View Full Version : The great under- achievers
Justin
13-06-2000, 01:50 PM
I am sure we all have our favourites who we thought were going to be Palace legends but for some reason they never made it. May two are Mike Elwiss and Kevin Mabbutt.
Evil Eagle
13-06-2000, 02:10 PM
Grant Watts anyone remember his winning goal against Liverpool to put us in the semi-finals of the Coke Cola Cup. I hear he's now playing non-league football somewhere.
And can anyone also tell me whatever happen to Rorty Ginty?
Mickey Droy's twin
13-06-2000, 02:14 PM
I thought Elwiss and Mabbutt both were great players but sadly they both had bad injuries
that prevented them becoming Legends. Among the top underachievers for me were
Vince Hillaire, Jerry Murphy, Steve Lovell,
Alan Whittle.
All were players that showed early promise and all were players that I liked and wanted to achieve. Not like the Gabbiadinis and Allens.
Mickey Droy's twin
13-06-2000, 02:30 PM
Slightly off topic but does anyone else remember the game away to Cambridge when Elwiss had his career finished. It was a freezing cold winters day, two thirds of the ground was Palace and the Police collected all the Doctor Martins worn by the Palace fans at the turnstile making us stand on the cold terrace in bare feet.
Putting it into context with modern fashion,
It would be like confiscating trainers from everyone visiting a match now.
Gooders
13-06-2000, 02:30 PM
Another good call MD's twin.
Vince Hilaire had the talent to have played at the very highest level and won a lot of medals and ending up at Luton, Portsmouth and Leeds was a huge disappointment.
Jerry Murphy liked a drink didn't he? An excellent passing midfielder when he put his mind to it.
More recently, I had high hopes for both Bruce Dyer and Leon McKenzie but I don't think either of them will ever make the breakthrough to the highest level now.
Matt Jansen should be playing for England. I hope he's not going to be another talented player who wastes his opportunities.
James Varcoe
13-06-2000, 02:30 PM
Dave Madden
Gavin Axten
13-06-2000, 02:54 PM
Jerry Murphy, Vince Hilaire and David Whyte are my top 3, Clinton reminds me of Whyte lets just hope he can do better than he did
Dobbo
13-06-2000, 03:16 PM
Mine is Shaun Brooks. Was supposed to have the potential to be better than Steve Kember in his early days but was in an out of the team for two seasons before going to Orient (I think).
Also, Bjorn Enquist never made it out of the reserve/youth team despite the cost of bringing him over from Sweden for three years.
Spot on Justin ... I would have answered Mabbutt and Elwiss as the top two if somebody asked me that too although their under-achievement was more to do with unlucky injuries. Of the myriad other true under-achievers to play for us, 2 Welshmen come to mind. I recall being really please about the signing of David Giles. I think that he had scored a great goal against us for Swansea City in the infamous 1979/80 FA Cup tie as well as one for Wales against England around the same time but he turned out to be pretty average. Also Paul Bodin; I thought that he was the last piece in the jigsaw of the greatest ever Palace line-up; the 3rd place 90/91 team. I was never a fan of Richard Shaw before he was moved to the middle and thought that a top quality left back was exactly what we needed. I still believe it was, but Paul Bodin wasn't the man for the job.
SteveB
14-06-2000, 02:15 AM
How about Dean Gordon? It may not look as if his career has suffered, but he was never as good after the injury in the 1995/96 season. I thnk that he could have achieved a lot more.
Gooders
14-06-2000, 02:20 AM
And we surely can't talk about "under-achievers" without mentioning Sasa.
What a waste of a God-given talent to play football. That man could have been just SO good and he's squandered it all - stupid arse.
He looked good at Bolton and then blew it at Villa.
We gave him what has to have been the final chance to make something of himself and despite all those noises about only ever leaving Selhurst Park in a box, he blew it again.
One day in the not too distant future he'll sit down quietly at home and realise just what an idiot he was.
Sad.
Archiebald Leitch
14-06-2000, 02:31 AM
Andy Gray.
Neil MacQueen
14-06-2000, 03:08 AM
Damien Matthew, Leif Andersson, Brian Launders, Ricky Newman And Bobby Bowry.
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A nice pint (of Fosters)in the Moon and Spoon
Remember Jeff Bourne ? (think that's how you spelt it !) around the same time as Elwiss. Around the time when we would go to a 3rd div game in midweek an have around 30,000 + there !
Justin
14-06-2000, 12:01 PM
I was thinking of listing Jeff Bourne as well. When he arrived he scored loads of goals in a very short space of time. I decided he didn't warrant inclusion in my list because (i think i remember correctly) as when we got promoted to div 2 he basically wasn't good enough at the higher level. Unlike Elwiss and Mabbutt who both looked pure class but were always injured.
As for David Giles - the new Kevin Keegan i recall. Lets hope he isn't the next England manager because he was pants!
be1
Evil Eagle
14-06-2000, 01:04 PM
The so called team of the 80s.
SteveB
15-06-2000, 12:48 AM
How can Lief Andersen be a candidate for under achieving? Normally he was pants, and on his very best days he might have aspired to crap. Very nice chap, I'm sure.
Small number
15-06-2000, 01:18 AM
wot about Valerien Ismael? apparently worth 5 million now!, also Padovano
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In the words of crowded house:
Don't dream it's over!
In the words of me: 'The wise will one day rise'
Chester 76
17-06-2000, 01:34 PM
Just before Alan Smith was sacked he did an interview, where he said a new signing would in a few years be a great player for Palace. Anyone know who he was referring to ? Another underachiever?
Gavin Axten
17-06-2000, 01:51 PM
It wasn't Enquist was it???? Or did he join earlier
johnny
20-06-2000, 11:07 PM
That'll teach me...
[This message has been edited by johnny (edited 20 June 2000).]
johnny
20-06-2000, 11:09 PM
Things have gone really badly for him regarding loads of injuries,while with us and since he was sold,but I thought George Ndah was a brilliant prospect who never managed to get a decent run of form together.It's a pity that if he does ever come good it'll be for Wolves and not us.I agree with what was said earlier about Mike Elwiss,he was a fine player and would have gone on to be a big star if it wasn't for injury....there have been loads of similar stories at Palace over the years,sadly.
Fat Andy
21-06-2000, 12:25 AM
John Salako,although played for England he should have been so much better and if it wasn't for injury would be a great left winger for England now,instead is playing a bit part for the gypos.
I know he wasn't brilliant but sad that John Pemberton vanished after an injury as well.
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