I remember Forbes in the game against Crystal Palace with Wright and Bright in their team. One of them left a foot in against Forbes, which the ref didn’t give as a foul, but left him hobbling.
The ball went up field and then came back to the perpetrator. Forbes hobbled to put in a crunching tackle that left the other bloke on the ground. With the refs back turned, he then kicked the player in the ribs, which meant his team mate came steaming in with them all squaring up to each other, before the ref noticed what was going on.
Was it as long as 5 minutes? My jaded recollection was he came on for a free kick and was red carded before the ball from that even landed. 
There was also the Huddersfield away game in our 4th division promotion season, when Rees squared up to their defender near to the byline and dropped him with a headbutt. We cringed and waited for the red card but, amazingly, the ref produced a yellow!
My dad used to speak highly of Billy “Chopper” Guttridge - but then he did later work with him at Wilkins & Mitchell’s/Servis in Darlo.
1 Like
In Bill Guttridge’s era, football was a lot tougher. Nick Atthey later said that in those days, ‘the game was brutal.’
1 Like
Small, skilful players had it hard in those days. I remember when David Preece came into the side and had the shit kicked out of him. Same with Ian Handysides. Alan Buckley took a lot of nasty stuff too.
The big men used to take retribution on their behalf, but no doubt the way the game was played put an early end to many promising careers.
Rod Mac loved a headbut but was a liability in the same way Jason Brissett and Ishy were - short fuses
I did used to look away when Keister went in for challenges though maniac
As far as forwards go Rambo and Mooney were a pair of bullies
1 Like
Remember Rambo sticking in the elbow against Gary Strodder at home to Notts County and his eye coming up like a black ball snooker ball! Rambo getting Wrexham “hard Nut” Brian Carey in a headlock and also knocking Sean Dyche about… RAMBO RAMBO!! Great Memories and what a player for us.
1 Like
Loved Forbes. A proper leader 100% committed. Probably wouldn’t do so well in this day and age though .
Richard Green
1 Like
He did, and worth a reminder that he was ever present for his first three seasons at Walsall, and didn’t miss a game until Nov or Dec of 1976.
In more recent times, but before refs really clamped down on the physical aspects, Kevin Wilson took some right hammerings, especially in the second half of 94-95, when other clubs began to realise how important he was to us.
I know he’s already been mentioned but loved Tony Chuffer Barras back in the day. Would run through a brick wall for us.
Became an even bigger favourite of mine after seeing him at the Millennium anniversary do
2 Likes
Geoge Kirby.
I remember George doing Mark Lazarus at QPR and then Stoke City’s Maurice Setters in a League Cup game at FP. Both of his victims were hard men who could put it about, but George would stand no messing.
[Edit: Apologies to those of who who posted memories of the Setters incident on the Lee Tomlin thread - I’ve just got around to reading them]
Ishy used to think he was tough the little hooligan
He did indeed, had lumps kick out of him. He was a cute player though, often left in niggly little challenges as a reminder and used every bit of his experience in so many different ways. What a fantastic signing he was.
Kinsella is getting some of that now.
Yesterday, after Monthe got pushed over by Gordon, he showed his presence a few minutes later, got booked and probably saved Tomlin a red card because everyone was looking at that.
A very long time ago, I remember Stan Bennett and Bob Wesson, fighting on the pitch.
You don’t tend to think of keepers being tough but not many argued with Clayton Ince.
I seem to remember it became a regular thing between Ince and Anthony Gerrard! He was a huge presence in goal though was Ince.
1 Like
Roger Hynd was a real hard case. I heard him once say to an opposing player who had just fouled Geof Morris “Me and you on the car park after the game” and he meant it.