Hibernian Hall Of Fame - Left Midfield/Left Wing - Discuss & Debate!

[Smurf]

Not thought this through but top of my head we have Willie Hamilton, Willie Ormond, George Best, Arthur Duncan, Joe Tortolano, Tony Rougier, Russell Latapy, Stephen Glass, Kevin Thomson, John Collins, Lewis Stevenson, Michael O'Neil & Derek Riordan...

Others?

A few of the above played also in other positions - sometimes more central - but IIRC were played at times Left Midfield/Left Wing.

I was thinking that i had to get Derek Riordan in the team and settled on him in this position. However, i've decided not to close the book on my front two so he might still squeeze in..

However, for left midfield i've gone for John Collins.
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

[blue toon hibby]

Any list of famous Hibernian left wingers must surely include the great Eric Stevenson. I know I didn't really see him at his peak but he struck me at the time as being in a class of his own and it was unfortunate that he didn't get the international recognition he deserved.

Having said that, I have to put George Best in here as my winner. Definitely, in his day, one of the best ever.

[Smurf]

Originally Posted by blue toon hibby
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Any list of famous Hibernian left wingers must surely include the great Eric Stevenson. I know I didn't really see him at his peak but he struck me at the time as being in a class of his own and it was unfortunate that he didn't get the international recognition he deserved.

Having said that, I have to put George Best in here as my winner. Definitely, in his day, one of the best ever.

Great shout on Eric Stevenson. I've heard lots about him.

Cannae really argue with your comment on George Best.
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

[southfieldhibby]

I'd like to think that all Hibs hall of famers played for us at their peak, so Bestie just doesnt come into it for me.He was a shadow of his former self, here for the craik,peeve and cash.
Fair enough, but I'd rather see Collins or Riordan on the left.

[wee 162]

Originally Posted by southfieldhibby
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

I'd like to think that all Hibs hall of famers played for us at their peak, so Bestie just doesnt come into it for me.He was a shadow of his former self, here for the craik,peeve and cash.
Fair enough, but I'd rather see Collins or Riordan on the left.

Agree with the first bit re George Best, but surely to feck Arthur Duncan has to be in with a shout here
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.


Hasn't he actually made the most appearances for Hibs in our history?

And just to back up my point, when George Best made his debut for Hibs at Love St I was slung onto the park to go on and meet him. I did, but not before running up to Arthur Duncan first, who told me I was at the wrong player. Even at the age of 4ish I was still a smart arsed wee shite and informed him that I wasn't, and I wanted to speak to him. He gave me a wee pat on the heid, and took me over to meet George Best. Possibly my all time favourite Hibby memory.

[southfieldhibby]

Originally Posted by wee 162
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Agree with the first bit re George Best, but surely to feck Arthur Duncan has to be in with a shout here
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.


Hasn't he actually made the most appearances for Hibs in our history?

And just to back up my point, when George Best made his debut for Hibs at Love St I was slung onto the park to go on and meet him. I did, but not before running up to Arthur Duncan first, who told me I was at the wrong player. Even at the age of 4ish I was still a smart arsed wee shite and informed him that I wasn't, and I wanted to speak to him. He gave me a wee pat on the heid, and took me over to meet George Best. Possibly my all time favourite Hibby memory.

Clearly your right about Duncan, but I have to be honest and admit to not really recall watching him.Collins & Riordan on the other hand gave me some magic moments watching Hibs.

[wee 162]

Originally Posted by southfieldhibby
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Clearly your right about Duncan, but I have to be honest and admit to not really recall watching him.Collins & Riordan on the other hand gave me some magic moments watching Hibs.

That's completely fair enough, it was just the fact that we were 3 posts in and he hadn't even been mentioned which surprised me!

edit: Oops, hadn't noticed him in Smurfs first post. Sorry...

[beefy]

When i first started watching Hibs Arthur Duncan,Ralph Callaghan and Gordon Rae were my heroes.

Some great players to pick from but AD brings back great memories so i will be voting for him.

[stickyRicky]

Michael O'Neil for me.

[PPK (The Arcade KING-RIP Les)]

Arthur Duncan gets my vote

[Dub]

Originally Posted by Smurf
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Great shout on Eric Stevenson. I've heard lots about him.

Cannae really argue with your comment on George Best.
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Eric Stevenson gets my vote. sadly I am old enough to have seen him play and I barely remember anything apart from him being genius[sad because it makes me an auld **** but happy that I saw him play - how bittersweet] and I would definately advocate inclusion for ES. I have banged on in the past about him and whist I can appreciate people choosing the likes of O'neill, Duncan, Collins et al its Eric Stevenson for me without a shadow of doubt.

Incidentally [probably tin hat time] why would anyone want to include George Best in there. Sure he was a good player when he came to Hibs, alas not the great player he was of yesteryear but a good player nonetheless, however he didnt exactly put in season after season for us and IMO shouldnt be included.

[Stu]

I'm looking at choosing the best eleven players so I'm going to go for Alex Cropley. Superb left foot, creative and hard in the tackle.

[Kenny]

between

JC, Eric stevenson, willie ormond and Michael o'niell for me.

[Purple & Green]

A hat trick at Ibrox should have guaranteed him a place in the hibs hall of fame, even if it is on the left rather than the right.

Number one is Ivan Sproule

[GalegoHibs]

Very fond memories of Michael O'Neill in a Hibs jersey in an era when I rarely missed a match at Easter Road.
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

[SlovSam]

Originally Posted by Dub
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

Eric Stevenson gets my vote. sadly I am old enough to have seen him play and I barely remember anything apart from him being genius[sad because it makes me an auld **** but happy that I saw him play - how bittersweet] and I would definately advocate inclusion for ES. I have banged on in the past about him and whist I can appreciate people choosing the likes of O'neill, Duncan, Collins et al its Eric Stevenson for me without a shadow of doubt.

Incidentally [probably tin hat time] why would anyone want to include George Best in there. Sure he was a good player when he came to Hibs, alas not the great player he was of yesteryear but a good player nonetheless, however he didnt exactly put in season after season for us and IMO shouldnt be included.

There is a story that Eric Stevenson as well as being a very talented player was also very supertitious and when Hibs got a penalty he would go to the halfway line and face the crowd and wait for their reaction rather than watch the penalty being taken. Don't know how true that is.
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.


He was though by all accounts a great Hibs player much more so than 'Best' who was one of the reasons Hibs were relegated as 'it was like playing with 10 men on the pitch' (Copyright Eddie Turnbull) but then again some supporters buy into 'celebrity' even if it means relegation and the sacking of a legend.
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.


Jim Duffy (the man with mair pals than Nelson Mandela
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
) who is unbelievably now a pundit
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
on Setanta should have tried this as well as Hibs went doon the Swanny.

[Willief]

I always liked Joe T when he first broke into the team as a winger/striker. Scored a great goal a pittodrie midweek when Mcleish and Miller were at their prime.

Michael 'O Neil was a great player before he lost interest. Still think he scored one of the best goals I've ever seen against Motherwell at Easter Road :YAYYY:

Surely Arthur Duncan has to get in the team just for playing that many games. Too young to remember him as a winger but was one of my favourite players when I first started going.

[Dub]

Originally Posted by SlovSam
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

There is a story that Eric Stevenson as well as being a very talented player was also very supertitious and when Hibs got a penalty he would go to the halfway line and face the crowd and wait for their reaction rather than watch the penalty being taken. Don't know how true that is.
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.


He was though by all accounts a great Hibs player much more so than 'Best' who was one of the reasons Hibs were relegated as 'it was like playing with 10 men on the pitch' (Copyright Eddie Turnbull) but then again some supporters buy into 'celebrity' even if it means relegation and the sacking of a legend.
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.


Jim Duffy (the man with mair pals than Nelson Mandela
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
) who is unbelievably now a pundit
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
on Setanta should have tried this as well as Hibs went doon the Swanny.

Eric Stevenson - Bonnyrigg's Legend!

THAT ERIC STEVENSON should be numbered amongst the many legends to have worn the green and white of Hibs there is no doubt. Stevenson, the one winger Pat Stanton excluded from his famous "You'll never meet a winger with a brain in his heid" comment, graced the jersey for the whole of the 1960's, having signed towards the end of the previous decade.
Fans who watched Hibs throughout that period may well share one of my earliest personal Hibs supporting memories, that being a vivid recollection of Eric Stevenson charging down the left wing, defenders strewn in his wake, before crossing a peach of a ball onto the head of the waiting Neil Martin, allowing the big striker to hammer a header past the visiting goalkeeper. It seemed to happen every week if I trust my memory! That may let me down now and then but it is reliable when I tell you that Stevenson was blessed with an abundance of skill and pace and used both to devastating effect as he weaved his magic.

Coming from Bonnyrigg and a strong Hibs supporting family, he was very nearly lost to the team he supported when Hearts stole in to sign him, but irregularities with his contract allowed Hibs to spirit him away, leaving our Gorgie neighbours not just spitting blood but facing fines as punishment for their misdemeanours!

There was only ever one team Eric wanted to join of course, and even the lure of invitations to try out for outfits such as Manchester United and Wolves couldn't entice him away from Hibernian. In his first season his team-mates were the likes of Joe Baker and Tommy Preston, whilst the Hibs trainer of the day, one Eddie Turnbull, took a shine to the young Eric and was his guide and mentor as the youngster settled into life as a full time footballer, a stark contrast to his previous job as a miner.

Games in which he played and often starred are far too numerous to mention in detail but he faced and did not look at all out of place against Barcelona, Real Madrid, Roma etc., and regularly featured in wins against both Rangers and Hearts when Hibs used to beat both teams as a matter of course. In one particular Derby match, both he and Jim O'Rourke scored twice in the first ten minutes and Stevenson is fond of telling any Hearts fan who will listen that Hibs could have scored nine that day if they'd had the 7-0 target set in later years to aim at. "Maybe even ten" he'd add, out of sheer mischief!

Still a regular attendee at Easter Road, Stevenson will be remembered for many things but perhaps most famously for his ability to 'win penalties.' There was no player better at inviting the tackle inside the 18 yard box than Eric Stevenson and there were even occasions when the tackle might just have happened near the box - but Eric landed in it and gave his team-mate and good friend Joe Davis the chance to score from the spot! He had such quick feet and such an ability to dribble the ball that it was inevitable tackles would be late or mistimed.

A peculiarity of Eric Stevenson was his habit, as Davis set himself to take the penalty, of walking to the half way line, near the dug out, before turning his back on play whilst crouching down and placing his forearms on his knees, waiting for the crowd reaction to see if we'd scored and with Joe Davis an ace from the spot he was rarely disappointed.
Eric left Hibs to join Ayr United in 1971, ironically just as his early mentor Eddie Turnbull was returning to the Club as Manager. He'd played with the likes of Joe Baker, Pat Stanton, Willie Hamilton, Peter Cormack and Willie Ormond and while these players were perhaps to become more enshrined in Hibernian folklore, Eric Stevenson is truly a legend amongst legends and fitting to be included in any Hibernian hall of fame!

To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

[Hibee Kev]

Originally Posted by Purple & Green
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

A hat trick at Ibrox should have guaranteed him a place in the hibs hall of fame, even if it is on the left rather than the right.

Number one is Ivan Sproule

That's who I voted for. For this position I've only voted for a player I've seen in the flesh. Although by all accounts, and from what my Grandad had to say, Gordon Smith was sensational. Err, although I did vote for Stanton in defence!
To view links or images in this forum your post count must be 5 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.