The Don returns...

[ChalkDust]

See Michael Higdon returns from suspension tonight and no doubt he will play some part this Saturday.

Wonder what sort of reception he will get?

[Ken_SR]

A good one I hope. Except in extreme circumstances, I feel very uncomfortable in booing ex-players.

Even Billy Jones & Max were young lads who were seriously misguided & manipulated, you could argue.

I remember having to turn around and confront a pair of knucklescrapers in the main stand who booed Kenny Lunt when he turned out for Hereford a few years ago. Shocking when he played +500 games for us.

As for MH, he wasn't everyone's cup of tea but a decent enough pro who had the weight of trying to emulate Ashton on his shoulders. He did ok.

[Alex_Crew]

I would have thought that he'd get a reasonable reception - I'll clap him if only for his goal against Coventry that kept us up.

One of the worst Alex strikers I've witnessed (he's not in the Suhaj or Ugarte category ) but got some terrible abuse.

Wonder if he'd celebrate if he scored though...?

[AstonAlex]

I think this is his first match back since he left, so I too hope that he gets a warm reception. He may not have looked a natural when he was with us but he has made a good career for himself so all credit for that.

As to celebrating if he scores, well I hope he doesn't score of course, but why shouldn't he? Sheffield now pay his wages (we haven't done for years) and he will be with his team mates. I think this not celebrating against your former clubs is blown out of all proportion. OK if you played for them for the majority of your career (Lampard vs Chelski for example - highlight of the season!) or if it consigns you to possible relegation (Dele against us a while back), but you've done what you're paid for - enjoy it!!

So long as he acknowledges a warm welcome before the match, that'll do for me.

[DCBale]

http://boards.footymad.net/forum.php?tno=463&fid=221&sty=2&act=1&mid=21105965 12

[AlexLeicester]

Some telling comments there DCB.
I never rated him at the Alex - and going on to be top scorer in Scotland's Prem did nothing for his reputation, in my opinion.

So watch him come on as a sub on Saturday after 65 minutes and sink us with a soft goal ... >:-(

[Ken_SR]

I think this is his first match back since he left, so I too hope that he gets a warm reception. He may not have looked a natural when he was with us but he has made a good career for himself so all credit for that.

As to celebrating if he scores, well I hope he doesn't score of course, but why shouldn't he? Sheffield now pay his wages (we haven't done for years) and he will be with his team mates. I think this not celebrating against your former clubs is blown out of all proportion. OK if you played for them for the majority of your career (Lampard vs Chelski for example - highlight of the season!) or if it consigns you to possible relegation (Dele against us a while back), but you've done what you're paid for - enjoy it!!

So long as he acknowledges a warm welcome before the match, that'll do for me.

Couldn't agree more. The behaviour of footballers making a point of not celebrating when scoring against their ex-clubs is a

[Gobstopper]

I hope he gets a warm reception, worth it for the goal he scored against Coventry before he left for pastures new. He did get a lot of stick mainly because he was a bit slow but still when he got a chance he tended to put them away, he was always a good finisher when he had a chance, hence his success in Scotland. He had other opportunities to come back to England and in the end got himself a big club, but we have beaten them before and can do so again.

[Ken_SR]

I think some players are the victims of their own personalities and this is reflected in their style of play. Higdon always seemed quite languid on and off the pitch but, as you say, tended to convert the chances that came to him and was a reasonably effective player for us.

Whereas that clown with the blond perm & pink porsche/trousers combo who continuously infects the airwaves with his equally awful fashion & broadcasting skills seems to live his life at 100mph and ran about the pitch like a headless chicken whenever I used to watch him. He was probably the most over-rated player we ever produced and I think at the time we were all sweating on confirmation that O'Neill felt the same way when he had sobered up.