Emlyn Hughes OBE

B

Born tangerine

Well-known member
Probably our most decorated ex pool player and captained England yet we never mention him on this board. I understand he only played 28 games for us but Bill Shankly came calling and took him off us for a lot of money at the time.
Turned down by Barrow and joined us to become a super player led by example as a captain and always played with a smile on his face.
 
I seem to remember his last game for us was on tv Sunday afternoon against Stoke which we lost 1.0 and Gerald Sinstadt was singing his praises.
 
Born tangerine said:
I seem to remember his last game for us was on tv Sunday afternoon against Stoke which we lost 1.0 and Gerald Sinstadt was singing his praises.
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I went to that game. He nearly scored with a powerful long range shot that just went over. I read somewhere that he was upset Ron Suart had been sacked and wanted to get away. He was still fairly raw as a player though obviously learned a lot at Liverpool and developed into a great defender. After retiring he was offered the Blackpool manager job but declined.
 
Born tangerine said:
I seem to remember his last game for us was on tv Sunday afternoon against Stoke which we lost 1.0 and Gerald Sinstadt was singing his praises.
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He played a fair few games after that Stoke game. I think his last game was the 4 0 hammering at Old Trafford at the end
of February 67. I remember that day well , apart from the thrashing it poured down all game.Never been as wet apart from Deepdale
2007.
 
The Emlyn game I remember was a league cup tie against Chelsea. Firm tackle on Peter Osgood and the England centre forward lay prone with a broken leg. No free kick given, Emlyn got the ball first.
 
I was at the Chelsea game Osgood was playing like Bertie big bollocks and like you said the broken leg was his own fault.
I'm sure that same season Barrie jones the Cardiff right winger got his leg broke in a tackle with Emlyn in the same place where Osgood broke his leg and again no free kick.
 
Born tangerine said:
I was at the Chelsea game Osgood was playing like Bertie big bollocks and like you said the broken leg was his own fault.
I'm sure that same season Barrie jones the Cardiff right winger got his leg broke in a tackle with Emlyn in the same place where Osgood broke his leg and again no free kick.
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Jones leg was broken three years later in 1969/70 season. It was right by the West touchine and Craven tackled him.I heard the crunch and Jones yelp in agony. The Osgood break in 1966 was other side of the pitch though not close to the Scratching shed touchline though the crack was so loud it was heard around the ground.
 
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Born tangerine said:
Probably our most decorated ex pool player and captained England yet we never mention him on this board. I understand he only played 28 games for us but Bill Shankly came calling and took him off us for a lot of money at the time.
Turned down by Barrow and joined us to become a super player led by example as a captain and always played with a smile on his face.
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Don't remember him winning the World Cup though 😉
 
LimerickTangerine said:
Would have thought Barry Ferguson was our most decorated, must be close enough
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Alan Ball. World Cup Winner and title winner with Everton. Never won a domestic cup nor captain England.

Had Armfield been fit in 66, it would be hard to argue that he would be the most decorated. WC and Eng captain
 
fcblackpool said:
Alan Ball. World Cup Winner and title winner with Everton. Never won a domestic cup nor captain England.

Had Armfield been fit in 66, it would be hard to argue that he would be the most decorated. WC and Eng captain
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Alan Ball captained England. Don't know how often but I'm sure he did.

Edit. 6 times captain, undefeated including whupping Scotland 5 1.

Agree with you about Armfield.
 
Wizaard said:
Alan Ball captained England. Don't know how often but I'm sure he did.

Edit. 6 times captain, undefeated including whupping Scotland 5 1.

Agree with you about Airfield.
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Alan Ball ironically took over the captaincy from the subject matter of this thread Emlyn Hughes. Mid 70s.

Sir Stan is a good shout of yours earlier.

Ball was the main foundation of the one and only England World Cup victory in history. Liable to be recorded in BFC history as the only Tangerine that represented England in a World Cup Final winning game.
 
ballysboots said:
Alan Ball ironically took over the captaincy from the subject matter of this thread Emlyn Hughes. Mid 70s.

Sir Stan is a good shout of yours earlier.

Ball was the main foundation of the one and only England World Cup victory in history. Liable to be recorded in BFC history as the only Tangerine that represented England in a World Cup Final winning game.
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Read somewhere they both shared the same digs in Blackpool. So two future England captains had the same landlady for a time.Anyone know what street the house was on?
 
Trammo said:
Read somewhere they both shared the same digs in Blackpool. So two future England captains had the same landlady for a time.Anyone know what street the house was on?
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I THINK it might have been on Bela Grove between Revoe Park and Grasmere Road.
 
fcblackpool said:
Alan Ball. World Cup Winner and title winner with Everton. Never won a domestic cup nor captain England.

Had Armfield been fit in 66, it would be hard to argue that he would be the most decorated. WC and Eng captain
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I thought you meant decorated as in the amount of honours in general a player won, which would’ve made Armfield not even close
 
I recall being a distraught little lad when the Gazette said Shankly had bid £65000 and Emlyn was on his way. I couldn't believe it at the time. If I remember correctly that was the record highest fee paid for a full back in this country.
 
Close Fees Levens grove last house before the last alley before Grasmere
same house used by Tony Green Tommy Hutch and Henry Mowbray
 
I heard Ball and Matthews briefly overlapped. In training game Ball kept playing what he thought we're perfect balls to run on to. Sir Stan refused to run. Stood hand on hips. 'Pass to my feet son'.
 
tommytwojags said:
I recall being a distraught little lad when the Gazette said Shankly had bid £65000 and Emlyn was on his way. I couldn't believe it at the time. If I remember correctly that was the record highest fee paid for a full back in this country.
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It was a world record fee for a teenager 🙂
 
Greennutmegsmoore said:
I heard Ball and Matthews briefly overlapped. In training game Ball kept playing what he thought we're perfect balls to run on to. Sir Stan refused to run. Stood hand on hips. 'Pass to my feet son'.
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Heard Tommy Lawton was told the same by Stan before they played together for the first time for England. So when Lawton passed to Stan first time in the game he rather forgetfully passed not to feet but ahead of the legendary winger. Stan stood there and shouted" What did I tell you Tommy ?" Lawton said he apologised profusely and Stan said" That's quite alright son just don't ever do it again!"😀
 
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FessParker said:
He played a fair few games after that Stoke game. I think his last game was the 4 0 hammering at Old Trafford at the end
of February 67. I remember that day well , apart from the thrashing it poured down all game.Never been as wet apart from Deepdale
2007.
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I missed him by two months - April 67 vs Sheff Utd was my bow. In his relatively few games did you rate him?
 
Meliora said:
The Emlyn game I remember was a league cup tie against Chelsea. Firm tackle on Peter Osgood and the England centre forward lay prone with a broken leg. No free kick given, Emlyn got the ball first.
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Yes I remember it well about the halfway line in front of the “Scratchers”.
Many even on the Kop swear they heard Osgood’s leg go!
 
1966_and_all_that said:
I missed him by two months - April 67 vs Sheff Utd was my bow. In his relatively few games did you rate him?
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From memory , he played mainly at left back. He had the physicality even as a teenager to compete at the highest
level albeit he was understandably raw but the potential was there. The 2 incidents that I remember him for and which
have been mentioned are the Osgood leg break , a hard but fair tackle pretty much in front of me in the Scratching Shed and the
run and piledriver of a shot against Stoke.
As an aside in 2000 my wife treated me to a red letter day tour of Wembley stadium and he was the host. He was charming as you
would expect and he did say he was sad to see the club struggling. Unfortunately he passed away only 3/4 years later.
 
FessParker said:
From memory , he played mainly at left back. He had the physicality even as a teenager to compete at the highest
level albeit he was understandably raw but the potential was there. The 2 incidents that I remember him for and which
have been mentioned are the Osgood leg break , a hard but fair tackle pretty much in front of me in the Scratching Shed and the
run and piledriver of a shot against Stoke.
As an aside in 2000 my wife treated me to a red letter day tour of Wembley stadium and he was the host. He was charming as you
would expect and he did say he was sad to see the club struggling. Unfortunately he passed away only 3/4 years later.
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Thanks Fess. The Osgood leg break has gone down in legend. I remember my dad saying that the break could be heard all around the ground. Probably exaggerated in the telling.
 
1966_and_all_that said:
Thanks Fess. The Osgood leg break has gone down in legend. I remember my dad saying that the break could be heard all around the ground. Probably exaggerated in the telling.
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No exaggeration 66, the incident happened during one of those lulls in a game when the crowd is quiet, we were in the scratching shed so definitely heard it, but my dad was on the Kop and reckoned he heard it as well!
 
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