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Generic small time football blather thread 2015/16


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I didn't know Terry Christian was in the "Class of 92"

Good write-up about the "Class of 92."

 

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Ah, 1992, what a year. George Bush and Boris Yeltsin declared a formal end to the Cold War; the Yugoslav Federation broke up; Los Angeles burned amid the Rodney King riots; the Czechoslovak Parliament much like Charles and Dis marriage councillor approved separation, and Bill Clinton became the 42nd President of the United States.

 

All seismic events for sure, but nowhere near as seismic as the promotion of five young tykes from Manchester Uniteds youth ranks to Alex Fergusons first team squad- at least not if legacy media coverage is anything to go by.

 

A near quarter of a century later, the one that still commands huge swathes of daily column inches is not the aversion of World War III but rather the promotion of Nicky Butt, Phil Neville, Gary Neville, David Beckham and Paul Scholes to first team Manchester United duties. Make no mistake, five youth team players from the same age group going on to make thousands of aggregate first team appearances during the most successful era in the history of one of the most famous football clubs in the world is, without question, a remarkable story. But is it so remarkable that we need to endure near daily reminders of this oh-so-very-well-worn story some 24 years on?

 

The received wisdom goes something like this: Five world class players emerged from the same group at the same time at one particular club and changed the history of soccer forever, winning everything in sight, conquering all comers. Except, thats not really true, is it? The decidedly more prosaic truth is more like: one world class player, one dependable full back, one massively overrated fashion model and two bang average squad players emerged from a pool of talent at a time when youth teams were regularly mined for first team material.

 

Except that narrative doesnt really sell papers, does it?

 

Instead were force-fed perpetual updates on the status of each member of the Class of 92, as though the latest update will differ vastly from the one we invariably received the previous day. Of course, the reportage of each member cannot, heaven forfend, be as individuals. No, we must be reminded with each and every mention of the quintet that they are, in fact, members of the Class of 92. Is Gary Neville struggling at Valencia? No. But Class of 92s Gary Neville is. Was Nicky Butt appointed head of youth at United this week? No. But Class of 92s Nicky Butt was. Is Paul Scholes a vocal critic of Louis Van Gaal? No. But Class of 92s Paul Scholes is. And on it goes.

 

The medias coverage of the Class of 92 is akin to those deluded Facebook narcissists who feel the need to publicly document each and every tedious detail of their tedious day, the only difference being that with the Class of 92, there is no option to ignore. The Class of 92 brand is rammed down our throats. Every. Single. Day.

 

Want to see whats happening in the world of sport? No problem, but first navigate past this series of threadbare-worn articles about the latest Earth-shattering updates on the Class of 92. The Class of 92 has become a brand and one that sells, sells, sells; evoking misty-eyed nostalgia in United fans everywhere and particularly those who fondly remember the emergence of these players. And such is the vast number of said misty-eyed ones that the rest of us just simply have to lump it.

 

The media seem to find it impossible to report on any of the group doing anything at all without regurgitating the same, tired-beyond-clichéd, copy-and-paste Class of 92 articles, firing them out at a frequency that ensures even a goldfish with amnesia whos taken a recent blow to the head cannot possibly forget about the emergence of these players.

 

Had the five players involved been bona-fide world beaters, the avalanche of daily updates would be that slight bit more tolerable, but thats far from the case.

 

Of the five, only Scholes brilliance is beyond debate. One of the finest passers and readers of the game England has ever produced, the ginger one could have walked in to any team of his era and instantly improved it. A rare example of an English footballer with a brain, Scholes is worthy of every last drop of nostalgia.

 

But what about the other four? While all can point to impressive medal hauls from their Old Trafford careers, the truth is that none of Beckham, Butt or the two Nevilles stood out on the pitch. Yes, Beckham went on to become the most famous footballer on the planet, but little of that owed to his actual ability and almost all of it to his wifes unquenchable thirst for fame. Slow, one footed, predictable and anonymous in big games, Beckhams peak lasted a mere two seasons around the turn of the century, the rest of his career playing out like one that would have gone entirely under the radar had it not been for his poster-boy looks earning him a move to Real Madrid, where he sold many a shirt.

 

Although currently toiling on his maiden managerial voyage, Gary Neville has become the most unlikely success story of the quintet. At one stage worried as to whether hed make it at all in the game, Neville went on to become a Mr Dependable, one-club man, winning an eye-watering number of trophies along the way. A solid, if unspectacular, full-back, Neville was a testament to making the most from limited ability, a source of hope for perspiration-over-inspiration types everywhere. But a world class player? Not a chance.

 

Which leaves us with the runts of the litter, Butt and Neville the younger. Two decent squad players for several years, both Butt and Phil Neville could usually be relied upon to fill in for their more talented team-mates when Ferguson decided to rest his key men against inferior opponents. However neither Butt nor Neville would secure regular first team football until they were sold and found their mid-table level at Newcastle and Everton respectively.

 

The Class of 92 phenomenon (as so many media outlets have insisted on it becoming) is without question, an era-defining story in the history of Manchester United Football Club. But in a decade when West Ham produced arguably better players in Frank Lampard, Rio Ferdinand, Joe Cole and Michael Carrick, is the saturation of the entire football media in Class of 92 coverage really justified?

 

Twenty-four years on from 1992 and the world is staring another Cold War in the face with the prospect of a third global conflict, the most real it has been in decades. Just dont expect it to get the same level of coverage as the story of five youth players who broke into the Manchester United first team 24 years ago. You might have heard of them, theyre referred to as the Class of 92.

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Scholes and Giggs were world class. Beckham was fucking quality. Gary Neville was an international and CL fullback for years which would constitute some people's definition of 'world class' for sure. Nicky Butt and Phil Neville were both good players rather than 'bang average'.

Edit: Giggs was before that but it's still an incredibly harsh assessment.

Edited by Alex
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Scholes and Giggs were world class. Beckham was fucking quality. Gary Neville was an international and CL fullback for years which would constitute some people's definition of 'world class' for sure. Nicky Butt and Phil Neville were both good players rather than 'bang average'.

Edit: Giggs was before that but it's still an incredibly harsh assessment.

Absolutely. Beckham had one of the best deliveries in football in his prime, same could be said about his set pieces. I never really thought Beckham was overrated, the bloke played well every where he went and was one of the few to play well for England with regularity.
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Isn't being relegated great, I mean, it isn't as if we have an owner or chairman who is "embarrassing" us , at least until we start being ritually and regularly beaten by teams like Orient and baggys local team Bristol Rovers again.

 

Still. At least we aren't signing these trophy players. Stick with Ameobi, Carroll and Lovenkrands, thats the way to do it Mike.

"I'm right and always will be" :D

 

We only need Kevin Nolan to work some magic.

 

 

Bristol Rovers have announced that a family of billionaire bankers have bought 92% of the club. Chairman Steve Hamer introduced Wael Al-Qadi, a Jordanian FA board member, as the new president. The family is said to be worth £1.4bn. A new stadium is a new requirement in his plans.

 

The Rovers, in their 133-year history have never been in the top flight.

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I would imagine we were 2nd favourites at the start of that season. Maybe 3rd. What were Leicester? About 500-1? Aye, just the same then.

We were just 7/1 in 2003/2004 at the start of the season believe it or not. Fuckin arseholes. Whoever wrote that is belittling the club and thought they could subtly get away with it. We were actually the second richest club in terms of income ffs.

 

Fuckin hell we broke the world transfer record with our own income not some cuff link having a play about.

Edited by McFaul
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