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.
The legend: Dean Windass is steeped in Hull's history. Photo courtesy of Action Images
Here blogger Andy Dalton, from ambernectar.org, selects
Hull's five best No9s… and one to forget!
5. Keith Edwards (1978-81
& 1988-89)
Some No9s are all-rounders, others are target-men, while many are
quick, skilful and creative. And still others just put the ball in
the back of the net. That's all Keith Edwards did, and during two
spells at Boothferry Park he did it 86 times. His overall
contribution may have been limited, but few have matched his
predatory instinct in the area. An outstanding natural finisher of
rare poise.
4. Bill McNaughton
(1932-34)
Arriving from Gateshead with a prodigious goalscoring record in
1932, McNaughton's time in East Yorkshire was brief but explosive.
The powerfully built striker recorded 57 goals in 85 games for the
Tigers, a statistic that tells its own story. The 42 league and cup
goals he scored in one season as City won Division Three (North) is
a club record that may never be broken.
3. Dean Windass (1991-95
& 2007-09)
Arguably Hull's greatest sporting hero, he joined his hometown
team in 1991 and was the sole glimmer of light during desperate
days for City. His transfer four years later to Aberdeen saved the
club from bankruptcy and left a treasure trove of happy memories.
The fairytale was just starting though - after years of conjecture
he finally came home in 2007, aged 38, and scored THAT goal at
Wembley to send his club into the Premier League. Everyone loves
Deano.
2. Paddy Mills (1920-26
& 1929-33)
The Indian-born forward had two spells at City between the wars,
netting over 100 times and finishing top scorer for three seasons
in a row. Those feats put him third on the all-time list of scorers
for the Tigers and his efforts in 1930 took the club to what
remains our only FA Cup semi-final. Mills later became a policeman
and lived to the grand age of 93.
1. Chris Chilton
(1960-71)
City's all-time leading scorer, coach, caretaker manager and
all-round good guy. Forming, with Ken Wagstaff, the famous Waggy
& Chillo partnership of the 1960s, Chilton plundered 222 goals
in 11 years at the club, yet he was a selfless and modest player, a
spirit epitomised by him rejecting offers from First Division clubs
to remain with his local team for almost his whole career. He still
lives locally - a living legend.
And the
worst…
Dave Bamber
(1989-90)
It's not usually poor players who provoke the greatest discontent;
it's decent players who don't put the effort in. Dave Bamber falls
into that category. He came from Stoke with a good reputation, cost
a fortune by 1989 standards, ponced around for a bit then, after 15
months and only five goals, went back to his first club Blackpool,
where - typical City - he spent the next few years almost unable to
stop scoring. Gah.
Follow Andy on Twitter @Amber__Nectar