WHEN Town fans talk of ball-winning midfielders, Jimmy McGill is never far from top of the list.

The tough-tackling Scot was nicknamed Chopper by the Leeds Road faithful of the late 60s and early 70s and was a driving force in the famous 1969-70 Second Division Championship side.

He has been nominated to the list of Town Favourites by Graham Denby.

The Linthwaite-based fan says: "Jimmy was a tiger in blue and white stripes. He could have won the ball off King Kong."

The popular McGill, who still lives in Huddersfield, will be one of the players considered for a book of the club's top 100 favourites.

It will be published to coincide with the club's centenary in 2008 and nominations are being taken until Christmas this year, when a panel of judges will make the final decisions.

Also added to the list this week are McGill's teammate Colin Dobson, early favourite Ernie Islip and England full-back Ron Staniforth, who played in the famous unchanged defence of 1952-53.

ERNIE ISLIP arrived at Town in June 1911 from Douglas FC.

He made his League debut in 1913-14 and guested for Sheffield Wednesday before wartime service in Egypt.

Returning to Leeds Road in December 1919, Islip made his name as a penetrative forward in a Town side which boasted several noted goalscorers.

Born at Parkwood Springs, near Sheffield, on October 31, 1892, he was essentially an inside-forward but also a useful leader of the attack.

He appeared in the 1920 FA Cup final as a replacement for the suspended Billy Smith, after only three appearances in Town's Second Division promotion-winning side.

Two years later his goals helped Town win the FA Cup and he ended the season as leading scorer.

Islip missed Town's later glory years, signing for Birmingham in November 1923, for around £1,500. Although his best years were behind him, he netted 24 goals in 89 League and Cup games for the Blues, including a scoring debut against West Ham.

He remained first choice until losing his place to George Briggs and dropped two divisions to sign for Bradford City in May 1927, in a £400 deal which saw Aubrey Scriven also move to Valley Parade.

Islip, though, made only six appearances before leaving for Kidderminster Harriers in August 1928.

The following month he joined Ashton National and retired altogether in February 1929, after a brief comeback with Wrexham.

He took a pub in Lindley and died in August 1941, aged 48.

Nominated by: Peter Weatherburn, Longwood.

COLIN DOBSON was a small but skilful wingman and played a key role in the Second Division championship side of 1969-70.

He joined Sheffield Wednesday's groundstaff in 1955, signing as a full-time professional in 1961.

Making an early impact over at Hillsborough, he won two England Under 23 caps but was surprisingly out of favour during 1965-66, missing the Owls' FA Cup final appearance that season.

In August 1966, after scoring 52 goals in 193 first-team appearances, he joined Town for £21,000.

In September 1968, having finished the previous season as top scorer, Dobson refused to re-sign until offered an improved contract. He topped Town's goalscoring charts again that season and then helped lift the Division II title. He broke a leg during a month's loan with Brighton in January 1972, but recovered to join Bristol Rovers six months later and helped them to promotion to Division II in 1974. Dobson left Eastville in May 1976.

Nominated by: John Marston, Dewsbury.

Ron Staniforth

A TALL, cultured full-back, Ron Staniforth played under Andy Beattie's managership at both Stockport County and Town.

He developed into one of the game's best defenders in the 1950s, after becoming a professional at the relatively late age of 22.

Staniforth was born in 1924 in Manchester and, after serving with the Navy during World War II, he became a milkman and played local football.

Stockport signed him as a full-timer in October 1946 and, despite his consistently fine performances, they managed to hang on to him until May 1952, when Town finally prised him away from Edgeley Park.

Although Staniforth spent only a short time at Leeds Road, he will forever be a part of their history, being one of the famous unchanged defence of 1952-53, when Town won promotion back to the top flight at the first attempt.

He helped them attain third place at the end of the following campaign and, in 1954, added eight full England caps to his "B" team appearances.

Dropped after having been given the run-around by Newcastle's Bobby Mitchell in a sixth-round FA Cup tie at St James's Park in March 1955, he never regained his first team place at Leeds Road.

The following July he went to Sheffield Wednesday, along with Roy Shiner, in a deal which brought Jackie Marriott and Tony Conwell the other way.

Staniforth made 333 League appearances for the Owls, helping them to the Second Division championship in 1956 and 1959.

Nominated by: Les Stones, Slaithwaite

Jimmy McGill

TOUGH tackler Jimmy McGill joined Arsenal in 1965 from Glasgow junior club Possilpark YMCA.

His debut came in a Highbury clash with Leeds United on May 5, 1966, when it was his misfortune to appear before the lowest post-war First Division crowd at that time.

McGill's senior chances were limited, however, and in September 1967 he dropped a division to sign for Town for £10,000.

The move paid off and in 1969-70 he was ever-present in Town's Second Division championship side.

Appearing in either his favoured inside-left position, or at wing-half, he proved a great ball-winner who set up attacks for Frank Worthington and Co.

In October 1971, as Town's fortunes were about to slide, McGill was snapped up by Hull City for around £55,000 and he was appointed the Tiger's skipper. With Hull established in mid-table in Division II, he signed for Third Division strugglers Halifax Town in February 1976.

Nominated by: Graham Denby, Linthwaite.