Reading's best ever left-back?

[notloyalenuffroyal]

I'm going to throw classy Centre back Dariusz Wdowczck out there.

Why do I remember him at left-back? Can I blame it on youth? Not really. Must be stupidity, but I my brain definitely remembers him scooping things up down the left flank.

Oh well.

[notloyalenuffroyal]

I'm going to throw classy Centre back Dariusz Wdowczck out there.

Why do I remember him at left-back? Can I blame it on youth? Not really. Must be stupidity, but I my brain definitely remembers him scooping things up down the left flank.

Oh well.

Ok. I'm not going completely bonkers. Some other Wikipedia types agree with me.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dariusz_Wdowczyk

[SCIAG]

On a side bar... what is the science behind left backs being such good free kick takers.?

Harte, Shorey, Bridge I think I've seen take a few, now Obita...

Beyond us over the years, Stuart Pearce, Roberto Carlos....

Any logic? I can't think of any famous right back free kick takers. Someone will though!!!

Teams usually want a left footer to take half their set pieces. Left footed players tend to be played at left wing or left back. Contrastingly, right backs tend to be players who weren't quite gifted enough to play in other positions - and they're competing with midfielders and forwards to take the right footed set pieces.

Right backs who were good free kick takers include Denis Irwin, Geremi, Kyle Walker, and Dani Alves.

[Ascotexgunner]

Bertrand for me. Quality defender. Chelsea were mugs not to give him a chance. I know he was up against Ivanovich for that position but he still deserved more games.

[Lacoste]

Bertrand for me. Quality defender. Chelsea were mugs not to give him a chance. I know he was up against Ivanovich for that position but he still deserved more games.

Ashley Cole actually.

[The Cap]

MoorgateRoyal wrote:

My favourite may well be Dylan Kerr, I was very young when he played, but I used to watch the VHSs of the seasons between 93-95 endlessly and he featured heavily, of course. You could see his personality when he played, which is rare, and was always solid. A likeable guy and a decent player.

Particularly the away game at Plymouth when he scored and pulled his shirt over his head, whilst legging it back to the half way line. As I recall that was a right ol' turn out from the Reading crew

[Platypuss]

Kerr's piledrivers away to Blackpool and home to Stoke were particular favourites of mine. Both ended up 4-0 demolitions IIRC.

[Ascotexgunner]

Bertrand for me. Quality defender. Chelsea were mugs not to give him a chance. I know he was up against Ivanovich for that position but he still deserved more games.

Ashley Cole actually.

He was too inexperienced when Cole was there wasnt he? I thought he only came into the reckoning when Ivanovich was first choice and in fact was suspended for the CL final where Ryan finally got his chance.

[Old Biscuitman]

Has to be Ray "Bomber" Reeves.

He was a centre half.

Sorry, Old Biscuitman, but Bomber was quite definitely a left-back. Most of the time he played for us the centre-half position was filled by either Bill Davies or Dick Spiers.

I stand rightfully corrected. I plead age, memory loss or worse.

[paultheroyal]

With hardly any mentions of Steve Richardson this thread is quite frankly embarrassing. 380 + appearances in that position i keep forgetting this great club was formed in 1994. Silly me.

[AthleticoSpizz]

Plenty of mentions of Steve Richardson actually (if you care to trawl through the other posts, .............to which I wholly agree with)....... He scored the equaliser at Ipswich in 1987, our last game of the season, and which gave us our (then) highest ever league finish in our entire history.....legend

A mention for Stewart Henderson.....nicely tanned thighs in the middle of January in an early 1970's Elm Park......how did he do that?

[Dr_Hfuhruhurr]

Shorey single handedly relegated us through spite. Fck him.
So it has to be a tie between Richardson and Kerr.

[paultheroyal]

Plenty of mentions of Steve Richardson actually (if you care to trawl through the other posts, .............to which I wholly agree with)....... He scored the equaliser at Ipswich in 1987, our last game of the season, and which gave us our (then) highest ever league finish in our entire history.....legend

A mention for Stewart Henderson.....nicely tanned thighs in the middle of January in an early 1970's Elm Park......how did he do that?

Think you are stretching the word "plenty" actually.

[Mid Sussex Royal]

Plenty of mentions of Steve Richardson actually (if you care to trawl through the other posts, .............to which I wholly agree with)....... He scored the equaliser at Ipswich in 1987, our last game of the season, and which gave us our (then) highest ever league finish in our entire history.....legend

A mention for Stewart Henderson.....nicely tanned thighs in the middle of January in an early 1970's Elm Park......how did he do that?

I am sure Henderson played right back?

Mark White must be up there - played around 10 years for us and if not for serious knee injury could have played at a much higher level.

[AthleticoSpizz]

As expected........the obvious

Henderson definitely played on the left (always warmed-up on the left, pre match) but .some games.....he switched it mid match with Bryan Carnaby....I'm sure...besides....it was the tan and the thighs doing the lunges pre-game that really impressed me........always tried to emulate those sinews

[2.8 lita injection]

Dariusz Wdowczyk, i think i saw him play left back in 1989.

Fabulous player, sweetest left foot i have ever seen.

[marcusopp]

Kerr's piledrivers away to Blackpool and home to Stoke were particular favourites of mine. Both ended up 4-0 demolitions IIRC.

I remember that game. He curled it in with the outside of his boot from about 30 yards, what a finish. Stoke were down to 9 men though, but even if they had 20 they couldn't have stopped him from melting that one in

[Muskrat]

Alan Lewis.

[ManchesterRoyals]

Stevie Rich for me

[Broxroyal]

Most likely would be Shorey cheap buy to England international, was a good gamble that one. For the level we were playing at the time Colin Meldrum was pretty useful.

This. Shorey overall, Meldrum top man in his day. Honourable mention also for Mark White.
Ray Reeves was just before my time. My late Dad always spoke well of him but always called him a left half rather than a left back.