Remembering a Legend: Darren Anderton

[AngerManagement]

The thing is it depends on both your age and your understanding of the clubs history.

Im not old enough to have seen the likes of Hoddle, Greaves, etc but I do have a decent knowledge of them as I have my dad who was a big Spurs fan way back to the 60's and my Granddad (rip) so I saw footage of previous season, and books etc as well as obviously hearing stories of our greatest players.

Also I am old enough to remember Waddle, Gazza and Lineker, Klinsmann, Ginola

What I would say is someone who is of an age where they have been watching spurs only since the mid to late 90s...especially if they have no family base in Spurs, will have only really seen a sub standard level of SPurs teams over them year (as well as a lot of very average players)

With that in mind I can at least understand why someone who has only seen the players on show over the last 10/15 years might pick out someone like Anderton as a legend (simply because he may stand out as the best of a bad bunch)

 

[guiltyparty]

The thing is it depends on both your age and your understanding of the clubs history.

Im not old enough to have seen the likes of Hoddle, Greaves, etc but I do have a decent knowledge of them as I have my dad who was a big Spurs fan way back to the 60's and my Granddad (rip) so I saw footage of previous season, and books etc as well as obviously hearing stories of our greatest players.

Also I am old enough to remember Waddle, Gazza and Lineker, Klinsmann, Ginola

What I would say is someone who is of an age where they have been watching spurs only since the mid to late 90s...especially if they have no family base in Spurs, will have only really seen a sub standard level of SPurs teams over them year (as well as a lot of very average players)

With that in mind I can at least understand why someone who has only seen the players on show over the last 10/15 years might pick out someone like Anderton as a legend (simply because he may stand out as the best of a bad bunch)

I think you're right. My dad and granddad were both Spurs fans and neither were enamoured with Anderton. In fact, to this day my dad still calls him Anderson as he couldn't even be arsed to learn his name. I fear this may have rubbed off on me.

 

[sundancer]

The thing is it depends on both your age and your understanding of the clubs history.

Im not old enough to have seen the likes of Hoddle, Greaves, etc but I do have a decent knowledge of them as I have my dad who was a big Spurs fan way back to the 60's and my Granddad (rip) so I saw footage of previous season, and books etc as well as obviously hearing stories of our greatest players.

Also I am old enough to remember Waddle, Gazza and Lineker, Klinsmann, Ginola

What I would say is someone who is of an age where they have been watching spurs only since the mid to late 90s...especially if they have no family base in Spurs, will have only really seen a sub standard level of SPurs teams over them year (as well as a lot of very average players)

With that in mind I can at least understand why someone who has only seen the players on show over the last 10/15 years might pick out someone like Anderton as a legend (simply because he may stand out as the best of a bad bunch)

Spot on, I am old enough to remember back to the sixties and the players since, Anderton is not a legend to me because of that, however he was a good player who if he had not been injured so often could have been a very good player. And if it had not been for the media love in with Beckham would have played for England more often.

 

[g_harry]

on sky 442 this morning chelski v spurs 02/03.

anderton played very well but what stood out for me was the amount of tracking back and last ditch tackels he completed in front of the back 4, really what we need at the moment -

On two occasions lampard was about to shoot anderton stole the ball from behind, brilliant tackels. Also set up kanoute for the goal.

any one see zokora attempt to block the cross from which cisse scored - shocking dont think the blame should soley land on central defenders - wingbacks need to close crosses down much quicker

 

[thfcsteff]

The thing is it depends on both your age and your understanding of the clubs history.

Im not old enough to have seen the likes of Hoddle, Greaves, etc but I do have a decent knowledge of them as I have my dad who was a big Spurs fan way back to the 60's and my Granddad (rip) so I saw footage of previous season, and books etc as well as obviously hearing stories of our greatest players.

Also I am old enough to remember Waddle, Gazza and Lineker, Klinsmann, Ginola

What I would say is someone who is of an age where they have been watching spurs only since the mid to late 90s...especially if they have no family base in Spurs, will have only really seen a sub standard level of SPurs teams over them year (as well as a lot of very average players)

With that in mind I can at least understand why someone who has only seen the players on show over the last 10/15 years might pick out someone like Anderton as a legend (simply because he may stand out as the best of a bad bunch)

Spot on.
I am flummoxed by the term legend in conjunction with Sicknote. It actually makes me a little sad.
No more a legend than John Chiedozie...and actually, Cheidozie was a decent player!!!!!!

I think the term 'legend' means more than Anderton for sure, but again, your appraisal of the whys are spot on so fair enough for those who unfortunately only have those sides as ref...

 

[ST]

I can remember him now, cantering in slow-motion through a glorious country meadow, his floppy hair flapping gently in the breeze. The sunlight blazing down, illuminating his freckles. The music from Black Beauty playing softly in the background. Then he pulls up with a hamstring injury.

Brilliant! :rofl:

So true but I loved him anyway.

 

[Bristol Coys]

I can remember him now, cantering in slow-motion through a glorious country meadow, his floppy hair flapping gently in the breeze. The sunlight blazing down, illuminating his freckles. The music from Black Beauty playing softly in the background. Then he pulls up with a hamstring injury.

:rofl: Marvellous isn't it hhmm? small boys in the park, jumpers for goalpost, 57 -63 Marvellous!

Ohh just thinking about Dazza and his silky skills makes me... ohh owww! I've just put me back out again!:violin: (At least he wasn't JFE)

 

[worcestersauce]

I fnd it hard to believe there are eople who say Darren Anderton wasn't any good, in fact it defies belief that they can think that.

Darren Anderton was quite simply one of the best player we had at Spurs for years, he was a class player with skills and vision beyond the wit of 99% of the current players in the prmiership. He was comparable with Teddy Sherringham in his prime, unfortunately he was playing with donkeys and journeymen and quite frankly should have left us and gone to a club worthy of his skills at that time and the reason that he didn't is the same reason some people don't recognise his ability and that is because he only played 1 season in 3 overall, no other team would have taken the chance on him.
Was he a legend? no of course not because he just didn't play enough and wasn't as charismatic as Ginola, wasn't already a legend when he got here like Klinsmann and he played in a shit team with poxy managers and a crap board, but that shouldn't stop people recognising his true ability.

 

[Bristol Coys]

eh eh eh calm down calm down. No-one is saying he was crap. Even I'm not that insane.

He was great to watch (when fit), but was also often frustrating. In fact, was he more frustrating to watch than that other great floppy winger Waddle? Watched both a lot and the highlights reel shows only the moments of brilliance.

Interesting how each time it was Tottenham's loping winger that almost scored by connecting with a cross against the Germans in both Italia 1990 and Euro 1996.
PS I was quite happy with Vinny Sideways till I saw your Mabbsy.:x

 

[SpurSince57]

Spot on.
I am flummoxed by the term legend in conjunction with Sicknote. It actually makes me a little sad.
No more a legend than John Chiedozie...and actually, Cheidozie was a decent player!!!!!!

I think the term 'legend' means more than Anderton for sure, but again, your appraisal of the whys are spot on so fair enough for those who unfortunately only have those sides as ref...

I suppose I could make a convincing case for Johnny Pratt being a Spurs legend. Here for years, getting on for 400 appearances, never gave less than 100%. But then I'd have to ignore the fact that he was pretty bloody awful.

Is Anderton fit to stand in the pantheon with great Spurs midfielders like Blanchflower, Mackay, Mullery, Ardiles, Hoddle, Gazza? Er, no. He might have had the potential, but as AM says, standing out in crap to ho-hum teams is different to standing out in great ones (or in Gazza's case, driving a decent but not outstanding side to successes it would never have achieved without him).

 

[AngerManagement]

eh eh eh calm down calm down. No-one is saying he was crap. Even I'm not that insane.

He was great to watch (when fit), but was also often frustrating. In fact, was he more frustrating to watch than that other great floppy winger Waddle? Watched both a lot and the highlights reel shows only the moments of brilliance.

Interesting how each time it was Tottenham's loping winger that almost scored by connecting with a cross against the Germans in both Italia 1990 and Euro 1996.
PS I was quite happy with Vinny Sideways till I saw your Mabbsy.:x

Happy to be Vinny Samways? I hope this doesn't mean you will soon be moving to an Everton message board to further your EFan career

 

[Bristol Coys]

Vell zince ven I voz a boy in Transylavnia, I always dream of to be with the Everton. For me, iz a dream to click wiv ze academy of sciece. I vont to emove and I vill sulk untill I get my way. Ze are clearly ze best ediots in ze country. Come on ya gotta luve Sideways (He's not JFE!).

 

[Defsta]

Of all players the last I expected to still be playing beyond 36 would be sicknote. Unbelievable

My thoughts, thanks Kendall :up:

It's sad he didn't call his career off like Mabbut did and quit in Spurs shirt. Well he never didn't had a choice. Best memories of him was on summer '96 when he told rednose Fergie to fuck off as HE LOVE TO PLAY FOR SPURS AND REJECTED MANURE'S OFFER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


But after him there have been loads of problems on our right side as Davies was a Dazza's replacement but he had one amazing season and turned out to be a new Dazza and faced injure crisis.


But anyway even his injury crisis and school boy look he was a Spurs legend. He was awesome on his time and shame he was a sicknote as without those injuries he could have been one of the best midfielders in a world.

I hope our rightwing inury proponess curse won't effect on Bentley :think:

 

[Maske2g]

A freind of mine who was at Spurs for many years, said the Anderton was the most talented player he has ever played football with in training.

 

[Bobbins]

Great player.

Massively under-rated.

Had the best right foot in the country until the emergence of Beckham, and personally I think he was a far more complete footballer than Becks anyway. They formed a lethal combination on the right side of England's midfield under Hoddle (co-incidentally the period of the best England team we've had since Bobby Robson's (probably superior to that team IMO) and better than anything we've had since despite the 'Golden Generation' of Micky Owen and Stevie G).

Anyone who doesn't rate Anderton because they think he looked better because he played alongside Jason Dozzell should remember his 30 games and 7 goals for England, where he was regularly the best player in the team, and went up against the very best footballers in the world at the time, matching them on every occasion. His goal against Columbia was pure, unadultered perfection of technique, but is constantly overshadowed by Beckham's excellent free kick in the same match.

Great player and the service he gave our Club entitles him to the status of Legend, more than Robbie Keane ever deserved it.

EDIT: It's also worth noting that anyone who moronically labels him as 'Sicknote' is only managing to show that they know nothing about the game or our history. Darren Anderton missed less games through injury than the warrior/hero/perpetual motion machine that is Roy Keane. Funny how you never hear Keane called Sicknote isn't it? I've heard Anderton in the past say he absolutely hated that idiotic monikor, typical of Spurs fans to label one of our own with such a derogitory title when he deserved far, far more, not least because he could've fucked off to United but refused the offer. Which of our players would do that now? I think we've all seen the answer to that.

 

[Rackybear]

Very good player yeah, but I wouldn't put him in the legendary category.

 

[ShelfSide18]

Wouldn't go so far as calling him a Spurs legend but yes a very good player, who knows where he would have got too if he had stayed injury free. I remember him in 94/95 pre injuries, he wore the no9 shirt and had a fair amount of pace which ultimately was lost, similar to Simon Davies and Steve Carr.

 

[roosh]

its more than likely been mentioned but the trademark Anderton Sheringham corner was magic

 

[SpurSince57]

Great player.

Massively under-rated.

Had the best right foot in the country until the emergence of Beckham, and personally I think he was a far more complete footballer than Becks anyway. They formed a lethal combination on the right side of England's midfield under Hoddle (co-incidentally the period of the best England team we've had since Bobby Robson's (probably superior to that team IMO) and better than anything we've had since despite the 'Golden Generation' of Micky Owen and Stevie G).

Anyone who doesn't rate Anderton because they think he looked better because he played alongside Jason Dozzell should remember his 30 games and 7 goals for England, where he was regularly the best player in the team, and went up against the very best footballers in the world at the time, matching them on every occasion. His goal against Columbia was pure, unadultered perfection of technique, but is constantly overshadowed by Beckham's excellent free kick in the same match.

Great player and the service he gave our Club entitles him to the status of Legend, more than Robbie Keane ever deserved it.

EDIT: It's also worth noting that anyone who moronically labels him as 'Sicknote' is only managing to show that they know nothing about the game or our history. Darren Anderton missed less games through injury than the warrior/hero/perpetual motion machine that is Roy Keane. Funny how you never hear Keane called Sicknote isn't it? I've heard Anderton in the past say he absolutely hated that idiotic monikor, typical of Spurs fans to label one of our own with such a derogitory title when he deserved far, far more, not least because he could've fucked off to United but refused the offer. Which of our players would do that now? I think we've all seen the answer to that.

I wouldn't call Keano a legend either. I don't think anyone's saying Anderton wasn't a very good and potentially great player, just questioning whether he deserves legend status. It's a subjective opinion, because it's so difficult to define—but maybe one definition would be is that it's a player you will bang on about to your grandchildren in thirty years' time (or in my case, a player that I'll bang on about to my nephews and nieces now). And I'd say Anderton is certainly not a player you'd forget (or wish you could), but not one you'd wax lyrical over either.