Mick's Facebook Poll : Mon Jan 01, 2018 10:35 am  

Has anybody seen on the Bulls Facebook pages, Mick is asking for nominations for people's opinions on Northern/Bulls greatest ever player. I thought we could have our say on here as well, seen as though we are more intellectual

Obviously it depends on how old you are as to which player you have the fondest memories of. I'm 49 and started watching the Northern when a certain 16 year old full back made his debut. Keith Mumby was by far the most consistent player I have seen. Outstanding defence, outstanding under a high ball, I thought he was underrated in attack as well. I remember getting a northern shirt when I was about 10 and practicing goal kicks on the field where we lived thinking I was Keith, happy days. He will always be my first choice.

In the Bulls era I would say Henry Paul. I thought he was the most complete player. Brilliant individually, creative for the team, brilliant goal kicker and I also thought his defence was very good, which is not how people would remember for. A shame we didn't get a few more seasons out of him

Re: Mick's Facebook Poll : Mon Jan 01, 2018 10:52 am  

No real suprises to see Trevor Foster and Keith Mumby top of the nominations.

It was really close between third and eighth, with less than 50 nominations separating them.

1/ Trevor Foster (1,817)
2/ Keith Mumby (1,572)
3/ Lesley Vainikolo (1,284)
4/ Ellery Hanley (1,279)
5/ Brian Noble (1,271)
6/ James Lowes (1,263)
7/ Robbie Hunter-Paul (1,258)
8/ Karl Fairbank (1,244)
9/ Mick Withers (1,151)
10/ Frank Whitcombe (1,117)

The top four are now in the final poll.

Re: Mick's Facebook Poll : Mon Jan 01, 2018 11:33 am  

roger daly wrote:

Has anybody seen on the Bulls Facebook pages, Mick is asking for nominations for people's opinions on Northern/Bulls greatest ever player. I thought we could have our say on here as well, seen as though we are more intellectual

Obviously it depends on how hold you are as to which player you have the fondest memories of. I'm 49 and started watching the Northern when a certain 16 year old full back made his debut. Keith Mumby was by far the most consistent player I have seen. Outstanding defence, outstanding under a high ball, I thought he was underrated in attack as well. I remember getting a northern shirt when I was about 10 and practicing goal kicks on the field where we lived thinking I was Keith, happy days. He will always be my first choice.

In the Bulls era I would say Henry Paul. I thought he was the most complete player. Brilliant individually, creative for the team, brilliant goal kicker and I also thought his defence was very good, which is not how people would remember for. A shame we didn't get a few more seasons out of him

Would agree with all the above on Keith.Unbelievebly consistent.Didnt we just love watching opposing wingers racing away and there supporters already celebrating what looked like a certain try only while we all smiled at each other with that knowing look because we all knew "Mumby will have him" and sure enough a few seconds later the celebrations were silenced as another would be tryscorer was brought crashing to earth with razor like precision.Those were days my friends.

Re: Mick's Facebook Poll : Mon Jan 01, 2018 11:51 am  

How can Hanley be above such as Fairbank and Robbie Paul, who turned their blood to water for the Bulls, no disrespect to Hanley, but he claimed fame and went, Fairbank and Robbie had Bradford in their blood

Re: Mick's Facebook Poll : Mon Jan 01, 2018 2:48 pm  

We used to joke that Mumby used to tackle the man and tie his boot laces together so he fell over when he tried to get up.
He once gave Offiah the outside and everyone thought it was a try all over but Mumby timed it perfectly and grabbed both legs at the same time. The crowd went silent when he missed one.
There were some other very good fullbacks though which curtailed his international career.
How good would Keith be today with full time training. Probably not much quicker but worth his weight in gold never the less. Great player and club man. Oh for a young Keith right now and throw in a young Fairbanks, Peacock, Fielden and a 17 year old Robbie. And for the older ones, a David Redfearn on the wing.

Re: Mick's Facebook Poll : Mon Jan 01, 2018 3:06 pm  

woolly07 wrote:

We used to joke that Mumby used to tackle the man and tie his boot laces together so he fell over when he tried to get up.
He once gave Offiah the outside and everyone thought it was a try all over but Mumby timed it perfectly and grabbed both legs at the same time. The crowd went silent when he missed one.
There were some other very good fullbacks though which curtailed his international career.
How good would Keith be today with full time training. Probably not much quicker but worth his weight in gold never the less. Great player and club man. Oh for a young Keith right now and throw in a young Fairbanks, Peacock, Fielden and a 17 year old Robbie. And for the older ones, a David Redfearn on the wing.

If we had them they would all leave after their breakthrough season. Case in point, James Bentley.

Re: Mick's Facebook Poll : Mon Jan 01, 2018 3:13 pm  

woolly07 wrote:

We used to joke that Mumby used to tackle the man and tie his boot laces together so he fell over when he tried to get up.
He once gave Offiah the outside and everyone thought it was a try all over but Mumby timed it perfectly and grabbed both legs at the same time. The crowd went silent when he missed one.
There were some other very good fullbacks though which curtailed his international career.
How good would Keith be today with full time training. Probably not much quicker but worth his weight in gold never the less. Great player and club man. Oh for a young Keith right now and throw in a young Fairbanks, Peacock, Fielden and a 17 year old Robbie. And for the older ones, a David Redfearn on the wing.

Aye Dave Redfearn great winger.Also a decent stand off and loose forward in his later years

Re: Mick's Facebook Poll : Tue Jan 02, 2018 2:01 pm  

Mick put something similar on Twitter too

It's a funny one, as I would care to bet that a vast majority of the votes for Trevor Foster were by people who never saw him play. Obviously a club legend, but footage for those not old enough is very limited, and the game very different to its current guise.

I first went to a game around 1991-2 so caught the very back end of an odd appearance from Nobby and Mumby, so can at least say I saw them play for the club, but they were very much past their best at that point.

For me, I've not seen any players as gifted as Newlove and Henry Paul play for the club. Other favorites included Fairbank and Fielden, but for very differing reasons. Very much more about effort and commitment.

Re: Mick's Facebook Poll : Tue Jan 02, 2018 2:10 pm  

Bradford Badger wrote:

Mick put something similar on Twitter too

It's a funny one, as I would care to bet that a vast majority of the votes for Trevor Foster were by people who never saw him play. Obviously a club legend, but footage for those not old enough is very limited, and the game very different to its current guise.

I first went to a game around 1991-2 so caught the very back end of an odd appearance from Nobby and Mumby, so can at least say I saw them play for the club, but they were very much past their best at that point.

For me, I've not seen any players as gifted as Newlove and Henry Paul play for the club. Other favorites included Fairbank and Fielden, but for very differing reasons. Very much more about effort and commitment.

There's also the other argument aside from whether you saw them play or not.

What defines the "greatest player"? There's an argument Trevor Foster is because of what he did for the club, rather than what he was actually like on the pitch. There's an argument Henry Paul is because he was one of the most skillful players I've certainly ever seen. But is effort more important than skill, at which point someone like a Jimmy Lowes who battled for 80 minutes every week like his life depended on it. Does having the right attitude and setting the correct example to young fans contribute? Or is a mixture of those things?
Depending on what defines the statement, would probably make the choice most people would make different.

Clearly there's other factors for other people too, as despite me very much rating Paul Deacon, I can't see how anyone would choose him as the greatest ever Bradford player.

Re: Mick's Facebook Poll : Tue Jan 02, 2018 3:03 pm  

I remember once reading about the role a stand off should play - linking the outside backs in attack, good range of passing, a kicking game to support the scrum half, defensively sound. I Cant think of a more dominant 6 in every area as Henry, his running game -pace, evasion, ability to break tackles, passing range-organisng , and kicking immaculate but defensively it was no surprise he came back playing loose forward for London. I always thought Robbie's defense was underappreciated as well.

Not with us long enough to be greatest player but if withers gets in the top 10 surely he should be up there?