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Post by wizzardofdribble on May 27, 2008 11:51:35 GMT
The highest number of appearances for Stoke..573 in total Over 100 more than King Dennis and "Bluto" 150 more than Mike Bernard or Jackie Marsh ERIC SKEELS unsung Hero I Salute You...  |
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Post by Huddysleftfoot on May 27, 2008 11:54:19 GMT
+1 ;D
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Post by crowey on May 27, 2008 13:28:41 GMT
Always was a legend. Could play - and did play - in any position. Correct me if I'm wrong (Old Stokie) but I think he even played in goal once, replacing John Farmer?
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Post by Deleted on May 27, 2008 13:30:23 GMT
...and wound up as the maintenance man at Staffs Uni. It doesn't seem right.
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Post by wizzardofdribble on May 27, 2008 13:38:24 GMT
Thats tragic malvern..I didn't know that
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Post by Deleted on May 27, 2008 13:44:08 GMT
Wizard, Yes. My wife worked there a few years ago and she said they had a guy there who fixed the radiators and so on who used to play for Stoke. I couldn't believe it when she told me it was Skeels. He may be very happy doing it (if he hasn't retired), but it still doesn't seem right.
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Post by crowey on May 27, 2008 13:47:57 GMT
Unfortunately/"fortunately" - this was how football was in those days
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Post by future100 on May 27, 2008 13:57:46 GMT
Eric lives in Seabridge and is a really unassuming nice guy, he can tell you some really amusing stories of his days under Waddington.
still looks fit enough to turn out.
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Post by wizzardofdribble on May 27, 2008 14:09:33 GMT
Stoke fans always "go on" about Hudson Greenhoff Smith etc who were fantastic of course, but seldom mention Eric Skeels, who was/is/always will be, one of Stoke Citys greatest ever players.
Just think credit for Eric is long overdue
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Post by Championship Potter on May 27, 2008 14:13:29 GMT
It would be fantastic to have all the legends (Skeels, Banks, Smith, etc) do a lap of honour before our first game of the new season, imagine what the atmosphere would be like.
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Post by Cityfullergoals on May 27, 2008 14:35:04 GMT
wizard
Eric Skeels
Nickname Alfie
Once played through virtually a whole game with a broken bone in his leg
A true City legend
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Post by wizzardofdribble on May 27, 2008 15:53:51 GMT
Certainly was fuller me owd mate
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Post by falirakipotter on May 27, 2008 16:05:13 GMT
My memory of Eric Skeels is that he never had a bad game. He was the unfortunate one to miss out in 72 when Waddo chose Mahoney as the sub instead of Eric.
Had the Noahs Ark for a while in Hartshill but things didnt work out well.
Have seen him regularly at the games sitting with Jackie Marsh and Harry Burrows. Seems as though Stoke look after the old players with free tickets which is a good thing.
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Post by pretzel on May 27, 2008 16:16:16 GMT
Eric Skeels... a great servant to the club and a nice bloke. I don't ever remember him have a bad game, no matter where he was asked to play. Anyone else here remember him being intoduced to the crowd before a game a few years back as 'Eric Sykes' by the jerk with the microphone?  |
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Post by trebor63 on May 27, 2008 16:19:40 GMT
Spooky!
I bought an old programme llast weekend Stoke v Coventry dated Feb 6 1971 and there is two pages on Eric Skeelos and how he wore every outfield shirt (apart from 11 at the time) He is also pictured in his boutique.
So he obviously had his own shop back then.
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Post by chunkie on May 27, 2008 16:33:26 GMT
he had a shirt shop in newcastle - unsung hero
never had a testimonial despite record appearances
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Post by redgate on May 27, 2008 17:53:06 GMT
hes my next door neighbour and hes a proper sound bloke hes retired now and hes got a dog named 'alfie' !
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Post by boppa74 on May 27, 2008 18:02:28 GMT
Think you might find he now delivers food for Passion For Food in 'Castle. Delivers to our place every Thursday.
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Post by Staying up for Grandadstokey on May 27, 2008 18:03:13 GMT
The best "man marker" I have ever seen,he could easily have played the Nobby Stiles role as well if not better in 1966 and then he would have been immortal.
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Post by lancer on May 27, 2008 18:26:30 GMT
Always was one of the unsung heroes for many Stokies, with emphasis being on 'hero'.
A 100 % genuine bloke, who gave everything for the team, week in and week out. A bit like Harry Burrows, another stalwart who had loads of ardent fans.
Not many blokes like Eric and Harry in the game today.
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Post by OldStokie on May 27, 2008 18:31:08 GMT
A fabulous player. Mr. Consistency. He did have a testimonial if my old memory is correct. I think he shared it with somebody else though.
He was the finest man-to-man marker I've ever seen in the red and white stripes. Dennis Law, [IMHO, the greatest goal poacher I ever saw] hated playing against 'Alfie'. Skeelsy would blank him in almost every game he marked him. If you'd seen Dennis Law play, you would understand the magnitude of 'Alfie's' task...but he did it.
Pretzel....I remember that pillock calling him Eric Sykes too. He didn't say it in joke either: he actually hadn't got a clue who he was introducing. Most of us older fans would have rung his bloody neck if we could have got hold of him.
Redgate, give him our best regards and thanks for the memories he gave us. He is, IMHO, our finest unsung hero.
OS.
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Post by Cityfullergoals on May 27, 2008 18:34:38 GMT
OS
Denis Law was actually Alfies favourite player
Check your Wembley 72 souvenir brochure
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Post by OldStokie on May 27, 2008 18:45:40 GMT
I didn't know that. We share something then. Dennis Law was a fabulous little shit. I won't bother going up the loft to check on that...I've just had a couple of large glasses of Valpolicella with my dinner. Bottoms up! Oooer. OS. |
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Post by redgate on May 27, 2008 18:55:18 GMT
old stokie i ill pass these comments on to him. at 19 ive never seen him play but ma old man always mentioned what a great player he was and the fact he has played the most times for us and i always wondered why he was never mentioned a lot.
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Post by OldStokie on May 27, 2008 19:03:20 GMT
redgate, the finest tribute I can pay him is that I've never heard one single Stokie have a bad word to say about him. Just think how meaningful that is. I can understand you young 'uns not talking about him but most of the older posters who saw him play often do when we get together. This thread is typical of that. He really was a super, efficient player and I reckon his was always the first name on the teamsheet. He loved Corgies. Has he still got one?
OS.
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Post by leicspotter on May 27, 2008 19:42:22 GMT
I guess Eric, like many top players of his time, suffered from the fact that wages then were not quite (!) as high as they are now.
Seems to me the balance has tipped too far the other way, but back then most ex pros had to find work once they hung up their boots - a heck of a lot ended up as Posties or running pubs, even Geoff Hurst had a pub in the area for a while.
Hope Mr Skeels is doing OK, he deserves it.
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Post by chell_rosey on May 27, 2008 19:51:56 GMT
redgate, the finest tribute I can pay him is that I've never heard one single Stokie have a bad word to say about him. Just think how meaningful that is. I can understand you young 'uns not talking about him but most of the older posters who saw him play often do when we get together. This thread is typical of that. He really was a super, efficient player and I reckon his was always the first name on the teamsheet. That says it all, OS  |
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Post by wizzardofdribble on May 27, 2008 20:23:31 GMT
It certainly does
;D
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Post by redgate on May 27, 2008 21:03:06 GMT
no he he hasant got a corgi not sure what sort it is, when of these american cross breeds
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Post by MrBigJobby on May 28, 2008 2:17:39 GMT
Wasnt the Mickey Bernard who went in goals for Farmer?
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