THE LIST: 10-1 of the worst ever England international footballers

By Sportsmail Reporter
Updated: 19:01 EDT, 10 September 2009

 

   

  HAVE YOUR SAY...  

 

Who is the worst ever England international? You have to wonder how some players were paid to kick a ball, let alone being given the honour of wearing the Three Lions. The award of whose cap is enough to spark an international incident for you? /sport/chat/r/t-10017324/index.html?threadIndex=0

TELL US WHAT YOU THINK

With the dust settled on England's World Cup qualifier against Croatia, Sportsmail looks at the worst players to have pulled on a shirt for the Three Lions.

Will goalkeeper Scott Carson's terrible fumble spring to mind?

Or hapless defender Carlton Palmer, perhaps?

Or should Seth Johnson or one-cap blunder Michael Ricketts never have played international football? 

Take a look at our list of the top 50 worst ever England international footballers.

And, as always, tell us what you think by posting your views in the comments box below.

Read Nos 50-41
Read Nos 40-31
Read Nos 30-21
Read Nos 20-11

10. Keith Curle (3 caps, 1992)

Never an obvious candidate for international football, Curle had spent his formative years on the boggy pitches of the lower leagues.

Graham Taylor's scatter-gun approach to selection saw the Manchester City player appearing at right-back, only to be replaced by the left-midfielder Andy Sinton.

Few and far between: Keith Curle managed just three England caps while Stuart Ripley (R) had to wait four years to add to his first ever international outing

9. Stuart Ripley (2 caps, 1993-1997)

Given the amount of talent that England had to select from, Ripley's selection can only go down as a clerical error.

The Blackburn right-winger had to wait four years between his two caps.

8. Steve Guppy (1 cap, 1999)

I don't know if you ever heard about the problems England have on the left side of the team? Well, Steve Guppy wasn't the answer. Ever.

Heroes to zero; Steve Guppy and John Fashanu enjoyed celebrated club careers but failed to cut the mustard in a Three Lions shirt

7. John Fashanu (2 caps, 1989)

Proclaimed himself Nigerian but with many Arsenal and Liverpool players absent due to a rescheduled league decider, Fash the bash nabbed a couple of England caps in a handful of days. Oh, the shame.      

6. Francis Jeffers (1 cap, 2003)

Another player that showed promise but delivered precisely nought. 

Fading star: An England Under-21s sensation, it just wasn't to be for Jeffers on the senior stage, never appearing again after a nightmare against Australia

The 'fox in the box' made just the one appearance for Sven, in the nightmare that was the 3-1 friendly defeat to Australia at Upton Park.

5. Geoff Thomas (9 caps, 1991-1992)

A workman-like and honest player which, in Graham Taylor's era was all you needed to make you a regular. 

Cornered: One of Thomas' notable achievements in an England shirt was his header against France... which sailed embarrassingly towards the corner flag

His effort 'on goal' against France in 1992 failed to trouble the goalkeeper as it headed towards the corner flag.  

4. David Nugent (1 cap, 2007)

A 100 per cent scoring record for England. Whatever. 

One cap wonder: Nugent has a perfect record for England; one cap, one goal. But the way he poached Jermain Defoe's goal-bound effort was simply ludicrous

One cap but no hope of any more. Surely? His goal against Andorra in Barcelona came from all of half an inch, much to Jermain Defoe's annoyance.

3. Seth Johnson (1 cap, 2000)

It's tricky trying to decide just what to make of Johnson's career but the fact that he managed to make it on the field with an England shirt on will forever remain a mystery.

One start against Italy in 2000 was enough to leave many an Englishman scratching their heads.

What a pair: Another Under-21 starlet Johnson was awful in his solo senior game while Carlton Palmer epitomised graham Taylor's tumultuous reign in charge

2. Carlton Palmer (18 caps, 1992-1993)

The zenith of Graham Taylor's poor decision making and symptomatic of the hole the national side found themselves in during the era.

Famous for being berated by Taylor for his inability to 'knock it' and his inclusion in all 10 of the failed USA '94 qualifiers.

1. Michael Ricketts (1 cap, 2002)

Ricketts was Bolton's first England player for 40 years but, given his debut, you can bet he wished he hadn't bothered.

A pointless wandering-about-the-pitch performance in a friendly with Holland during which he  looked off the pace and left you wondering how he had managed to find form for his club. 

What a racket: Bolton's first England player in 40 years - it should have been 50...

Subbed halfway through his solitary cap (to be replaced by Kevin Phillips no less) which was only a couple of months ahead of the 2002 World Cup finals but still failed to make the squad. Phew!

To add to Ricketts' woes, his career took a nose-dive soon after his solitary appearance.

BEST OF THE REST OF THE LIST ...

Sportsmail's top 50 commentators of all time

Sportsmail's top 50 sporting venues

Sportsmail's top 50 free-kick kings

Sportsmail's top 50 England heroes

Sportsmail's top 50 performers of the season so far

Sportsmail's top 50 all-time managers in Britain

Sportsmail's top 50 goal poachers

Sportsmail's top 50 footballing traitors

Sportsmail's top 50 FA Cup heroes

Sportsmail's top 50 signings of the season

Sportsmail's greatest Wembley finals in history

Sportsmail's top 50 biggest hitters in cricket

Sportsmail's top 50 British & Irish Lions

Sportsmail's top 50 Ashes heroes

Sportsmail's top 50 partnerships