Down's greatest ever player?

[Gold]

From what a saw it would be Mickey Linden. A joy to watch and not many you watch can you say are a joy

[Pangurban]

All of  the players on the 60/61 team were absolutely outstanding, of the later crop only Linden, Mason and Blaney would merit that description

[ballela-angel]

I've been going to Down matches since 1958 and without a doubt the best Down player I've seen was Paddy Doherty followed by Sean O'Neil - However the best all-around Down player in that time was Patsy O'Hagan, who lined out for Down at some time in every position except for goalkeeper

[PAULD123]

So this  really a split question - Who is the best Down player ever? And secondly (because most of us are too young to have seen the teams of the 60's) Who is the best Down player of the last 25 years.

From what I see from the posts here the first question pretty much answered as one of O'Neill, Doherty, Blaney & Linden. With the second clearly being Blaney or Linden.

If I could be equivocal and suggest that we just say that we have four outstanding candidates, each with differing merits. It isn't really possible to say any one was definately better than the other and nof fair on teh others to place one ahead of them. I would say we have four players there all of whom could be considered our best ever player and all of whom are roughly equal in talant and contribution

[thejuice]

I think most Meath men would say either Linden or Blaney. 1991 still hurts 20 years on. I remember all the talk around the county was that we would be facing Kerry if we got to the final and we were saying that since they beat Cork in Munster that year. Remember we were only young lads but we were convinced no one could beat us that year except Cork or whoever could beat them.

But I wouldn't say there was any dismissal of Down before the final. They just seemed like a bit of an unknown entity after all the familiar battles with Dublin and Cork. However they came out of the traps on the day and were almost out of site by half time if I'm not mistaken. Linden, Blaney and Kane were all on fine form that day if I can remember correctly. We were completely outplayed for most of the game. Without Stafford to steady things we'd have been totally beat.

While a jaded Colm O'Rourke nearly got us back into it he probably wasn't able for 70mins but thats all talk now.

[southdown]

My memory of 91 was that Meath made a good start and Flynn looked particularly dangerous.  Then we got back into it with a few frees by Mason and a fantastic team score finished off by Eamon Burns.  Wee James started causing a lot of bother for the meath backs, particularly in the 2nd and 3rd quarters in which Down won the game.  At one stage we were 11 up.  Then Meath clawed there way back with Flynn as dangerous as ever and Stafford deadly from frees.

It was a great game of football.  Blayney IMHO was instrumental, he was involved in almost every single Down score, although wee James got MOTM, the Meath defence simply couldn't handle him.

If there were another 5 minutes played in that game I dread to think how it would have ended up.  I have the whole 70 mins on DVD, if anyone would like to borrow it feel free to PM me, fantatstc viewing.

[whitegoodman]

So this  really a split question - Who is the best Down player ever? And secondly (because most of us are too young to have seen the teams of the 60's) Who is the best Down player of the last 25 years.

From what I see from the posts here the first question pretty much answered as one of O'Neill, Doherty, Blaney & Linden. With the second clearly being Blaney or Linden.

If I could be equivocal and suggest that we just say that we have four outstanding candidates, each with differing merits. It isn't really possible to say any one was definately better than the other and nof fair on teh others to place one ahead of them. I would say we have four players there all of whom could be considered our best ever player and all of whom are roughly equal in talant and contribution

This is a valid point, for most of us that didnt see the likes of o'neill, paddy mo and james snr it is very hard to judge how the 90's players compared with them.

On the Linden/Blaney debate it is very hard to seperate them but i would just give it to Blaney on the basis that i have never seen him have a quiet game.  I have on the odd occasion seen Mickey been kept quiet partly due to the ball not coming into him and partly because he was well marked.  One of the all time greats all the same but Greg gets the vote from me.

[5 Sams]

Quote

"I have on the odd occasion seen Mickey been kept quiet partly due to the ball not coming into him and partly because he was well marked."

That's probably cause Blaney wasn't playing

[sheamy]

No harm to youse boys, but does this thread not belong in the Down section?

   

[Onlooker]

I have been watching Down from a distance for many years and agree with the consensus that Sean O'Neill, Paddy Doherty, Greg Blaney and Mickey Linden are the main contenders.  All 4 were great players, but IMO Sean O'Neill was No. 1.

[Tony Baloney]

Martin Clarke?

[crossfire]

Who do you think has been Down's greatest ever player?

I know there will be the responses of Sean O'Neill and the likes but many people has forgot about the brilliance of Austin in the centre of the field. He was a complete unsong hero and imo never got the praise he fully deserved. He was a fantastic fielder of the ball and had a sweet right boot on him too. Just my opinion though.

He wasn't always on song.

[DandyMan]

I am not from Down, but I am surprised that Colm McAlarney (apologies if I spelt the name wrong) does not figure prominently in the discussion. He was one hell of a player.

[lawnseed]

should greg blaney not have been playing for armagh?

[Rasharkin Gael]

Thought blaney was a fantastic player, and mickey linden on his day unstoppable. To young to have seen paddy doc but my father always said he was the best footballer he had ever seen, with the exception of John mcgarry of course.