Jeff Astle

[soulman101]

Jeff would have been 81 yesterday.
Great player and above all a top bloke.

[baggieal]

Jeff would have been 81 yesterday.
Great player and above all a top bloke.

There was only one king and it certainly was not Charlie in his gold chariot!

[phild]

[Q165]

I have seen many good and very good Albion players but there has been only one who I would call great. The King.

[Leicesterbaggie]

In my lifetime I would say that we have had three great strikers, Jeff Astle, Cyrille Regis and Ronnie Allen. I appreciate that it is extremely difficult to compare players from different eras but I believe that Ronnie Allen was the greatest. Not only was he a prolific goal scorer but he could play as a lone striker, a wide player, a creative, deep lying centre forward and for a player of not great stature, was good in the air. I would also say that Derek Kevan ran them close. As we say though, all a matter of opinion.

[Baggies_Boy_Tony]

In my lifetime I would say that we have had three great strikers, Jeff Astle, Cyrille Regis and Ronnie Allen. I appreciate that it is extremely difficult to compare players from different eras but I believe that Ronnie Allen was the greatest. Not only was he a prolific goal scorer but he could play as a lone striker, a wide player, a creative, deep lying centre forward and for a player of not great stature, was good in the air. I would also say that Derek Kevan ran them close. As we say though, all a matter of opinion.

I agree with you on Ronnie Allen, he was the original deep-lying centre forward, before the Don Revie era

[mickd1961]

I’m probably in the minority but I was never wowed by Bob Taylor albeit you can’t question his work rate.

Andy Hunt was a class striker at the lower levels and also did okay at top level with Charlton.

[kettering_baggie]

Three Albion players that for me, deserve the accolade of ‘Great’, Jeff ‘the King’ Astle, Tony ‘Bomber’ Brown and Bobby Hope.

[mickd1961]

From your era Kets you are spot on.

I never had the pleasure of seeing Bobby Hope.

I do think Willie deserves the title as well.

[Leicesterbaggie]

The original post was on the subject ‘Jeff Astle’ and so I kept my greats to strikers only. Of course, you had greats in other positions, the likes of Tony Brown, Bryan Robson, Ray Barlow etc. but as I say I was commenting on strikers only. I tend to agree with mickd regarding Bob Taylor as many of his goals weren’t scored in the top division.