Centre halves playing as a striker

Came on to mention Hateley and Hendry being played in both with us.

Remember Hateley game, last game in Kilmarnock’s old stadium and they needed to win to stay up.

remember the big giant Kevin James that played for Hearts and Falkirk was often moved between centre half and upfront. Teams used to get two guys to mark him at corners or long throws.
 
Not rangers related but Calum Paterson of hearts was a rb he moved and played in midfield and then up front for Cardiff I’m sure he scored quite a few goals for them also
 
erskine bear said:
Stirling Albion or Albion rovers , wasn’t at the other teams ground though. 1-1 draw , he assaults the keeper for an 81st minute equaliser. From memory.
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Albion rovers quarter final of the Scottish cup that year I'm sure. Won the replay 1/2-0 I think to play Dundee Utd. Not entirely sure but I'm sure it was at the Copland end Mohsni went for a header and wiped the keeper out doing so hahahaha
 
It sounds a bit mad, but your want a strikers build to chase down an elite striker if that make sense? Much in the same way if you were a ball playing defender as striker with that striker pace, up against non ball playing defenders? You'd be tearing them a new hole.

But back in the real world it doesn't quite work like that lol

Although I did reverse my FIFA Liverpool team putting VVD and 2 full backs up front 3, and Salah Mane Firmino as defenders. Pumped Bayern 4-1 on %^*& off mode
 
Gameboy said:
Dion Dublin, Marcus Gayle, Ruud Gullit, Gary Docherty.

All spring to mind as forwards that finished their careers at cb but nowadays the game is managed to the finest on details it would be hard to pull off.
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Not a forward but similar, was Lothar Matteus (sp) he had a few seasons at CB in the twilight of his career.
 
GovanFront4 said:
The amazing Rangers Archives Facebook page posted a video today of our 1967 ECWC final with Roger Hynd playing centre forward.

Is this a tactic that has been banished to history or do you think it still has it's merits? I don't mean sending the big man upfront for the last 5 minutes, but over the years there has obviously been Derek Johnstone and more recently Jig. The scum also done it with Sutton.

Has football developed too much now for this to be possible at such a high level? Is there any other players that were moved between these positions that spring to mind?
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Johnstone wasn’t a centre half though.
He was a complete all rounder.
 
Hap Hapablap said:
I stand to be corrected in my orthopaedic shoes,

Did Colin Hendry not play a good portion of a 2nd half centre forward for us against Dundee United at Dens park. Or it could have been against Dundee at Tannadice? Was one or the other, for some reason the home team couldn't play at their own stadium. I was there that night and we were piss poor and struggling.
Wee Dick threw the big man up front.
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Dundee at Tannadice. Finished a 1-1 draw, I think.
 
Both time we played Hateley at CH we lost.

As soon as we went behind in both games we couldn't get him up the park quick enough.
 
Not sure if it's been mentioned but Daniel van Buyten (Belgium and Bayern Munich) used to play up front occasionally
 
dh1963 said:
John McLelland got played up front against Inter Milan in 1984 and we won!
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East Enclosure that night.

Cracking game. The Italians were completely thrown by that master stroke. :D.

Pump the ball into McLelland. I really thought we were going to do it that night.
 
Houlet said:
Pretty sure Doug Baillie played up front for Airdrie but I don't recall him doing so for Rangers. Of course Big Jock who knew picked Ron Yeats at No 9 against Italy but he actually kicked off then dropped back.
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Houlet said:
Pretty sure Doug Baillie played up front for Airdrie but I don't recall him doing so for Rangers. Of course Big Jock who knew picked Ron Yeats at No 9 against Italy but he actually kicked off then dropped back.
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Bailie played at centre-forward for Rangers against Wolves at Ibrox in the first-leg of the ECWC semi. Jimmy Millar and Max Murray were both injured.
 
Clay Davis said:
Well another goalkeeper was subbed on and James moved to up front.

Jon Mackem was on the bench, city paid 5m for him the summer before haha
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In fairness he played a part in them winning a penalty but Fowler missed it
 
Bumplittledipper said:
He was the first name I thought of. Apparently he would start the game up front, score and then play the rest of the game at centre half. Juventus fans still love him 50 or 60 odd years later.
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Charles was voted the best foreign player to have played in Serie A, a few years back. Quite an accolade given some of the superstars who've played there.
 
When Colin and Tom McAdam played for Dumbarton,Colin was a centre half,Tom was a prolific centre forward.

By the time they ended up at Rangers and the bheasts,Colin was centre forward,Tom was centre half for them.
 
Doug Baillie springs to mind.

A centre half and was pushed up front against Wolves in the semi final 1st leg at Ibrox in the inaugural ECWC tournament.
 
I think it was back in 1965 when Scotland were picked by committee that they played Ron Yeats up front in a World Cup qualifier v Italy. I think that is right.
 
Steve Walsh at Leicester, was pretty successful as centre forward, so they did it with Matt Elliot later.
Walshy played up front in a play off final, and scored, as Leicester beat Derby & went up.
 
GovanFront4 said:
The amazing Rangers Archives Facebook page posted a video today of our 1967 ECWC final with Roger Hynd playing centre forward.

Is this a tactic that has been banished to history or do you think it still has it's merits? I don't mean sending the big man upfront for the last 5 minutes, but over the years there has obviously been Derek Johnstone and more recently Jig. The scum also done it with Sutton.

Has football developed too much now for this to be possible at such a high level? Is there any other players that were moved between these positions that spring to mind?
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Can't think of any others bar big DJ.

I was thinking about this between listening to CJ Novo debating wether we should sign a big battering ram with the likes of Hateley or Prso, etc. I then watched big DJ at the back in the archives, think it was 8-1 v Killie.

Anyway it got me thinking about our academy and the fact that not many at least up until now rarely make it for the centre half or striker roll. Young Danny Wilson was a bit part success maily with Davie Weir beside him. I know our policy was lacking under Sinclair with scouting big boys over technical ability and glad to see us change for the better under Craig Mulholland. However I was thinking that say for instance a boy after a few years looks like he is not going to make it technically but has took a massive stretch and can still play. Should we start identifying them to coach 2 roles of being a centre half and striker and retaining incase we are struggling one season with depth and could gamble on a good header of the ball. Big DJ became a legend at 16 with our squad depleted.
 
Mind watching the Cup Final in a pub when Dailly came on at went up front. Big burly guy in the pub was going tonto at Walter Smith.
 
Many years ago D J played c/h at piggery Edvaldson a Icelandic c/h played forward we were down at h/t second half D J moves up front Edvaldson moves back we won the game
 
I seem to recall for Chelsea Drogba spent most of the CL semi final against Barca at centre back after Terry was sent off in the first half.

Odd circumstance admittedly, with Chelsea desperately defending an aggregate lead
 
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