I had this discussion earlier, i felt it was an interesting topic as it is all about perception.
Bolton have today said that Kevin Davies will not be offered a new contract. He has known this for several weeks.
But, calls of "SKD is a bwfc legend, he doesnt deserve this" have been thrown out. But why should a club give someone a contract, based on reputation alone.
What defines a club legend?
Appearances? Goals? Commitment?
I personally think there are only 2 bwfc legends, Nat Lofthouse and Eddie Hopkinson. What they achieved individually and as part of a team, outweighs most other players. Lofthouse with 503 appearances and 285 goals, plus 33 England caps and 30 goals. Hopkinson with 578 apps, and 14 England caps.
For Davies to be a club legend...is that not harsh on players who achieved more individually?
Ricardo Gardner/Jaaskelainen/Thompson/Hill/Phillips etc have all played more, are they legends?
Cassidy/Smith/Muir/Byrom/Westwood/Lee etc all scored more, are they legends?
What do you guys think, what defines a legend? What must you do to achieve legendary status?
What makes someone a legend?
posted on 27/3/13
I don't see Davies as a club legend at all. I agree with the OP to be honest and if I was picking players from the BSA era I could name quite a few more deserving of the honour. I find it strange that people would call Davies a legend, say the club need to turn him into a coach and so on. Why was nobody saying this about Jussi? The guy was more important to the team, a better player and a longer servant of the club. I think it is telling of his value to the team that BSA spent so much of his reign searching for a real striker, which he eventually found in Anelka.
From the last ten years there will be a few players who were brilliant on the pitch. Jussi, Laville, Cahill, Hierro, Campo, Okocha, Djorkaeff and Anelka. I am glad to have seen them play but even those guys are not club legends.
posted on 27/3/13
Excellent Blog Post Largehat
posted on 27/3/13
Thanks as ever for the kind comments about my blog guys
I don't like 'legend' debates, they're so subjective. There's no accepted definition to measure a player against.
If you look in a dictionary, a 'legend' is defined as a historical story which may be accepted as true but which lacks authentication.
Somehow this word has crept into sporting vernacular to describe an outstanding or long serving sportsman.
Without the basic foundation stone of an accepted definition of the word, how can we satisfactorily apply it to individuals? It's a futile task. So we're left with everyone's personal and passionately held views.
posted on 27/3/13
You might be right about the ' Legend ' tag .... but clubs the size of Bolton rarely recruit and retain a player who's outstanding contribution - over a sustained period - gives a very large concenus of fans the chance to rate them as a club ' All-Time Great '.
IHMO, Kevin Davies has earned the right to be admitted to such an honourable collective of ' Elite' Wanderers playing staff. Yes, we'll all have our own personal ' Top 10 ' over the years no doubt, and some will consider 10 to be too limiting a number. It's also likely to be coloured by your own personal memories of course (who YOU have seen play over the years).
Well ...... I've watched Bolton on n' off since 1969, and for me, SKD easily makes my ' Top 10 ' for sure ...... in fact, Top 3 might be a more accurate assessment!
posted on 28/3/13
Great article LH.
Shame to see SKD leave but all cycles come to an end in the same way SJM,Gudni,Jussi etc all left.
In my eyes and many others Kev will leave great memories especially the period with Big Sams exciting and streetwise Bolton side.
posted on 28/3/13
Clegg. Are you saying there are some fans who don't think Henrik 'Goal Machine' Pedersen is a Bolton legend!?
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i think i was saying that, and sincerely apologise! i was actually wondering why there was a campaign for a lofthouse statue when Henrik Pedersen had graced the reebok turf!! Some people eh!
posted on 28/3/13
I think it is telling of his value to the team that BSA spent so much of his reign searching for a real striker, which he eventually found in Anelka.
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I think it is more telling of his value to the team that once Allardyce found an out-and-out striker in Anelka he continued to play Davies as part of a front 3 alongside Nico and Diouf in a very fluid front 3 formation that the likes of United and Chelsea have since adopted at various times.
posted on 29/3/13
SKD was not a legend for me. He was very effective and part of a great formula set up by BSA..
He was a striker, not a great goal scorer, and not a scorer of great goals... Therefore he doesn't fit in my eyes.. But as LH said, it's subjective..
posted on 2/4/13
I think it is telling of his value to the team that BSA spent so much of his reign searching for a real striker, which he eventually found in Anelka.
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I think it is more telling of his value to the team that once Allardyce found an out-and-out striker in Anelka he continued to play Davies as part of a front 3 alongside Nico and Diouf in a very fluid front 3 formation that the likes of United and Chelsea have since adopted at various times.
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Cracking response!!!!!!
posted on 3/4/13
BSA built the greatest ever post war Bolton team entirely around SKD .. there can be no higher compliment to Kevin than that