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Wanderers will be winging it this season – much to the delight of their fans.
The summer signing of Chris Taylor indicates the wide boys could be back at the Macron.
Since the days of Dougie Freedman, traditional wingers have been a rare commodity at the Macron Stadium, the act of hugging the touchline seemingly consigned to the past.
Few players get supporters on the edge of their seats quite like the traditional jinking winger but the rise of attacking full-backs and a shift towards possession-based tactics have rendered them a dying breed.
Phil Parkinson wants more width in his midfield but is likely to opt for the modern inverted winger, where right-footed players are employed on the left and vice-versa. New arrival Taylor is the first case in point.
His predecessors Neil Lennon and Jimmy Phillips bemoaned the lack of pace and width in the squad last season, particularly when Liam Feeney was allowed to join Ipswich Town on loan.
Parkinson is known for switching his tactics to exploit opposition weaknesses but used a 4-4-2 formation as his bread and butter at Bradford City.
So in the spirit of remembering the wizards of dribble, we have listed our top 10 Wanderers wingers.
10. Scott Sellars
Signed for £750,000 in December 1995, Sellars took a while to warm up. Scored that goal at Manchester City to secure the First Division championship which edges him into our top 10.
9. Michael Johansen
The man nicknamed Smurf was a £1million buy from FC Copenhagen, arriving at the same time as fellow Great Dane, Per Frandsen. Made 170 appearances, scored 21 goals and missed a penalty in the FA Cup semi-final against Villa. Fans forgave him.
8. Bobby Langton
Played his last game for Wanderers in the 1953 FA Cup final. Langton was a classic outside left, winning 11 caps for England. He also served his country in the Second World War.
7. Jeff Chandler
Poster boy at Burnden Park for a generation of fans in the early eighties, Chandler had two spells with Wanderers and helped them to the Sherpa Van Trophy in 1989. In 211 appearances he scored 48 goals, including 20 in 1984/85.
6. Willie Morgan
The former Manchester United star resurrected his career at Burnden under Ian Greaves in 1976, helping the Whites back into the top flight after two near misses. In 179 appearances he scored 12 goals.
5. Gordon Taylor
Hugely-talented winger who could play on either flank, Taylor supported Wanderers as a youngster and went on to play 286 times for the club in Division Two, scoring 46 goals.
4. Doug Holden
Featured on the left wing in the 1953 FA Cup final and then on the right five years later in the victory over Manchester United, Holden won five caps for England and made more than 450 appearances for the club.
3. Ricardo Gardner
Though the Jamaican legend reverted to a full-back later in his Wanderers career, Bibi arrived post-1998 World Cup as a fresh-faced winger in a £1million move from Harbour View. He helped Sam Allardyce’s side to promotion via the play-offs, scoring against Preston North End at Cardiff. He also netted a memorable goal against Bayern Munich in the UEFA Cup.
2. Peter Thompson
Won a clutch of trophies for Bill Shankly’s Liverpool before turning up at Wanderers on loan in 1973 and making his loan permanent soon after for just £18,000. Despite his advancing years, the former England international was a revelation at Burnden Park and became a firm fans’ favourite as the club won promotion back to Division One.
1. David Lee
Lee’s scampering style summed up the excitement of a White Hot era under Bruce Rioch in the early nineties. Signed from Southampton for £275,000 after a loan spell, the former Bury winger provided the ammunition for two promotions in three years, which also included some memorable cup adventures, including the 1995 final against Liverpool.
But it was Lee’s performance against Liverpool in the 1993 FA Cup replay at Anfield which stands out as one of the finest individual displays in living memory.
After a difficult spell in the Premier League, Lee also featured in the squad that went back up again under Colin Todd in 1996/97.
In all, “Didsy” made 199 appearances in all competitions and scored 20 goals for Wanderers.
Source
The summer signing of Chris Taylor indicates the wide boys could be back at the Macron.
Since the days of Dougie Freedman, traditional wingers have been a rare commodity at the Macron Stadium, the act of hugging the touchline seemingly consigned to the past.
Few players get supporters on the edge of their seats quite like the traditional jinking winger but the rise of attacking full-backs and a shift towards possession-based tactics have rendered them a dying breed.
Phil Parkinson wants more width in his midfield but is likely to opt for the modern inverted winger, where right-footed players are employed on the left and vice-versa. New arrival Taylor is the first case in point.
His predecessors Neil Lennon and Jimmy Phillips bemoaned the lack of pace and width in the squad last season, particularly when Liam Feeney was allowed to join Ipswich Town on loan.
Parkinson is known for switching his tactics to exploit opposition weaknesses but used a 4-4-2 formation as his bread and butter at Bradford City.
So in the spirit of remembering the wizards of dribble, we have listed our top 10 Wanderers wingers.
10. Scott Sellars
Signed for £750,000 in December 1995, Sellars took a while to warm up. Scored that goal at Manchester City to secure the First Division championship which edges him into our top 10.
9. Michael Johansen
The man nicknamed Smurf was a £1million buy from FC Copenhagen, arriving at the same time as fellow Great Dane, Per Frandsen. Made 170 appearances, scored 21 goals and missed a penalty in the FA Cup semi-final against Villa. Fans forgave him.
8. Bobby Langton
Played his last game for Wanderers in the 1953 FA Cup final. Langton was a classic outside left, winning 11 caps for England. He also served his country in the Second World War.
7. Jeff Chandler
Poster boy at Burnden Park for a generation of fans in the early eighties, Chandler had two spells with Wanderers and helped them to the Sherpa Van Trophy in 1989. In 211 appearances he scored 48 goals, including 20 in 1984/85.
6. Willie Morgan
The former Manchester United star resurrected his career at Burnden under Ian Greaves in 1976, helping the Whites back into the top flight after two near misses. In 179 appearances he scored 12 goals.
5. Gordon Taylor
Hugely-talented winger who could play on either flank, Taylor supported Wanderers as a youngster and went on to play 286 times for the club in Division Two, scoring 46 goals.
4. Doug Holden
Featured on the left wing in the 1953 FA Cup final and then on the right five years later in the victory over Manchester United, Holden won five caps for England and made more than 450 appearances for the club.
3. Ricardo Gardner
Though the Jamaican legend reverted to a full-back later in his Wanderers career, Bibi arrived post-1998 World Cup as a fresh-faced winger in a £1million move from Harbour View. He helped Sam Allardyce’s side to promotion via the play-offs, scoring against Preston North End at Cardiff. He also netted a memorable goal against Bayern Munich in the UEFA Cup.
2. Peter Thompson
Won a clutch of trophies for Bill Shankly’s Liverpool before turning up at Wanderers on loan in 1973 and making his loan permanent soon after for just £18,000. Despite his advancing years, the former England international was a revelation at Burnden Park and became a firm fans’ favourite as the club won promotion back to Division One.
1. David Lee
Lee’s scampering style summed up the excitement of a White Hot era under Bruce Rioch in the early nineties. Signed from Southampton for £275,000 after a loan spell, the former Bury winger provided the ammunition for two promotions in three years, which also included some memorable cup adventures, including the 1995 final against Liverpool.
But it was Lee’s performance against Liverpool in the 1993 FA Cup replay at Anfield which stands out as one of the finest individual displays in living memory.
After a difficult spell in the Premier League, Lee also featured in the squad that went back up again under Colin Todd in 1996/97.
In all, “Didsy” made 199 appearances in all competitions and scored 20 goals for Wanderers.
Source