Alan Kennedy

[merlin]

I'm starting to think this Green chap must be over-rated. You hear his name all the time as one of the greatest Newcastle players ever, but he played about the same number of matches as, say, Hugo Viana. Was he really that good? And what would've happened if he'd stayed injury-free?

 

Green compared with Viana !!? You clearly never DID see him play.. Viana was NEVER in anything like Green's class, in any area of the game.

As SBR saw fit to pay 8.5m for Viana, my estimate of 30m for Green is about right....!

[merlin]

To answer the question about what would have happened if Green had stayed injury-free, obviously we cannot tell for certain, but I am sure we would at least have given Liverpool a MUCH tougher game at Wembley in 74 - I saw Green play for Scotland against England in 71 and he was the only Scottish player who really kept them in it...

Had he been fit in 76, I reckon we would have beaten Man City in the LCF, and maybe reached the FA Cup Final that year too - he would have been an enormous influence on what was already a decent side apart from Central defence.

Its all speculation - maybe he would have been sold to Liverpool by our so-ambitious Board of Directors to pay for a new Hot-Dog stand....!!

 

Also, I agree that none of the current NUFC team would get into my team of all-time greats and only a couple would get into a team from the late 60s to mid-70s....you can guess who they might be...!!

[Dave]

Where did Keefaz compare Green and Viana?

[Keefaz]

Christ! I'm getting destroyed by an innocuous comment! I meant no disrespect to Tony Green, if anything I was just asking for more information and folk's opinions on where his career would've gone had he stayed fit.

 

The Viana thing was simply a way of saying: blimey, he must've been special if people are rating him that highly after having so few opportunities.

[Dave]

Some people are hilarious.

 

'I like Martins, he's fast like Henry.'

 

'Haha, what a mong, you compared Martins to Henry, not even close! OMG how thick are you?!'

 

[Keefaz]

FWIW, I prayed every night for Viana to be a success here. Absolutely, totally wanted him to make it as a Newcastle player... Useless wanker.

[NE5]

Christ! I'm getting destroyed by an innocuous comment! I meant no disrespect to Tony Green, if anything I was just asking for more information and folk's opinions on where his career would've gone had he stayed fit.

 

The Viana thing was simply a way of saying: blimey, he must've been special if people are rating him that highly after having so few opportunities.

 

I thought it was a bit out of character for you mate 

 

Never mind man. Tony Green WAS special mind, he was simply the best. Merlin is sadly right, we took a chance on him and brought him into the 1st division when other clubs were looking, and unfortunately although I would rather not think about it, but we would probably have sold him on to a better club at the time just like Pop Robson, Terry MacDermott, half the team in the aftermatch of Gordon Lee leaving for Everton, and our 3 major players in the 1980's who followed.

 

 

[macbeth]

Christ! I'm getting destroyed by an innocuous comment! I meant no disrespect to Tony Green, if anything I was just asking for more information and folk's opinions on where his career would've gone had he stayed fit.

 

The Viana thing was simply a way of saying: blimey, he must've been special if people are rating him that highly after having so few opportunities.

 

I thought it was a bit out of character for you mate 

 

Never mind man. Tony Green WAS special mind, he was simply the best. Merlin is sadly right, we took a chance on him and brought him into the 1st division when other clubs were looking, and unfortunately although I would rather not think about it, but we would probably have sold him on to a better club at the time just like Pop Robson, Terry MacDermott, half the team in the aftermatch of Gordon Lee leaving for Everton, and our 3 major players in the 1980's who followed.

 

 

 

I think you're being a bit slective in your memory now. Green had played for Scotland 4 times, had had the previous season in the top flight before joining us. He became the most expensive Scottish player at that time. It wasn't a big chance we took. As for selling on, who knows.

 

Of his 39 starts for the club 2 of them were against Hereford

[NE5]

Christ! I'm getting destroyed by an innocuous comment! I meant no disrespect to Tony Green, if anything I was just asking for more information and folk's opinions on where his career would've gone had he stayed fit.

 

The Viana thing was simply a way of saying: blimey, he must've been special if people are rating him that highly after having so few opportunities.

 

I thought it was a bit out of character for you mate 

 

Never mind man. Tony Green WAS special mind, he was simply the best. Merlin is sadly right, we took a chance on him and brought him into the 1st division when other clubs were looking, and unfortunately although I would rather not think about it, but we would probably have sold him on to a better club at the time just like Pop Robson, Terry MacDermott, half the team in the aftermatch of Gordon Lee leaving for Everton, and our 3 major players in the 1980's who followed.

 

 

I think you're being a bit slective in your memory now. Green had played for Scotland 4 times, had had the previous season in the top flight before joining us. He became the most expensive Scottish player at that time. It wasn't a big chance we took. As for selling on, who knows.

 

Of his 39 starts for the club 2 of them were against Hereford

 

Don Revie was looking at him, fact, but didn't move. Bob Stokoe didn't want to sell him to a club managed by Don Revie, even if he had, but we moved first. At the time, Leeds were along with Liverpool the top 2 clubs in the country. I think Tony Green won 6 caps for Scotland before he was injured, how many of those he won after signing for Newcastle, I cant' remember. Not many though, because some of his caps were in the Home Internationals including the match at Wembley in 1971 when he was voted man of the match.

 

Simple fact is, we did take a chance, because, like MacDonald, he was playing in the 2nd division and had only played those few games in the top flight and was relatively unproven at that level, for Blackpool, when they were relegated, at the most. He also had recovered from a serious injury to his ankle which could have finished his career, this more than likely caused clubs to hesitate too.

 

It amazes me that a club such as Derby with Taylor and Clough keeping tabs on players and being instant expert talent spotters didn't sign him before us too. Why do you think they didn't ? They bought Willie Carlin, a Green type player, from Carlisle, and then Archie Gemmill to replace him, but Green moved to Newcastle before Gemmil moved to Derby from Preston.

 

 

 

 

[macbeth]

Don Revie was looking at him, fact, but didn't move. Bob Stokoe didn't want to sell him to a club managed by Don Revie, even if he had, but we moved first. At the time, Leeds were along with Liverpool the top 2 clubs in the country. I think Tony Green won 6 caps for Scotland before he was injured, how many of those he won after signing for Newcastle, I cant' remember. Not many though, because some of his caps were in the Home Internationals including the match at Wembley in 1971 when he was voted man of the match.

 

4 with Blackpool, 2 with us

 

Simple fact is, we did take a chance, because, like MacDonald, he was playing in the 2nd division and had only played those few games in the top flight and was relatively unproven at that level, for Blackpool, when they were relegated, at the most. He also had recovered from a serious injury to his ankle which could have finished his career, this more than likely caused clubs to hesitate too.

 

He played 30 games the previous season when Blackpool went down

 

It amazes me that a club such as Derby with Taylor and Clough keeping tabs on players and being instant expert talent spotters didn't sign him before us too. Why do you think they didn't ? They bought Willie Carlin, a Green type player, from Carlisle, and then Archie Gemmill to replace him, but Green moved to Newcastle before Gemmil moved to Derby from Preston.

 

I suspect Derby feel did okay wining the league after taking Gemmill, rather than taking Green. Gemmill actually joined Derby before Newcastel signed Green, and Gemmill only cost them £60,000

 

 

 

[NE5]

Don Revie was looking at him, fact, but didn't move. Bob Stokoe didn't want to sell him to a club managed by Don Revie, even if he had, but we moved first. At the time, Leeds were along with Liverpool the top 2 clubs in the country. I think Tony Green won 6 caps for Scotland before he was injured, how many of those he won after signing for Newcastle, I cant' remember. Not many though, because some of his caps were in the Home Internationals including the match at Wembley in 1971 when he was voted man of the match.

 

4 with Blackpool, 2 with us

 

Simple fact is, we did take a chance, because, like MacDonald, he was playing in the 2nd division and had only played those few games in the top flight and was relatively unproven at that level, for Blackpool, when they were relegated, at the most. He also had recovered from a serious injury to his ankle which could have finished his career, this more than likely caused clubs to hesitate too.

 

He played 30 games the previous season when Blackpool went down

 

It amazes me that a club such as Derby with Taylor and Clough keeping tabs on players and being instant expert talent spotters didn't sign him before us too. Why do you think they didn't ? They bought Willie Carlin, a Green type player, from Carlisle, and then Archie Gemmill to replace him, but Green moved to Newcastle before Gemmil moved to Derby from Preston.

 

I suspect Derby feel did okay wining the league after taking Gemmill, rather than taking Green. Gemmill actually joined Derby before Newcastel signed Green, and Gemmill only cost them £60,000

 

 

 

you're right, I've looked it up, I didn't think Gemmill signed until about a year after that. I can admit when I'm wrong, unlike some people  I was basing it on going to see us play Derby away at about that time, and I thought it was Willie Carlin playing and not Gemmill.

 

Tony Green was still playing in the 2nd division though, and there was far bigger fish than us at the time who he may have preferred to sign for, including Leeds.

 

I'm just glad we got him, he was a special player. As you say, its open to debate if he would have moved on, but most NUFC supporters of that time, if they are honest, would probably admit that it would have happened.

 

Personally, when he was attempting his comebacks, I just hoped every game we played would be the one when he returned.