Who Are We Saving Our 11 Shirt For?

[johnny crossan]

By all accounts Gomez has taken Merlin's number 21 so who will follow Zinch and Kola inside this historic garment with 2-10 now all taken? (Not Palmer - he's our new 22 btw)
(Wonder if any famous 11 shirt wearing former Pep players are looking for a new club this window.)

[blues-clues]

Ronaldo of course. He has created such a great impression we would be out of our minds not to be bidding at least £100m and offering £600k a week to this talisman of teamwork. His unselfish attitude and great work ethic would make him the ideal candidate. He has so much still to offer, could probably break Aguero's goal scoring record in a single season. Would be a magnificent addition to the club. It would be even better to steal him from beneath the noses of all the other top clubs queueing up for him. Even better, if Pep leaves he would be the perfect manager, such a great human being. It is a terrible shame we didn't get him last season so his influence on the dressing room could have ensured we got the best from everyone, Russia wouldn't have invaded Ukraine, the Pandemic would have finished and in his spare time he would have discovered a freely available and unlimited source of free energy in North West England.

[johnny crossan]

Ronaldo of course. He has created such a great impression we would be out of our minds not to be bidding at least £100m and offering £600k a week to this talisman of teamwork. His unselfish attitude and great work ethic would make him the ideal candidate. He has so much still to offer, could probably break Aguero's goal scoring record in a single season. Would be a magnificent addition to the club. It would be even better to steal him from beneath the noses of all the other top clubs queueing up for him. Even better, if Pep leaves he would be the perfect manager, such a great human being. It is a terrible shame we didn't get him last season so his influence on the dressing room could have ensured we got the best from everyone, Russia wouldn't have invaded Ukraine, the Pandemic would have finished and in his spare time he would have discovered a freely available and unlimited source of free energy in North West England.

[johnny crossan]

this was fun - all the City players in the 11 shirt I've watched down the years (a few vacant seasons after squad numbers were introduced)
1950, 1952, 1954, 1956-57 Roy Clarke
1951, 1953 & 1955 Bobby Cunliffe
1958 Ray Sambrook
1959-60 Clive Colbridge
1961-62 David Wagstaffe
1963 Joe Hayes
1964-65 Dave Connor
1966-68 Neil Young
1969 Tony Coleman
1970 Freddie Hill
1971 Ian Mellor
1972 Tony Towers
1973 Rodney Marsh
1974-78 Dennis Tueart
1979 Tony Henry
1980-81 Kevin Reeves
1982 Paul Power
1983 Jim Tolmie
1984 Gordon Smith
1985 Paul Simpson
1986 Ian Brightwell
1987 Neil McNab
1988-89 Nigel Gleghorn
1990 Mark Ward
1991 Mark Brennan
1992 Steve McMahon
1993-94 Carl Griffith
1995Peter Beagrie
1996 Terry Cook
1997 Jonathan Macken
1998 -2005 Darius Vassell
2007-09 Elano
2010-12 Adam Johnson
2013-14 Scott Sinclair
2015-18 Aleks Kolarov
2018-21 Oleks Zinchenko

[john@staustell]

I'm struggling with the first 4 - what were they like?

[nottsblue]

Not a great history of brilliant no 11s

[Mase]

Jon Macken definitely wasn’t with us in 97. I think he was actually with the Rags then.

[Wonderwall]

Can't believe we had Darius Vassell offside for 7 years

[Mase]

Can't believe we had Darius Vassell offside for 7 years

He definitely wasn’t with us in 98. These guys didn’t play against Gillingham.

[johnny crossan]

I'm struggling with the first 4 - what were they like?

Me too as far as Roy Clarke & Bobby Cunliffe go, the first vivid memory I've retained was watching George Hannah in 1958 playing in a metal corset but my older brothers took me to City & United home games from 1955 and they both played in that period.
Ray Sambrook was very elegant I dimly recall but any of Clive Collier's notable characteristics elude me now

Can't believe we had Darius Vassell offside for 7 years

He definitely wasn’t with us in 98. These guys didn’t play against Gillingham.

Vassell 2005-2009

Jon Macken definitely wasn’t with us in 97. I think he was actually with the Rags then.

Macken 2001-2005

Thank you all for your interest & corrections

[john@staustell]

I don't recall Freddy Hill but he's there - 70 to 73. Why only number 11 in one season?

And I vaguely recall Neil Young as number 10. Tony Towers I sort of remember picking up number 11

Surely it's all to hell prior to squad numbers?

[Nick]

Hardly a coveted number then ha

[johnny crossan]

I don't recall Freddy Hill but he's there - 70 to 73. Why only number 11 in one season?
And I vaguely recall Neil Young as number 10. Tony Towers I sort of remember picking up number 11
Surely it's all to hell prior to squad numbers?

Not really, prior to fixed squads in the PL regular players tended to stick to the same shirt numbers throughout their career with a club. I just picked the first match line up in each season to see who wore the 11 shirt so not very accurate I agree, Neil did appear in a variety of numbers - 9, 10 and 11 in our glory year 67/8. https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/neil-yo ... ler/176844 - same with Tony - although his debut was as an 11 https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/tony-to ... ler/176917

[johnny crossan]

Hardly a coveted number then ha

Will be by the shirtsales companies if Neymar rocks up next week!

[Mase]

Hardly a coveted number then ha

This some sort of sick joke Nick? After Kolarov left we should have retired it.

[Mase]

Hardly a coveted number then ha

Will be by the shirtsales companies if Neymar rocks up next week!

I saw that Mbappe and Neymar are having a big falling out. Mbappe missed a penalty so Neymar took the next one, which annoyed Mbappe. Too many egos it seems at PSG

[Dubciteh]

Can't believe we had Darius Vassell offside for 7 years

Hahaha what a time if that doesnt make you appreciate what we have now then nothing will!

[Dubciteh]

We should have given it to Palmer. Hes an integral member of first team.

[Nick]

We should have given it to Palmer. Hes an integral member of first team.

Not sure on that one - been an unused sub and didn't look great the game he came on (pre season). I agree he should be though.

[john@staustell]

We should have given it to Palmer. Hes an integral member of first team.

I thought JC said he had 22