This season Prostate Cancer UK is the official charity of The
Football League. To celebrate, we've asked bloggers from each of
the 72 clubs to count down their top five strikers to have worn the
No9 shirt, in recognition of the fact that prostate cancer
affects one in nine men.
Golden boy: Lutel James boasted some expensive dentistry. Photo courtesy of Action Images
Here blogger Andrew O'Mara, of andrewomarafootball.blogspot.co.uk,
selects Accrington's five best No9s… and one to forget!
5. Lutel James (2001-05)
When non-league Accrington Stanley signed the former Bury striker
- not to mention St Kitts and Nevis international - there was a
buzz around the club. It was as if we had captured a Ballon d'Or
winner, albeit with a golden tooth. The forward formed a lethal
partnership with legendary No10 Paul Mullin and decimated defences
all the way to the Conference, making 170 appearances and scoring
83 goals.
4. Brett Ormerod (1995-97)
Spent two years at Stanley after being released as a teenager by
Blackburn Rovers. Ormerod's 31 goals in 57 appearances caught the
attention of Gordon Strachan, who vowed to sign the player.
Blackpool came knocking with a £50,000 offer and, in accepting, our
shrewd chairman made sure a fruitful sell-on clause was included in
the deal. When Strachan eventually took Ormerod's talents to
Premier League Southampton, Stanley got a new all-seater stand.
Cheers, Brett!
3. Paul Beck (1982-96)
Paul Beck embodies the Accrington Stanley of the early 90s. He
would score two goals in the first half, sink a cheeky pint at
half-time and complete his hat-trick in the second. During this
time we had terrific wing play, which suited Beck down to the
ground because he could poach with the best of them. He left the
club in 1996 a cult hero, having scored 135 goals in 300
appearances.
2. Dave Hargreaves (1974-85)
A player whose name is synonymous with goals. Plucked from the
Accrington amateur leagues, 'Haggis' hit the net 316 times in 355
appearances for Stanley. He was sold to neighbours Blackburn Rovers
in 1978 for the princely sum of £1,000, but returned two games
later. He may not have made the most of his undoubted talent, but
his story is legendary.
1. George Stewart (1954-58)
Played for what many older supporters consider to be Stanley's
best ever side, that of manager Walter Galbraith. Galbraith brought
with him a plethora of Scottish talent and delivered great success
in the 50s. Buckie boy Stewart regularly scored more than 30 goals
in a season for that team, eventually taking his tally to 136 in
183 appearances. A gifted player in a golden era.
And the worst…
Justin Jackson (2003)
Signed as the best forward non-league football had to offer,
Jackson spent most of his time in a Stanley shirt either on his
backside or not turning up for training. He made just two
appearances, scoring no goals, before his contract was ended after
six weeks. Useless.
Follow Andrew on Twitter @Chutestoonarrow