Legend

[sedgred]

What is a footballing legend ?.

What does it take to earn legendary status as opposed to becoming a legend. Camps last minute penalty save earned him legendary status, as did Nathon Tyson waltzing across the front of the sheep waving a Forest corner flag, but compared to Stuart Pearce, these exploits pale into the shadows.

Stuart Pearce, season after season, carried the side forward with force of personality and effort, a colossus of a man in a Forest shirt. John Robertson for a time, walked the world stage as one if not the finest winger in the world, Kenny Burns, was the rock that so many attacks broke up on. They won trophies.

My childhood hero's, Joe Baker and Ian Storey Moore, were Forest's bright hopes, the pin up boy's of the sixties, yet gentleman Bobby McKinley hardly rates a mention, just check back on his career with Forest, what a servant to the club.

So what makes a Forest legend, not the press because it was Cloughie who was the media darling, not the club. Is the odd spectacular display worthy of years of devotion in the legendary status eye's ?.

 

[Senior Flange Technician]

Personally i think the word has lost a lot of meaning and i struggle to see any of our current or indeed past sides in the same light as Mr clough and Mr Pearce, they have a long way to go to be anywhere near these two.

 

[Jelly Bean]

I think legends stand the test of time. I couldn't say whether Camp's save or Tyson's antics were legendary at the moment. If i'm still talking about them in 10 years, then yes, to me they are legends.

 

[dellaroc]

Anyone saying Stan Collymore is brain dead.

 

[The Vicar]

Agree with all you said Sedge the word legend is greatly overused and very inappropriately. :mellow:

 

[The_City_Is_Ours]

Its because we've become accustomed to having average players! Now we've got a pretty decent team its a little shock to the system, even though these 'legendary' moments/players would have been just a normal thing 'back in the day' ;D

If Camp stays at the club for the rest of his career and we achieve things then I'd class his performance as legendary

 

[zigga-zagga]

I agree entirely that the status of 'legend' appears to be bestowed with alarming ease but we must realise that many of the posters on this board are considerably younger than you and I, Sedge.

To many Stuart Pearce is a figure of the past who they never saw in a Forest shirt ang God knows we've had no-one anywhere near his level since.

The word legend is subjective to a certain extent - Ian Storey-Moore became a legend with his hat-trick against Everton, Joe Baker was a legend, but legends are few and far between.

Or is it that our opinions are being distorted by the memories of by-gone days?

 

[Strummer]

I'm 40, and "when I were a lad" it was the team of Shilton, Burns, Lloyd, O'Neill, Gemmill, Woodcock, et al.

Glory days indeed, but "Old Big 'Ead" refreshed the team regularly.

However, Mr. Pearce, for his long service, commitment, and sheer passion for the game, is the player I would class as a "legend" without doubt. And I'm sure I'm not alone amongst football fans in almost injuring myself jumping about when he scored that penalty for England at Euro '96.

"Pyscho" is a Forest Legend. Full stop.

 

[Bridgfordred79]

You mustn't confuse " Cult Hero" with "Legend".

Eugen Bopp could be called a cult hero, but no where near a legend; it's the same with Collymore.

 

[sebs]

right, i'll take on collymore. not a forest 'legend', not by any stretch of the imagination. that would extend to devotion to the club and real passion for the club. collymore only had passion for himself. but, the legendary moments of collymore were the "i was there" moments. the idea that here was this man doing these utterly magical things and he was playing for our club. i was only young when i saw him in a forest shirt, but i remember his mad runs straight from kick off, the sense of anticipation in the city ground every moment he got the ball and finally the goals he scored.

i think the closest anyone has got to this in the last ten years was david prutton. until he churlishly threw it all away on his return to us on loan.

marlon no.1 had a chance too.

 

[The_City_Is_Ours]

Of the players we have I'd say Big Wes is the closest to becoming a legend, just for his forward runs alone

 

[weasel]

Anyone saying Stan Collymore is brain dead.

I think Stan Collymore is probably the antithesis of a 'legend'.

He was a tortured genius. A fleeting, wife beating, mercurial genius. Worthy of all the accolades and more in terms of ability and will always have a cult status amongst the fans.

Stone, Woan or Chettle would arguably qualify based on the length of time they played for us with so, so many brilliant seasons and lovely football to boot, even if they weren't technically as gifted.

 

[RICH1977]

I feel stan collymore is being dragged into this legend argument after my post in the johnson topic, the point I was trying to make (badly) was if you class johnson as a legend then the likes of collymore would be even more deserving of the status due to him playing at a higher level, the same goes for sheringham, it also hinted at what sedge has said that the staus is thrown around far to easily now days.

 

[Seargant Reddog]

i think LEGEND in this game tends to lend itself to one word which is very rare in todays game and that word is LOYALTY.

Very few players will not be motivated by money or lifestyles and i still stay with the club for the love that particular club and serve them long term no matter what.

Pearce through his passion for the club will always be a legend as will Des Walker......i dont believe any other Forest player in my time ,im 32 now can i state as being legend worthy , neither can i comment about prior to around the early eighties or seventies as i was to young.

Again loyalty play a major part to the word legend.

"Psycho is our leader ,Psycho is our leader ner ner ner ner ouuushhhhhhhhhhh"

 

[EmJay]

Stuart Pearce is the last true legend to play for our club.

The likes of Camp and Tyson are cult heroes. There's a big difference (Not that eithier of those players couldn't go on to become Forest Legends of course!)

 

[RICH1977]

think mark crossley could just scrape the legend status aswell

 

[Seargant Reddog]

think mark crossley could just scrape the legend status aswell

i think Norman 'give us a twist' Crossley was more of a cult hero than legend ....although his nice one normans nice one sons,had him banging on the door of getting a 'Bust' in the Main Stand .

 

[Bridgfordred79]

Walker deserves legendary status for his time at the club, no doubt.

 

[sebs]

f***ing hell, yeah, des. especially for this:

 

[weasel]

i think LEGEND in this game tends to lend itself to one word which is very rare in todays game and that word is LOYALTY.

Very few players will not be motivated by money or lifestyles and i still stay with the club for the love that particular club and serve them long term no matter what.

Pearce through his passion for the club will always be a legend as will Des Walker......i dont believe any other Forest player in my time ,im 32 now can i state as being legend worthy , neither can i comment about prior to around the early eighties or seventies as i was to young.

Again loyalty play a major part to the word legend.

"Psycho is our leader ,Psycho is our leader ner ner ner ner ouuushhhhhhhhhhh"

I'm not for one minute questioning Des, he's certainly one of our greatest players and a legend to boot. But didn't leave Forest for a lucrative move to Italy? There is a slight spot on his loyalty there. I don't mind too much though, definite lege.

No other players in your lifetime though? What about Chet, hometown hero, over 500 games, one half of the defensive partnership that got us to an outrageously brilliant 3rd in the Premier League and then there's 'that' goal and celebration.

Definite legend to me.

 

[dbarraclough]

My very first away day with Forest was towards the end of 1993. Away to Bristol City. We won 4-1 and Stanley was immense. He's only a legend to me for giving me that experience.
Anyone else at Ashton Gate that day? I can remember an inflatable Mr Blobby flying around the terracing

 

[Seargant Reddog]

Weasel as i was writing this chets was in my mind all the time ,my missis used to look after his kid at the rocking horse day nursery and i was so tempted to add him due to his number of games ,i believe he was very consistant, true , but the word legend tends to stay in the minds of even the none watching loyal fans of that club and i think Walker and Pearce proved by their consistantl 'high' standards of play that they are more deserving of the title of Legends.

I can remeber when the England team had three of the back four from Forest but i wouldnt even consider a certain right back from that game even worthy of saying a decent Forest player but that where it becomes subjective, but tend to agree chets was a great player for Forest .

Legend...............?

 

[dellaroc]

I feel stan collymore is being dragged into this legend argument after my post in the johnson topic, the point I was trying to make (badly) was if you class johnson as a legend then the likes of collymore would be even more deserving of the status due to him playing at a higher level, the same goes for sheringham, it also hinted at what sedge has said that the staus is thrown around far to easily now days.

Honestly not. A lot of people (the vast majority) hold him in the same esteem as you. It winds me up, as I hate him more than any other former player.

The likes of Camp and Tyson are cult heroes. There's a big difference (Not that eithier of those players couldn't go on to become Forest Legends of course!)

I don't know, maybe we have different definitions of the word. I think, if you save a last minute penalty against the Sheep that qualifies you instantly as a legend. I don't know what more you can do to deserve the accolade. I agree that the term might be bandied around too much these days, but certain, single acts of brilliance such as a last minute penalty save, to win a point away at the shaggers, are timeless things and have always qualified players as legends.

 

[Seargant Reddog]

Honestly not. A lot of people (the vast majority) hold him in the same esteem as you. It winds me up, as I hate him more than any other former player.

I don't know, maybe we have different definitions of the word. I think, if you save a last minute penalty against the Sheep that qualifies you instantly as a legend. I don't know what more you can do to deserve the accolade. I agree that the term might be bandied around too much these days, but certain, single acts of brilliance such as a last minute penalty save, to win a point away at the shaggers, are timeless things and have always qualified players as legends.

:nowink:

now come on lets not get into 'few game' heros and legends argument..... Camp moves to QPR at the end of the season,will he always be remembered as one of the reds Legends.

Your views about Camp and 'Legends' stands no argument.

concerning Collymore he was a great striker ........probably the most gifted striker i have ever seen since while watching Forest but his pure 'doggi'ness' in the public arena does not contsitute him being a true proffesional or legend in anyway.

Stuart Pearce is a standard set in 'My Generation' and it'll take a special player to surpass his commitment and desire for Nottingham Forest FC.

 

[gamble]

a single act of brilliance does not imo qualify a player to legendary status. A legend to me is a player who shows loyalty through thick and thin plays with his heart on his sleeve and loves the club unconditionally. The player does not have to be the best in his position but must always try their best. The closest we have now is Wes Morgan always plays and tries his best he stood by us through relegation and is now undoubtedly our best cb currently. He will become a legend if he continues his career in the same vain as he currently does