Paul Madeley! One of LUFC's very best, surely?

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Malcolm Stark
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Paul Madeley! One of LUFC's very best, surely?

Post by Malcolm Stark »

So last week, I placed my very best-ever Leeds United XI in the Forum, and was kind of ostracised for picking Paul Madeley instead of everybody else's pick Eddie Gray.

My team, for the record was Harvey/ Martyn, Reaney, Charlton, Hunter, Cooper, Lorimer/Currie, Bremner, Giles, Madeley, Clarke and Charles, (eventually, after some persuasion...
...I would probably go for Lorimer at 7, with my head, but Tony Currie was one of my all-time favourite players, so I put him in as a plus-sub... he's TOO GOOD to be a sub.)

We can all agree on one thing. The seven seasons 1968-75 were the seven greatest seasons in LUFC's history. They won one League Cup win in 67-68, and then a title in 92, but nothing before or after. They won five major trophies, during those seven unlucky, unjust seasons, and were runners-up on seven other occasions. Not many teams in the history of English football, except for Liverpool after 1976, or Man Utd after 96, can offer the same type of success. No other teams even get close to that. Fact.

I've scanned all my Rothmans, and Football League books from the 60s, and concluded that you don't know what you're talking about, if you think that Eddie Gray should be in an all-time LUFC XI instead of Madeley.

First, in First Division matches between 1968 and 1975, Norman Hunter was second-highest in appearances with 260 STARTS, ahead of Lorimer with 254, then Bremner with 250 with Paul Reaney fifth with 231 league starts.

Top, with 264 First Division starting appearances, though, was Paul Madeley between 1968-75.

In the Cups, in which Leeds came second on four occasions, Peter Lorimer was second-placed with 101 starting appearances in seven seasons. Bremner was third with 98, then Hunter with 96 and with Reaney in fifth with 92.

Top, with 103 Cup starting appearances between 1968 and 1975, was obviously Paul Madeley.

Now, I'm a mere Newcastle fan, and since their achievements since my birth can only dream of competing with Leeds in regards of trophy-winning successes, I can't imagine having a sub like Madeley in my team, even tough he started 367 league and cup games in seven very successful seasons (52 average games per season).

That must make people a little complacent, and like some "Scum" fans, more likely to disregard their true legends. I can only dream of such complacency... my all-time NUFC will follow in the Football thread later... but the very idea of ignoring the most prolific player in both league and cup games from the greatest period of my team's history, to be displaced by a flash and skilful winger, albeit a little inconsistent and injury-prone, is completely bizarre to me.

Paul Madeley HAS to be in LUFC's greatest ever team...

I welcome your arguments on this subject.

"How can you not put Eddie Gray in the team?" someone screeched. Well, there you are. Eddie Gray played in less than half of your games between 68-75, so you show me your hand, instead. I've just done a good night's work. In praise of one of your greatest legends, seen by you as a "decent utility player!"
Last edited by Malcolm Stark on 08 Sep 2013, 03:03, edited 6 times in total.
Davycc
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Re: Paul Madeley! One of LUFC's very best, surely?

Post by Davycc »

I won't argue, I will only wish we had the same cause for discussion today
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Malcolm Stark
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Re: Paul Madeley! One of LUFC's very best, surely?

Post by Malcolm Stark »

I do admit, the results stunned even me. I expected Madeley to be second or third behind either Bremner or Hunter, so for him to be top in both league and cup starting appearances was amazing.
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Re: Paul Madeley! One of LUFC's very best, surely?

Post by Deleted User 728 »

Malcolm, who do you support ?
Malcolm Stark
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Re: Paul Madeley! One of LUFC's very best, surely?

Post by Malcolm Stark »

I said in my post who I support. Newcastle.

What is your point?
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Re: Paul Madeley! One of LUFC's very best, surely?

Post by Deleted User 728 »

Just asking, that's all.

I knew it wasn't Leeds and just wondered - I didn't read your entire post, obviously.
Malcolm Stark
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Re: Paul Madeley! One of LUFC's very best, surely?

Post by Malcolm Stark »

Obviously, I did realise that.

Above everything else though, I am a football lover. I see football far differently than I did twenty years ago. I've finished with petty rivalries. I've even embraced Sunderland's team from 73-76 over the past two years... not many since though.

I think it's clear from all my posts how important Leeds United is to my footballing ideology.
Malcolm Stark
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Re: Paul Madeley! One of LUFC's very best, surely?

Post by Malcolm Stark »

I don't think many on here actually read the entirety of all my posts, but that's fine.
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Selby White
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Re: Paul Madeley! One of LUFC's very best, surely?

Post by Selby White »

Difficult to argue because Paul Madeley was world class, strong, quick, good passer, good tackler, shill, stamina, strong in the air, had everthing. I think one of the reasons he doesn't get put in peoples "greatest ever" teams is he actually never had his own position, where all our other great players from the glory years had cast in stone positions.
His ability to adapt to play anywhere in the Dons system was a massive asset to the team but actually wrongly counts against him in this argument.

I believe his best position was midfield and I'll go as far to say if Gordon McQueen hadn't been sent off in Barcelona in 75 and getting suspended forcing PM to play centre half instead of midfield we would have beaten the germans, losing his ability in the engine room was a big issue.

Back in the day i heard many people descibe him as a Rolls Royce among footballers.
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Re: Paul Madeley! One of LUFC's very best, surely?

Post by Deleted User 130 »

Paul Madeley is always a matter of friendly debate, as is the whole Best XI thing. How can you pick your best eleven when you haven't seen all the players? So it makes it a bit of a fallacy really for me, though a brilliant and interesting fallacy :D.

I never saw Il Gigante Buono play, or Bobby Collins, but everyone says JC was one of the best players ever in the world, and Leeds United might not have got anywhere without Don Revie signing Bobby Collins.

Revie always said that Madeley was the best full back in the world, certainly defesnively, while other experts at LU rated him even better in central midfield, as the 'anchor' type player or whatever they used to call it in those days.

Tony Currie, who I also near worshipped MS, was arguably better at Sheff U than he was at Leeds.
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