Chemicals in the Cheshire Senior Cup, not sure of my age but I think I was about 15. I was playing Right half No. 4 in today's money I suppose I would have been a defensive midfielder, I was up against an old fella not old old man in footballing terms, he was wearing the No.10 in the whole of the first half he hardly got a touch of the ball, he was quite skillful but very slow (too many Guinness) as we were walking off the pitch at half time he came up to me, put his arm round my shoulder and said " If you carry on taking the ball off me I will break your leg, this is my living you are fucking with". I didn't understand what he meant When we got in the dressing room I told Tom Bush what had been said, he explained that this guy got his job with ICI because he had been a Professional footballer, also an International for Ireland, he was the player coach of ICI. Tom Bush said he didn´t want to tell me about him before the game started, he thought it might put me off my game. Sorry to have gone on a bit, but if tackling is ever taken out of the game, I feel it's on it's way now, then football will never be the same again, referees have to stamp out diving, it's cheating nothing less, but it will be very difficult for them, there are quite a few good solutions but it's up to the authorities to have the bollocks to implement them.
Forgot Jimmy case, one of the very best
