[Lawton is an odd case because he was originally brought through as a "pyramid"-type C-F who then went on to become one of the greatest and most effective "W-M"-mould No.9s to ever wear the number on the back of his shirt. The main reason that Lawton was so dangerous when doing things like beating opponents w/the ball at his feet or "threading" passes off to team-mates is because he originally lined up as a "classic" centre-forward: http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/ARSENALlawton.htm (W/the Spartacus profile, make sure that you scroll clear down and read the bonus text on Lawton) http://www.bbc.co.uk/archive/football_legends/11906.shtml Once again, I hope that you will find this information helpful, "PDG"...]
For "PDG", this is definitely of the the top profiles of John Charles on the web: http://www.mightyleeds.co.uk/players/charles1.htm Once again, I hope that you find this information helpful, mate...
Thanks for this and all your other informative links Roy. I'm still intending to study this one fully but from what I've already read I did notice a reference to Charles moving around more than a typical number 9 of the time. From the footage of Charles I've seen (including volleyed goals from the edge of the box etc IIRC) I also understand Jack Charlton's reference to him surging forward with the ball from the back. He seemed to combine a very sound touch with his powerful physical attributes to very good effect.
Charles wearing the No.9 on the back of his shirt: [Agreed & I might have mentioned this before: Charles wasn't a big fan of the whole playing w/your back to the opposition's goal while their "stopper" of a centre-half breathed down the back of your neck IMO. It probably came from his earlier playing days of lining-up as a "deep-lying" W-H or as a No.5 where he was facing away from his own goal most of the time. The whole idea of any given side's No.9 centre-forward just parking himself in the centre of his team's attack and waiting for aerial balls to come in his general vicinity is greatly over-played in more modern times IMO. Roy Bentley, Nat Lofthouse, Jackie Milburn & Stan Mortensen all did MUCH more than simply "park" themselves "up top" and all were regarded as some of the greatest & most effective No.9s of their era.]
On a related side note, I've noticed that there seems to be a bit of confusion between the position known as a so-called deep-lying "centre-forward: and that of a "withdrawn"-type of C-F. Does anyone need me to explain the difference(s) between these two positions?
[This is funny because, as I've posted before, Charles absolutely LOATHED the "target"-like aspects of wearing the No.9 on the back of his shirt.]
[Roy Race (the comic strip character) would almost certainly be classified as a "W-M"-type No.9 IMHO (like Bedford Jezzard, "Lofty", etc.).]
[At or near the peak of his playing career; I would classify Shearer as more of a throw-back to a "W-M"-type No.9 rather than lining up as a "target"-type striker. That's why the press was always calling Shearer things like an "old-fashioned English centre-forward, etc. Now, when Shearer mobility had fallen WAY off during the latter part of his career I would say that he played like much more of a "target" striker. Also, when Shearer was paired up-front w/Les Ferdinand w/the Toon he sometimes tended to look like more of "target" striker because Ferdinand tended to fill the role odf the "channel-runner": what used to be called the "auxilliary" centre-forward back in the days of the "T C-F P"...]
[Or "ping" high crosses at least in the general vicinity of in the centre of your own attack/in the opposition's "danger area". This is the origin of the term: this type of central forward/striker is a "target" that his own team can "aim" high balls at in the hope that he can make something happen in an attacking situation. BTW, I'm simply trying to expand on what you were saying, comme...]
This is an excerpt fr. Tommy Lawton's book "Football Is My Business" originally published in '46: http://www.geocities.ws/Colosseum/Track/6698/profiles/lawton.html Once again, I hope that you will find this information helpful...
This is a solid article/blog entry fr. the Sabotage Times site on Lawton: http://www.sabotagetimes.com/footba...-the-striker-andy-carroll-wishes-he-could-be/
Drogba just sealed his place in history. I don't think he is the greatest, but he is among the greatest.
This is solid op-ed piece/blog entry where David Lacey of The Guardian talks about so-called "deep-lying" C-Fs v. "W-M spearhead"-types. As a fellow eyewitness to Bolton & England legend Nat Lofthouse on a pitch; Lacey also mentions that Lofthouse could do more than just function as a "telegraph pole" in the opposition's danger area. The main subject is Don Revie (as a player) and Man. City in the '56 FA Cup Final utilising the "Revie Plan": http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/blog/2011/may/13/manchester-city-don-revie Once again, I hope that you will find this information helpful...
Another pioneer of the real "stand & deliver" target-playing centre-forward was WBA & England cult hero Derek Kevan: Read the "blurb" in the illustration here for contemporary comment of Kevan: http://www.thelongside.info/content/view/417/198/ http://www.wbapics.com/derek_kevan_waits_in_hope_for_a_chance/print/562812.html http://www.birminghammail.net/birmi...15/albion-legends-derek-kevan-97319-20390465/ Once agin, I hope that you will find this information helpful...
[This is a great quote from "Sir Stan" on Lawton as it relates to your question:] 6) Stanley Matthews, The Way It Was (2000) Tommy Lawton possessed a rocket of a shot and, like all great players, could hit the ball equally well with either foot. He was lethal in the air and, most surprisingly for a centre-forward of the time, had all the ball skill and creative prowess of the most mercurial of inside-forwards. Tommy was a goal-getter, a towering athlete with a seemingly elasticated neck that enabled him to rise that inch or so above defenders, which he did often to devastating effect. With his shirt unbuttoned so that it appeared to be sliding off his shoulders, a sharp flint-like face, hair greased back to form a black V off his forehead and long stringy legs protruding from his baggy shorts, he cut an unmistakable figure on the pitch. Tommy was a star but without all the designer trappings of today's footballers. He'd dress in a long, belted overcoat with slightly spivvy shoulders, double-breasted pinstriped suit and immaculately polished shoes. The only indication that he was different from the fans who worshipped him from the terraces was his trademark gaudy ties, which gave him the air of a Hollywood gangster. Tommy was a handful for defences; he put himself about, as they say. He knew a centre-forward was expected to run through a brick outerhouse if need be and he never shirked from his responsibilities. His dominance in the air was unsurpassed and he would often hurl himself at the opposing goalkeeper and centre-half when the odds were against him winning the ball. If he didn't win the ball, neither did the goalkeeper. What resulted was a scramble in the goalmouth between him and the defenders that reminded me of the scrummage to get on the last tram of the night. [It's segment No.6 from that Spartacus profile on Lawton that I posted the link to once before...]
Thanks Roy, and well spotted regarding the bolded text. I remember a Notts County fan who's a friend of mine showed me a video of a right-footed drive from the edge of the box before - I just had a quick look for it and couldn't find anything but I did find this British Pathe video (you've linked those before so you might have seen it) with Lawton scoring 4 including 2 headers from Stanley Matthews crosses (Lawton 'nodding them in' as my Granddad also a Notts County fan used to say): http://www.britishpathe.com/video/football-england-v-scotland-at-manchester Apologies to any Scots viewing the thread!
[Not only did I see that Pathe newsreel in an actual cinema: I attended that match @ Maine Rd. in Oct. of '43 because my father and uncle (mostly my father) helped to organise war-time football through the FA. Sheffield Utd. cult legend Jimmy Hagan also bagged a brace in that match and the England captain was the COMMANDING Wolves centre-half Stan Cullis. There's also footage of "Sir Stan" when he still had things like his searing acceleration to go along w/his "bag of tricks" and Raich Carter getting forward from those deeper areas that he liked to operate in at that stage of his career (as I've mentioned before). Thanks for all the memories, mate... !!]
This is some more footage of Lawton in action v. Scotland from Apr. of '45 in another "W-TI" @ Hampden Pk. Lawton bags a brace in this game: http://www.britishpathe.com/video/scotland-v-england-international Once again, I hope that you will find this information helpful & I can post the line-ups for both of these England v. Scotland matches if anyone wants to see them...
Stan Mortensen almost always wore the No.9 on the back of his shirt for Blackpool week-in & week-out & this is often forgotten because he mostly wore either the No.8 or the No.10 shirt for England (as the "up-field"-type of I-F) IMHO: http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/BLACKPmortensen.htm