Reading's best ever centre back?

[Franchise FC]

Michael Barnes - only because I scored when he was marking me !!

Really? When?

Now you're asking - I think it was around '85ish, although my memory's beginning to go a bit at my age.

Not only that, though, I scored with a header and he's about 6 inches taller than me.

[Halifax 4-1]

[Who were the 2 centre backs playing during our record breaking defensive record?*]

[Paul Bennett and Martin Hicks.*]

I thought it was John Hulme(not mentioned yet) and Tommy Youlden.

[Royal Rother]

Keith Curle.

Calm, classy on the ball, carried the ball out of defence brilliantly, waltzing past anyone from the opposition who thought they might take the ball of him. Ridiculous we went down with him in the team - Christ the other lot must have been crap.

[Still Hate Futcher!]

Upson, Ivar and Dove Check (I think that's how it's spelled) for me.

Sonks was immense for 18 months before becoming a total liability, Bikey had his moments but was too inconsistent and Hicks and McPherson were legends but nowhere near our best ever centre backs. Adie Williams, Steve Wood and Steve Brown were great players too.

[loyalroyal4life]

1. Wdowczyk
2. Upson
3. Curle

[ElmParker]

What no David Lee?

Darius would get my nod for his sustained contribution, but going purely on ability you can’t look past Lee.

Five games, five goals. Better on the ball then Darius. Read the game like he was psychic. The only centre half I’ve seen turn out for us who could excel in the sweeper role.

[Ark Royal]

What no David Lee?

Darius would get my nod for his sustained contribution, but going purely on ability you can’t look past Lee.

Five games, five goals. Better on the ball then Darius. Read the game like he was psychic. The only centre half I’ve seen turn out for us who could excel in the sweeper role.

[yorksroyal]

Only started watching Reading c.1992, so can't really judge people like Keith Curle, but Dariusz Wdowczyk by a country mile. For me, he is in with a good shout for best player I've ever seen, regardless of position, and I still can't really believe he actually chose to play here for so long.

If we're excluding Upson, I think it has to be between Ivar and Linvoy Primus for second, and I would just go for Ivar, with honourable mentions for Sonko and Adie Williams.

[RG30]

im suprised nobody else thinks that Sonko 2005/2006, and the first half of 2006/2007 was one of our best. In that time some of his displays were consistantly the best ive seen since my first game in 84

Yes, but I'd also say that he had too many bad games for us too. He looked dodgy in 04/05

His distribution was dodgy, Sonko himself played really well I thought after stepping into the boots of Williams. He was part of a Reading defence that played very well that season which laid the foundations for the promotion season.

Anyway Wdwoczyk was the best defender we had. Distribution was immense,along with his reading of the game. Just a shame he wasn't with us longer and suffered the injuries he did.

[Millsy]

Michael Barnes - only because I scored when he was marking me !!

Really? When?

Now you're asking - I think it was around '85ish, although my memory's beginning to go a bit at my age.

Not only that, though, I scored with a header and he's about 6 inches taller than me.

Hehe nice one. What match was that then?

[Very near...far away]

No mention of Elroy van Kromheer yet? Hmmmmm.

[ElmParker]

What no David Lee?

Darius would get my nod for his sustained contribution, but going purely on ability you can’t look past Lee.

Five games, five goals. Better on the ball then Darius. Read the game like he was psychic. The only centre half I’ve seen turn out for us who could excel in the sweeper role.

No, really he was.

[Hoop Blah]

David Lee was outstanding, but he also played a few of those 5 games on loan in midfield, but yes he certainly looked the part!

Not sure he played enough games to be included in this though, and if he did then I'd suggest Kelly would be in with a shout too.

If we're allowed to include loan players then Upson would certainly make the shortlist, if not my 3 would be:

Wdwoczyk
Curle
Williams

Ivar isn't far behind because he is (maybe was!) so consistent and reliable. At their best he might not be quite as good as the others above, but across a sustained period of time he more than holds his own.

Sonko pre-injury, Primus at times and Hicks are all up there too.

[Pants of Primus]

Upson by a country mile.

[Ian Royal]

Upson by a country mile.

Never actually ours.

[Mid Sussex Royal]

Mark Whitlock

Seriously prob Dariusz but we only really got one decent season out of him - he then got injured a lot and think he fell out with Quinn?

Aide Williams maybe?

[Dirk Gently]

Peter Castle.

We didn't conced a single goal in all the matches he played for us at CB.

[BanffshireRoyal]

Will always be Gordon Brice for me ..... but that's just showing my age!

[moo]

Let's face it, we have been absolutely blessed with centre backs. Shame a list of strikers wouldn't be as hard to consider!

[Sun Tzu]

Let's face it, we have been absolutely blessed with centre backs. Shame a list of strikers wouldn't be as hard to consider!

You'd come up with a very long list of good strikers...

Senior
Dixon
Friday
Quinn
Cureton
Kitson
Doyle
Forster
Butler
Goater