8. Trevor Meath
Meath is a bit before my time, but he’s a great pick by Malcolm Johnson. He joined City for £6,000 in 1969, which is around £90,000 with inflation. He was an instant hit, smashing five goals in 18 matches, before his injury hell started. Taken off in a 4-0 defeat at Chesterfield, he went to the hospital for a routine operation, and awoke to find he had no kneecap.
He fought back, and after missing almost all of the 1970/71 season, regained his place in the side, only to be stretchered off against Doncaster with ligament damage. He didn’t appear again, but his early form certainly suggested that had he stayed fit, his name might be mentioned alongside those of Dave Smith, Sam Ellis and the other 1976 title-winning side.
7. Sam Habergham
Without Sam Habergham, City wouldn’t have won promotion from the National League. To a degree, he already has his name in lights, but you have to ask, what if? We know he played on with an injury at the end of 2016/17, likely scoring his famous free kick while exaggerating his injury worries.
The following season, he appeared 40 times as we made the play-offs, but could he have been a part of the title-winning side? Harry Toffolo came in, but it felt like we lost prime Sam after the 2017 title win. Maybe he could have pressed on and been a three-time trophy winner, like Harry Anderson.