Down's greatest ever player?

[downboy2011]

mickey and liam both carried themselves well off the pitch too

[BennyCake]

Mickey Linden, no question. Greg Blaney second.

[saffron sam2]

Greg Blaney first.

There is no second.

[EagleLord]

It's hard for me to look past Mickey Linden too. He was one of the best players to ever play the game imo. To shine for as long as he did, winning everything that he did, with both club and county. If you look back at what he has won, its some haul. Started his Down career when he was 17, and ended it when he was 35( ). Amazing. And such a gentleman too.

[dundrumite]

Is there really a need for two separate threads on this? Mickey Linden my first ever hero without a doubt best player ever seen in the flesh.

[goldenyears]

Micky was closer to 40 when he retired! Does anyone remember the reception he got when coming on v Fermanagh during POR's tenure - legend!

For quality (nationally accepted) and longevity AND quality with longevity - it has to be Micky Linden!

ps Sheamy you are some wind up merchant 

[orchard 8195]

It's hard for me to look past Mickey Linden too. He was one of the best players to ever play the game imo. To shine for as long as he did, winning everything that he did, with both club and county. If you look back at what he has won, its some haul. Started his Down career when he was 17, and ended it when he was 35( ). Amazing. And such a gentleman too.

Think he was even older than that but could be wrong. Just going back to original post its very rare u hear of someone having a sweet "Right" boot. 

[pointman129]

Mickey Linden by far!
he played reserves for Mayobridge last season and they won the Reserve league and championship.

[southdown]

His left foot wasn't that bad either.  From my own memeories 1990 onwards I'd say Linden but Blayney was quality too, the catalyst of a lethal forward line in the early 90s.

The old man raves on about Sean O'Neill and Paddy Doherty.

[Mourne Rover]

Although there have been conflicting posts about Mickey Linden's age, he was a minor in 1981, made his senior championship debut in 1982 aged 19 and played until the Ulster final of 2003 when he had turned 40. It is highly unlikely that we will see a USC outfield career of such duration again.

Linden would be on the short-list for the best Down player of all time, probably together with O'Neill, Doherty, Blaney and the McCartans senior and junior.

I would not argue much with Wobbler's best 15 of the last 25 years, other than to suggest that Ambrose senior, for his overall contribution, might edge out Marty Clarke, who has only featured for the last two years and may not be back.

[NP 76]

Always remember a man talking about Austin playing Mc Crory cup football . One perticular player was a good bit younger than him and was given the job of marking him , he was worried about it and asked his manager how he was going to out catch him with the massive height differene . He was promtly told dont worry about trying to out catch him he will always win but dont worry when he lands he will give it back to us as he cant kick . As for the best we had some greats with the majority of them mentioned before but for bravery and class Blaney would be hard to make . In reality he made the full forward line tick only for him who knows . As for the wobblers post he did mention one man who defintely could not be mentioned in the same light as all of his other mentioned names

[SHEEDY]

for me it has to be mickey linden followed by greg blaney and then benny coulter.

[5 Sams]

Have to disagree with me oul mate Wobbs about Deegan at full back...we have had at least 3 better fullbacks than Conor....he was a good one ok but not in the same class as Tommy McGovern. I would have Mark Turley and Paddy Kennedy in front of Deegan as well. Don't even mention the lads from the 60s like Leo Murphy, Patsy O'Hagan and Dan McCartan who I don't remember.

[bcarrier]

Brendan McGovern abd DJ need to switch wings on wobblers team..wouldnt be mine but not bad for the period.

Based on what I have seen and read the shortlist would probably be:

Tom O'Hare
Greg Blaney
Paddy Doherty
Sean O'Neill
Mickey Linden

with Sean O'Neill winning.

[DownFanatic]

A lock of aul hands that I know that have seen a brave bit of Down gah over the years would tell you that Sean O'Neill, Paddy 'Mo' Doherty and Greg Blaney were the three best Down players of the past 50 years.

On the goalkeeping front Id put forward Eddie McKay over Neil Collins and Mickey McVeigh.