Team of the decade

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Darlogramps
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Team of the decade

Post by Darlogramps » Sat Dec 28, 2019 11:29 am

An idea shamelessly stolen from Twitter – who makes up your Darlingotn team of the decade? I’ve judged mine on a mix of contribution to the team, impact and ability.

Goalkeeper – Sam Russell – We’ve had a lot of good keepers but no one has really stood out so I’ve gone for Russell who, in terms of ability, was probably our best keeper of the decade.

Right back – Luke Trotman –
Could’ve gone with Stephen Harrison but I think Trotman just edges it. If his recovery goes well, he has the potential to really kick on, either for us or higher up the pyramid.

Centre back – Gary Brown – Can’t find any reason for him not to be in the side. Best position was always as centre back for me. His leadership skills more than anything set him apart and we missed him badly in the months after TW got rid of him.

Centre back – Ian Miller – Captain for the FA Trophy win. Stood by us during the difficult times and came into his own. I remember a tackle he made on a Gateshead player during the second leg of the FA Trophy semi-final, which probably saved the tie for us.

Left back – Terry Galbraith – Has played in multiple positions but I’ve put him in as left back where he first started when he joined. Has been with us for all but a few months in that Northern League season and has rarely let us down.

Midfielder – Phil Turnbull – Classiest midfielder I’ve seen for us since 2012. Controlled and broke up play superbly. I think a lot of his contribution was underrated but he dominated that midfield for us.

Midfielder – Marc Bridge-Wilkinson – Was only with us for 18 months or so but was one of the best creative, technical midfielders we’ve had this decade. Managed to chip in with plenty of goals too.

Midfielder – Will Hatfield – Only joined this summer but has had a massive impact. The kind of player we’d been crying out for. No questioning his desire or his energy and so long as he stays fits, he’ll have a massive role to play for us going forward.

Forward – Stephen Thompson – Anyone who doesn’t put him in their team is wrong.

Forward – Graeme Armstrong – Great in the air but also very handy with the ball at his feet too. Had several great seasons with us. Could easily have gone for Beck, Cartman or Purewal but Armstrong stepped up in some of the key moments which just edges it for me.

Forward – Reece Styche – I think a few will disagree with this choice. A bit of a maverick who could go missing, but on his day he singlehandedly won us games with his phenomenal ability. Had we not signed him in TW’s first season, we’d have been in a lot more trouble.

Manager – Martin Gray – Yes it all ended badly but when you look at the first four to five years of his reign, he took over in summer 2012 when we had absolutely nothing and turned us into a winning machine. Three promotions, two league titles and a couple of play-off finishes speak for themselves. Honourable mention for Mark Cooper, manager for our first national trophy.
Last edited by Darlogramps on Sat Dec 28, 2019 11:29 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Old Git
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Re: Team of the decade

Post by Old Git » Sat Dec 28, 2019 11:40 am

Great shout Gramps can’t disagree with your selections. Particularly pleased to see Graham Armstrong as he was always a favourite of mine. Who could forget that hat trick at Whitby to clinch the Evostik title in what I think was our performance of the decade. Also think Liam Hatch should be on the bench as he would provide great cover at the back or up front.

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Re: Team of the decade

Post by Spyman » Sat Dec 28, 2019 1:51 pm

Apart from the fact there's still a year to go....

I agree with pretty much all of that team although I'd have White in for Miller I think. A huge part of our rise through the leagues and I don't think we've ever replaced his presence at the back.

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Re: Team of the decade

Post by bga » Sat Dec 28, 2019 3:27 pm

Gramps pretty much agree most of your selections. However, regards Turnbull you say "Controlled and broke up play...." I am interested in the "broke up play" part of this. Surely a midfielder who breaks up play is one who wins tackles which was never one of Phil's strong points? I think his positional sense was great which might be what you are alluding to as he often closed down space which meant the direction of the attack had to change.

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Re: Team of the decade

Post by EDJOHNS » Sat Dec 28, 2019 4:29 pm

When I saw your comment about Turnbull being our "classiest" my eyebrows went up a notch, but came straight back down when I saw MBW, who, to me, takes that accolade easily.
Only disagreement is with the manager. In the few months so far AA has brought a level of hope and belief, as well as far better football. I feel, by the end of the decade, (as pointed out, another year to run), he will take it easily.
There were simply far to many instances of MG bullying the board for more money and nearly taking the club back to the wall in the pursuit of what eventually proved to be nothing more than the MG self love in.

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Re: Team of the decade

Post by Spyman » Sat Dec 28, 2019 5:01 pm

Good point on Gray. Whilst he usually brought results on the pitch he ran the club too close to the wire financially. I hope in time he'll prove to have had a far more positive impact on the club than Gray - but you can't argue that Gray's management style got us where we are, and regardless of its downsides, we are still here!

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On Sunday April 29, 2012 at 10:25 pm, Darlo Cockney wrote:Sadly some people have nothing better to do that invent rumours.

We will be playing at the arena again next season - fact.

Quakerz - if you actually attended games and spoke to people you might actually find our facts, rather than spreading s*** on this board.

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Re: Team of the decade

Post by StevieMardenboro » Sat Dec 28, 2019 5:15 pm

I agree with this team almost entirely. Would just have Cartman in ahead of Armstrong. And maybe Ferguson in there too. But having said that Galbraith has been one of our most important players of the decade no doubt.

Russell
Trotman
Brown
Galbraith
Ferguson
Turnbull
Hatfield
Bridge-Wilkinson
Thompson
Styche
Cartman.

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Re: Team of the decade

Post by EDJOHNS » Sat Dec 28, 2019 7:30 pm

Spyman wrote:
Sat Dec 28, 2019 5:01 pm
Good point on Gray. Whilst he usually brought results on the pitch he ran the club too close to the wire financially. I hope in time he'll prove to have had a far more positive impact on the club than Gray - but you can't argue that Gray's management style got us where we are, and regardless of its downsides, we are still here!

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Reasonable argument. I just question do the first couple of years really count as we had such a financial advantage because of fan base, but even then, he needed more.
I think he will always be marmite after the way it went from THAT meeting

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Re: Team of the decade

Post by tdk1 » Sat Dec 28, 2019 7:44 pm

I would have arnison at right back. He was absolutely excellent in the trophy winning season.

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Re: Team of the decade

Post by Norm_D_Ploom » Sat Dec 28, 2019 7:58 pm

Where is Dan Burn and amongst others Liam Hatch, Jamie Chandler and Greg Taylor and how is Mark Cooper not the manager?

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Re: Team of the decade

Post by divas » Sat Dec 28, 2019 8:06 pm

Not sure how Styche gets in ahead of Beck but each to their own

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Re: Team of the decade

Post by Old Git » Sat Dec 28, 2019 8:10 pm

EDJOHNS wrote:
Sat Dec 28, 2019 7:30 pm
Spyman wrote:
Sat Dec 28, 2019 5:01 pm
Good point on Gray. Whilst he usually brought results on the pitch he ran the club too close to the wire financially. I hope in time he'll prove to have had a far more positive impact on the club than Gray - but you can't argue that Gray's management style got us where we are, and regardless of its downsides, we are still here!

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Reasonable argument. I just question do the first couple of years really count as we had such a financial advantage because of fan base, but even then, he needed more.
I think he will always be marmite after the way it went from THAT meeting
Just look at the man’s record and stop quibbling. When he took over as manager he literally started with nothing and built a title winning team playing great football. There were plenty in the Northern League who were hoping and expecting us to fail. If we had not won the league in that first season who knows what might have happened.

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Re: Team of the decade

Post by Old Git » Sat Dec 28, 2019 8:13 pm

Norm_D_Ploom wrote:
Sat Dec 28, 2019 7:58 pm
Where is Dan Burn and amongst others Liam Hatch, Jamie Chandler and Greg Taylor and how is Mark Cooper not the manager?
Cooper is not the manager because he was and still is a poor manager. Yes I know we won the Trophy but you cannot set against 3 promotions surely.

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Re: Team of the decade

Post by loan_star » Sat Dec 28, 2019 8:31 pm

StevieMardenboro wrote:
Sat Dec 28, 2019 5:15 pm
Would just have Cartman in ahead of Armstrong.
:wtf: :wtf: :wtf:

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Re: Team of the decade

Post by Darlogramps » Sat Dec 28, 2019 8:53 pm

Old Git wrote:
EDJOHNS wrote:
Sat Dec 28, 2019 7:30 pm
Spyman wrote:
Sat Dec 28, 2019 5:01 pm
Good point on Gray. Whilst he usually brought results on the pitch he ran the club too close to the wire financially. I hope in time he'll prove to have had a far more positive impact on the club than Gray - but you can't argue that Gray's management style got us where we are, and regardless of its downsides, we are still here!

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Reasonable argument. I just question do the first couple of years really count as we had such a financial advantage because of fan base, but even then, he needed more.
I think he will always be marmite after the way it went from THAT meeting
Just look at the man’s record and stop quibbling. When he took over as manager he literally started with nothing and built a title winning team playing great football. There were plenty in the Northern League who were hoping and expecting us to fail. If we had not won the league in that first season who knows what might have happened.
This is mainly why I’ve gone for Gray. Totally understand the arguments about the last few months of his reign. But....

He started with absolutely nothing (well two players but you get my drift). We destroyed a tough-looking Northern League, and had multiple promotions after, and finished 5th in our first season in this division.

Yes Cooper won us the FA Trophy but I just think Gray’s achievements were bigger, considering his starting point.

But it’s all opinion.
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Re: Team of the decade

Post by Darlogramps » Sat Dec 28, 2019 8:54 pm

Norm_D_Ploom wrote:Where is Dan Burn and amongst others Liam Hatch, Jamie Chandler and Greg Taylor and how is Mark Cooper not the manager?
Who are you putting Burn, Hatch, Chandler and Taylor ahead of? Genuine question.
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Re: Team of the decade

Post by Darlogramps » Sat Dec 28, 2019 8:57 pm

EDJOHNS wrote:When I saw your comment about Turnbull being our "classiest" my eyebrows went up a notch, but came straight back down when I saw MBW, who, to me, takes that accolade easily.
Only disagreement is with the manager. In the few months so far AA has brought a level of hope and belief, as well as far better football. I feel, by the end of the decade, (as pointed out, another year to run), he will take it easily.
There were simply far to many instances of MG bullying the board for more money and nearly taking the club back to the wall in the pursuit of what eventually proved to be nothing more than the MG self love in.
2020 is the start of the new decade. The decade runs from 2010-2019, not 11-20. Anything else is incorrect.

1990 wasn’t in the 80s. The same logic would have the first year of the Millenium as 2001, not 2000.
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Re: Team of the decade

Post by Norm_D_Ploom » Sat Dec 28, 2019 9:08 pm

Who are you putting Burn, Hatch, Chandler and Taylor ahead of? Genuine question.
[/quote]

I stopped going in 2012 so I haven't seen anything in the pub leagues, so take your pick.

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Re: Team of the decade

Post by tdk1 » Sat Dec 28, 2019 9:08 pm

Well, strictly speaking it runs from 01 to 10,because there was no year zero, so the first decade AD went from 01 to 10, but in honesty it's a point only pursued if you're *really* pedantic and don't want to celebrate in line with 99% of the population.

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Re: Team of the decade

Post by biccynana » Sat Dec 28, 2019 9:25 pm

tdk1 wrote:
Sat Dec 28, 2019 9:08 pm
Well, strictly speaking it runs from 01 to 10,because there was no year zero, so the first decade AD went from 01 to 10, but in honesty it's a point only pursued if you're *really* pedantic and don't want to celebrate in line with 99% of the population.
Yeah, it's one of those things where the technicalities and logic don't run side by side. There was presumably no year zero, but on the other hand, as Gramps said, it's absurd to suggest that 1990 was part of the 1980s.

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Re: Team of the decade

Post by Spyman » Sat Dec 28, 2019 10:56 pm

Norm_D_Ploom wrote:Where is Dan Burn and amongst others Liam Hatch, Jamie Chandler and Greg Taylor and how is Mark Cooper not the manager?
Dan Burn made 14 appearances for us. Hard to put him in a team of the decade on that basis, regardless of what he's achieved since.

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On Sunday April 29, 2012 at 10:25 pm, Darlo Cockney wrote:Sadly some people have nothing better to do that invent rumours.

We will be playing at the arena again next season - fact.

Quakerz - if you actually attended games and spoke to people you might actually find our facts, rather than spreading s*** on this board.

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Re: Team of the decade

Post by Darlogramps » Sun Dec 29, 2019 1:13 am

bga wrote:Gramps pretty much agree most of your selections. However, regards Turnbull you say "Controlled and broke up play...." I am interested in the "broke up play" part of this. Surely a midfielder who breaks up play is one who wins tackles which was never one of Phil's strong points? I think his positional sense was great which might be what you are alluding to as he often closed down space which meant the direction of the attack had to change.
I’d argue it was his positional sense that helped him and the rest of the defence/midfield break up play.

There’s a great saying by a former Man Utd defender (think it was Vidic but I could be wrong) that tackling should only be needed as a last resort, as the best break up play a couple of moves before that’s needed through moving the opposition out of position.

And I agree completely on his positional sense being excellent. He’s without doubt one of the best midfielders we’ve had since our demotion, if not the best.
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Re: Team of the decade

Post by Darlogramps » Sun Dec 29, 2019 1:18 am

divas wrote:Not sure how Styche gets in ahead of Beck but each to their own
For me, I do love a maverick so I guess Styche plays into that. And he undeniably could turn a game on his own and without him, I do think we’d have been in a relegation scrap the season TW took over.

Absolutely he could go missing in games, but in terms of sheer ability, I think he trumps Beck every time.

Striker was the hardest position to decide as you can make good cases for about half a dozen strikers, including Beck. No one has mentioned Amar Purewal, who I think was very underrated.
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Re: Team of the decade

Post by bga » Sun Dec 29, 2019 7:48 am

Darlogramps wrote:
Sun Dec 29, 2019 1:13 am
bga wrote:Gramps pretty much agree most of your selections. However, regards Turnbull you say "Controlled and broke up play...." I am interested in the "broke up play" part of this. Surely a midfielder who breaks up play is one who wins tackles which was never one of Phil's strong points? I think his positional sense was great which might be what you are alluding to as he often closed down space which meant the direction of the attack had to change.
I’d argue it was his positional sense that helped him and the rest of the defence/midfield break up play.

There’s a great saying by a former Man Utd defender (think it was Vidic but I could be wrong) that tackling should only be needed as a last resort, as the best break up play a couple of moves before that’s needed through moving the opposition out of position.

And I agree completely on his positional sense being excellent. He’s without doubt one of the best midfielders we’ve had since our demotion, if not the best.
Thanks for clarifying. We wont start the debate about whether Turnbull scored enough goals!

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Re: Team of the decade

Post by real_darlo_85 » Sun Dec 29, 2019 9:28 am

GK
Russell

DEF
Gary Brown
Galbraith
Miller
White

MID
Thompson
Scott
Syers
Wheatley

ST
Purewal
Armstrong

Subs
Dowson
Styche
Trotman
Bridge-Wilkinson
Jameson

I've tried to keep this fair and primarily selected players who have at least played in 2 consecutive seasons (excluding substitutes). The substitutes have played at least 6 months. I have not included any loan players or the current squad (except long serving players Thompson and Galbraith). I apologise for any inaccuracies but when trying to compile this it was actually harder to do because it just highlighted the high turnover of players we have had ranging from our pre-2012 demise through the seasons of resurrection. We've had a vast amount of players all great at particular times and levels but few have stood out consistently across the decade.
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Re: Team of the decade

Post by banktopp » Sun Dec 29, 2019 9:36 am

Norm_D_Ploom wrote:
Sat Dec 28, 2019 9:08 pm


I stopped going in 2012 so I haven't seen anything in the pub leagues, so take your pick.
I would hardly class our matches this season as "pub league", anything but.
There are many others like you who stopped going to watch us after demotion to Northern League, and others who would not go to
the Arena. We need you back. Get down to to BM and you will be surprised at the quality, commitment and energy of the team we now have.
After recent games we are a match for anyone in this league, and IMO are in with a good chance of the play offs and promotion to the National League, which is where you left us.

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Re: Team of the decade

Post by lo36789 » Sun Dec 29, 2019 9:45 am

I thought maybe Hatch because of his contributions pre 2012 as he was one of leading parts of the trophy win as well as being quite important to promotions since. I'd have him ahead of Styche.

Other than that the rest of darlogramps team looks quite solid. We have basically played at 5 levels of the pyramid over 10 years so there is a lot of churn to factor in.

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Re: Team of the decade

Post by H1987 » Sun Dec 29, 2019 10:52 am

I largely agree with gramps team, but Beck over Armstrong for me, and Aynsley Pears over Sam Russell.

I did consider Falkingham over Turnbull as well, but i'm conflicted on that, and of course he only played about 30 games for us.

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Re: Team of the decade

Post by EDJOHNS » Sun Dec 29, 2019 11:05 am

Darlogramps wrote:
Sat Dec 28, 2019 8:54 pm
Norm_D_Ploom wrote:Where is Dan Burn and amongst others Liam Hatch, Jamie Chandler and Greg Taylor and how is Mark Cooper not the manager?
Who are you putting Burn, Hatch, Chandler and Taylor ahead of? Genuine question.
I think Dan Burn is mentioned for what he has become rather than what he actually did while with us

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Re: Team of the decade

Post by Vodka_Vic » Sun Dec 29, 2019 11:22 am

I'd echo what was said about Norm D Ploom. I wonder if the lapsed fans who don't come because our standard of football is too low have seen the irony/vicious circle that they are in, in that if the lapsed fans were to come and raise our revenue then we would get back to our original level easier. They don't come because our standard is too low, but because they don't come our standard will remain low.

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