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The greatest non-Burnley central strikers you've seen play
Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2025 6:19 pm
by ecc
Either in the flesh or on TV.
I'm excluding players like Cristiano Ronaldo from this category because he was a winger by trade and plays all across the front line.
Likewise, I'm not sure how to classify Pele and Cruyff. They tended to move around and play where they felt they could be most effective. The best example of this perhaps was Cruyff in the 1974 WC Final when he ran from the centre-circle all the way into the West German box before being felled for a penalty.
The other day I was thinking about the great West Germany and Germany teams down the years.
And I thought about the great Gerd Müller. He who broke English hearts in the heat of León in the 1970 World Cup quarter-final.
Müller scored an astonishing 68 goals in 62 international matches, with 14 coming in the two World Cup final phases he took part in.
I'm not sure I've seen a more lethal centre-forward than him. He wasn't necessarily outstanding from a technical point of view but the man was lethal in the box. The term "poacher" was made for him.
I was fortunate to see Marco Van Basten play twice in situ. Totally different build compared to Müller. Van Basten was grace personified, he was technically impeccable and capable of scoring all types of goals. However, I always had the impression he played within himself and didn't have Müller's killer instinct.
I suspect some posters will name Jimmy Greaves. I'm pretty certain I saw him play us at WHL in the late 1960s but cannot recall anything of the match.
Re: The greatest non-Burnley central strikers you've seen play
Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2025 6:26 pm
by blatherwickstattoos
If we are talking in the flesh, Zola was pretty special when I saw him play for Chelsea against b@satrds (in the away end)
Ruud VN was also lethal.
Best ever for me is R9 (sadly not in the flesh). He had absolutely everything.
Re: The greatest non-Burnley central strikers you've seen play
Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2025 6:30 pm
by Tribesmen
Diago , saw him playing for Argentina twice .
For me you need to close this thread he was the greatest player I have ever seen .
Re: The greatest non-Burnley central strikers you've seen play
Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2025 6:36 pm
by Buxtonclaret
Jimmy Greaves.
Re: The greatest non-Burnley central strikers you've seen play
Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2025 6:43 pm
by ŽižkovClaret
Didier Drogba. Unbelievable
Re: The greatest non-Burnley central strikers you've seen play
Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2025 6:43 pm
by Big Vinny K
Ronaldo mark 1
For Real Madrid v Barca at Nou Camp - back in 2003 I think. I was there for the game that Barca fans were trying to throw a pigs head at Figo and that it was so bad that Figo could not take any corners ! Strange atmosphere as no (or a handful only) Real Madrid fans and 100,000 Barca fans who spent most of the game booing as Madrid played them off the park.
Some incredible players on the pitch that day.
Also saw Zico play for Brazil but guess he was more a number 10. He was ridiculously good.
Re: The greatest non-Burnley central strikers you've seen play
Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2025 6:44 pm
by ecc
Tribesmen wrote: ↑Thu Sep 18, 2025 6:30 pm
Diago , saw him playing for Argentina twice .
For me you need to close this thread he was the greatest player I have ever seen .
Hi Tribesman,
I didn't mention Maradona because he wasn't a central striker. Like Cruyff, Messi and Pele, he tended to drift around and also play deep. That he was one of the greatest players of all time is a given.
Re: The greatest non-Burnley central strikers you've seen play
Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2025 6:46 pm
by Woodleyclaret
Eric Cantona
Re: The greatest non-Burnley central strikers you've seen play
Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2025 6:49 pm
by Tribesmen
Now I did think of that and what you said about CR and Messi but both have lead the line at some stage and as Bux said Jimmy Greaves for you could say played # 8 so hard to have it both ways .So if you played as a striker at some time you must be included or the way I see it .
Re: The greatest non-Burnley central strikers you've seen play
Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2025 6:49 pm
by Claretnick
How about Dennis Bergkamp? He scored some fantastic goals in his career
Re: The greatest non-Burnley central strikers you've seen play
Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2025 7:01 pm
by elwaclaret
Maradona is the standout at the League Centenary celebration game, the year before we played Wolves. In fact it was obviously full of stars, but it seemed special to be seeing him in the flesh at Wembley, even though his ‘Hand of God’ tainted it somewhat as it was still raw and fresh.
Re: The greatest non-Burnley central strikers you've seen play
Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2025 7:08 pm
by ecc
Tribesmen wrote: ↑Thu Sep 18, 2025 6:49 pm
Now I did think of that and what you said about CR and Messi but both have lead the line at some stage and as Bux said Jimmy Greaves for you could say played # 8 so hard to have it both ways .So if you played as a striker at some time you must be included or the way I see it .
I see what you mean but, TBH, I had the idea of having different threads for different positions.
Müller was an out-and-out CF who existed to score goals and nothing else. Which he did incredibly well.
Maradona was, like Cruyff, a player who you just gave the ball to and let him work his magic. But neither were orthodox centre-forwards. They were playmakers and goalscorers.
Messi has scored an incredible number of goals but not a centre-forward (paradoxically). I remember Scolari playing him as a number nine versus France in 2018 and it was a farcical choice. He kept on dropping deep and Argentina ended up without a centre-forward until Aguero came on at the end.
Mention has been made of Bergkamp. He was an amazing player but, again, didn't play as a number nine all the time. Technically excellent.
Re: The greatest non-Burnley central strikers you've seen play
Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2025 7:19 pm
by Tribesmen
I am sorry if I have pulled this thread off line as it were but out and out number 9s one comes to mind which most will hate me for is Alan Shearer , have to say best penalty taker I have seen as he when for the top corner close to every one .
Re: The greatest non-Burnley central strikers you've seen play
Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2025 7:26 pm
by Dyched
ŽižkovClaret wrote: ↑Thu Sep 18, 2025 6:43 pm
Didier Drogba. Unbelievable
Brilliant player.
I’d love to see VVD have to deal with the forwards the likes of Vidic/Terry had to back in the day.
Re: The greatest non-Burnley central strikers you've seen play
Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2025 7:34 pm
by Row x
ecc wrote: ↑Thu Sep 18, 2025 6:19 pm
Either in the flesh or on TV.
I'm excluding players like Cristiano Ronaldo from this category because he was a winger by trade and plays all across the front line.
Likewise, I'm not sure how to classify Pele and Cruyff. They tended to move around and play where they felt they could be most effective. The best example of this perhaps was Cruyff in the 1974 WC Final when he ran from the centre-circle all the way into the West German box before being felled for a penalty.
The other day I was thinking about the great West Germany and Germany teams down the years.
And I thought about the great Gerd Müller. He who broke English hearts in the heat of León in the 1970 World Cup quarter-final.
Müller scored an astonishing 68 goals in 62 international matches, with 14 coming in the two World Cup final phases he took part in.
I'm not sure I've seen a more lethal centre-forward than him. He wasn't necessarily outstanding from a technical point of view but the man was lethal in the box. The term "poacher" was made for him.
I was fortunate to see Marco Van Basten play twice in situ. Totally different build compared to Müller. Van Basten was grace personified, he was technically impeccable and capable of scoring all types of goals. However, I always had the impression he played within himself and didn't have Müller's killer instinct.
I suspect some posters will name Jimmy Greaves. I'm pretty certain I saw him play us at WHL in the late 1960s but cannot recall anything of the match.
Alan shearer, live at Ewood
Re: The greatest non-Burnley central strikers you've seen play
Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2025 7:50 pm
by Tricky Trevor
Was at Dusseldorf ‘88 when Van Basten scored the hat-trick that knocked England out and to think the Dutch press wanted him dropped before that match. He went on to have a magnificent career.
Geoff Hurst was fantastic and should have moved on from West Ham.
Re: The greatest non-Burnley central strikers you've seen play
Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2025 7:56 pm
by ClaretTony
Tricky Trevor wrote: ↑Thu Sep 18, 2025 7:50 pm
Was at Dusseldorf ‘88 when Van Basten scored the hat-trick that knocked England out and to think the Dutch press wanted him dropped before that match. He went on to have a magnificent career.
Geoff Hurst was fantastic and should have moved on from West Ham.
He did move on from West Ham. He went to Stoke.
Re: The greatest non-Burnley central strikers you've seen play
Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2025 7:57 pm
by ClaretTony
Re: The greatest non-Burnley central strikers you've seen play
Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2025 8:26 pm
by TheFamilyCat
Tribesmen wrote: ↑Thu Sep 18, 2025 7:19 pm
I am sorry if I have pulled this thread off line as it were but out and out number 9s one comes to mind which most will hate me for is Alan Shearer , have to say best penalty taker I have seen as he when for the top corner close to every one .
I also hate to say it, but has to be Shearer.
With Liam Robinson a close second.
Re: The greatest non-Burnley central strikers you've seen play
Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2025 8:26 pm
by Fretters
Another vote for Shearer, but the only time I saw him live was a 0-0 England game at the Old Wembley, against Bulgaria.
He was up front with Owen, someone who doesn't get enough credit for how good he was. Only the fourth (and last) England player to win the Balon D'or. Two Premier League golden boots as a teenager, at a time when we had Shearer, Cole, Yorke, Fowler, Wright etc in the Premier League.
Re: The greatest non-Burnley central strikers you've seen play
Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2025 8:30 pm
by boatshed bill
Another for Jimmy Greaves
Plus Kenny Dalglish
Re: The greatest non-Burnley central strikers you've seen play
Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2025 8:33 pm
by TheFamilyCat
Dyched wrote: ↑Thu Sep 18, 2025 7:26 pm
Brilliant player.
I’d love to see VVD have to deal with the forwards the likes of Vidic/Terry had to back in the day.
Funny you should mention that. A mate shared an argument they were having at work on our WhatsApp group - who was best: VVD, Terry or Adams.
Re: The greatest non-Burnley central strikers you've seen play
Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2025 8:37 pm
by Leisure
Malcolm Macdonald.
Re: The greatest non-Burnley central strikers you've seen play
Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2025 8:44 pm
by aclaretinstevenage
Top 5 in no particular order except Diego is first.
Maradona
Drogba
Greaves
Henry
Shearer
Re: The greatest non-Burnley central strikers you've seen play
Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2025 8:46 pm
by The Shire Claret
Michael Owen - England B team against Albania at Turf Moor
Although he was only at his best for a short time Becuase of that knee Injury, he got a Ballon D’or for a reason
Some player
Re: The greatest non-Burnley central strikers you've seen play
Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2025 8:46 pm
by Swizzlestick
Best centre forward display I’ve seen on the Turf, certainly up there at least, was Harry Kane when he scored the hat trick back in 2017. Wasn’t just his goals, his off the ball movement and general link up play was world class.
Re: The greatest non-Burnley central strikers you've seen play
Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2025 8:50 pm
by Fretters
The Shire Claret wrote: ↑Thu Sep 18, 2025 8:46 pm
Michael Owen - England B team against Albania at Turf Moor
Although he was only at his best for a short time Becuase of that knee Injury, he got a Ballon D’or for a reason
Some player
It was his hamstring snapping at Leeds. They didn't repair them properly as they do now, so he had a shorter hamstring after that and was never the same player.
Re: The greatest non-Burnley central strikers you've seen play
Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2025 8:53 pm
by Holmechapel
The Lawman.
Re: The greatest non-Burnley central strikers you've seen play
Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2025 8:57 pm
by The Shire Claret
Fretters wrote: ↑Thu Sep 18, 2025 8:50 pm
It was his hamstring snapping at Leeds. They didn't repair them properly as they do now, so he had a shorter hamstring after that and was never the same player.
Ah okay - I thought his knee (ACL) went in the World Cup - like 10 minutes into a game …
Re: The greatest non-Burnley central strikers you've seen play
Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2025 9:02 pm
by Juan Tanamera
Jimmy had everything, a complete forward/striker.
Wasn't he once quoted as saying "I was lethal from one foot"
Re: The greatest non-Burnley central strikers you've seen play
Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2025 9:11 pm
by timshorts
Shearer. I was at the dell for his league debut hat-trick v arsenal.
Van Basten. The best ever in the position.
At non-league level, I saw a very young efion ekoku come to penydarren with Sutton United and he was just on a completely different planet from everybody else on the pitch. Awesome performance.
Re: The greatest non-Burnley central strikers you've seen play
Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2025 9:20 pm
by Winstonswhite
I saw peak Romario at the ‘94 World Cup and he has to be the most natural goal scorer there’s ever been. Just an effortless style and not many (if any) have scored as many over their career.
Re: The greatest non-Burnley central strikers you've seen play
Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2025 9:51 pm
by Fretters
The Shire Claret wrote: ↑Thu Sep 18, 2025 8:57 pm
Ah okay - I thought his knee (ACL) went in the World Cup - like 10 minutes into a game …
You're absolutely right, it did in 2006, but it was the hammy going that caused him to lose a lot of his pace which was his main weapon.
Re: The greatest non-Burnley central strikers you've seen play
Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2025 10:11 pm
by The Shire Claret
Fretters wrote: ↑Thu Sep 18, 2025 9:51 pm
You're absolutely right, it did in 2006, but it was the hammy going that caused him to lose a lot of his pace which was his main weapon.
That goal against Argentina …..
Re: The greatest non-Burnley central strikers you've seen play
Posted: Thu Sep 18, 2025 10:28 pm
by Boss Hogg
Ronaldo mk 1 and Drogba were the two that first came to mind when I saw the thread title. I liked Drogba’s style and his strength and power.
Re: The greatest non-Burnley central strikers you've seen play
Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2025 2:33 am
by Suratclaret
Another vote for Jimmy Greaves…absolutely lethal finisher.
Re: The greatest non-Burnley central strikers you've seen play
Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2025 2:46 am
by Vegas Claret
Tony Philliskirk
Re: The greatest non-Burnley central strikers you've seen play
Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2025 7:13 am
by Roosterbooster
Ronaldo Mk 1
Were it not for his health issues/injuries, he'd be talked up alongside the greatest of all time in any position
On his day (which was pretty much every week he played for about 4 years), he was untouchable
Re: The greatest non-Burnley central strikers you've seen play
Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2025 8:22 am
by Pickles
Live? Alexis Sanchez. Although not necessarily a central striker I'm pretty sure he's the best player/best performance I've seen live. For Arsenal at the Turf. I can't remember if he even scored, but he was mesmeric and I'd never seen dribbling and general ball control like it.
Other than the proper big boys like Ronaldo, Rooney, Kane, Shearer, Haaland and Andy, Andy Payton - shoutout to Darren Bent on the Turf for Ipswich. And Ricardo Fuller was mega was Preston.
Re: The greatest non-Burnley central strikers you've seen play
Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2025 8:28 am
by claretonthecoast1882
The original Ronaldo at Old Trafford in the Champions League, was lucky enough to be invited to this.
Even the Utd fans stood and applauded him when subbed after scoring 3
Re: The greatest non-Burnley central strikers you've seen play
Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2025 9:21 am
by ashtonlongsider
Gerd Muller was the first name to come to mind, even though he broke my heart in 1970. A UK equivalent would be Jimmy Greaves for me.
Re: The greatest non-Burnley central strikers you've seen play
Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2025 9:32 am
by Brunlea
For me back in the day it had to be Vialli in his Juventus heyday
Re: The greatest non-Burnley central strikers you've seen play
Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2025 11:47 am
by CaptJohn
Greavsie was superb but I recall seeing Joe Baker score an absolute bullet header for Forest at the Cricket Field end. It has stayed with me as one of the great goals I have witnessed live. Nobody has mentioned Bobby Charlton yet, which I find strange as he was class.
Re: The greatest non-Burnley central strikers you've seen play
Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2025 11:56 am
by Greenmile
Tribesmen wrote: ↑Thu Sep 18, 2025 7:19 pm
I am sorry if I have pulled this thread off line as it were but out and out number 9s one comes to mind which most will hate me for is Alan Shearer ,
have to say best penalty taker I have seen as he when for the top corner close to every one .
You must never have seen Grezza, then.
Re: The greatest non-Burnley central strikers you've seen play
Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2025 1:26 pm
by Tribesmen
Greenmile wrote: ↑Fri Sep 19, 2025 11:56 am
You must never have seen Grezza, then.
You have to remember Shearer did it at the very top level then you could say Peter Nobel never missed .
I can't recall when it was but West Germany were beaten in a penalty shot out , maybe 60s or early 70s then they got someone in to make sure it didn't happen again .
Their idea was to hit the inside next to the posts of the nets , and they were great at it .
The best and most difficult penalty was either top corner , if you hit that you had over 90% chace it was a goal and Shearer hit most times .
Re: The greatest non-Burnley central strikers you've seen play
Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2025 1:41 pm
by CoolClaret
Cristiano is close to playing more games as a 9 than he has done at any other position - he's been that exclusively for nearly 10 years now.
In the flesh? Diego Costa put in some absolutely sensational performances against us over the Dyche prem years...
Harry Kane put us to the sword on more than one occasion, as did Aubameyang.
However, one of the best single-striker performances I've seen against us was Jamie Vardy's at the Turf when Leicester won 2-1 after Harry Maguire was sent off.
He was absolutely fantastic that day - Maguire was sent off after 4 minutes and he led the line on his own, ran our lot ragged and constantly won 50/50s and balls in the channel. It wasn't anything anyone would have written about at the time, he didn't score or anything, but without him that day we'd have won that no problem. He was awesome.
Re: The greatest non-Burnley central strikers you've seen play
Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2025 2:31 pm
by gandhisflipflop
Ronaldo mk1.
Re: The greatest non-Burnley central strikers you've seen play
Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2025 3:00 pm
by Longtimeclaret
Peter Osgood. Probably scored the best goal I have ever seen at the Turf
Re: The greatest non-Burnley central strikers you've seen play
Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2025 4:26 pm
by expoultryboy
Peter - how dare you mention that name . The only good thing that day , was my grandfather backed red rum so we got fish and chips on the way home .
Re: The greatest non-Burnley central strikers you've seen play
Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2025 5:14 pm
by Darnhill Claret
Mid sixties, Greaves and Law. They would have had success in any era.
A man who almost had it all, except maybe mental strength, Martin Chivers.
Great headers of the ball, more than made up for some other weaknesses, Ron Davies, Wyn Davies and Tony Hately.
Malcolm Macdonald, Alan Shearer, Didier Drogba, Harry Kane, both Ronaldos and Rooney.
An excellent goalscorer, loved how brilliant he was at creating space in open play, finding space in packed penalty areas from set pieces, Kevin Phillips.
Right now Haaland and Isak.