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Former Players

Philecfc

Member
Joined
Apr 9, 2004
Messages
259
Location
Somerset
Ryan will always divide opinion. But he was a pleasure to watch when he was on his game. He also provided me with one of the funniest moment at SJP.
Pre season match against Spurs the ball dropped in the middle of the park between him and Tom Huddlestone and it was a matter of who could move the slowest to get to the ball as I don't want to have to tackle anyone. Two great players but that day a pair of powder puffs.
 

Sexton Blake

Well-known Exeweb poster
Joined
Dec 16, 2011
Messages
8,629
Ryan will always divide opinion. But he was a pleasure to watch when he was on his game. He also provided me with one of the funniest moment at SJP.
Pre season match against Spurs the ball dropped in the middle of the park between him and Tom Huddlestone and it was a matter of who could move the slowest to get to the ball as I don't want to have to tackle anyone. Two great players but that day a pair of powder puffs.
Harley was somewhat of an enigma I remember tracking his loans while with Swansea.

In each case he started off like a fire cracker scoring some spectacular goals and then within a few weeks just seemed to fade away before returning to Swansea and being sent out on loan again.

Favourite goal for me the one he scored late on at SJP against Huddersfield to keep us in League One.
 

ExmouthMart

Active member
Joined
Jun 19, 2013
Messages
1,486
Location
Bristol
Loved Ryan Harley but it was Rob Edwards that was the catalyst for that remarkable resurgence.
It was the mazy run to set up Harley but what I am getting at is the way he took the goal. He didn’t panic or hurry it. He took his time and placed it the corner. We were looking down the barrel of a gun in that game but his composure and skill got us out of jail. A very special player.
 

Rosencrantz

Very well known Exeweb poster
Joined
Jul 12, 2019
Messages
10,120
Location
Tiverton
Tiverton sign another former City youngster, this time via Frome Town.

 

andrew p long

Very well known Exeweb poster
Joined
Jan 6, 2006
Messages
12,542
Location
Hagley, Stourbridge
In the small world of ex City players...Luke Williams not only appoints Ryan Harley as coach, but Williams is replaced as Swansea No 2 by...Matt Gill..
 

Phil Sayers

Very well known Exeweb poster
Joined
Jun 12, 2006
Messages
10,689
Location
Kernow - battering a drunken Octopus
My favourite Harley goal was the one he scored in front of the Bank at home to Leeds when he shaped to shoot far post and instead slotted it near post leaving the keeper stranded. He remains (based on his first spell although he was far from poor second time around) the best player I have ever seen in a City shirt. Obviously Watkins and a few others have actually been better players but they didn't completely run games for us in unplayable fashion in the way Harley did.
 

Moomin Grecian

Well-known Exeweb poster
Joined
Sep 24, 2006
Messages
7,032
Location
Somewhere
Hiram Boateng signed a 3 year deal with Mansfield.
 

Pobbop

Active member
Joined
Jun 1, 2008
Messages
3,642
Location
Exeter
I also loved Harley as a player, and think the booing of him by some at the Park, was some of the most ridiculous jeering by the jeer-boys ever.

It'll be interesting to see how his coaching career goes, but you can never tell how a player makes the transition, look at George Graham, a man nick-named "The stroller" or his lackadaisical no-tackiling attitude to football, and yet he built a no-nonsense defensive 1-0 side. Ainsworth was pretty much the opposite of many of the type of players he manages now.

So sometimes it's do as I say, not as I did.
 

SaintJames

Active member
Joined
Dec 3, 2020
Messages
4,872
I suspect I'm in a minority here but my take:

Capable of brilliance, some amazing goals and assists as others have said, but to me he was also much of the time with us frustrating as hell to watch, episodes of magic interspersed with long lackadaisical spells when he appeared to switch off.

Just such a shame that he didn't develop the rest of his game and contribute more to team performances. But lots of players are like that.
Pretty much talking about Glenn Hoddle or any number of gifted players
 

Hants_red

Admin
Staff member
Joined
May 27, 2007
Messages
62,049
Location
League 1
Gary Warren on the move to Scotland

 
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