TB’s All-time Wales XI
Any supporter of Wales will tell you that, while we may never have taken the world of international football by storm, we’ve had some damn fine players. Inspired by a well-refreshed pub chat about whether or not Wales would have been a world-class team, had the best players not been cruelly distributed throughout history, Twisted Blood is proud to present the All-Time Wales XI, playing an alarmingly attacking 4-1-3-2:
I reckon that’s a bloody good team.
Individual player profiles to follow as and when they’re done, links to which can be found below. Please note that this team is (a) wholly subjective and (b) absolutely correct.
1. Neville Southall (1982-97, 92 caps/0 goals)
2. Clayton Blackmore (1985-98, 39/0)
3. Alf Sherwood (1946-56, 41/0)
4. John Charles (1950-65, 38/15)
5. Gary Speed (1990-2004, 85/7)
6. Fred Keenor (1920-32, 32/2)
7. Billy Meredith (1895-1920, 48/11)
8. Ivor Allchurch (1950-66, 68/23)
9. Ian Rush (1980-96, 73/28)
10. Trevor Ford (1946-57, 38/23)
11. Ryan Giggs (1991-2007, 64/12) (external link to Twisted Blood’s piece for the Equaliser)
Honourable mention: Cliff Jones (1952-67, 59/16).
Twisted Blood 
Rambo will be up there in a few years time, fingers crossed. Bale needs to transfer his club form into international before being considered in my opinion. His goal against Slovakia a few years ago was ace though.
Agreed on both points. I worry that Bale will spend his career – rather like Giggs at times – using international breaks to rest his hamstrings.
I was initially confused that you had perhaps omitted John Charles but notice he is at centre back – conjuring up memories of deep lying centre forwards. I hadn’t realised that he played most of his games for the national team in that position.
Seventies Wrexham legend Arfon Griffiths only won 17 caps but was instrumental in Wales reaching the last 8 of the 1976 European Championships – a real pity that only the semi finals onwards were afforded the status of tournament play in those days.
I thought about picking him up front and at the back, but decided that wouldn’t be fair.
Don’t know much about Arfon Griffiths, name aside. I shall do some investigating. Plenty of room for more honourable mentions!
I think he should be just that as I think you’ve done a very good job of the first XI.
my team
1.neville .southall 2.joey jones 3.kevin radcliffe 4.billy meredith 5.john charles 6.gary speed 7.gareth bale 8.ivor allchurch 9.ian rush 10.mark hughes 11.ryan giggs………… 🙂 keep the faith come on wales !!!