| Orient player connections 14:23 - Aug 10 with 2625 views | Northernr |
Figure there must be a lot of these given there's Jackett/Gallen, Smyth and Odubajo just now. Who else?
Lazarus. Caldwell... |  | | |  |
| Orient player connections on 19:33 - Aug 10 with 758 views | Superhoop83 |
| Orient player connections on 17:06 - Aug 10 by Hunterhoop |
I was fascinated by Wardley. I used to think he was one of the worst footballers I’d ever seen. I know he had that great goal scoring season, but I just felt it was all a fluke. The following season, without the goals, it was all the more evident.
I was adamant the game completely passed him by and he just happened to find himself in the right area now and again, by definition of being so far off the pace he was suddenly unmarked and free when the ball dropped kindly.
In one game I actually decided to make a concerted effort to count how many times he touched the ball (in any way: pass, tackle, block, deflection, etc). 12. 12 touches in 90 mins. Playing central midfield. If he’d stood still on the centre circle it might have touched him more. |
I can't argue with any of that but Wardley scored 14 goals in 87 appearances. By any standards he was fantastic value for money.
As a random comparison from the same era, Richard Langley scored 18 goals in 133 appearances during his first spell with us. He was a very good footballer but his stats aren't as good, although I imagine his assists would be in another league.
Wardley also scored in our (only ever?) win at Blackburn, so he was ok by me even if he was crap. |  |
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| Orient player connections on 19:47 - Aug 10 with 732 views | SheffieldHoop |
Mauro Milanese turned up at Orient as interim manager a few years back. Lasted 8 matches.
Wonder if Paladini ever got involved over there? He must've? Surely? |  |
| "Someone despises me. That's their problem." Marcus Aurelius |
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| Orient player connections on 20:21 - Aug 10 with 701 views | Padulas_Shampoo |
Matt Lockwood? |  | | |
| Orient player connections on 21:22 - Aug 10 with 663 views | CiderwithRsie |
| Orient player connections on 19:33 - Aug 10 by Superhoop83 |
I can't argue with any of that but Wardley scored 14 goals in 87 appearances. By any standards he was fantastic value for money.
As a random comparison from the same era, Richard Langley scored 18 goals in 133 appearances during his first spell with us. He was a very good footballer but his stats aren't as good, although I imagine his assists would be in another league.
Wardley also scored in our (only ever?) win at Blackburn, so he was ok by me even if he was crap. |
The fact he was cr*p was the beautiful thing.
For one glorious season this removal man and part-time non-league clogger who IIRC was supposed to be a centre half anyway played up front for a 2nd tier side and couldn't stop scoring goals, despite not getting any better at the actual football. Next year it was over.
It was like he'd been granted a wish by a genie or something. Someone should make a film of it. I genuinely hope the bloke has a load of happy memories from it. |  | | |
| Orient player connections on 23:03 - Aug 10 with 617 views | ozexile |
| Orient player connections on 17:06 - Aug 10 by Hunterhoop |
I was fascinated by Wardley. I used to think he was one of the worst footballers I’d ever seen. I know he had that great goal scoring season, but I just felt it was all a fluke. The following season, without the goals, it was all the more evident.
I was adamant the game completely passed him by and he just happened to find himself in the right area now and again, by definition of being so far off the pace he was suddenly unmarked and free when the ball dropped kindly.
In one game I actually decided to make a concerted effort to count how many times he touched the ball (in any way: pass, tackle, block, deflection, etc). 12. 12 touches in 90 mins. Playing central midfield. If he’d stood still on the centre circle it might have touched him more. |
Hunter hoop that is bizarre because I done exactly the same in one game. Notts county away when Thompson scored the winner around 2001. I counted 3 X touches in the second half. He jumped for a lot of headers that he lost and chased a lot but just didn't get on the ball at all. | | | |
| Orient player connections on 23:46 - Aug 10 with 581 views | LythamR |
| Orient player connections on 17:06 - Aug 10 by Hunterhoop |
I was fascinated by Wardley. I used to think he was one of the worst footballers I’d ever seen. I know he had that great goal scoring season, but I just felt it was all a fluke. The following season, without the goals, it was all the more evident.
I was adamant the game completely passed him by and he just happened to find himself in the right area now and again, by definition of being so far off the pace he was suddenly unmarked and free when the ball dropped kindly.
In one game I actually decided to make a concerted effort to count how many times he touched the ball (in any way: pass, tackle, block, deflection, etc). 12. 12 touches in 90 mins. Playing central midfield. If he’d stood still on the centre circle it might have touched him more. |
I'm telling Tracy on you! |  | | |
| Orient player connections on 23:49 - Aug 10 with 575 views | daveB |
| Orient player connections on 17:06 - Aug 10 by Hunterhoop |
I was fascinated by Wardley. I used to think he was one of the worst footballers I’d ever seen. I know he had that great goal scoring season, but I just felt it was all a fluke. The following season, without the goals, it was all the more evident.
I was adamant the game completely passed him by and he just happened to find himself in the right area now and again, by definition of being so far off the pace he was suddenly unmarked and free when the ball dropped kindly.
In one game I actually decided to make a concerted effort to count how many times he touched the ball (in any way: pass, tackle, block, deflection, etc). 12. 12 touches in 90 mins. Playing central midfield. If he’d stood still on the centre circle it might have touched him more. |
He's still playing now for a Sunday Morning team, mate of mine has played against him a few times and said he is a lovely fella. Tend to agree with what you are saying but he certainly made the most of his ability to have a few years with us |  | | |
| Orient player connections on 07:51 - Aug 11 with 516 views | Hunterhoop |
| Orient player connections on 21:22 - Aug 10 by CiderwithRsie |
The fact he was cr*p was the beautiful thing.
For one glorious season this removal man and part-time non-league clogger who IIRC was supposed to be a centre half anyway played up front for a 2nd tier side and couldn't stop scoring goals, despite not getting any better at the actual football. Next year it was over.
It was like he'd been granted a wish by a genie or something. Someone should make a film of it. I genuinely hope the bloke has a load of happy memories from it. |
Completely agree with this. The “wish granted by a genie” was exactly what it felt like.
I hope he enjoyed it too. And it sounds like he was a lovely bloke. I just couldn’t get over how it was so obvious he wasn’t a professional footballer, but there he was playing two full seasons for us in the second tier, and actually scoring (well, in the first season), in spite of seeing the ball only fleetingly all game. Very weird. |  | | |
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| Orient player connections on 09:17 - Aug 11 with 485 views | PlanetHonneywood |
Jay Bothroyd, Yun suk-young, Armel Tchakounte and Pat Kanyuka. |  |
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| Orient player connections on 12:29 - Aug 11 with 429 views | kensalriser |
Possibly the funniest thing I've ever seen on the pitch at Loftus Road was Stuart Wardley on the ball, under pressure, kicking it into his own face. Right by the Ellerslie touch line and I was a few rows away. He was laughing as much as we were. |  |
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