2004/05 Season News Item...

Best Carshalton Team in Recent Years

Here is an eleven comprised of players who represented Carshalton FC regularly for periods during my time at the Club.  Like Sven I have felt at liberty to name a number of subs.  The side will play in a 4-4-2 formation and with each selected player there is a short justification.   
  1. Neil Backers - shades it over Colin Bateman on grounds of loyalty, longevity and the fact that I have to have one current player in the side. A superbly athletic and brave keeper who has saved the club more points than any other.   
  2. Paul King - deceptively strong and very very quick.  Intelligent  - which is unusual at our Club.  No mouth, no attitude but plenty of appropriate aggression.   
  3. John Pester - aka Steve McQueen.  One of The Banana Bunch who transformed the nature of the Club.  Again, great pace, excellent in the air and a fearsome tackler.   
  4. John Harlow - quite simply - the Guv'nor.  Time, elegance, balance.  The complete player   
  5. Alan Irwin - midfield when he played for us but all the credentials for an overlapping wing back.  Another quiet but fierce competitor   
  6. Bill Backers - will play in front of the back four as long as he never says either "time" or "go to the flag"  Only problem is a possible lack of physical presence   
  7. Chris Hithersay - the best passer of the ball in my time at the club.  Scored lots of goal too.   
  8. Alec Benham  - flawed genius, but at his best, and he would be in this side.  Superbly mobile and effective .  Great ball striker.   
  9. Michael (Jimmy) James - tough as nails, creative, awkward sublime in possession.  Half blind so only passed to green shirts - a good tip for others.   
  10. Robert Horn - terrific pace, great temperament.  Lethal finisher and great timer of incisive runs.   
  11. Michael Willett - hardest forward in Carshalton history.  Left footed and brilliant header of the ball and other blokes.  A leader of men - he will skipper the side.   

Subs.  Colin Bateman, Dave Bartram, Brian Perkins, Shaun Swan, Keith Cave, Dave Leach (if not suspended), Geoff Stewart

Honourable mentions:  Ian Wigham, Taffy Roberts, Alan Sisley, Frank Cocker, John Gale, Bill Collins, Simon Clare

The side barely needs a "manager" certainly not one with any degree of footballing knowledge, but because of his excellent attention to detail and ability to organize these wayward characters to turn up on time and in the right place - John Thoroughgood will do the job.  

Dick Stoker