TOWN'S GREATEST XI: Who are your men in the middle? (From This Is Swindon Town FC)

TOWN'S GREATEST XI: Who are your men in the middle?

6:50am Saturday 6th February 2010

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WHEN selecting two central midfielders to command the middle of the park for a Swindon Town legends 11, the wealth of choice is significant.

Down the years, generations of County Ground crowds have witnessed as much grit and guile as they have style and flair, but in every era the Robins have been blessed with at least one lynchpin who has gone on to become a hero.

Choosing just two to fill the vacant slots on the fantasy team sheet is a tricky task.

But Town fans will have to choose between the tenacity and resilience of the likes of Alan McLoughlin, John Moncur and Willie Penman, the creativity of Glenn Hoddle and Charlie Henry, the strength of Luc Nijholt and Ross MacLaren, and the assists and goals of John Smith and Kevin Horlock.

McLoughlin must rank high on the list of greatest midfielders. The Irishman scored the goal which would have taken Town to the top flight in 1990, but for the Brian Hillier scandal.

Tough in the tackle and a pest to those in possession, McLoughlin represented the club 136 times in his three-and-a-half years in Wiltshire, scoring 25 times in the process.

He became the first Swindon player ever to appear in a World Cup, coming on as a substitute in his country’s matches with England and Egypt at Italia ’90 before moving to Southampton in December of the same year for £1million.

Chris Kamara was at Swindon Town for 11 years between 1977 and 1988, in which he slowly but surely obtained a reputation for combative midfield displays.

After originally failing to find favour under Bob Smith, having signed for Danny Williams, Kamara eventually came to the fore for the Robins under Lou Macari, and became a popular figure at the County Ground.

After elbowing an opponent, who had supposedly racially abused Kamara, the man who would later go on to be the iconic figure of Sky Sports football coverage was suspended by Town - he never played for the club again.

John Smith was a ruthless, adventurous midfield provider who was instrumental in the most successful Swindon sides in history in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Smith was only in Wiltshire for three years, but during that time Town won three trophies and won promotion to Division Two.

An England Under 23 international, Smith’s calm passing performances were the perfect foil for the potent partnership of Noble and Rogers in attack.

John Moncur was a true midfield general. He was equally as rugged in the tackle as he was creative in attack, and in his time in Wiltshire, Moncur enhanced his reputation no end.

The scorer of Town’s first Premier League goal, and the subject of a horrific stamping incident involving Eric Cantona, Swindon fans took to Moncur for the undying determination he showed week-in, week-out.

When he moved to West Ham for £1million in July 1994, he netted Town a £920,000 profit.

Other names which spring to mind for consideration include Leigh Barnard, Martin Ling and Luc Nijholt, but with all these riches to choose from, who will Town fans pick as their favourite two midfield maestros?

To nominate your top two central midfielders log on to www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk and www.thisisswindontownfc.co.uk from next week.

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