When, where, who.

[Usher wide.]

The best player you’ve ever watched in a live game.

For me the ‘when’ was a Home International game
England vs Northern Ireland in April 1970.

The ‘where’ was Wembley.

The ‘who’ was George Best.

It was Bobby Charlton’s 105th cap for England & Bobby Moore passed the captains arm band over to Bobby.

England won the game 3-1 but it was George who ‘stole the show’ despite being on the losing side.

Gordon Banks was in goal & Nobby Stiles was given the task of marking his then Man Utd colleague.

I remember England scored first but then George got the ball & did something that as a ‘young ‘un’ I’d only ever heard about, he nutmegged Nobby & ran on to slot the ball past Banks for the equaliser.

It was ultimately Bobby’s night but mine & 90,000+ pairs of eyes were there to watch only one special talent that night.

[BobG]

For me, the Plant Works ground, don't know when but during Stan Anderson's time as manager. The who? A hugely overweight, over aged Alick Jeffrey.

It was a Plant Works team v a Rovers team. Alick played for the Rovers. Stan Anderson played for the Rovers too, alongside Bren and Peter Kitchen and other first teamers.

Alick couldn't  move. So he stood there, in the centre circle, imperiously demanding the ball and equally imperiously telling everybody else where he wanted them to go. And then he'd kick the thing. Exocets  screamed over the turf dropping exactly into rhe stride of whoever he was passing to. I bet there weren't  many who could dictate to Stan Anderson - but Alick did. Even in that awful physical condition he was some player....

BobG

[bradford exile]

Pele for me. 1962 at Hillsborough. Friendly. Santos won 4-2 if memory serves me well.  Regards Ray

[drfchound]

Pele for me. 1962 at Hillsborough. Friendly. Santos won 4-2 if memory serves me well.  Regards Ray

I was at that game too Ray but I have to say I don’t recall Pele doing anything too remarkable on the day.
He was a prodigious talent though wasn’t he.

[chrisd_123]

Maybe not quite a Pele or George Best but 2007 - Old Trafford. England 0-1 Spain.

Iniesta scored his first goal for Spain that night. Remember watching him in the middle of the park in awe. Didn't do too badly in the five years or so that followed either!

Having said that, England did start the game with Crouch and Kieran Dyer up front and Joey Barton made his one and only appearance so it probably wasn't Iniesta's most challenging game of all time!

[Highland Rover]

 Another England v Northern Ireland memory for me :

 November 1963 and Jimmy Greaves with 4 goals in an 8-3 win , poor old Harry Gregg in goal !

[Nudga]

Gazza, 1989 at belle vue in the paul malcolm testimonial.
Played like a kid in the back alleys of Peglar, just having fun with a ball and no one got remotely close.

[albie]

Are we sure that Pele game at Wednesdays was 1962?

I was thinking it was later than 1962, but maybe time is playing it's tricks on memory.

[nice one rovers]

1972.

https://www.thestar.co.uk/sport/football/sheffield-wednesday/when-pele-emptied-sheffield-classrooms-as-santos-faced-sheffield-wednesday-at-hillsborough-3144368

[drfchound]

Are we sure that Pele game at Wednesdays was 1962?

I was thinking it was later than 1962, but maybe time is playing it's tricks on memory.

Probably a typo by Ray.
I was on a day release course at Shirecliffe College so must have been later.

[BillyStubbsTears]

Davor Sukur at Hillsborough in Euro 96 against Denmark.

An absolute masterclass of forward play. Arguably the best player in the world at the time.

[BillyStubbsTears]

1972.

https://www.thestar.co.uk/sport/football/sheffield-wednesday/when-pele-emptied-sheffield-classrooms-as-santos-faced-sheffield-wednesday-at-hillsborough-3144368

My uncle played for Sheff Weds in that game.

[phil o sophical]

1972.

https://www.thestar.co.uk/sport/football/sheffield-wednesday/when-pele-emptied-sheffield-classrooms-as-santos-faced-sheffield-wednesday-at-hillsborough-3144368

I remember Tommy Graig was almost glued to Pele towards the end of the game to get his shirt

[Armthorpe mickler]

Gazza match I think was 1990 just before World Cup .Yes he was very good to say the least.

[BobG]

I'm glad you said it was 1972 Nice One. I've met Hound. If he was at that match in 1962 then either he's unbelievably well preserved or my judgement of approximate age is utterly u/s.

On the subject of Brazilian clubs in Sheffield, anyone besides me go to Bramall Lane to see River Plate play Blades to cement the transfer to Blades of Alex Sabella? My memory says River Plate made mincemeat of Blades, and especially Sabella, that night.

BobG


Oops. River Plate are Argentinian aren't they..... Doh!

[tyke1962]

When - Barnsley v Tottenham Hotspur FA Cup 6th Round March 1999 .

Where - Oakwell

Who - David Ginola .

He'd given us the run-around the season before when we played Tottenham in the Premier League and two FA Cup ties , in the four games we played that year they only beat us the once but Ginola was a real handful .

The very next season we drew them again in the FA Cup and this time Ginola was simply unplayable , he just made everything look so easy whether it was going by players , pinging 60 yard passes right to the feet of his teammates , you couldn't even kick the bugga because he was as strong as an ox .

Then with 10 minutes to go and a replay beckoning at White Hart Lane he comes up with this .

What the bloody hell are you supposed to do against that talent .

https://youtu.be/PZE3139vN04?si=zhC40tzL8Ou1BozA

[Campsall rover]

When - Barnsley v Tottenham Hotspur FA Cup 6th Round March 1999 .

Where - Oakwell

Who - David Ginola .

He'd given us the run-around the season before when we played Tottenham in the Premier League and two FA Cup ties , in the four games we played that year they only beat us the once but Ginola was a real handful .

The very next season we drew them again in the FA Cup and this time Ginola was simply unplayable , he just made everything look so easy whether it was going by players , pinging 60 yard passes right to the feet of his teammates , you couldn't even kick the bugga because he was as strong as an ox .

Then with 10 minutes to go and a replay beckoning at White Hart Lane he comes up with this .

What the bloody hell are you supposed to do against that talent .

https://youtu.be/PZE3139vN04?si=zhC40tzL8Ou1BozA

I was at the match Tyke.
Yes that was some goal from Ginola.

The best individual goal I have seen live though goes to Eddie Gray.  Elland Road, Leeds v Burnley in early 70’s. I can’t remember exactly which season it was, possibly 1971/72 at a guess.
It was a wonder goal, he beat 7 players before scoring on a mud bath of a pitch. He was some player and would be devastating on the modern day billiard table pitches.

[Campsall rover]

Just looked it up and that goal from Eddie Gray was a little earlier than I thought 4th April 1970.

[sedwardsdrfc]

I got a corporate box ticket to see Man Utd v Barca a few years ago in the champions league, think Jose was manager, so I got to see Messi live.

Doubt I’ll ever see a better player but he didn’t seem overly interested that game and just kept it simple. Still a few moments of brilliance but it was weird to just watch this guy who could clearly win the game single handedly but chose to pace himself and keep at a stroll.

[selby]

  Early sixties I think Yashin v England in the first half for the rest of the world side  a one man show Yashin 0 England 0.

[Draytonian III]

Best  player - Robert Lewandowski
Best player in a game vs Rovers - Danny Wilson for Bury
Best performance by a player in a single match - Michael McGovern in goal for N.Ireland vs Germany, Euro 16, kept the score down to 1-0, made a number of world class saves. At the end of the match the majority of the German team came over to congratulate him.

[scawsby steve]

It's been talked about several times on here, Alick's incredible goal against Bradford Park Avenue in 1968.

From a high cross it looked like he was going to head it. Instead, he took it on his chest, and volleyed it with both feet still off the floor. It flew into the top corner like a rocket.

The man was a footballing genius.

[BobG]

I saw Alick do something once that, to this day, I cannot explain.

He was running, with the ball, down the Main Stand side towards the Town End. Not far from the half way line. One opponent was catching up with him from his right rear and another was coming in towards him from his left front. The only Rovers player anywhere near was behind Alick and to his right too. So the opponent catching up with Alick was between Alick and the other Rover.

Now, I kid you not, Alick continued to head forwards as fast as he could. No slowing down, But the ball? The ball went up in the air, over the guy chasing Alick and dropped close to that Rovers player  blocked off by the chasing opponent.

That damn ball went up in the air, sideways and backwards while Alick was legging it forwards. How the hell did he do that???

BobG

[drfchound]

I saw Alick do something once that, to this day, I cannot explain.

He was running, with the ball, down the Main Stand side towards the Town End. Not far from the half way line. One opponent was catching up with him from his right rear and another was coming in towards him from his left front. The only Rovers player anywhere near was behind Alick and to his right too. So the opponent catching up with Alick was between Alick and the other Rover.

Now, I kid you not, Alick continued to head forwards as fast as he could. No slowing down, But the ball? The ball went up in the air, over the guy chasing Alick and dropped close to that Rovers player  blocked off by the chasing opponent.

That damn ball went up in the air, sideways and backwards while Alick was legging it forwards. How the hell did he do that???

BobG

A Hogwarts moment then Bob ?

[mushRTID]

Has to be Messi when I went to watch Barca in Jan 2011. They beat Racing Santander 3-0. It was some line up looking back;

[Silkscarf]

Has to be Messi when I went to watch Barca in Jan 2011. They beat Racing Santander 3-0. It was some line up looking back;

We did well to sign their left back. Still looks good.

[swintonrover]

Saw Man City beat Stoke 7-2 in 2017 back when I was doing the 92. Kevin De Bruyne was unplayable. He didn't even score, but orchestrated it ridiculously well. Everything went through him, even though at points he'd have 3 people marking him. A special player.

[ctay]

At Donny, Gazza as mentioned above.

I saw Cristiano Ronaldo play for Madrid at Dortmund.. not sure what year it was. Don't really like the guy, but what a player. I was sat near Low the Germany at the time and he was applauding his ever move.

[StocksArmy]

Messi for me. Watched Barca vs Eibar in 2017. Eibar went 0-2 up with 30mins to play, it went 1-2 and then Messi missed a pen and I’m just sat thinking “this could only happen when I come and watch him”. Suarez then made it 2-2 and then finally he scored a pen and then ran through most of Eibars team from the halfway line and slotted it in. Normal service resumed. We are so lucky to live in the era of him and in my opinion best there has and will ever be.

[Filo]

Maybe not quite a Pele or George Best but 2007 - Old Trafford. England 0-1 Spain.

Iniesta scored his first goal for Spain that night. Remember watching him in the middle of the park in awe. Didn't do too badly in the five years or so that followed either!

Having said that, England did start the game with Crouch and Kieran Dyer up front and Joey Barton made his one and only appearance so it probably wasn't Iniesta's most challenging game of all time!

I was at that game, had some nutter behind me shouting for Beckham, he wasn’t even playing