We have been festooned in this football purgatory that is now called the Sky Bet Championship for fifteen long years so it might be a fitting time to reflect on the good times and indeed the bad.
Favourite keepers: Richard Wright being a local lad was one of the better goalkeepers and he could save a penalty or two, as could Lewis Price. The now sadly diseased Martin Fulop was another keeper I admired and I must say I though Arran Lee-Barrett was a much better shot stopper than people gave him credit for.
On the negative side, I guess former Norwich man Andy Marshall was not the most loved but I liked kelvin Davis I have to say.
Favourite wing-backs: Dutchman Fabian Wilnes immediately springs to mind and he served the club proud for more than ten years! Other names that jump out at me are Chris Makin, Matt Richards, Sito and Mauricio Taricco but I am sure I am missing some others of note and even David Wright and Scott Baron put in a good shift or two it has to be said.
Most recently Aaron Creswell must surely be added to the list and Tyrone Mings I am sure has a bright future in the top flight too – although his stay with us was far too short.
Favourite centre backs: the list is long but surely must include current Premier players Gareth McAuley and Damien Delaney; along with Jason de Vos, Drissa Diallo and Richard Stearman.
John McGreal was also utilized effectively as a centre half, as well as his role on occasions as a wing back. We cannot possibly forget too Thomas Gaardsoe and Hermann Hreidarsson now can we!
Favourite midfielders: once again there are many to choose from but the stand-out performers in this position for me were, Darren Currie, Dutchman Martijn Reuser, Sylvain Legwinski, Jim Magilton, Tommy Miller and Jimmy Bullard but of course loan players like Jack Colback have cemented their places in Premier teams these days and they did well for us in their time.
Favourite strikers: I guess Daryl Murphy must be in here after scoring a staggering 27 league goals last term and then we have a host of wonderful memories from Shefki Kugi to Darren Bent. I think it is fair to say we have had some great forwards and Alex Mathie for his hat-trick against Norwich and Danny Haynes come immediately to mind when we think of strikers that changed games.
Pablo Counago will always be loved by Town supporters almost in the same way that Paul Mariner was in our heyday. Alan Lee and Ian Marshall were similar types of old fashioned centre forwards but got us goals and we must not overlook Jonathan Stead and another Premier hit in Jonathan Walters!
Well then, that is my take on the last fifteen years and the shooting stars that have past us by but who are your favourites? I am sure you can remind me of the ones I have missed!
Tomorrow I will list the players that did not deliver for one reason or another so prepare for Mark Fish and the boys!
Frank Weston – editor of Vital Ipswich
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