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48 November 2020 FourFourTwo
21 nORMAn HUnTER
REPUTATION: The centre-back was an
enforcer in Don Revie’s fearsome Leeds
team, and famously floored Francis Lee
with a right hook at the Baseball Ground.
The pair were both sent off, then started
scuffling again as they walked off-field.
RAZOR SAYS: “He was my dad’s favourite- he always used to talk about ‘Bite Yer
Legs’ Hunter, and I remember that fight
he had with Franny Lee. When I made
my debut for Tottenham, I think Bobby
Moore was writing for The Times – he
said there was a lad called Neil Ruddock
who’d made his debut, and I reminded
him of Hunter... but with muscles. That
was a fantastic compliment to receive.”
20 TOMMY SMITH
REPUTATION: Bill Shankly once declared
that, “Tommy Smith wasn’t born, he was
quarried.” Nicknamed ‘the Anfield Iron’,
the local defender was a crucial part of
the Anfield club’s rise – it was often joked
that Merseyside mothers used to have
Smith’s picture on their mantelpiece to
keep their children away from the fire.
The terrifying Scouser missed out on the
1978 European Cup Final after dropping
a pickaxe on his own foot – legend has it
that the pickaxe was a write-off.
RAZOR SAYS: “The top players in my list
are all people I played with or against,
but I’ve got to put Smith in. Jimmy Case
used to tell me some stories about him.”18 PAUL KITSOn
REPUTATION: After spells with Leicester and
Derby, the striker was part of the Newcastle
squad that almost won the Premier League
title in 1995-96, before joining West Ham. At
5ft 11in, Kitson wasn’t especially renowned
as a hard man during his career. However...
RAZOR SAYS: “This is probably the shock of
the 25. One of the toughest, strongest little
f**kers I’ve ever met in my life. An absolute
head-the-ball lunatic when he lost it. Paul
decked Martin Keown off the ball once – he
just smashed him, knocked him flying, out
sparko. It was a beautiful thing.”REPUTATION:Robsonbecameknownas
‘CaptainMarvel’afterstarringforManchester
United and England, but he was also nails.
The midfielder would never shirk a challenge
and left his mark on various foes over time –
not least a wince-worthy studs-up tackle on
Nayim against Spurs at White Hart Lane.
RAZOR SAYS: “Roy Keane wouldn’t make my
top 50 and I didn’t really want to put Robbo
in my list either, because he’s in my all-time
top five of the best players I played against.
But Bryan has to be in here, as he absolutely
destroyed me on numerous occasions... he
nailed me. If you’re tough enough to do that,
then you’re tough enough to make the top
20 of this list.”BRYAn
ROBSOn
Left Liverpool local
Smith easily proved
his granite status to
ex-miner Shankly