Mick Harford
Mick Harford is perhaps a little bit of heart ruling head, because there are parts of our game I think he’d be superb at and others where I’m less certain. I didn’t see him during his early years at Lincoln, but I did watch him for Luton, Chelsea and Derby, as well as seeing him play for England against Israel. There is absolutely no question about the level: a prime Mick Harford plays second-tier football all day long and twice on a Sunday. With his heading ability and willingness to get on the end of things, I can only imagine what he’d make of the long throws and set pieces we put into the penalty area.
It brings me back to the John Fashanu selection, although my recollection is that Harford was a little less inclined towards the violence and a little less likely to chase in behind. That’s where the uncertainty comes in, because I wouldn’t pretend to know exactly how the younger version would cope with everything we demand from our forwards now. If his mobility in those earlier years was better than the player I remember, then the case becomes stronger still.
Either way, I’d happily have him on the bench for the last 20 minutes when we want to go full heavy metal, get bodies around the box and give defenders something very uncomfortable to deal with.
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