David Crown

redpete

redpete

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David Crown

I was asked today if I knew anything of David Crown, who played briefly for the Bees in the early 1980s, and was generally a journeyman footballer (I guess) around the lower divisons. Before my time at GP, not a name I've heard thrown around, and from skimming through the bits and pieces I can find on the web I can build up a vague picture. But if anyone can offer anything more concrete (the guy who asked me, a lifelong West Ham fan fwiw, went through school with him, primary and secondary). Anything I can pass on welcomed. Ta.
 

David Crown

Really good left winger - I liked him a lot. His successor Gary Roberts was better though.
 

David Crown

Good player.....played v Pompey.....had a blinder and they signed him....not much known after that......:sorted:...YOU REDS....
 

David Crown

He was a very quick left winger who looked like a slighter version of Danis Salman. Went past his man easily enough but often no end product similar to Hunty when he was here. Seem to recall he started finding the net more regularly once he left us.
 

David Crown

Think we let him go to Portsmouth straight swap for kamara
 

David Crown

He had a great career and scored freely when converted to central striker. Qualified accountant now.
 

David Crown

Crownie was an excellent winger who never really seemed to fit in, almost as if the other players found him a bit of a stiff. The fact that he now runs his own accountancy firm probably tells the unknown story. Gasping Roberts was so much more popular but probably half as talented imo.
I loved Doug Alder and Terry Johnson and cant recall who was on the right when Crown played on the left but seem to remember them being more popular with the fans as well.
 

David Crown

David Crown was a quality left winger who
broke into the side around the same time as Terry Hurlock and as a result probably didn't grab as much attention.
He was an intelligent winger who was unplayable on his day but prone to drift out of games if he got clattered early...as a result he was regularly clattered early but Allder, Roberts, Smillie and Weston aside was one if the most exciting wingers we had at GP.... On his day
 

David Crown

RoyalOakBee said:
Crownie was an excellent winger who never really seemed to fit in, almost as if the other players found him a bit of a stiff. The fact that he now runs his own accountancy firm probably tells the unknown story. Gasping Roberts was so much more popular but probably half as talented imo.
I loved Doug Alder and Terry Johnson and cant recall who was on the right when Crown played on the left but seem to remember them being more popular with the fans as well.
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Paul Shrubb? Barry Silkman? Paul Walker? One of these IIRC. I Can't think!

David came from Walthamstow IIRC. One of 3 Fred Callaghan brought in from non-league when he made the changes in 1980/81. Hurlock (leytonstone), Crown (walthamstow) & Roberts (Wembley)

David Crown played just the one season (80-81) before a straight swap deal with Chris Kamara and Portsmouth.
 

David Crown

Think we played 4-3-3 with only 1 winger with Booker and Funnell then Johnson and Frost up front and Hurlock, Shrubb and Walker/Harris in the middle
 

David Crown

Crikey, that was quick! Many thanks for all the responses guys.
 

David Crown

very good winger, not sure if gary roberts was better, but at the time it was very good buisness to get Kamara
 

David Crown

David Crown

Crown destroyed Charlton's right back in the League Cup at Griffin Park on his debut. He beat him and then went back and beat him again, leaving the poor sap on his arse. Crown also scored a terrific goal from the corner of the box as I remember. Such a skillful and exciting player, he was a joy to watch :sorted:
 

David Crown

JimLevack said:
David Crown was a quality left winger who
broke into the side around the same time as Terry Hurlock and as a result probably didn't grab as much attention.
He was an intelligent winger who was unplayable on his day but prone to drift out of games if he got clattered early...as a result he was regularly clattered early but Allder, Roberts, Smillie and Weston aside was one if the most exciting wingers we had at GP.... On his day
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My memory of him was that he was brilliant on his day but as I mentioned before like Hunty after him and Barry Salvage before him, inconsistent and frequently he'd overdo it and dribble out of the danger area and forget to deliver an end product. I know as he matured he developed into a front man with goals in him but personally I think we got the best of the deal as Kamara was a legend as a player IMHO.
 

David Crown

He was a skillful winger who scored some great goals, but as we had two wingers (Gary Roberts the other) we had the chance to swap him for Chris Kamara as we needed a midfielder. This was probably after he scored a cracking goal at Fratton Park, which i can remember vividly.
 

David Crown

Beeky38 said:
The official website runs one in the news section, last one I saw was about Darren Freeman
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:imwith:

they are articles/interviews. that is not what i meant at all. see the watford link and the pompey one above.
 

David Crown

wanderer paul said:
Paul Shrubb? Barry Silkman? Paul Walker? One of these IIRC. I Can't think!

David came from Walthamstow IIRC. One of 3 Fred Callaghan brought in from non-league when he made the changes in 1980/81. Hurlock (leytonstone), Crown (walthamstow) & Roberts (Wembley)

David Crown played just the one season (80-81) before a straight swap deal with Chris Kamara and Portsmouth.
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None of those were right wingers although they played a few out wide, Shrubb I think was more like a Sam Wood, Silkman was a mid fielder but only played about a dozen times for the Bees, young Walker was a lightweight but played a few. :shrug:

I can remember when Hurlock, Roberts and Crown signed during 1980 close season and the pre-season friendly against Chelsea when David was up against Clive Walker who was a very fast right winger but had to spend most of the game tracking Crown back because he was quicker. :eek:

I think Chelsea were so impressed they tried to sign him after the match but Fred said no and released Doug Allder in July. :D

I think Garry Roberts might have started off on the right that season and switched left to replace Crown in ’81 when Portsmouth offered any one of their players as an exchange, Fred chose their captain, Cris Kamara and brought in Stan Bowles for right mid., then Roger Joseph and Tony Mahoney up top, shame he never had enough for a better defence. :sad:


redpete said:
I was asked today if I knew anything of David Crown, who played briefly for the Bees in the early 1980s, and was generally a journeyman footballer (I guess) around the lower divisons. Before my time at GP, not a name I've heard thrown around, and from skimming through the bits and pieces I can find on the web I can build up a vague picture. But if anyone can offer anything more concrete (the guy who asked me, a lifelong West Ham fan fwiw, went through school with him, primary and secondary). Anything I can pass on welcomed. Ta.
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This link should help redpete. :sorted:

http://www.football-england.com/david_crown.html
 

David Crown

David Crown was a right talent IMO, didn't he break his leg at Pompey as things were beginning to look good for him?
Not many came back from broken legs in those days, a sponge and a stretcher and a pat on the head was the initial treatment from what I remember, F Joseph and T Mahoney are two very fecking good examples!
Changed his game and became a prolific CF after losing his pace, one of the first players to make really get excited about watching BFC.
 

David Crown

Theobee said:
I can remember when Hurlock, Roberts and Crown signed during 1980 close season and the pre-season friendly against Chelsea when David was up against Clive Walker who was a very fast right winger but had to spend most of the game tracking Crown back because he was quicker.]
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I too vividly remember that friendly against Chelsea. Crown gave a masterful example of very skilful, high speed, wing play and tore the Chelsea defence apart time after time. In terms of trickery with the ball he is certainly among the leading exponents that Brentford have had in the last 30years.
 

David Crown

How do people think Crown compares with Tony Folan? Better? Inferior?
 

David Crown

Crown was one of the many newbies Callaghan signed for his world famous 'adidas' team of 1980-81.
 

David Crown

I remember him as a striker after i started watching the bees, his goal ratio on wikipedia is very impressive.
 

David Crown

Folan the more skilful of the 2 IMHO, but Crown's long career showed more commitment than Folan could manage
 

David Crown

Brain-dead Bee said:
Crown's long career showed more commitment than Folan could manage
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his family came first, Brentford did everything to help him.. nothing to do with commitment:nono:
 

David Crown

bees66 said:
his family came first, Brentford did everything to help him.. nothing to do with commitment:nono:
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Wasn't aware of the circs - if it was that, wrong of me to question his commitment.... but stil sad to see such potential unfulfilled
 

David Crown

Brain-dead Bee said:
Wasn't aware of the circs - if it was that, wrong of me to question his commitment.... but stil sad to see such potential unfulfilled
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no worries, think i've mentioned this quite abit on the gpg over the years..:D
 

David Crown

Started really well at GP but seemed to lose his way a bit as the season went on. Possibly other sides became aware of his ability. He used to get a lot of stick for dropping really deep to pick the ball up, presumably under orders though. I also remember he used to raise both arms in the air before taking corners, what he was signalling I never worked out but quite a few in the crowd used to copy him at the time. Silkman doesn't get many mentions but he was a clever player who fell out with the management and was on his bike soon after. The early Callaghan years were among my favourites at GP and some class players wore the red and white during that time.
 

David Crown

Wise old Bee said:
Silkman doesn't get many mentions but he was a clever player who fell out with the management and was on his bike soon after
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wasn't it over a few pounds a week extra that he wanted?
 

David Crown

There are very few single season players that I remember let alone enjoy talking about and Davie Crown is one of them.
From the time he ripped Chelsea apart, the Portsmouth and Charlton games and even the dodgey ones on heavy pitches to the disappointment of his going. He was the reason I moved to the New Road side and Roberts kept me there.
 

David Crown

Don't think it was money - I believe there was a row over criticism (by Fred??) after a game & that was it. A pity at the time because BS was a very good player.

QUOTE=bees66;1802983]wasn't it over a few pounds a week extra that he wanted?[/QUOTE]
 

David Crown

KGB said:
Don't think it was money - I believe there was a row over criticism (by Fred??) after a game & that was it. A pity at the time because BS was a very good player.

QUOTE=bees66;1802983]wasn't it over a few pounds a week extra that he wanted?
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[/QUOTE]

Silkman is/was a bit of an oddball who no one seems to have any time for even when he was kicking a football. As a youngster he was highly rated at Palace and I was at RAF Mitcham late 70's watching a friendly behind closed doors between Chelsea and Palace - Wilkins brothers, Brian Bason, Gary Stanley era.
It was a competitive, entertaining game and Silkman who had skill and an abundance of confidence but an almost comedy running style, beat his full back and then said something taking the p*** which infuriated a very young Chelsea side that they all ran over and piled in and a free for all broke out......Silkman was then subbed for his own good on the club refs instruction. He somehow got a move to City but I never thought he was that good, very cocksure and thick skinned, probably why he's a successful agent!
 

David Crown


Silkman is/was a bit of an oddball who no one seems to have any time for even when he was kicking a football. As a youngster he was highly rated at Palace and I was at RAF Mitcham late 70's watching a friendly behind closed doors between Chelsea and Palace - Wilkins brothers, Brian Bason, Gary Stanley era.
It was a competitive, entertaining game and Silkman who had skill and an abundance of confidence but an almost comedy running style, beat his full back and then said something taking the p*** which infuriated a very young Chelsea side that they all ran over and piled in and a free for all broke out......Silkman was then subbed for his own good on the club refs instruction. He somehow got a move to City but I never thought he was that good, very cocksure and thick skinned, probably why he's a successful agent![/QUOTE]

I remember Silkman starring for Plymouth at GP (though we won the game) so was delighted when we signed him; he started well, but there was a fall-out of some sort after a couple of dozen games, and that was it
 

David Crown

Beeky38 said:
How do people think Crown compares with Tony Folan? Better? Inferior?
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NorthamptonBee said:
Better.
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nick logan said:
Miles better, plus he meant his good goals !!
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absenteebee said:
Miles better but Myles' NOT Better.
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blunstone said:
crown by a cm.
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!!!! :eek::eek::eek:!!!! Gentlemen! I am horrified! David Crown was a great player by 80s Third Division standards but I still weep when I think of how Noades wasted Folan's talent by leaving him on the bench for 90% of his Brentford career. My opinion is that Folan was the most exciting, underestimated and under used Brentford player I've ever seen. When Noades eventually gave him ten minutes you just never knew what was going to happen. He was on a completely different level to anything I've ever seen at GP - I really mean that. Nothing against the Crownmeister who I loved dearly, but better than Folan? C'monnnnnnn :confused:!!!!

By the way Brain-dead Bee (and anyone else who is interested), David Crown can be seen strutting his funky stuff right here on the GPG in this little game at Walsall :sorted:.

https://griffinpark.org/forums/showthread.php?t=91460
 

David Crown

Just seen David Crown being interviewed on BBC LookEast. Apparently, he's stayed in the Southend area and is a big fan. Looked a lot older than I remember!
 

David Crown

One of my enduring GP memories. One of the more vociferous supporters telling David Crown: "Crown, you're gutless, you're f**kin' gutless". Probably summed things up in that macho era but as some have said on this thread he had good skills and scored some cracking goals.
 

David Crown

Top bloke - met him when i was invited to hospitality at Southend for the 4-1 league cup tie several years ago … always good to see ex-players thriving
 
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