LUFCTALK

David Batty was mine and still is, he was everything a footballer should be, down to earth, tough, from Leeds and played for Leeds.

My other few are Richard Naylor, Bobby Davison and Vinnie Jones

Norman Bite yer legs Hunter for me. I was lucky to have met him recently at a charity do, he is a top bloke and told some great stories from the Golden years.

Malcolm Stark wrote:Duncan McKenzie was the cult hero of all cult heroes.

I was invited to Forest as a VIP for the Leeds game a couple of seasons ago with my wife. I have a book called where are they now and have managed to get a lot of the different players autographs. Any way I had read somewhere that Kenny Burns was involved in corporate hospitality there and asked my wife to pop the book and a pen in her bag, much to her annoyance. We arrived early and a chap who seemed to be playing mine host saw my Leeds badge on my lapel and started joking with me, I thought I vaguely recognised him but had to ask someone who it was and it was Ian Bowyer and when he came past me again the banter continued and he casually said the guest speaker was just about to start and I may be interested as it was Duncan McKenzie. He was actually selling A4 black and white photos of him jumping over a mini in front of the west stand he did however sign my book

Outside after the game and fans had left I stood outside the club shop having a smoke when out of the corner of my eye I saw John McGovern and John O'Hare so I sauntered across and asked if they would sign the book, which they did. All in all a successful night, as we had won 4-0 as well

Nice story. I like the fact that McGovern has no bitter memories of his short time at Leeds, even though it must have been a miserable time. Every time I hear him, he's a funny, straight-talking bloke.

Might he have eventually succeeded under Jimmy Armfield? Maybe, but we'll never know.

He was a very good player and the kind you never noticed till he wasn't in the team.

I guess the closest analogy in the modern game for us would be Batty, or Makelele when he was at Real or Gilberto at Arsenal.

Malcolm Stark wrote:Nice story. I like the fact that McGovern has no bitter memories of his short time at Leeds, even though it must have been a miserable time. Every time I hear him, he's a funny, straight-talking bloke.

Might he have eventually succeeded under Jimmy Armfield? Maybe, but we'll never know.

Don't think either of them were that happy when they realised I was a Leeds fan if I'm honest Neither of them were ever given a chance, McGovern was actually a really good player but the fans were on their backs from Day 1. If you are to believe everything you see and hear McKenzie was Clough's ears and eyes in the dressing room reporting all the goings on back to Clough. This is actually portrayed in the Damned United.

I've just looked up that O'Hare played 6 games and McGovern 4 for us, if memory serves me correctly I don't think either played for Leeds post Clough. Hopefully there's someone on here that can confirm that.

Norman and TC for me. I compare all full backs to TC. If they don't overlap like Terry they're only doing half a job IMO. Give me an overlapping full back over a winger every time. White boots anall. Now they all wear fancy bits of kangaroo and the like. Back then white boots made me purr.

Of later players, Bowyer and Bridges. Bridges would have been an absolute star but for injury. Bowyer was the one though. A midfield player who gets ahead of the ball is priceless and exciting. To see Bowyer doing that and pointing where he wanted the ball was fantastic.

Which only leaves Howson. He was our best since the drop. A bit Bowyeresque. From the moment he beat Carlisle giving me one of the nights of my life I was hooked. Could pass a ball 40 yards but running at the heart of the defence when he decided to take the game by the scruff of the neck he was peerless. Worked his cobs off for the team anall. We currently have no one comparable. Sadly missed.

Most of my main 'Cult Heroes' of Leeds have been mentioned. A few more are worth a mention though.
First started watching Leeds in '85 so the first heroes were John Sheridan, Mervyn Day and Ian Baird. From around the promotion and '92 Champions team; John Lukic, Steve Hodge and Rod Wallace. Hodge always seemed to make something happen when he came on and usually in important games. Being a winger, Danny Wallace was one of my favourite players. Younger sibling Rod was even better and then signed for us.
In the dark mid '90's Robert 'the Terminator' Molenaar brought a bit of light with his earth shuddering tackles. Some opponents must still be nursing their bruises. Who can forget Weatherall and that goal? 'Ooh Ah, Masinga!' Never quite made it with us but was a bit of a cult figure. Was it against Oxford when he scored a hat-trick?
Always liked Alfie and he put in some impressive performances in during the UEFA Cup run. He would always be a bit ropey for the first 10 minutes then solid as a rock after that. It was a shame what Roy Keane did to him when he joined Man City. Michael Bridges performances in the UEFA Cup especially were top drawer. O'Leary called him, his Bergkamp. He really was that talented but the injury in Turkey meant he never fulfilled his potential. After a game against Newcastle when he did everything but score. He was out in a Restaurant in Wetherby and as way of apology for wasting so many chances, he did the washing up.
From recent years, Fabian Delph and Max Gradel stand out for me. You just really looked forward to seeing what they were going to do in the game. You want to see players do something special. Do something that you can't. Something that gets you off your seat. They rarely disappointed.

Have to agree with Bowyer and Howson too. Bowyer made the likes of Gerrard and Lampard look average and pedestrian when he was in his pomp. The decline of the team since Howson's injury and then sale is still evident.

For me I'll go for Vinny' , Chapman, Andy Hughes , Batty , Howson , also used to like Chris "patch" Whyte .

Btw birkybull, I used to love Bridges and thought he would have gone on to be an England regular if not for the injury he got against the Turks, top player.