We continue our weekly Worst XI and after completing the polls, we are now revealing the players selected by you. Read on!
You met one-half of the center back pairing in our Worst United XI. But he needs an able partner-in-crime to help make mistakes at the back. So, readers meet the Jack of All Trades and Master of None – Arnie Sidebottom.
Well, Google him up if you haven’t heard of the man (forgiven if you haven’t) and mind you the first few hits are related to his career in cricket rather than one in football. Arnie is the man who played at Old Trafford in winter and pulled on the Whites of Test Cricket for England in the summer.
AT UNITED
Arnie Sidebottom joined United in 1972 as an amateur before signing his professional contract shortly after. His time at United was far from successful as he made just 16 appearances in three years one of which was in the second division (the only year United spent away from the top-flight in the post-war era).
Our Dear Mr. Sidebottom was easily recognizable on the field for his often comedic errors and his hair (don’t get me started on that one). What amazes most people is the fact that he took close to 8 eight years to figure out that football was not for him. His career at United spluttered and broke down before he was finally sold to Huddersfield Town.
AWAY FROM OLD TRAFFORD
After joining Huddersfield in 1975, he spent three years at the club making over 60 league appearances. Admittedly he had a much better time at his new club than at Old Trafford but even then he was not the greatest. He moved on to Halifax Town where after a year he swapped his football boots for bowling spikes.
Arnie Sidebottom was voted the FIFTH worst player to have played in the top-flight in a poll taken by the Times. That list is not the only thing he has appeared on as similar polls by numerous other outlets and he right up there among the elite-bad players in English history.
Ironically, Sidebottom’s son Ryan Sidebottom (you must have heard of this bloke) had a trial at Huddersfield before realizing that football was not for him. Thank the heavens he realized this sooner than his dad.
Interestingly, Arnie is now working as BOTH a football and cricket coach at Woodhouse Grove School in West Yorkshire.
Well folks, that rounds up out center-back pairing in the Worst XI and we have William Prunier and dear ol’ Arnie Sidebottom playing.