Independent Leyton Orient Forum

Never that impressed with Lee Harvey, apart from the play off final goal he never did much.
Often ran into blind alleys and his crossing was poor, hardly ever scored too.

My other non favourite was Tony Richards, so bad he was substituted after 30 minutes at Peterborough for being so poor.

Ronnie Hotdogs wrote: ↑Wed Nov 25, 2020 6:58 pm Scott was a solid L2 keeper.

Alexander was way too good for L2.

Alexander used to go months without scoring.
I think he went about 10 games without scoring before he got that one at Oxford.
Never rated him.

Kwame Ampadu, David Stride, Mark Dempsey Can't believe anybody thought they were worth a place in an O's team.

Top of the JES wrote: ↑Thu Nov 26, 2020 12:03 am Kwame Ampadu, David Stride, Mark Dempsey Can't believe anybody thought they were worth a place in an O's team.

Did anyone rate Stride, Dempsey or Ampadu though? Seems like all three were universally panned.

Smendrick Feaselberg wrote: ↑Thu Nov 26, 2020 12:22 am

Top of the JES wrote: ↑Thu Nov 26, 2020 12:03 am Kwame Ampadu, David Stride, Mark Dempsey Can't believe anybody thought they were worth a place in an O's team.

Did anyone rate Stride, Dempsey or Ampadu though? Seems like all three were universally panned.

Certainly some of the group we sat next too thought Ampadu and Dempsey were good players and got really irate if anyone berated them,although you are probably right about Stride he was utter tripe.

Semedo, Beall, Harris, Melligan all come to mind. Sure there's more.

Max B Gold wrote: ↑Wed Nov 25, 2020 9:10 pm Andy Harris - wouldn't get a game in my old Boys Brigade team.

100% him

PoliticOs wrote: ↑Thu Nov 26, 2020 12:40 am Semedo, Beall, Harris, Melligan all come to mind. Sure there's more.

Milligan was so awful. But thought everyone agreed?

I think my memory might more be to do with people being excited by him when he signed, or was about to sign - and then he was just rubbish. But I'm sure a decent chunk thought he was a player.

Darren Purse.

Had a decent career and obviously wasn’t bad but at the time I thought he was sh*t.

Mark Warren too.

Smendrick Feaselberg wrote: ↑Thu Nov 26, 2020 12:22 am

Top of the JES wrote: ↑Thu Nov 26, 2020 12:03 am Kwame Ampadu, David Stride, Mark Dempsey Can't believe anybody thought they were worth a place in an O's team.

Did anyone rate Stride, Dempsey or Ampadu though? Seems like all three were universally panned.

Agreed

one o in huntingdon wrote: ↑Wed Nov 25, 2020 10:33 pm Never that impressed with Lee Harvey, apart from the play off final goal he never did much.
Often ran into blind alleys and his crossing was poor, hardly ever scored too.

My other non favourite was Tony Richards, so bad he was substituted after 30 minutes at Peterborough for being so poor.

I did like Lee Harvey

Which player came on at Southend and was himself substituted not long after? Anyone remember?

Chicken Dhansak wrote: ↑Wed Nov 25, 2020 9:36 pm I will probably get mullered for this, but I'm going to throw Jabo Ibhere into the mix. He was not the brilliant player a lot of people think
he was, he played as a striker, but I ask you, as a frontline striker, how many goals did he score when he got the chance of a one on one
with the opposition goalkeeper?

“Wheeeeeen yoooou sit in Row Z and you’re hit on the head, that’s our ....”

Seriously though, over 53 years I’ve seen so many players who didn’t even earn the title ‘journeyman’ that I’d struggle to name them all.I much prefer to dwell on those who really were passionate about their chosen profession and gave 110% effort for 110% of the time.

Jabo was a fascinating case. After he left us, he ended up playing at exactly the same level for other clubs for the rest of his career, getting plenty of games, and not that many goals - just like with us.

My Mrs isn't known for her forthright opinion on individual footballers, but when she came to watch a match with me towards the end of his time with Orient, within 5 minutes she was moved to offer an unsolicited opinion of him as a "clown". The truth is, that's an important role in a side that we've never adequately replaced since (arguably, Alabi came the closest).

Chicken Dhansak wrote: ↑Wed Nov 25, 2020 9:36 pm I will probably get mullered for this, but I'm going to throw Jabo Ibhere into the mix. He was not the brilliant player a lot of people think
he was, he played as a striker, but I ask you, as a frontline striker, how many goals did he score when he got the chance of a one on one
with the opposition goalkeeper?

Agree with you mate seemed to get a Free Pass Basically because he'd come through the youth system

Exiled O wrote: ↑Wed Nov 25, 2020 6:57 pm I'm only going to give my top three some may find this controversial:

1) Gary Bellamy: Thought he was absolute cack to be honest. Couldn't understand why we signed him in the first place and my view never really changed.

2) Scott Barrett: Became a hero for his heroics in the play-off semi penalty shoot out. I just never thought he was a very good goalkeeper.

3) Gary Alexander: Yeah I know he was in the promotion side but I just didn't get it. Thought he was over rated. Sorry.

Can't agree with you about GA we had one season where his goals kept us single hand 2003-4 i think.

JimbO wrote: ↑Thu Nov 26, 2020 9:16 am

Chicken Dhansak wrote: ↑Wed Nov 25, 2020 9:36 pm I will probably get mullered for this, but I'm going to throw Jabo Ibhere into the mix. He was not the brilliant player a lot of people think
he was, he played as a striker, but I ask you, as a frontline striker, how many goals did he score when he got the chance of a one on one
with the opposition goalkeeper?

Agree with you mate seemed to get a Free Pass Basically because he'd come through the youth system

It's not a 'free pass'.

But as a 3rd or 4th choice, behind the likes of Alexander, Steele etc, he made a very useful squad player.

Ronnie Hotdogs wrote: ↑Thu Nov 26, 2020 9:31 am

JimbO wrote: ↑Thu Nov 26, 2020 9:16 am

Chicken Dhansak wrote: ↑Wed Nov 25, 2020 9:36 pm I will probably get mullered for this, but I'm going to throw Jabo Ibhere into the mix. He was not the brilliant player a lot of people think
he was, he played as a striker, but I ask you, as a frontline striker, how many goals did he score when he got the chance of a one on one
with the opposition goalkeeper?

Agree with you mate seemed to get a Free Pass Basically because he'd come through the youth system

It's not a 'free pass'.

But as a 3rd or 4th choice, behind the likes of Alexander, Steele etc, he made a very useful squad player.

And, as observed above - after he left us, a succession of other managers rated him equally as we did, for the rest of his career (i.e. a good option for a third division side)

TBH, I do find this thread a bit difficult - far easier would be the opposite proposition: players I rated that other people thought were rubbish. But that's mainly because virtually everyone who has played for us has been slated by our fans at some point.

To an extent Jabo did get a free pass due to coming through the youth set up. I don't really have a problem with that. He had days when he was simply fantastic ( v Fulham in the FA cup springs to mind) and I think fans put up with how frustrating he could be because he was unpredictable and had undouted talent. Carlisle fans think the world of Jabo. He scored quite a few goals for them and had his best goal tally in season scoring 17. It's clear though that he became a better player after leaving us.

Apple Wumble wrote: ↑Wed Nov 25, 2020 9:16 pm

EH16 wrote: ↑Wed Nov 25, 2020 7:00 pm Colin West. One of the worst football players I've ever seen. Yet some people seemed to think he could play.

It’s funny cos I know this is a widely held view, but when I first went when I was 6 or 7, I thought the sun shone out of his arse cos no one else in that team scored a f*cking goal (or so it seemed to me)

You are forgiven due to your then age. I hope you know better now.

one o in huntingdon wrote: ↑Wed Nov 25, 2020 10:33 pm Never that impressed with Lee Harvey, apart from the play off final goal he never did much.
Often ran into blind alleys and his crossing was poor, hardly ever scored too.

My other non favourite was Tony Richards, so bad he was substituted after 30 minutes at Peterborough for being so poor.

Yes, I was at that Peterborough game. He was even more awful than usual. Think he had one good game for us (v Brighton?)

Exiled O wrote: ↑Thu Nov 26, 2020 9:47 am To an extent Jabo did get a free pass due to coming through the youth set up. I don't really have a problem with that. He had days when he was simply fantastic ( v Fulham in the FA cup springs to mind) and I think fans put up with how frustrating he could be because he was unpredictable and had undouted talent. Carlisle fans think the world of Jabo. He scored quite a few goals for them and had his best goal tally in season scoring 17. It's clear though that he became a better player after leaving us.

Happens a bit too often for my liking, that

Ben Chorley
Alex Cisak

*braces*

Marvin Ekpiteta

With you on Marvin.

Also, Sam Dalby.