I've been surprised by the general dismay on here at the thought of Ferguson leaving. I like him but he's no great hero of mine. I have the same feel for him as I have for say Solano. They havce the potential to be match winners but they aren't really really special.

I have lots of players I have liked a lot. I liked Venison, Sellars, Albert I preferred Robbie Elliot and Stevie Watson cos they were home grown, I really adored Pav and Beardsley. Then there were the two great great heroes in Andy Cole and Tino.

They were superheroes cos they were great players, but also they were ours and ours alone. No one else had a real claim to Cole or Tino (orPav etc).

It isn't the same with Dunc, or other bought-in-from-England players. Dunc is an Everton man, or a Rangers man, but he's not a Geordie, or a Geordie hero. I struggled for a long time with Shearer as both Soton and Blackburn had a claim to him. I've grown to love him and he's now up there with Tino (and of course ahead of Cole, although I do remember the great love I had for Cole). Cort could become a hero cos Wimbledon have no fans to lay claim to him.

If Dunc leaves then thank you very much, thanks for the commitment, thanks for the Man U goal, no thanks for the injuries, nor the wages (he gets 120 years worth of my season ticket every week he lies on the treatment table). Come on next hero.

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2000

Answers

I'm reading Birdsong (excellent BTW) right now so I've been pondering a question similar to this one.

IMO Duncan Ferguson is the bloke you'd most want with you in the trenches. Could you really say that about Nobby Solano, Andy Cole or Tino? I don't think so.

'Yin has that quality - a man's man.

Those who haven't had the privilege to watch him close up & personal at SJP probably can't understand it. I think he clinched his place in history as a Toon hero that night at SJP against those cheating/diving/whining b@st@rds of Roma when he faced them all down in their own penalty area, and just dared them to try it on with HIM. Nutting that spineless Brazilian (self-styled hardman) tw@T Zago probably helped as well!

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2000

Someone who would die while wearing black and white: whether it be the moderately talented like Kenny Wharton, Dvaid Kelly or Warren Barton or the sublimely talented like Peter Beardsley. In the current crop, I can think of several players who put it about as much as Dunc - wshy not give Dabs some credit: he plays with his heart. Or little Aaron Hughes, who, by rights, we should be lauding to the high heavens since he's one of our rare youth products (sort of), shows the right spirit, too. Gary Speed carries in working hard and doing it for ys although we never utter a word of thanks...

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2000

I didn't go back that far, but yes Kenny Wharton was a big hero, and of those of limited talent but 100% commitment no one will ever come higher than David Kelly.

I'm not sure any other player would get applauded on to the pitch in a Sunderland shirt the way he did in 1997. That was as big a thank you to someone as is possible at St James Park.

I understand the love for Dunc as its all about his commitment and hardness, for me though Tino had it all, and his is the only name (apart from my own) I've ever had put on a shirt.

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2000

MacBeth, I think one thing about Tino is that he is the very epitome of the Keegan era. Adventurous, generous, talented, entertaining, flawed, frustrating, glorious even in defeat. You know when you hear the teams who are in the Champions' League singing "Oh we're off to sunny, sunny Spain", it still brings a tear to my eye. "Oh we're off to sunny, sunny Spain, with Tino Asprilla"..... There is something about David Kelly.... bears us and King Kev no ill will either. He talks about us with genuine affection. God bless him and his babies. Kenny Wharton was just a hero - really DID and DOES bleed black and white.

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2000

RObert Lee for me (Beardo apart of course). He seems to epitomise every era we are in. Awesome under Keegan, committed under Dalglish, wayward under Gullit, back on course again under Robson...

-- Anonymous, August 11, 2000

Wow! A hero.... Bobby Moncur was my first. I never liked Supermac for his pathetic attempt in the FA Cup tie vs his old Luton buddies. Totally shameful display.

Beardsley is up there with the best.
David Kelly definitely.
Dunc? I really didn't want us to sign him but I'd rather have him on our side than against us! Not a hero though as he hasn't done enough to deserve it in my opinion.
Temuri Ketsbaia: My son asked me who my favourite player was at the beginning of last season. In the entire squad I could only think of Kets and Warren Barton who would actually die for the cause.
Warren Barton: hero
Alan Shearer: not on MY list of heroes. Yes he's done the biz but as Windy said others have a claim on him and I have't forgiven him for not trying under Gullit(even if it WAS Gullit's fault!)
Silvio Maric: .... naaaa just joshin'!
Andy Cole: hero until the Charity Shield

My all time hero is Faustino Asprilla. The most talented footballer ever to don a Toon top and the only one that ever caused me to shed a tear on his departure. Winning wasn't imprortant when watching such a sublime talent.

-- Anonymous, August 11, 2000

oops: "but as Windy said" should read "as Macbeth said"!

teach me for trying to read two threads at once!

-- Anonymous, August 11, 2000

A large majority of people's heroes on here have a slight aggresive nature to them. Players that you could visualise in your mind that would snap when really provoked. Tino certainly came in to this category especially against Man City! Dunc carries an aura about him partly due to his physical stature and partly due to his aggresiveness towards the opposition (see Roma).

Teams certainly need players of this type and we are no exception. If Dunc goes we are left with Barton and possibly Dabs as examples of players who you feel can really get stuck in and show it. Players like Speed do the same thing but they just don't show it to the fans.

-- Anonymous, August 11, 2000