Southampton fans' ultimate XI sparks debate across eras | OneFootball

Southampton supporters have named an ultimate Saints XI after a lively, generation-spanning debate that split opinion.

Fans drew on memories from the 1960s to today’s Premier League. According to Daily Echo, nominations ran from Turner, Niemi and Martin Burridge to Sadio Mane, Gareth Bale, David Armstrong and Stewart Armstrong, with some even pitching a worst XI.

There was no consensus at the back. Campbell Forsyth had admirers, others recalled Peter Shilton ousting Peter Wells, and a veteran of 61 years put forward Shilton, Ivan Golac, Mark Wright, Chris Nicholl and Mick Mills.

Elsewhere, Dave Watson was paired with Virgil van Dijk, or Stuart Pearce chosen with Jose Fonte and Victor Wanyama in midfield. Malcolm Waldron also drew support, as did the Wallace brothers.

Midfield and attack brought riches and risk, with warnings that some XIs lacked a screening midfielder. Kevin Keegan led many shortlists, his McMenemy-era signing hailed as transformative, while others preferred him to Rickie Lambert or squeezed in Keegan, Alan Shearer, Matt Le Tissier and Mick Channon.

Many insisted Ron Davies could not be left out. One asked who Terry Paine would cross to without him, and another recalled Micky Judd replacing an injured Davies at Highbury to score a hat-trick in a 3-0 win over Arsenal.

Readers ultimately settled on Peter Shilton, Ivan Golac, Mark Wright, Dave Watson, Mick Mills, Terry Paine, Steve Williams, Alan Ball, Matt Le Tissier, Mick Channon and Ron Davies.

Source: Daily Echo

“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”