Pally and Brucey - who was better?

Gazza · 21st April 2008, 00:26

They were just a bit before my time - I caught Pallister's last 2 seasons.

I know they were regarded as a great partnership, but as players, who was better? From what I can gather Bruce was very brave, stuck his head anywhere, scored goals, and took a good penalty, whereas Pallister was more composed, like Rio. And Pally cost a fair bit of money.

Also, how come neither of them played that much for England? Who were the best central defenders in England at that point, Adams and Des Walker?

032Devil · 21st April 2008, 00:32

Pallister.

He oozed class; very much like Ferdinand now. But he was only one half of a team. Bruce was, in his own way, a monster.

How the feck Bruce never got an England cap is one of those great universal mysteries.

Coca Cola · 21st April 2008, 00:36

I was very young in their days but from what I saw Pallister was a better all-round defender. Brucey´s a legend though.

Ridiculous that he never played for England. How many caps did Pally get?

cockneyred · 21st April 2008, 00:38

they went together like fish& chips

Man-United · 21st April 2008, 00:39

22 caps for England for Pallister.

Raven_Blade · 21st April 2008, 00:44

I was a bit too young to see much of them play. From what I remember Pallister was better.

golden_blunder · 21st April 2008, 00:50

Pally was amazing. There wasn't many ball playing defenders around at that time, yet he had the class to carry the ball forward. Great in the air, and deceptively quick.

Bruce was a bit slow but would throw his body into everything. He used to win headers at corners where he had no right too really

ralphie88 · 21st April 2008, 01:13

They were completely different players. Think Rio for Pally and Vidic for Bruce. Pally was undoubtedly the technically better player, and quick on the ground and unbeatable in the air, but Bruce was a leader and a half. 18 goals from centre-back in 1990/91 - legend.

Billy Blaggs · 21st April 2008, 01:15

Like you say fish and chips.

Better together than on their own. Pally was the better player. Brucie the better defender.

His head was like an old shoe, he didn't care where he stuck it.

Rio and Vidic are better though

Wes · 21st April 2008, 01:20

Pallister was a feckin class act of a player. Composed, and quality. He had enough confidence to play a bit himself. Never seen him out-muscled once, either.

Bruce won everything he ever went at, and scored a ridiculous amont of goals one year, for good measure. I seem to remember a glaring miss at Reading in the FA cup, though. Good players by themselves, great partnership.

Dolly and Daisy, right enough.

Ivor Ballokov · 21st April 2008, 01:34

I used to love the way Pally would look totally knackered before the game had even started.

Plechazunga · 21st April 2008, 01:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ivor Ballokov

I used to love the way Pally would look totally knackered before the game had even started.

yeah

Pallister was the better footballer. Brucey was a great leader though. They were both massive.

Billy Blaggs · 21st April 2008, 01:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ivor Ballokov

I used to love the way Pally would look totally knackered before the game had even started.

lol

I read someones autobiography (not sure who's) and it said he ate mars bars and drank coca cola like they were going out of style.

MrMarcello · 21st April 2008, 01:51

This was pre-FSC and -Setanta days so I only saw highlights and the odd CL match. Never really got to see both players on a regular basis to make a comparison. But I've often heard fans claim Pally was top class.

p_ps_sock · 21st April 2008, 07:36

its was a similar partnership to the one we have now, both were excellent at what they did and worked better as a pair than individually, much like Rio and Vidic now.

Couldn't say who was better but my favourite was bruce.

sully07 · 21st April 2008, 07:58

Bruce used to pop up for 6 to 8 goals a season as well. Bruce face was red from the first minute and looked like it was all too much for him. Great partnership.

Dominant · 21st April 2008, 07:59

Dolly and Daisy.

They never did worked out who is Dolly and who is Daisy.

Tribec · 21st April 2008, 08:11

Bruce was a similar type of player to Vidic in the present, and Kevin Moran before him, would put his head, body, legs into situations he shouldn't and win the ball, and possibly end up hurt.

Pallister on the other hand was a cultured defender, a more elegant version of Paul McGrath, though I'm not sure he was better than the Black Pearl. Pallister is easily comparable to Rio today.

It is one of the glaring omissions from English football history that Bruce didn't get at least one cap. However, looking back at the time we (England) were fortunate to have a quite a crop of centre halves. If we look at the 1990 World Cup, England took Butcher and Walker as the number one partnership and at the time they were clearly the best we had. Adams, Pallister and Mark Wright were around the fringes of the team at the time which made it hard for Bruce to get into the squad. Once Butcher quit after 90, the four already mentioned had the position tied up. Walker's last game was 93 for England, however by that point, Keown had come into the squad, and not long afterwards Campbell, Southgate and then Ferdinand. At some point, with Injuries Bruce should have had a call up, but he was just unfortunate that he was playing when the depth in terms of centre halves was quite deep.

CnutOfAllCnuts · 21st April 2008, 09:19

Pallister

Mozza · 21st April 2008, 09:24

Pallister, I remember quite vividly this one tackle he put on Del Piero, I think it was the game where we finally beat Juve for the first time with a late Giggs goal, anyway Del Piero is on the edge of the area about to release a shot and Pallister puts in a monster tackle to take the ball, an awesome moment in football

Billy Blaggs · 21st April 2008, 13:08

I always remember Bruce scoring against Liverpool in the 3-3 at Anfield.

Cracking header.

Floyd · 21st April 2008, 13:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by Billy Blaggs

I always remember Bruce scoring against Liverpool in the 3-3 at Anfield.

Cracking header.

I always remember Pally scoring two goals at Anfield, one of them was a magnificent header.

Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber · 21st April 2008, 13:21

Glory Glory Pallylluyah

(Sorry I couldn''t resist)

brophs · 21st April 2008, 13:22

Pallister made defending look effortless, Bruce was all blood and guts, and unrivalled commitment(Doesn't sound familiar at all does it). While it's an oft repeated joke on here, they are different players, and as such, any real comparison is pointless. What is true, though, is the fact that together they made far more than the sum of their parts.

PS. Pallister's last minute free-kick in the last game of the season against Blackburn, which meant every outfield player had scored that season is one of my favourite moments ever.

ConnemaraRed · 21st April 2008, 13:34

It was said that Pallister was the fastest player over 100m at the club....astonishing when you consider Kanchelskis and Giggs were there at the same time!!! I loved the way he looked fcuked from about 10 mins alright!!!

golden_blunder · 21st April 2008, 13:47

apparently Pally's back was so prone to injuries on the coach journeys that they actually installed a bed for him in it.

probably why he looked so knackered all the time

golden_blunder · 21st April 2008, 13:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wes

Pallister was a feckin class act of a player. Composed, and quality. He had enough confidence to play a bit himself. Never seen him out-muscled once, either.

I do recall Alan Shearer barging him aside as he scored for Blackburn, that one sticks in my mind.

Mind you, the only person that consistently gave them trouble was big Dunc. They just couldn't seem to handle him

a_devil_inside · 21st April 2008, 14:50

Pallister was probably the better player, but I always liked Bruce better

Dublin · 21st April 2008, 15:03

Steve Bruce : at a crucial stage of the 1992/93 campaign, he transformed imminent defeat by Sheffield Wednesday into joyously improbable victory. After 86 minutes, United were a goal down and seemingly doomed to lose vital ground in the title race, when up charged Steve to equalise with a majestic header. Now the Reds were rampant and, some seven heart-stopping minutes into injury time, the skipper lunged forward once more to nod a priceless winner. In that wildly exhilarating moment, as the battered Bruce features dissolved into glee, many believed for the first time that United were destined, at last, to don that elusive crown".

The one where Brain Kidd went mental on the pitch after Bruce scored and
Fergie did his little dance on the pitch.

I got the Utd Video of the 92/93 at the time. It's like like a video diary by Steve Bruce. Priceless. Picture Bruce's accent, after every game we always
have autograph hunters (over fotage of the players leaving O.T.), it can be tiring, espec. after a hard game, but....long pause...we never.... long pause...
refuse...Class.

Strike · 21st April 2008, 15:06

Bruce in my opinion but both were absolutely fantastic for us. I'm pretty sure just looking at their faces scared most strikers off.

Sultan · 21st April 2008, 16:16

Pallister was very much like Rio. A footballing centre half.

Bruce was made in the Vidic mould.

SAF has succeeded replicating Bruce/Pally partnership with Rio/Vidic.

Name Changed · 21st April 2008, 17:12

Pallister was better. He was class.

Keyzer Soze · 21st April 2008, 17:17

Pallister from what i reme,ber. I just about started watching united at the end of their partnership.

21st April 2008, 00:26	#1 (permalink)
Gazza Magic Carpet Pilot Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: "The great thing about United, as a result of Matt Busby, is that they have a philosophy of a club that is very discernable. You know what Manchester United stand for." Posts: 24,304	Pally and Brucey - who was better? They were just a bit before my time - I caught Pallister's last 2 seasons. I know they were regarded as a great partnership, but as players, who was better? From what I can gather Bruce was very brave, stuck his head anywhere, scored goals, and took a good penalty, whereas Pallister was more composed, like Rio. And Pally cost a fair bit of money. Also, how come neither of them played that much for England? Who were the best central defenders in England at that point, Adams and Des Walker?

21st April 2008, 00:32	#2 (permalink)
032Devil First Team Regular Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 12,612	Pallister. He oozed class; very much like Ferdinand now. But he was only one half of a team. Bruce was, in his own way, a monster. How the feck Bruce never got an England cap is one of those great universal mysteries.

21st April 2008, 00:36	#3 (permalink)
Coca Cola One balled wonder Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Evra´s Pussy. Posts: 2,380	I was very young in their days but from what I saw Pallister was a better all-round defender. Brucey´s a legend though. Ridiculous that he never played for England. How many caps did Pally get?

21st April 2008, 00:38	#4 (permalink)
cockneyred Reserve Team Player Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: sCUNThorpe Posts: 1,336	they went together like fish& chips

21st April 2008, 00:39	#5 (permalink)
Man-United Reserve Team Player Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 2,960	22 caps for England for Pallister.

21st April 2008, 00:44	#6 (permalink)
Raven_Blade Attention Whoring Common Crow Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Earth. Milky Way Galaxy. Posts: 13,738	I was a bit too young to see much of them play. From what I remember Pallister was better.

21st April 2008, 00:50	#7 (permalink)
golden_blunder Admin Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Swimming against a tide of shite Posts: 42,874	Pally was amazing. There wasn't many ball playing defenders around at that time, yet he had the class to carry the ball forward. Great in the air, and deceptively quick. Bruce was a bit slow but would throw his body into everything. He used to win headers at corners where he had no right too really

21st April 2008, 01:13	#8 (permalink)
ralphie88 Chief Tormentor Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: http://www.joinmust.org/ Posts: 5,266	They were completely different players. Think Rio for Pally and Vidic for Bruce. Pally was undoubtedly the technically better player, and quick on the ground and unbeatable in the air, but Bruce was a leader and a half. 18 goals from centre-back in 1990/91 - legend.

21st April 2008, 01:15	#9 (permalink)
Billy Blaggs Billy no mates and im shit at Halo Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: I shit my pants at work and threw my grundies in the dumpster! Beat THAT! Posts: 4,285	Like you say fish and chips. Better together than on their own. Pally was the better player. Brucie the better defender. His head was like an old shoe, he didn't care where he stuck it. Rio and Vidic are better though

21st April 2008, 01:20	#10 (permalink)
Wes Brown is no God Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Dublin, in the Irish Republic Posts: 7,104	Pallister was a feckin class act of a player. Composed, and quality. He had enough confidence to play a bit himself. Never seen him out-muscled once, either. Bruce won everything he ever went at, and scored a ridiculous amont of goals one year, for good measure. I seem to remember a glaring miss at Reading in the FA cup, though. Good players by themselves, great partnership. Dolly and Daisy, right enough.

21st April 2008, 01:34	#11 (permalink)
Ivor Ballokov Reserve Team Player Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: old south wales Posts: 2,799	I used to love the way Pally would look totally knackered before the game had even started.

21st April 2008, 01:51	#14 (permalink)
MrMarcello First Team Regular Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Saha's hospital room Posts: 18,321	This was pre-FSC and -Setanta days so I only saw highlights and the odd CL match. Never really got to see both players on a regular basis to make a comparison. But I've often heard fans claim Pally was top class.

21st April 2008, 07:36	#15 (permalink)
p_ps_sock Reserve Team Player Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: You're a fucking wanker. I didn't rate you as a player, I don't rate you as a manager, and I don't rate you as a person. You're a fucking wanker and you can stick your World Cup up your arse. Posts: 2,852	its was a similar partnership to the one we have now, both were excellent at what they did and worked better as a pair than individually, much like Rio and Vidic now. Couldn't say who was better but my favourite was bruce.

21st April 2008, 07:58	#16 (permalink)
sully07 Reserve Team Player Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Limbo Posts: 1,283	Bruce used to pop up for 6 to 8 goals a season as well. Bruce face was red from the first minute and looked like it was all too much for him. Great partnership.

21st April 2008, 07:59	#17 (permalink)
Dominant Reserve Team Player Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: This tiny, sunny island Posts: 3,603	Dolly and Daisy. They never did worked out who is Dolly and who is Daisy.

21st April 2008, 08:11	#18 (permalink)
Tribec Reserve Team Player Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Out and Proud of it.... I'm a Red and I'm from Salford. Posts: 1,973	Bruce was a similar type of player to Vidic in the present, and Kevin Moran before him, would put his head, body, legs into situations he shouldn't and win the ball, and possibly end up hurt. Pallister on the other hand was a cultured defender, a more elegant version of Paul McGrath, though I'm not sure he was better than the Black Pearl. Pallister is easily comparable to Rio today. It is one of the glaring omissions from English football history that Bruce didn't get at least one cap. However, looking back at the time we (England) were fortunate to have a quite a crop of centre halves. If we look at the 1990 World Cup, England took Butcher and Walker as the number one partnership and at the time they were clearly the best we had. Adams, Pallister and Mark Wright were around the fringes of the team at the time which made it hard for Bruce to get into the squad. Once Butcher quit after 90, the four already mentioned had the position tied up. Walker's last game was 93 for England, however by that point, Keown had come into the squad, and not long afterwards Campbell, Southgate and then Ferdinand. At some point, with Injuries Bruce should have had a call up, but he was just unfortunate that he was playing when the depth in terms of centre halves was quite deep.

21st April 2008, 09:19	#19 (permalink)
CnutOfAllCnuts Bald Boring Cnut Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 17,813	Pallister

21st April 2008, 09:24	#20 (permalink)
Mozza "Geek" Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Football, bloody hell Posts: 15,994	Pallister, I remember quite vividly this one tackle he put on Del Piero, I think it was the game where we finally beat Juve for the first time with a late Giggs goal, anyway Del Piero is on the edge of the area about to release a shot and Pallister puts in a monster tackle to take the ball, an awesome moment in football

21st April 2008, 13:08	#21 (permalink)
Billy Blaggs Billy no mates and im shit at Halo Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: I shit my pants at work and threw my grundies in the dumpster! Beat THAT! Posts: 4,285	I always remember Bruce scoring against Liverpool in the 3-3 at Anfield. Cracking header.

21st April 2008, 13:21	#23 (permalink)
Red Indian Chief Torn Rubber Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Football Fanatics Central..new member of the kill Sjarkus club Posts: 18,315	Glory Glory Pallylluyah (Sorry I couldn''t resist)

21st April 2008, 13:22	#24 (permalink)
brophs Reserve Team Player Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Dublin Posts: 2,499	Pallister made defending look effortless, Bruce was all blood and guts, and unrivalled commitment(Doesn't sound familiar at all does it). While it's an oft repeated joke on here, they are different players, and as such, any real comparison is pointless. What is true, though, is the fact that together they made far more than the sum of their parts. PS. Pallister's last minute free-kick in the last game of the season against Blackburn, which meant every outfield player had scored that season is one of my favourite moments ever.

21st April 2008, 13:34	#25 (permalink)
ConnemaraRed Youth Team Player Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Galway,Ireland Posts: 108	It was said that Pallister was the fastest player over 100m at the club....astonishing when you consider Kanchelskis and Giggs were there at the same time!!! I loved the way he looked fcuked from about 10 mins alright!!!

21st April 2008, 13:47	#26 (permalink)
golden_blunder Admin Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: Swimming against a tide of shite Posts: 42,874	apparently Pally's back was so prone to injuries on the coach journeys that they actually installed a bed for him in it. probably why he looked so knackered all the time

21st April 2008, 14:50	#28 (permalink)
a_devil_inside Big footed hermaphrodite Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Little Britain Posts: 23,222	Pallister was probably the better player, but I always liked Bruce better

21st April 2008, 15:03	#29 (permalink)
Dublin ....wise choice for a Username or not? Discuss. Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: I'm going to Old Trafford next year! Posts: 686	Steve Bruce : at a crucial stage of the 1992/93 campaign, he transformed imminent defeat by Sheffield Wednesday into joyously improbable victory. After 86 minutes, United were a goal down and seemingly doomed to lose vital ground in the title race, when up charged Steve to equalise with a majestic header. Now the Reds were rampant and, some seven heart-stopping minutes into injury time, the skipper lunged forward once more to nod a priceless winner. In that wildly exhilarating moment, as the battered Bruce features dissolved into glee, many believed for the first time that United were destined, at last, to don that elusive crown". The one where Brain Kidd went mental on the pitch after Bruce scored and Fergie did his little dance on the pitch. I got the Utd Video of the 92/93 at the time. It's like like a video diary by Steve Bruce. Priceless. Picture Bruce's accent, after every game we always have autograph hunters (over fotage of the players leaving O.T.), it can be tiring, espec. after a hard game, but....long pause...we never.... long pause... refuse...Class.

21st April 2008, 15:06	#30 (permalink)
Strike Reserve Team Player Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 688	Bruce in my opinion but both were absolutely fantastic for us. I'm pretty sure just looking at their faces scared most strikers off.

21st April 2008, 16:16	#31 (permalink)
Sultan Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Top Red Posts: 14,762	Pallister was very much like Rio. A footballing centre half. Bruce was made in the Vidic mould. SAF has succeeded replicating Bruce/Pally partnership with Rio/Vidic.

21st April 2008, 17:12	#32 (permalink)
Name Changed weso26 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Dublin Posts: 2,505	Pallister was better. He was class.

21st April 2008, 17:17	#33 (permalink)
Keyzer Soze Reserve Team Player Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: The Way I Hear It, Soze's Some Kind Of Butcher. A Peerless, Psycho Butcher. Posts: 3,812	Pallister from what i reme,ber. I just about started watching united at the end of their partnership.