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Johnny Haynes & Duncan Edwards

Started by Funky Fulham Dave, February 10, 2016, 08:28:36 AM

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Funky Fulham Dave



Asked to name three players from the past that he would have loved to have watched playing live, the respected South American football journalist Tim Vickery named our own Johnny Haynes in his selection.

I was lucky to see some of the very best players at the Cottage – Law, Best, Charlton, Ball, Banks, the great Leeds team, West Ham which included the "World Cup 3" and loads, loads more. But the player that everyone talks about from that postwar era and the player that I would have loved to have seen was Manchester United and England player Duncan Edwards.

He was, so I'm told, one of, if not the greatest player of recent times. And if football greats such as Bobby Charlton and our very own Johnny Haynes always named him as their favourite and the best player they played with than he must have been some player.


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cmg

The death of Duncan Edwards at age 21 was probably the most tragic single loss ever to befall English football.
His early departure has created a sympathy fuelled myth concerning him, but I think it is fair to say that he was already something of a legendary fugure at the time of his death.
This was due, I think, partly to his physique which was particularly impressive for a youngster in an age when youngsters were perhaps less well nourished than today. However it was mainly due to the tremendous range of his abilities. Today he would probably be best used as an attacking mid, as he usually was for England, but he had all the attributes of a striker, had the nous and positional acumen to play behind the striker, had a formidable passing range, he was good enough in the air to make a centre-back and was deceptively quick. He might have made an amazing modern full-back; imagine Gareth Bale's big brother.

He fitted perfectly with Haynes who admired him a smuch as anyone. There's an old clip on Youtube where Edwards takes a pass from Haynes and doesn't so much beat the German defence as lay it to waste, finishing with a booming shot to the left corner.

bill taylors apprentice

Me too, Edwards and Haynes at his best, before his car crash.
I started going to games the season after and seeing him not at his best has always left  me wondering.



RaySmith

#3
When I told my Dad in the early 60's  that I would like to see some First division matches, with top  stars of the day, instead of Fourth division  Crystal Palace, it was Fulham with Johnny Haynes he took me to - 'he's the greatest passer of the ball you'll ever see' he said- when he could have taken me to any London team. And I was duly impressed, of course, along with all the other stars of the team of which I soon became a fervent supporter.

I just missed seeing Duncan Edwards, though I've seen Best, Law and Charlton playing for ManU, and other iconic stars like Matthews, and the Spurs Double winning team at the Cottage, but I do remember Munich, and having photos of the fallen, including Edwards, on my bedroom wall.

Yes, Edwards is still fondly remembered - and what might he have accomplished in his career? Though at least he didn't live long enough for anyone to say 'he's not  what he once was' and is rightly remembered as the Golden Boy of English football, who never realised his full potential.

Funky Fulham Dave


Had it not been losing the nucleus of the England team in the Munich Air Crash, England may well have won it in Sweden in 1958 and changed the course of history.

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FPT

This has the potential of a great post discussion, 'Players we wish we could have seen live'

Could even make it Fulham, UK, Europe and Rest of the World.


win-dup

I remember that awful day in February. A Chelsea supporting friend and I sat glued to the radio and tv awaiting the scheduled news programmes (no news flashes in those days) with a sense of disbelief.
Johnny Haynes was undoubtedly the most admired player of his day - but alongside Duncan Edwards, who was equally revered.
A terrible event and I can still feel the sadness I felt all those years ago.