Tag: Welsh

Wales have managed to produce some seriously talented footballers down the years. Midfielder greats such as Aaron Ramsey and Terry Yorath, and strikers including Ian Rush and Mark Hughes have all hailed from the British nation. Wales’ greatest ever players have come from all over the pitch, but on the wings is where they have produced some of their best talent.

Gareth Bale and Ryan Giggs, two of the Premier League’s best ever wide men, are both from Wales and make this list, as we take a look at the 10 greatest Welsh wingers in football history.

Ranking Factors:

• Overall Ability – How gifted were they as footballers?
• Achievements – Did their talent translate into silverware?
• National Team Contribution – Could they do it in a Wales jersey?

10 David Giles

Career Span: 1974-1988

Few players have played for all of Cardiff, Swansea and Wrexham, but David Giles is a man who has.

His best days came at Swansea, where he ended the 1979/80 season as the club’s top scorer, before departing across the border to Crystal Palace. Other than at the start of his career with Cardiff, Giles never spent more than two years at any of his clubs, frequently moving around both England and Wales.

Giles spent time with Birmingham, Newport, and Barry Town, where he was a fans’ favourite for his work rate and desire.

He went on to have a successful career in the media, regularly reporting on Cardiff and the Welsh national side, which enhanced his popularity in the country. He never quite delivered in a Wales shirt though, in comparison to some of the other names on this list.

9 Craig Bellamy

Career Span: 1996-2014

A man with a tattoo of Welsh hero Owain Glyndwr, and now managing the national team, Craig Bellamy is as passionate as they come.

A player as fast as anyone who would terrorise defences with his direct running, Bellamy enjoyed a great career, representing clubs such as Liverpool, West Ham and Man City. His career was unfortunately hampered by injuries, which prevented him from reaching the levels he maybe should have, but when he was fit and in full flight, he was a joy to watch.

A nightmare to play against, Bellamy was relentless, always moving and applying pressure on defenders. Criticised for not scoring enough goals, Bellamy’s finest hour in a Welsh shirt was when he struck the winner against Italy in 2002, in front of a full house at the Millennium Stadium.

8 Mickey Thomas

Career Span: 1972-1994

Starting out at Wrexham, where he spent six successful seasons, Mickey Thomas is a legend of Welsh football.

Although he wasn’t prolific in front of goal, Thomas was a constant threat on the left wing, either going past his man or finding a killer pass to set up a teammate. Spending time at the highest level with Man United and Chelsea, Thomas enjoyed a brilliant career.

A great character with the talent to match, Thomas always played with a smile on his face, which endeared him to the 13 different clubs he played for. As well as possessing huge ability, Thomas was never afraid to dig in and work hard, which made him the ultimate team player, and a real favourite of the Welsh supporters.

7 Robbie James

Career Span: 1973-1998

During his career, Robbie James ended up representing nine different clubs, but his best days came at the start of his career with his hometown club, Swansea.

James was a key part of the Swansea side that remarkably rose up through the leagues, from the fourth to first division between 1978 and 1981. A talented winger, James was a threat from out wide, often chipping in with key goals, but not being afraid to contribute defensively. James scored 33 goals for the Swans between 1976 and 1978, as he helped them to shoot up the leagues and become a force among the sports elite.

The Welsh winger finished his career with 864 appearances, one of the highest in British football history, which highlights his ability and reliability during his 25 years as a professional. At Swansea’s ground is a bust of James, which indicates just how loved he is at the club, and his eternal legacy.

6 Alan Curtis

Career Span: 1972-1994

A teammate of Robbie James’ at Swansea, Alan Curtis helped his boyhood club to achieve the remarkable feat of rising up from Division four to one during the 1980s.

A pacey, skillful winger, with a venomous shot, Curtis was an excellent wide player, and is a club legend at Swansea. The Welshman had spells with both Leeds and Southampton, but both times he ended up back at Swansea soon after, which shows his love for the club.

Internationally, Curtis represented his nation on 35 occasions, scoring six times, which is slightly underwhelming for a player of his ability.

5 Leighton James

Career Span: 1970-1989

A player who wouldn’t look out of place in today’s game, Leighton James was a genius.

With electric pace, and a direct style of play, James would terrorise opposing full-backs, as he burst past them, and usually provided a goal or assist at the end. James was incisive in front of goal and when presented with an opportunity, usually one he crafted for himself, he would rarely miss.

Coming through at Burnley, a club where he made over 300 appearances across three spells, James was recognised across the country as an excellent player. Captaining his nation on multiple occasions is one of the heights of his career, and in Wales he is truly remembered as one of the greats.

4 Ivor Allchurch

Career Span: 1947-1968

A part of the Welsh team at the 1958 World Cup, Wales’ most recent appearance at the tournament until 2022, Ivor Allchurch was a special talent.

Scoring a goal in the play-off against Israel to qualify for the World Cup was most definitely his greatest moment in the Welsh red, but there were many fantastic days in his career. Described as the ‘Golden Boy of Welsh football’, Allchurch played for both Swansea and Cardiff during his career, in which he scored almost 250 goals.

In 1966, Allchurch was awarded with an MBE for his services to Welsh football, which shows how great he really was.

At one stage, he was the nation’s all-time leading scorer, and his legacy will forever live on as one of Wales’ finest players.

3 Cliff Jones

Career Span: 1952-1971

Another player who scored in the 1958 World Cup play-offs against Israel, Cliff Jones was a cut above many of his teammates.

A player that would be a star in any side, Jones was a legend everywhere he played, including Swansea, Tottenham, and his national side. His best days came with Tottenham, particularly the 1960/61 season where he scored 19 goals as Spurs completed the League Championship and FA Cup double, before winning the European Cup Winners’ Cup and FA Cup again a year later.

Capable on both wings, Jones could do it all and was respected all across the world. Juventus wanted to sign the Welshman for a world record fee, but Tottenham refused, such was his importance to the side.

2 Ryan Giggs

Career Span: 1990-2014

Few players can claim to be ‘one-club men’, but Ryan Giggs can.

Spending his entire playing career with Manchester United, and being one of the best players in the world during this time, Ryan Giggs is a true icon of the game. With pace, tenacity and a wand of a left foot, Giggs was a key part of the success United had during his time there. Winning 13 Premier League titles, and two Champions League titles, the Welsh winger had a career to match the very best.

Going on to manage the national team, Giggs was often criticised for not performing as well for Wales, and perhaps showing a lack of passion, with 12 goals for his country in 64 appearances.

His ability cannot be ignored, but his limited contribution for Wales is why Giggs doesn’t quite take top spot on this list.

1 Gareth Bale

Career Span: 2006-2023

A player whose dedication and passion for his nation certainly cannot be questioned is Gareth Bale.

Bale is one of the greatest British footballers of all time. The Welshman was the focal point of the national side almost from the moment he broke into it in 2006, and continued to be their talisman until 2022.

He dragged Wales to their first major tournament since 1958 in 2016, when Wales’ incredible run to the semi-finals of the European Championships captured the hearts of the world. Bale did everything for the Welsh side, scoring unbelievable goals, helping out defensively, and leading on the pitch.

A player with extreme talent, who spent nine years at Real Madrid, winning five Champions Leagues along the way, Bale is a footballing legend. He possessed unique pace and technique which made him almost impossible to defend against. Unfortunately, he was cursed by injuries for a lot of his career, yet still managed to become one of the best players in the world, so we can only imagine how good he could have been without his injury problems.