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Best ball winning midfielder at the club


All roads lead to Gorgie

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All roads lead to Gorgie

In my opinion the best ball winning midfielder we have had, in my generation at least, is Neil Berry. Brellier probably a close second but Neil was second to none in winning 50/50s and he always gave his all for the maroon shirt, a true Jambo. 

If only we had some more players of his ilk we would be right up there in the higher reaches of the league. I hope everyone agrees.

Edited by All roads lead to Gorgie
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Bazzas right boot

Gary Mackay was a good all rounder. 

Berry would header a brick for the cause but he was very limited imo. 

Loved the guy tho. 

 

 

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Berry was a big hero of mine as a kid. Limited footballer but sometimes i wish we had a player like that in the team now.

 

John Millar was another I liked in the unsung hero role

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queensferryjambo

Salvatori was fantastic at ball winning.

 

Berry was a great player and very underrated for just what a good player he was. 

 

John Millar was also excellent at breaking up player and regaining possession.

 

It's not a very glamorous position to play in football but a much needed one.

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All roads lead to Gorgie
6 minutes ago, Smith's right boot said:

Gary Mackay was a good all rounder. 

Berry would header a brick for the cause but he was very limited imo. 

Loved the guy tho. 

 

 

He wasn't the most silky but he could still play a pass when needed and was a bit more consistent than GM although Gary had better skills I'll give you that.

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All roads lead to Gorgie
7 minutes ago, Uncle Buck said:

Brellier is the best I’ve seen at it.

He was great at what he did and the bonus was he could out muscle and get under the skin of the Scott browns of the game. Sometimes it was seat of the pants stuff with Brellier though especially when he was on an early yellow. He knew what he was about though and he could tread the thin line of a second booking and just avoid it. I so miss the team he played a huge part in.

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been here before
26 minutes ago, Jamhammer said:

Another vote for John Millar. Dave McCreery IIRC didn’t miss many crunchers

 

McCreery was who I was going to mention.

 

Berry though, nae nonsense got the job donr. Cant ask for more really. And one of a select few of fine moustachiod Hearts players.

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brunoatemyhamster

Brellier

4 out of 10

 

Vlad just didn't seem to get what he did for a team. 

 

Loved him. 

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stevie1874
25 minutes ago, StevenNaismith said:

Shout out for Karipidis, very underrated.

Quality player once he got moved from central defence to centre mid 👍

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Fort Vallance

Yes Berry could win the ball but quite often gave it away again. No doubting his heart but not a great player. I liked the type of players that didn't crunch in to tackles but nicked it and kept possession. Not the best by a mile but Pallardo was good at it.

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2 hours ago, All roads lead to Gorgie said:

In my opinion the best ball winning midfielder we have had, in my generation at least, is Neil Berry. Brellier probably a close second but Neil was second to none in winning 50/50s and he always gave his all for the maroon shirt, a true Jambo. 

If only we had some more players of his ilk we would be right up there in the higher reaches of the league. I hope everyone agrees.

Yep!  Berry for me.

Even when he didn't actually win the ball he made the opposition offload sooner than they wanted thus stifling their attacking ability.

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JimKongUno
3 hours ago, underwaterwoodwelder said:

Colin Cameron 

 

This guy knows his onions. Exactly who I was going to say. 

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4 hours ago, been here before said:

 

McCreery was who I was going to mention.

 

Berry though, nae nonsense got the job donr. Cant ask for more really. And one of a select few of fine moustachiod Hearts players.

I’ve mentioned on here being at Ibrox and, I think McCoist was skipping down the wing and Chuck was zoning in on him fro distance. The Hearts supporters were going “Woooooooooahhhhh” as he approached and then “Yassss” When he cleanly won the ball but smashed McCoist off the park. Got booked and walked away smiling and adjusting his gum shield. Proper footballer

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Loved Brellier but Chuck was the best I've seen. 1985-88 he was magnificent at what he did. 

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All roads lead to Gorgie

I still remember his sclaffed winner at Rugby Park in the cup and the celebrations in the away stand. Probably one of Neil's few goals for the club but a great memorable moment.

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4 hours ago, underwaterwoodwelder said:

Colin Cameron 

Ditto. Some players have a particular trait and Neil Berry is always seen as a ball winner and it’s taken as him being the strongest at it.

 

Cameron for me can be put in that bracket but you then go onto talk about a far more complete player. 
 

Berry was a player I admired too. Always in the team and you expected him to always be there. He was a reliable player but did a specific job very strongly and that’s why he was picked. 
 

Cameron rolled everything into one but will more likely(and has been) be remembered more for goals, effort, passing and creativity. It clouds the fact he was a bloody pest too! Nicking balls off feet, hassling you into a mistake and not jumping out a 50/50. He could tackle alright. 

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4 minutes ago, All roads lead to Gorgie said:

I still remember his sclaffed winner at Rugby Park in the cup and the celebrations in the away stand. Probably one of Neil's few goals for the club but a great memorable moment.

 

Great day. 

 

Also recall a winner v. Celtic in a midweek game and a late equalizer v. Hibs to preserve the run that became 22. 

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Auld Reekin'
15 minutes ago, Worthing Jambo said:

What about Iain Jardine?

 

 

An excellent but somewhat forgotten and underrated (by some) player. However, he was much more of a creative, passing, midfielder rather than a ball-winner. He wasn't limited to that though and could put in a challenge when required. A bit like Steve Fulton in that respect, in my opinion...

Edited by Auld Reekin'
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Worthing Jambo
Just now, Auld Reekin' said:

 

An excellent but somewhat forgotten and underrated (by some) player. However, he was much more of a creative, passing, midfielder rather than a ball-winner. He wasn't limited to that though and could put in a challenge when required. A bit like Steve Fulton in that respect, in my opinion...

He was very underrated.

And he could dig in when required to let the more talented players take the accolades.

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Auld Reekin'
8 minutes ago, Cisco1914 said:

Ally Mauchlen.

 

It wasn't a "biggest nutjob ever at Hearts" thread, however. Otherwise Ally Mauchlen or Stewart MacLaren might well have been in with a shout...   :thumbsup:

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Auld Reekin'
4 minutes ago, Worthing Jambo said:

He was very underrated.

And he could dig in when required to let the more talented players take the accolades.

 

Agree largely, but I would argue strongly that he was the most talented player in the Hearts' midfield in the period when he played for us.

Edited by Auld Reekin'
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Strummerville

Salvatori for sure. 

 

Brellier was class act allowing the attacking players to go and flourish. 

 

Shout out to Neil macfarlane who covered Brellier, not world beater but done his job

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Pasquale for King

Bruno was good when he played there, JJ “ we put him in there to let him get his shirt dirty for once” instead of strolling it at the back. 
Hartley and Cameron could do it too, and the rest obviously.
It’s a position we need filling unless Haring can get back. 
A lot of us said it at the beginning of last season but Halkett might be worth a go in there, he’s a bit slow for CH, but he can tackle/pass/shoot and making late runs into the box he would score even more than last season, top goal scorer after all.

Edited by Pasquale for King
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chuck berrys hairline

Thomas Flogel

 

Slide tackle from behind and reverse nutmeg players all in a oner. Some technique he had in his all round game

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1 hour ago, Worthing Jambo said:

What about Iain Jardine?

 

I’ll always remember him getting injured, (possible broken leg) on halfway line and you could hear his scream from the school end. Always liked him

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Ricardo Shillyshally

Berry regularly had "Scotland's best midfielder" Paul McStay in his back pocket. A better player than a lot give him credit for. He didn't score many, but possibly his last goal was in the SC at Killie. I think he scored against Celtic too in a midweek game against Celtic. I missed the game as I was off school ill. A diving header in a 1 0 win in front of nearly 30k

 

As for Iain Jardine, I still remember his goal on 1st of January 86, when he hit that one between the sticks 😁

 

Dave McCreery was a great wee player for us, even if he wore dodgy cycling shorts when he played.

 

Memories.

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8 hours ago, weehammy said:

Dave Mackay or John Cumming


Just finished reading Dave MacKay’s book. By the sounds of it he was the greatest we’ve ever had at ball winning, and much more.

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Perth to Paisley

I liked Ian Jardine  but ..

9 hours ago, Worthing Jambo said:

What about Iain Jardine?

 

 

8 hours ago, Auld Reekin' said:

 

Agree largely, but I would argue strongly that he was the most talented player in the Hearts' midfield in the period when he played for us.

 

I never understood why he simply blootered the ball back to Celtic at the kick off when they equalised in the Cup semi.

Someone should have ensured we retained the  ball and took the replay rather than giving them the ball to mount one last attack.

We know what happened next!

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gashauskis9

Berry was one of the best imo, absolutely idolised him.  Played in an era when holding/defensive midfielders were frowned upon and largely dismissed.  In the modern game, we’d be gushing over him.  Imagine having Berry and Salvatori sitting in front of a back 4?  You could play 4 strikers.

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10 hours ago, weehammy said:

Dave Mackay or John Cumming

This. Both the best at this in my time.  More recently though it would have to be Salvatori. 

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wheatfield to sheffield
16 hours ago, Madjambo21 said:

Shout for Adao.

Was only with us for a short time but he was great at tackling.

 

Yes - this thread is about best ball winning midfielder, not best defensive midfielder, and Adao was brilliant at winning the ball and so utterly committed to tracking back

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10 hours ago, Auld Reekin' said:

 

It wasn't a "biggest nutjob ever at Hearts" thread, however. Otherwise Ally Mauchlen or Stewart MacLaren might well have been in with a shout...   :thumbsup:

It was a tongue n cheek post mate🤙If I were to choose it would be Cumming and Mackay from the most successful Hearts side in our history.

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Always remember when we signed Neil MacFarlane and thinking...what the hell are we signing him for? Can't remember but possibly freed by his previous club (Kilmarnock? Or was he there after Hearts?) But after a fairly slow start he put in some vital challenges and broke opposition moves down throughout his time with us. Liked him in the end. Berry I occasionally drank with along with Foster was one of those players that was pretty reliable and he was around for years. Good bit of business Alex MacDonald getting him from Bolton, £50k or something.

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