WC of WH Players: Round 2 Group G

Korea Hammer · Post by **Korea Hammer** » Mon Dec 05, 2022 5:18 am

Please vote for whichever player you like best, using the poll, which will be added shortly. They don't have to be the best at football, just your favourite, the player you have good memories of etc. The thread can also be a good place to discuss the players.

The penultimate group.

Form guide: In the first round, James Collins was one of the 5 biggest winners with 80% of his group's votes. Ray Stewart (47) had enough to beat a popular Jack Collison (21) amd Scott Parker (46) was too good for Yossi Benayoun (13). And Dean Ashton needed a replay to get past Tomas Repka.

RAY STEWART

MANUEL LANZINI

JAMES COLLINS

DEAN ASHTON

funky chicken · Post by **funky chicken** » Mon Dec 05, 2022 5:46 am

S-H · Post by **S-H** » Mon Dec 05, 2022 6:07 am

WestHamLyallStyle · Post by **WestHamLyallStyle** » Mon Dec 05, 2022 7:27 am

I have a soft spot for the Ginger Pele but I grew up watching Tonka smashing in penalties.

World record fee paid for a teenager at the time.

Perth’s finest for me.

smuts · Post by **smuts** » Mon Dec 05, 2022 7:51 am

Tonka. Our greatest ever right back.

DaveWHU1964 · Post by **DaveWHU1964** » Mon Dec 05, 2022 7:59 am

Hadn’t realised Manny had made it this far. Pleased about that.

Liked all four of these, but for me it’s between Tonka and Collins one of the only players this millennium who I would say I’ve loved. Might have to abstain on this one.

Albie Beck · Post by **Albie Beck** » Mon Dec 05, 2022 9:20 am

Another where the "terms of reference" come in.

Best for West Ham? - Tonka in all likelihood.

The one I liked best? Ginge all day.

Coops · Post by **Coops** » Mon Dec 05, 2022 9:23 am

It's also between Tonka and Collins for me.
Tonka was a great player and probably the best penalty taker we have ever had at the club.
Collins was a warrior, the player you wanted at the heart of defence when our backs were against the wall (as they often were). I also remembered when he came over and said goodbye to us all on the last day of the season, It was quite emotional.
I'm going to decide later once the poll is up.

JLCABA · Post by **JLCABA** » Mon Dec 05, 2022 9:25 am

Agree totally with Albie Beck we are supposed to be voting for who we like best

That being the case Collins for me
But again I feel wrong not voting for Tonka . I guess this is going to get harder and harder to vote the further we go on .
Brilliant thread KH

hammerman11 · Post by **hammerman11** » Mon Dec 05, 2022 9:27 am

Tonka takes me back to happy hammers time. we could do with a RB like him now. loved his smashed in pens. no hop skip jump with him !

Chicken Run Supreme · Mon Dec 05, 2022 10:15 am

This is very much a shoot out between Tonka and the Ginger Pele.
Amongst the many penalties that Ray Stewart blasted into the net there are 3 that stand out, all high pressure penalties and all despatched with aplomb. Aston Villa FA Cup 6th Round 1980, Liverpool League Cup Final 1981 and Ipswich 1986 final home league game of that season. I wasn’t at Wembley to witness the last minute penalty equaliser but I was in the old west side for the Villa game and in the North Bank for the Ipswich game. Special memories from a special period .

Now, James Collins may not conjure up the same memories but he was a warrior who again, totally got us. For as long as I can remember as fans, we have always taken players like Collins to heart. A player who never left anything in his locker and gave everything on the pitch. Impossible not to like him and easy to love him.

A tough call here but I’m going for the Ginger Pele. It’s hard on Tonka but Collins gets the nod on a split decision

DaveWHU1964 · Post by **DaveWHU1964** » Mon Dec 05, 2022 11:05 am

Chicken Run Supreme wrote: ↑Mon Dec 05, 2022 10:15 am This is very much a shoot out between Tonka and the Ginger Pele.
Amongst the many penalties that Ray Stewart blasted into the net there are 3 that stand out, all high pressure penalties and all despatched with aplomb. Aston Villa FA Cup 6th Round 1980, Liverpool League Cup Final 1981 and Ipswich 1986 final league game of that season. I wasn’t at Wembley to witness the last minute penalty equaliser but I was in the old west side for the Villa game and in the North Bank for the Ipswich game.

I was lucky enough to see all three mate. All three were incredibly special, but for me the Liverpool one was something else in that in the dying seconds of such a big occasion he changed his style and placed it rather than blasting it. What coolness.

As an aside, after the Ipswich game you'll remember that the North Bank, where I was too, went on the pitch. I, probably unadvisedly, kissed the penalty spot. Others then did the same. A cop then stood on the penalty spot hoping that that would deter others. I'm not sure that it did.

What days!

Chicken Run Supreme · Mon Dec 05, 2022 11:22 am

DaveWHU1964 wrote: ↑Mon Dec 05, 2022 11:05 am
As an aside, after the Ipswich game you'll remember that the North Bank, where I was too, went on the pitch. I, probably unadvisedly, kissed the penalty spot. Others then did the same. A cop then stood on the penalty spot hoping that that would deter others. I'm not sure that it did. What days!

I remember it well Dave and I too was on the pitch and remember everyone makin a beeline for the penalty spot at the North Bank end. We were on the pitch singing “we’re gonna win the league” and we really meant it and although we were relying on Chelsea doing us a favour versus the red Scouse, we still had a glimmer of hope. Halcyon days.

steveyrockstar · Post by **steveyrockstar** » Mon Dec 05, 2022 12:58 pm

A very surprising stat about Ginger Pele - in the 11 seasons he spent with us, he never managed 30 league games in a single season. And he only managed 30 league and cup games in a season once, in 2012-23 (30 games exact).

Dunno whether he suffered a lot of injury problems, or if he just never fully established himself as a first-choice CB.

His second spell was defo the more successful with us though, both in terms of appearances and performances.

Korea Hammer · Post by **Korea Hammer** » Mon Dec 05, 2022 1:04 pm

This looks like being the closest second round contest.

sussexhammer74 · Post by **sussexhammer74** » Mon Dec 05, 2022 2:00 pm

I went with Tonka although it was close with GP.

For me seeing Tonka hit a penalty, and hit is so hard that both feet came off the ground on the follow through.

WestHamLyallStyle · Post by **WestHamLyallStyle** » Mon Dec 05, 2022 2:19 pm

CRS…if it’s too close to call it needs to go to penalties. That way Tonka should win !

WestHamLyallStyle · Post by **WestHamLyallStyle** » Mon Dec 05, 2022 11:22 pm

The quarter finals could be run alongside that sideshow in Qatar. Last eight starts on Saturday.

Chrissieboy · Post by **Chrissieboy** » Tue Dec 06, 2022 2:43 am

smuts wrote: ↑Mon Dec 05, 2022 7:51 am Tonka. Our greatest ever right back.

Haven't had anybody half as good at RB ever since. Coufal and a few others had a bit of time of glory in the position but none have done over more than season or two like Tonka.

WestHamLyallStyle · Post by **WestHamLyallStyle** » Tue Dec 06, 2022 7:58 am

Tim Breacker was a bloody good right back.

Ray Stewart is king in this department though.