Old Sod's Army-Graham Leggat

[bog]

Have to post my own personal tribute. Graham was an exceptional player for us. Older fans would never speak of him with utmost respect. I served him petrol once at a Boon & Porter garage in Barnes once when he played for us. What gentleman. Age has never wilted my opinion of Graham. Have to admit to choking up with the sad news. A true true great for us. RIP

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[Fernhurst]

Wish I had met him Capt.....Completely agree a wonderful ambassador and a true Fulham legend.

Don't know why, having a bit of difficulty taking this in... We all think our heroes are invincible.

[Black and White Blood]

Very sad to hear the news.
Fantastic player, should never have been allowed to leave.
I think he scored a hat trick in his last game, if memory serves.
RIP Graham.

[Bradstow]

Another hero gone - but isn't it good to be able to say "I was there".


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTqxDuxBptA

[ron]

Sadness from me too. He was the kind of guy you want to wear our shirt. Simple as that. R.I.P Graham. A true gentleman and a great player.

[bog]

Cannot believe I miss wrote my tribute. Every Fulham supporter who saw him play will always speak with the utmost respect. There was outrage when Vic Buckingham sold him. What a photo on the Fulham site of Graham with Johnny Haynes. The one and two best ever players for us.
A while back the media kept on and on and on about Robbie Fowler's fastest hat trick only thinking of the Premier League. I managed to get a letter in the Mail bringing attention to Graham for the forgotten time of 1963. I have a treasured signed photo of the man, those who wonder why old sods like me are full of his times should have been there, I am so glad that I was.
My most memorable goal? The one at Villa Park that put us ahead in the 1962 FA Cup semi final. RIP

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[Woolly Mammoth]

I remember watching him score a Hatrick in about 4 mins, if my memory serves me correctly, four all told in the Boxing Day match v the current champions Ipswich Town, in I think it was 1963, their manager was Sir Alf Ramsey, we won 10 1. A very very exceptional player, no diving, no feigning injuries, nobody trying to get an opponent sent off or booked with imaginary cards, he was a real sportsman, an example to us all, those were the days.

[bill taylors apprentice]

As a kid living a couple of hundred yards from the Cottage I would often hang around the ground after training or when they collected their wages.

I can vividly remember the likes of Haynes, Robson, Keetch, Langley etc coming and going but Graham Leggat was very unassuming and I regularly struggled to spot him even though he was my favorite.

Its a shame he finished playing before the game became more prominent on TV as thee seems little available of him playing.

[Delboy]

Very sad news, he was my boyhood hero for many years along with Alan Clarke when he arrived. Had his autograph many times when we watched training at the Cottage during half term holidays. RIP Graham.

[jarv]

I just read Monday Fulham stuff, so much about Graham Leggat the pictures just brought it home. I had a football annual way back, picture of Gaham against England (just missing the target) and the caption read...it's that man Leggat again, terrorising England's defenders.

[Funky Fulham Dave]

I was lucky that on only my second ever visit to The Cottage it coincided with the famous 10-1 victory over Ipswich Town on Boxing Day 1963.

And as a novice of all things football and Fulham I couldn't quite work out why after scoring all those goals Fulham hadn't gone up to near to the top of the table until my mate pointed out you only get two points for a win and not a point a for every goal scored. Silly me.

I'd be fibbing if I said I could remember much of the game. I do remember an Ipswich Town supporter dressed from head to toe in Town colours. I remember it being very cold and foggy. I remember the crowd singing toward the end. When I asked my mate what it was he replied "we want ten". But I do remember the tenth going into the net at the Hammersmith End scored by the late great Graham Leggat.

His passing is another (Fulham) link to my youth (and I guess all those my age) that has gone.

For that I feel extremely sad but eternally happy that I saw the great Graham Leggat play and wear the Fulham shirt.


PS. For those interested in his time at Aberdeen Alastair Guthrie produced a book (ABERDEEN GREATS) that includes a chapter on Graham and his place in the of pantheon Aberdeen players.

[Peabody]

The hattrick already mentioned is was the fastest ever. I remember that Beddy Jezzard was so pleased to have signed him.

[graham leggat]

Good shout about Alistair Guthrie's book, Dave. He was a well respected old school journalist in the North East and was involved in quite a few books about the Dons back in the day.

I recall, two years back meeting a bunch of older guys in the Swan and Carriage at Wigan after the game, one of them who may have been called Dave seemed to be a bit of a historian, and we talked about Graham Leggat, the biggest link between our two clubs. (We'll pass swiftly over Doug Rougvie!) He recalled Fulham had played a game at Pittodrie as part of the Leggat transfer. It wasn't you, was it?

Anyway, here's a link to the afc Heritage site with the details. GL scored, but couldn't prevent Aberdeen winning.

http://www.afcheritage.org/matches/fixtures/mreport.cfm?fixture_id=5678&season=1959-60&squad=Senior

[cottage expat]

I remember watching him score a Hatrick in about 4 mins, if my memory serves me correctly, four all told in the Boxing Day match v the current champions Ipswich Town, in I think it was 1963, their manager was Sir Alf Ramsey, we won 10 1. A very very exceptional player, no diving, no feigning injuries, nobody trying to get an opponent sent off or booked with imaginary cards, he was a real sportsman, an example to us all, those were the days.

That was some match! As I recall, Mullery and Robson also scored ( I don't recall who scored the other 4). Graham was truly one of the greats....I would put him up there with The Maestro.

[Shredhead]

I never saw him play but have imbibed enough adulation from supporters older than me to realise that he was one of the club's greatest ever players. I'm truly honoured to have had my 'status' on FoF changed to remember him. Thanks, mods.

[OdecaMynoT]

I was lucky that on only my second ever visit to The Cottage it coincided with the famous 10-1 victory over Ipswich Town on Boxing Day 1963.

And as a novice of all things football and Fulham I couldn't quite work out why after scoring all those goals Fulham hadn't gone up to near to the top of the table until my mate pointed out you only get two points for a win and not a point a for every goal scored. Silly me.

I'd be fibbing if I said I could remember much of the game. I do remember an Ipswich Town supporter dressed from head to toe in Town colours. I remember it being very cold and foggy. I remember the crowd singing toward the end. When I asked my mate what it was he replied "we want ten". But I do remember the tenth going into the net at the Hammersmith End scored by the late great Graham Leggat.

His passing is another (Fulham) link to my youth (and I guess all those my age) that has gone.

For that I feel extremely sad but eternally happy that I saw the great Graham Leggat play and wear the Fulham shirt.


PS. For those interested in his time at Aberdeen Alastair Guthrie produced a book (ABERDEEN GREATS) that includes a chapter on Graham and his place in the of pantheon Aberdeen players.

Remember it well. Walking back home down a packed Palace Road after the game.Somebody had a radio and we stopped to listen to the score being read out

on Sports Report. It was like we still couldn't believe the result until it was confirmed on the radio. Fulham then went and blew the return  match a couple

of days later and lost 4 - 2.Typical.

A stand out Graham Leggatt goal for me was a flying header from just inside the penalty area against Spuds at WHLane.We lost 4 - 3.

That was the HT score too.

Yes he was a marvellous player,almost like a ghost at times. As Alan Mullery says in the YouTube vid he had this ability to pop up from

nowhere and score a goal. RiP.

[bog]

Thanks for all the postings. What good times he gave us. We will never forget Graham Leggat.

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[OdecaMynoT]

I remember watching him score a Hatrick in about 4 mins, if my memory serves me correctly, four all told in the Boxing Day match v the current champions Ipswich Town, in I think it was 1963, their manager was Sir Alf Ramsey, we won 10 1. A very very exceptional player, no diving, no feigning injuries, nobody trying to get an opponent sent off or booked with imaginary cards, he was a real sportsman, an example to us all, those were the days.

That was some match! As I recall, Mullery and Robson also scored ( I don't recall who scored the other 4). Graham was truly one of the greats....I would put him up there with The Maestro.

This should get your juices flowing;


Leggat's Quickfire Treble
Thursday 17 October 2013 09:00

On Boxing Day 1963, Fulham reached double figures in a match for the second time in their history – the first was a 10-2 triumph over Torquay United back in the early 30s – when bottom of the table Ipswich Town visited Craven Cottage.

The Tractor Boys had won the Division One title back in 1962, but things had begun to unravel in East Anglia when manager Alf Ramsey departed to take charge of England. When they arrived at the Cottage just under 50 years ago, they were without a win from their 12 matches played away from Portman Road, shipping 33 goals in the process.

Fulham were sitting 16th in the 22-team league going into the game after a solid, if unspectacular, first half of the campaign – although they were unbeaten in the five matches previous to the Boxing Day encounter.

Maurice Cook got the ball rolling just after the quarter-hour mark when he connected with Johnny Key's cross to send a diving header beyond Ipswich keeper Roy Bailey. And, shortly after, Graham Leggat made history when he scored the quickest hat-trick in top-flight history, bagging his treble in a remarkable three-minute spell. His first was a tap-in after an initial effort had come back off the crossbar, before he spun a second in by the post, and grabbed his third with a powerful strike from 25yards.

Bobby Howfield made it 5-0 shortly before the interval when his corner kick was palmed into the goal by Bailey, although Ipswich striker Gerry Baker pulled one back with the final action of the half.

Howfield grabbed his second and Fulham's sixth just minutes after the restart, though, with Bobby Robson then netting what would prove to be his only goal of the season – ironically against the club where he would go on to earn legendary status in later life. Howfield joined Leggat in bagging a hat-trick in the 71st minute and, with just moments remaining, Fulham ensured double figures were reached with Alan Mullery and Leggat each popping up in the closing stages.

The victory catapulted the Whites three places up the standings but if Bedford Jezzard and his side were hoping to build on their largest-ever victory then they were sorely mistaken as they lost the following match 4-2. The opponents? In typically Fulhamish style: Ipswich Town.

Fulham team: 1. Macedo, 2. Cohen, 3. Langley, 4. Mullery, 5. Keetch, 6. Robson, 7. Key, 8. Cook, 9. Leggat, 10. Haynes, 11. Howfield

[GorgeousGus]

I remember watching him score a Hatrick in about 4 mins, if my memory serves me correctly, four all told in the Boxing Day match v the current champions Ipswich Town, in I think it was 1963, their manager was Sir Alf Ramsey, we won 10 1. A very very exceptional player, no diving, no feigning injuries, nobody trying to get an opponent sent off or booked with imaginary cards, he was a real sportsman, an example to us all, those were the days.

That was some match! As I recall, Mullery and Robson also scored ( I don't recall who scored the other 4). Graham was truly one of the greats....I would put him up there with The Maestro.

Bobby Howfield got the other 4 and then went on to become a "kicker" in the American Football League of the time

[Funky Fulham Dave]

Good shout about Alistair Guthrie's book, Dave. He was a well respected old school journalist in the North East and was involved in quite a few books about the Dons back in the day.

I recall, two years back meeting a bunch of older guys in the Swan and Carriage at Wigan after the game, one of them who may have been called Dave seemed to be a bit of a historian, and we talked about Graham Leggat, the biggest link between our two clubs. (We'll pass swiftly over Doug Rougvie!) He recalled Fulham had played a game at Pittodrie as part of the Leggat transfer. It wasn't you, was it?

Anyway, here's a link to the afc Heritage site with the details. GL scored, but couldn't prevent Aberdeen winning.

http://www.afcheritage.org/matches/fixtures/mreport.cfm?fixture_id=5678&season=1959-60&squad=Senior

To Graham Leggat re: old blokes in a pub in Wigan after a Fulham game. It couldn't have been me, because I'm much too young and good looking to be hanging around with oldies. I'm 38 don't you know.

Graham Leggat was an amazing player. Clever, skilful and someone you did not mess with. It's surprising – or perhaps not – that he was the last Fulham player to represent Scotland. I remember getting his autograph on many occasions. He had a great accent. You can't beat a Scottish accent!

One time I remember was when he was coming back from injury and played for the reserves at the Cottage. After the game he came out looking for a taxi which didn't turn up and then he walked up Finlay Street toward Fulham Palace Road. And with every step he took I was just one step behind. He did look back toward me a couple of times with a quizzical look. So I suppose I was sort of stalking him!

Here's a little poser: Who was the world class goalkeeper who dreaded facing a Fulham side if it included Graham Leggat in the Fulham attack?