The Portsmouth players who failed to make it into Bally's Best XI

Having dealt with the players who should be in Alan Ball’s Pompey team of the 80s, it’s time to remember those who don’t quite make the cut.
Former Pompey player Scott McGarvey.  Picture Simon Miles/Allsport/Getty ImagesFormer Pompey player Scott McGarvey.  Picture Simon Miles/Allsport/Getty Images
Former Pompey player Scott McGarvey. Picture Simon Miles/Allsport/Getty Images

There was plenty of support for my view that Bally’s best XI from his first spell as Pompey boss included Knight, Swain, Hardyman, Blake, Gilbert, Kennedy, Dillon, Hilaire, O’Callaghan, Biley and Quinn.

Honourable mentions for Webb, Horne, Mariner and Hateley were noted.

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But there were other players who did their bit for Bally in that golden era that we should not forget.

Andy Harris named five subs (which would never have been allowed in those days) – Horne, Tait, Webb, Mariner, Whitehead. Quite a bench.

Andy also puts Deadeye Dill in his 10 top Pompey players of all-time, and I’m not minded to disagree.

Wayne Harris’ subs’ bench brings Andy Gosney, Kevin Ball and Mick Tait into the squad, rightly so in each case.

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Yosser, in particular, was a brilliant Blues servant. Mr Versatile.

‘Hobgoblinhahn’ reminds us of a few other names – Paul Wood, Paul Sugrue, Kevin Russell, Gary Stanley and Nicky Morgan.

I can’t list Sugrue in any Pompey recollection without also adding Dave Bamber.

They arrived together, made a minor impression together and, as far as I remember, left together never to be seen at Fratton again.

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Bamber is best remembered for his goal in the snowbound 2-2 draw at Barnsley which was on Match of the Day.

Finally, Rob Jacobs speaks for many when he says: ‘Oh come on… where is the legend that is Scott McGarvey?’

Rob does go on to admit he felt sorry for McGarvey who scored five goals in 18 games for us.

Now, a new task: who gets in your Blues XI from Bally’s Jan 98 to Dec 99 reign? Tweet @stevebone1

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