Football League 100 Legends

Billy Bassett played for West Bromwich Albion in The Football League's first season

The Football League 100 Legends is a list of 100 great association football players who played part or all of their professional career in English Football League and Premier League football.^[1] The players were selected in 1998 by a panel of journalists, including veteran reporter Bryon Butler, and the list was intended to reflect the League's history by including players from throughout the preceding 99 seasons. The Football League also announced plans for a gala dinner later in the season at which surviving legends would receive a specially commissioned award.

The list includes 34 players who began their playing careers before the Second World War, 37 who began their careers between the end of the war and 1980, and 29 whose professional careers began after that date. At the time of the list's publication, six of the legends were still active, all playing in the Premier League. The last of the players to play professionally was Ryan Giggs, who retired at the end of the 2013–14 season. All 100 of the legends played in The Football League except Dennis Bergkamp, who did not begin playing in England until after the Premier League replaced the Football League as the highest level of the English football league system in 1992.

At the time of its announcement, the Football League chief executive Richard Scudamore stated that the list was "almost impossible to better";^[1] however, contributors to the BBC News website thought differently, providing many alternative suggestions.^[2]^[a]

Legends

A statue of Steve Bloomer, who was honoured for his career with Derby County and Middlesbrough before the First World War

A statue of Duncan Edwards, who died at the age of 21 in the Munich air disaster

Name^[3]^[4]	Football League/Premier League club(s)	Career
Billy Bassett	West Bromwich Albion	1888–1899
Archie Hunter	Aston Villa	1888–1890
John Goodall	Preston North End, Derby County, New Brighton Tower, Glossop North End	1888–1904
Steve Bloomer	Derby County, Middlesbrough	1892–1915
Billy Meredith	Northwich Victoria, Manchester City, Manchester United	1893–1925
Bob Crompton	Blackburn Rovers	1896–1921
William Foulke	Sheffield United, Chelsea, Bradford City	1894–1908
Alf Common	Sunderland, Sheffield United, Middlesbrough, Arsenal, Preston North End	1900–1915
Sam Hardy	Chesterfield, Liverpool, Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest	1902–1926
Bill McCracken	Newcastle United	1904–1924
Viv Woodward	Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea	1908–1915
Clem Stephenson	Aston Villa, Huddersfield Town	1910–1930
Charles Buchan	Sunderland, Arsenal	1910–1929
Elisha Scott	Liverpool	1912–1934
David Jack	Plymouth Argyle, Bolton Wanderers, Arsenal	1919–1935
Dixie Dean	Tranmere Rovers, Everton, Notts County	1923–1939
George Camsell	Durham City, Middlesbrough	1924–1939
Hughie Gallacher	Newcastle United, Chelsea, Derby County, Notts County, Grimsby Town, Gateshead	1925–1939
Harry Hibbs	Birmingham	1925–1939
Alex James	Preston North End, Arsenal	1925–1938
Eddie Hapgood	Arsenal	1927–1939
Cliff Bastin	Exeter City, Arsenal	1927–1948
Wilf Copping	Leeds United, Arsenal	1930–1939
Stanley Matthews	Stoke City, Blackpool	1931–1966
Ted Drake	Southampton, Arsenal	1931–1939
Joe Mercer	Everton, Arsenal	1932–1954
Raich Carter	Sunderland, Derby County, Hull City	1932–1953
Peter Doherty	Blackpool, Manchester City, Derby County, Huddersfield Town, Doncaster Rovers	1933–1954
Frank Swift	Manchester City	1933–1951
Tommy Lawton	Burnley, Everton, Chelsea, Notts County, Brentford, Arsenal	1935–1957
Wilf Mannion	Middlesbrough, Hull City	1936–1956
George Hardwick	Middlesbrough, Oldham Athletic	1937–1956
Johnny Carey	Manchester United	1937–1954
Stan Mortensen	Blackpool, Hull City, Southport	1938–1958
Neil Franklin	Stoke City, Hull City, Crewe Alexandra, Stockport County	1946–1958
Trevor Ford	Swansea City, Aston Villa, Sunderland, Cardiff City, Newport County	1946–1961
Nat Lofthouse	Bolton Wanderers	1946–1961
Tom Finney	Preston North End	1946–1960
Alf Ramsey	Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur	1946–1955
Len Shackleton	Bradford (Park Avenue), Newcastle United, Sunderland	1946–1958
Jimmy Dickinson	Portsmouth	1946–1965
Arthur Rowley	West Bromwich Albion, Fulham, Leicester City, Shrewsbury Town	1946–1965
Billy Liddell	Liverpool	1946–1961
Billy Wright	Wolverhampton Wanderers	1946–1959
Jackie Milburn	Newcastle United	1946–1957
John Charles	Leeds United, Cardiff City	1948–1966
Ivor Allchurch	Swansea Town, Cardiff City, Newcastle United	1948–1968
Danny Blanchflower	Barnsley, Aston Villa, Tottenham Hotspur	1948–1964
Bert Trautmann	Manchester City	1949–1964
Jimmy McIlroy	Burnley, Stoke City, Oldham Athletic	1950–1968
Tommy Taylor	Barnsley, Manchester United	1950–1958
Cliff Jones	Swansea Town, Tottenham Hotspur, Fulham	1952–1970
Johnny Haynes	Fulham	1952–1970
Duncan Edwards	Manchester United	1953–1958
Jimmy Armfield	Blackpool	1954–1971
Terry Paine	Southampton, Hereford United	1956–1977
Bobby Charlton	Manchester United, Preston North End	1956–1975
Jimmy Greaves	Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, West Ham United	1957–1971
Denis Law	Huddersfield Town, Manchester City, Manchester United	1956–1974
Gordon Banks	Chesterfield, Leicester City, Stoke City	1958–1973
Dave Mackay	Tottenham Hotspur, Derby County, Swindon Town	1958–1972
Bobby Moore	West Ham United, Fulham	1958–1977
Alan Mullery	Fulham, Tottenham Hotspur	1958–1976
Geoff Hurst	West Ham United, Stoke City, West Bromwich Albion	1959–1976
Nobby Stiles	Manchester United, Middlesbrough, Preston North End	1959–1974
Johnny Giles	Manchester United, Leeds United, West Bromwich Albion	1959–1977
Billy Bremner	Leeds United, Hull City, Doncaster Rovers	1959–1982
Frank McLintock	Leicester City, Arsenal, Queens Park Rangers	1959–1977
Alex Young	Everton, Stockport County	1960–1969
Martin Peters	West Ham United, Tottenham Hotspur, Norwich City, Sheffield United	1960–1981
Tommy Smith	Liverpool, Swansea City	1962–1979
Norman Hunter	Leeds United, Bristol City, Barnsley	1962–1983
Pat Jennings	Watford, Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal	1962–1985
Alan Ball	Blackpool, Everton, Arsenal, Southampton, Bristol Rovers	1962–1984
Colin Bell	Bury, Manchester City	1963–1979
George Best	Manchester United, Stockport County, Fulham, AFC Bournemouth	1963–1983
Peter Shilton	Leicester City, Stoke City, Nottingham Forest, Southampton, Derby County, Plymouth Argyle, Bolton Wanderers, West Ham United, Leyton Orient	1965–1997
Ray Clemence	Scunthorpe United, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur	1965–1988
Malcolm Macdonald	Fulham, Luton Town, Newcastle United, Arsenal	1968–1979
Kevin Keegan	Scunthorpe United, Liverpool, Southampton, Newcastle United	1968–1984
Trevor Francis	Birmingham City, Nottingham Forest, Manchester City, Queens Park Rangers, Sheffield Wednesday	1970–1995
Graeme Souness	Middlesbrough, Liverpool	1972–1984
Liam Brady	Arsenal, West Ham United	1973–1990
Glenn Hoddle	Tottenham Hotspur, Swindon Town, Chelsea	1974–1996
Bryan Robson	West Bromwich Albion, Manchester United, Middlesbrough	1974–1997
Alan Hansen	Liverpool	1977–1990
Kenny Dalglish	Liverpool	1977–1990
Gary Lineker	Leicester City, Everton, Tottenham Hotspur	1978–1993
Ian Rush	Chester City, Liverpool, Leeds United, Newcastle United, Sheffield United, Wrexham	1978–1999
Ossie Ardiles	Tottenham Hotspur, Blackburn Rovers, Queens Park Rangers, Swindon Town	1978–1990
Neville Southall	Bury, Everton, Port Vale, Southend United, Stoke City, Torquay United, Bradford City	1980–2000
Paul McGrath	Manchester United, Aston Villa, Derby County, Sheffield United	1981–1998
John Barnes	Watford, Liverpool, Newcastle United, Charlton Athletic	1981–1999
Tony Adams	Arsenal	1983–2002
Paul Gascoigne	Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur, Middlesbrough, Everton, Burnley, Boston United	1985–2004
Alan Shearer	Southampton, Blackburn Rovers, Newcastle United	1987–2006
Ryan Giggs	Manchester United	1990–2014
Eric Cantona	Leeds United, Manchester United	1991–1997
Peter Schmeichel	Manchester United, Aston Villa, Manchester City	1991–2003
Dennis Bergkamp	Arsenal	1995–2006

References

^ ^a ^b "Football legends unveiled". BBC. 4 August 1998. Retrieved 10 January 2009.
^ ^a ^b "Football Legends: What you think". BBC. 4 August 1998. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
^ "Football Legends list in full". BBC Sport. 5 August 1998. Retrieved 10 January 2009.
^ "THE FOOTBALL LEAGUE 100 LEGENDS". football-league.co.uk. Archived from the original on 19 March 2011. Retrieved 12 May 2016.

[3] Including Peter Beardsley, Peter Bonetti, Stan Bowles, Terry Butcher, Trevor Brooking, Ian Callaghan, Jack Charlton, Alan Clarke, Brian Clough, Steve Coppell, Pat Crerand, Tony Currie, Ron Davies, Tommy Docherty, Eddie Gray, Bruce Grobbelaar, Alan Hudson, Emlyn Hughes, Mark Hughes, Roger Hunt, Roy Keane, Steve Kember, Francis Lee, Matthew Le Tissier, Mark Lawrenson, Duncan McKenzie, Paul Madeley, Rodney Marsh, Terry McDermott, Phil Neal, Peter Osgood, Michael Owen, Stuart Pearce, Jesse Pennington, Norman Whiteside and Ian Wright.^[2]

[Unveiled-1] "Football legends unveiled". BBC. 4 August 1998. Retrieved 10 January 2009.

[think-2] "Football Legends: What you think". BBC. 4 August 1998. Retrieved 9 October 2021.

[4] "Football Legends list in full". BBC Sport. 5 August 1998. Retrieved 10 January 2009.

[5] "THE FOOTBALL LEAGUE 100 LEGENDS". football-league.co.uk. Archived from the original on 19 March 2011. Retrieved 12 May 2016.

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v t e Awards in English football
All time	100 League Legends Hall of Fame
Premier League	Manager of the Season Player of the Season Young Player of the Season Goal of the Season Playmaker of the Season Save of the Season Game Changer of the Season Most Powerful Goal Manager of the Month Player of the Month Goal of the Month Save of the Month Winning players Golden Boot Golden Glove 10 Seasons Awards 20 Seasons Awards Hall of Fame
English Football League (EFL)	EFL Awards Championship Top Scorer League One Top Scorer League Two Top Scorer Golden Glove Manager of the Month: Championship League One League Two First Division (defunct) Second Division (defunct) Third Division (defunct) Player of the Month: Championship League One League Two First Division (defunct) Second Division (defunct) Third Division (defunct) Young Player of the Month
Women's Super League (WSL)	Women's Football Awards Manager of the Season Player of the Season Golden Boot Golden Glove Hall of Fame
Professional Footballers' Association (PFA)	Players' Player of the Year Women's Players' Player of the Year Fans' Player of the Year Young Player of the Year Women's Young Player of the Year Team of the Year (1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, 2020s) Merit Award
Football Supporters' Federation (FSF)	Player of the Year
League Managers Association (LMA)	Manager of the Year
Football Writers' Association (FWA)	Footballer of the Year Women's Footballer of the Year Tribute Award
League Football Education (LFE)	Football League Apprentice of the Year
Match of the Day (BBC Television)	Goal of the Month Goal of the Season
British honours system	Football personalities with British honours Football players and officials awarded knighthoods