Hall Of Fame

Introduction

To celebrate the 15th anniversary of Fantasy League in 2006, two more players entered the Fantasy League Hall of Fame - pray silence for Andy Cole and Peter Schmeichel.

Just click on their names to the right to see why these greats got the nod.

Every few seasons the veterans at Fantasy League HQ will propose a shortlist of players based on their legendary past performances and contributions to the world of Fantasy League since we started in 1991. You'll then be able to cast your votes on-line to determine which player will be inaugurated into this exclusive club.

Tony Adams

As the captain and talisman of George Graham's 'boring' side of the late 80's and early 90's, Adams wasn't there for the crowd to take to their hearts. However he was loved by Arsenal and England fans for his undisputable commitment to winning and his never-say-die attitude. Surrounded by his colleagues David Seaman, Lee Dixon, Nigel Winterburn, Steve Bould and Martin Keown, Adams represented the old school footballer. A colossus at the heart of the defence, mistakes were unforgivable, winning was everything and the prospect of him playing for any other club was unthinkable.

Adams wasn't just known for his solid defending though. His leadership skills were beyond question as one look at his face, straining with effort and desire to win, were enough to inspire team mates and frighten those unlucky enough to be marked by him. There was also the small matter of his goals - 32 in the league and 54 overall in his career.

As his club went through a transition period, from a hardened defensive side to a cultured continental outfit, Adams adapted his game too in a way that many wouldn't have thought possible. The man known, not so affectionately by opposition supporters, as 'donkey' became more known for his calm demeanour on the pitch, stroking the ball confidently out of defence. Perhaps his finest hour came in the double win of the 1997/98 season when, cruising 3-0 in a game that would seal the title, Adams made a great run through the middle, was picked out by Steve Bould and majestically finished off with the outside of his boot. It marked the new Arsenal and the new Adams who, two years previously had appeared to be on the scrap heap after admitting his problems with alcohol.

Having retired at the end of the 2002/03 season, Adams has branched out into other areas including a university degree, an unsuccessful spell in management and his latest venture, setting up Sporting Chance, a clinic to help other sportsmen suffering from addiction problems - a fitting way to go on inspiring others as he did throughout his career at Highbury.

Andy Cole

That first year in the game was some season. Cole hit 34 goals in just 40 league games, landing him the European Golden Boot, and the PFA Young Player of the Year Award as he took the Premiership by storm. It wasn't just the goals though, it was the assists too, 15 assists to add to the 34 goals gave Cole a season total of 132 points, just two short of Alan Shearer's all time record of 134.

Cole's Newcastle stay was short lived though, and Manchester United soon swooped. A British record fee of £6 million and Keith Gillespie took the striker to Manchester, where after a difficult start, he added a sackful of trophies and medals to his goals haul, playing a significant part in United's treble success, grabbing 17 league goals in just 27 matches.

Although Cole never reached the points scoring heights of that first season again, it was perhaps the year following the treble triumph that he peaked. 19 goals and six assists in just 23 league matches, an average of three points per match, was Cole at his ruthless best, and by this time a more rounded player had added no small measure of skill and finesse to his game - one acrobatic volley from 20 yards against Leicester will live long in the memory.

Cole continued to bang in the goals, in the remainder of his United career, before stints at Blackburn, Fulham, Manchester City, Portsmouth and Sunderland. Despite the goals, and the trophies, nagging doubts over the players ability remained in some minds, in particular Glenn Hoddle's, meaning that one of the most prolific and decorated footballers in the British game never made it to a major international tournament.

Cole's standing in Fantasy League however will always remain high - as it should for a man who scored a remarkable 739 points. Why this player was held in such high esteem is no better highlighted than by the Fantasy League managers themselves:

'Season upon season of goal scoring. Even in the twilight of his career.' - Josef Anthony-Black

'Not only one of the best goalscorers but also a great assist maker.' - Roger Shaw

'For someone who was rated as a one in five merchant, his record speaks for itself.' - Josh Bhim.

Ryan Giggs

The following season saw him cement his place in the starting line up, effectively ending the United career of Lee Sharpe, and, barring the odd hamstring problem, he's been dazzling the Old Trafford fans down the left flank ever since.

During his career Giggs has become one of the most decorated men in football history, picking up a clean sweep of domestic honours on his way to a record 11 Premiership medals, four FA Cup winners medals, four League Cup winners medals and two European Cup winners medals.

Considering that Giggs is loved and feared for his searing pace, mazy running and unpredictability when facing defenders, it's almost strange that the thing most admirable about his play has been his consistency. Whilst there have been barren patches, the winger has always been on hand to produce the goods, having scored more than 30 Fantasy League points in 13 of the 19 seasons that Fantasy League has been running.

Whilst his performances all over the World have captured the eye, perhaps the finest moment of his career came at Villa Park in the FA Cup Semi-Final in 1999. Giggs produced one of the best solo goals ever seen as he tore through a tired Arsenal defence and put his side into the final, going on to complete the treble.

Giggs was rewarded by his club with a testimonial in 2001/02 and celebrated with a sell out match against Celtic at Old Trafford. As the years pass by there seems to be no let up as he continues to fly down the left wing for both club and country. Others may have been hard for Alex Ferguson to replace but when Giggs finally hangs up his number eleven shirt it will undoubtedly mark the end of an era.

Matt Le Tissier

However, it was in the mid-1990s that Le Tiss really became the phenomenon of Fantasy League by setting records which stood for over 10 years.

In consecutive seasons, Le Tissier scored 25 goals and 10 assists, swiftly followed by 19 goals and 17 assists - gaining Fantasy League tallies of 95 and 91 points respectively from his attacking midfield position.

After seasons of 41 and 39 points, Le Tiss returned with another half century of points in 1997/98, but was then hindered by injuries for the remainder of his career.

Despite securing 35 points in 1998/99, the man dubbed "God" by Southampton fans could only muster 22 points in total during the next three seasons, before finally opting to draw the curtain on his career at the end of the current campaign.

However, Le Tiss did have the privilege of scoring the last ever goal at The Dell, netting the winner in the 3-2 victory over Arsenal, before the Saints moved onto the all-new St. Mary's Stadium at the start of the 2001/2 season.

Le Tissier's career points total of 471 remained a Fantasy League record for a midfielder until recently when he was passed by the likes of Ryan Giggs and Frank Lampard, albeit over a much longer space of time. Nevertheless Le Tissier will deserves his place in the Hall of Fame. Matt Le Tissier....we salute you!

Peter Schmeichel

Born on 18th November 1963 in Gladsaxe, Denmark, Schmeichel made an immediate impact on the Manchester United team keeping 17 clean sheets in that first season, and from then on his influence never diminished. From 1991-1999 Schmeichel could lay claim to being the top goalkeeper in the league, and that claim is upheld by becoming the first goalkeeper to be voted into the Fantasy League Hall of Fame.

Be it the constant rants at his defenders, his huge presence in the goal, his unique style learnt from playing handball in Denmark, or just the sheer brilliance of some of the saves that he made, Schmeichel had a huge influence on the English game.

Thought to be seasonly worth 15-20 Premiership points alone to Manchester United during the 90s, the great Dane was as important starting attacks as he was stopping them. With a monster throw and a quick eye for a break, the keeper was responsible for starting many attacks exploiting the running power of Ryan Giggs, Andrei Kanchelskis, Lee Sharpe and Andy Cole amongst others. Indeed Schmeichel managed to collect nine assists for himself during his time at United.

His ability to score 30, 40 or even 50 Fantasy League points a season marked him out amongst his peers, and made him the must have keeper of his time. Schmeichel's trophy haul with United, including the treble winning season, stands out. Throw in a European Championship winners medal from the surprise Denmark team of 1992, and Schmeichel was royally rewarded for his ability.

After leaving United, he went to Sporting Lisbon and then returned to the Premiership, first with Aston Villa, before playing one season with Manchester City. It was whilst at Villa however, that Schmeichel got the reward for all those last minute lung busting runs into the opponents box for corners, when he scored against Everton.

But for all his character and immense presence, it is the outstanding saves - from Klinsmann in the Euro'92 final, to the Bankesque stop against Rapid Vienna, to the semi-final penalty save from Bergkamp, to the one man barrier he put up against Newcastle in '96, to name just a few instances - that marked Schmeichel out as possibly the best, and rightfully the first keeper to make it into the Hall of Fame. Here's what you thought:

'Quite simply the best goalkeeper in the world ever! Just ask Dennis Bergkamp!!' - Marcus Bowkett.

'He was just annoyingly brilliant.' - David Compton

'The stats don't lie. If you're going to have one goalkeeper in the Hall of Fame it has to be the big Dane.' Dave Foy

Alan Shearer

Shearer bagged a brace on his Blackburn debut and never looked back! He and Chris Sutton formed the much heralded SAS partnership that helped win the Premiership title for "the side that Jack (Walker) built" in the 1994/95 season, scoring 134 Fantasy League points in the process - a record that still stands as the highest tally for a season. His record of scoring over 100 points in three consecutive seasons has only ever since been matched by Thierry Henry.

In the summer of 1996, Shearer snubbed Manchester United to join Newcastle for a World record fee of £15million and the goals have continued to flow ever since, although his one disappointment would be that he has failed to inspire the Magpies to a major trophy.

Shearer also scored 30 goals in 63 appearances for England before retiring from the international scene in 2002 to concentrate on his club career.

A true professional, Shearer was deservedly awarded an OBE for services to the game in 2001 and was named "Premiership player of the decade".

So Alan.... step inside the Hall of Fame, you legend!