Old Sod's Army-For the older supporters

[bog]

I was over night in hospital trying to stop the permanent hemorrhaging of my wallet. This morn an elderly Scotsman, Joe, arrived and was inserted in the bed next to me. We began talking and he did not look his age of 82...but I do. He was born in Aberdeen....some may be ahead of me here.  Turned out he used to play in the same school team as a certain Denis Law. He said he was phenomenal. The chap's son was with him and confirmed this as not a wind up.
   I then asked about another footballer from that area....a certain Graham Leggat. He was full of him also. He played for another school side in that area and all three played in the same rep team. He said Graham was also a phenomenal player and he used to watch him play for Aberdeen with his shirt collar turned up like Cantona...which he did. Joe played semi pro and ended up playing in the Southern League. I told him that Graham is still revered at Fulham and always will be. It was good to shake hands with Joe knowing he had done likewise with Graham. His name must be one of those that are handed down through the generations and never to be forgotten.  Nice chat that was.


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[Oakeshott]

Long odds against meeting up with someone who actually played with Graham. And not too many of us left who saw him play for us, given his last game was in 1966!

[filham]

I would be pleased to shake hands wit a man who had shaken hands with Graham Leggat, truly one of our most admired players.

[Fernhurst]

I was over night in hospital trying to stop the permanent hemorrhaging of my wallet. This morn an elderly Scotsman, Joe, arrived and was inserted in the bed next to me. We began talking and he did not look his age of 82...but I do. He was born in Aberdeen....some may be ahead of me here.  Turned out he used to play in the same school team as a certain Denis Law. He said he was phenomenal. The chap's son was with him and confirmed this as not a wind up.
   I then asked about another footballer from that area....a certain Graham Leggat. He was full of him also. He played for another school side in that area and all three played in the same rep team. He said Graham was also a phenomenal player and he used to watch him play for Aberdeen with his shirt collar turned up like Cantona...which he did. Joe played semi pro and ended up playing in the Southern League. I told him that Graham is still revered at Fulham and always will be. It was good to shake hands with Joe knowing he had done likewise with Graham. His name must be one of those that are handed down through the generations and never to be forgotten.  Nice chat that was.


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Do hope you are up and around and feeling better Captain.

I can count myself very lucky to witness Graham's skill and speed for a number of seasons with our club.
Most vivid memory was his confused face during our 10-1 demolition of Ipswich when he scored his third and the keeper and the right back were giggling as they retrieved the ball from the back of the net for the umpteenth time.

Turned out, too much beer on the way down from Suffolk.

[Lighthouse]

Hope all is well or getting that way now. Ironically I did see Denis Law play many times live. But never saw one of own Graham Leggat live. The United side of that era was phenomenal to see. Every player a character. Not sure we have that nowadays.

[Mince n Tatties]

What a great chance meeting.
I have a pal from Arbroath who is an Aberdeen fan, and when Leggat died a few year's ago,he told me the minutes applause for Leggat at Pittodrie could be heard a mile out at sea.

[Peabody]

Hope allis well Bog? I too had the pleasure of seeing Graham play. I remember particularly the away game against Wolves, when they were the top team in England, Graham scored two, Pat O'Connel also scored, we won 3-1 in 1962, I think.

[bog]

I actually sat next to Denis at a sportsman's dinner one night. My mate used to organise these evenings and sat me next to him. Denis was quite intrigued when he looked at the table plan and saw him sitting next to an M. Busby (me) 'I thought he was dead!' he said laughing. 'I look as though I am.' I replied.

I still recall reading in the paper when we first signed Graham. A marvelous signing by Bedford Jezzard. I am proud to say that I saw him play so many times for us and served the real legend with petrol once at Boon & Porter's garage in Barnes.

My ailment were two kidney stones. I called them Mick and Keith. Although painful it is gone now and when you are in a ward with those who have bladder cancer, prostrate cancer, bowel cancer, those who live with colostomy bags my pain was nothing. I was the minor ailment. I was in Kent & Canterbury Hospital in Clarke Ward. I only say this as they were so wonderfully dedicated despite consistent outside political snidey comments and I want those who read this to know.  Thanks NHS.


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[bog]

Denis actually played most of his career with a wonkey knee. When he was young he injured it and the treatment he got missed what they should have done. Just imagine what he would have been like with a proper one.  He got it sorted in later life. 


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[Kent Cassandra]

Hi Mike
I gather stones can be quite, painful my brother in law has  just had his blasted by laser.
Dennis and Graham were two great footballers.  What has happened to Scottish football? (Can you say that or is it Scotch??)
I remember when their team consisted of household names and they were a team to be feared.
I have been in Northern Ireland in the summer break, no heat wave there but beautiful as ever.
Still miss Kent at times though!

[cmg]

Of the three superstars fielded by Manchester United in those days Law was my favourite. He wasn't the best of the three, that was George, or the most influential, that was Bobby, but he was the top entertainer. A truly great player who deserved all the recognition he got.

Leggat was also a truly great player who, outside the teams he played for, has been largely underestimated.
Can't think of a better way for a player to endear himself to the fans than by scoring in his first six games (7 goals in all)...or of showing what a prat your manager was for selling you than by scoring 5 in your last two games.

[bog]

Of the three superstars fielded by Manchester United in those days Law was my favourite. He wasn't the best of the three, that was George, or the most influential, that was Bobby, but he was the top entertainer. A truly great player who deserved all the recognition he got.

Leggat was also a truly great player who, outside the teams he played for, has been largely underestimated.
Can't think of a better way for a player to endear himself to the fans than by scoring in his first six games (7 goals in all)...or of showing what a prat your manager was for selling you than by scoring 5 in your last two games.

Vic Buckingham did that. And sold Marsh. 

[bigalffc]

Best goal poacher ever, for me, better even than Greavsie. Mind you I may be a little biased!
Those days Graham used to enjoy a fag at half time, so very different to today.

[Mince n Tatties]

Denis actually played most of his career with a wonkey knee. When he was young he injured it and the treatment he got missed what they should have done. Just imagine what he would have been like with a proper one.  He got it sorted in later life. 


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Apparently Shankley's scout at Huddersfield went up to Aberdeen to watch another boy at a Sat morning schools match...This little lad ran out with tiny round specs on (Law)the scout forgot all about the other boy when he saw young Law performing.

[RaySmith]

Great memories, thanks.

I'm fortunate to have seen both Law and Leggat play, the latter many times, and used to get his autograph on photos, outside the Cottage after games. A winger, and a goal scoring striker, who scored many crucial goals for the club.

I remember Graham on the right wing and Tosh, but increasingly Pat O'Connell, on the other. Tosh would joke with fans on the Riverside terrace, where I used to stand.

Sometimes Johnny Key would play on the right, if Graham was injured, or undertaking centre forward duties.

[bog]

Denis actually played most of his career with a wonkey knee. When he was young he injured it and the treatment he got missed what they should have done. Just imagine what he would have been like with a proper one.  He got it sorted in later life. 


092.gif 

Apparently Shankley's scout at Huddersfield went up to Aberdeen to watch another boy at a Sat morning schools match...This little lad ran out with tiny round specs on (Law)the scout forgot all about the other boy when he saw young Law performing.

Denis came from a very poor background. He was born with a really bad squint. When playing for City he scored 6 at Luton in a cup game but the match was abandoned and City lost the replay 3-1...and he scored again.
Graham was also a regular scorer for Scotland. Took me ages to get over him being sold.

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[cmg]

[Law]...When playing for City he scored 6 at Luton in a cup game but the match was abandoned and City lost the replay 3-1...and he scored again.

Terrific memory. I was going to say, on the subject of Leggat, that there can't have been many players transferred after getting 5 goals in 2 games...There must be even fewer who have scored 7 goals in a Cup tie and still been on the losing side!

[bill taylors apprentice]

Graham Leggat was my favourite when I was a lad and still my number 1 Fulham player.

Having read about Vic Buckingham in recent times he should have been a good choice for us as manager looking at his pedigree but in reality he ruined us as a team.

[cmg]

Graham Leggat was my favourite when I was a lad and still my number 1 Fulham player.

Having read about Vic Buckingham in recent times he should have been a good choice for us as manager looking at his pedigree but in reality he ruined us as a team.

Strange bloke, Buckingham. His ideas were pretty advanced, but were not suitable for English football at that time. He never ceased to remind people that he 'discovered' Johan Cruyff - he was certainly manager of Ajax when Cruyff started as a youth player. He was quite well regarded at Barcelona, but a disaster elsewhere.
Our top scorers in his first three seasons were Marsh then Leggat and then Clarke. Buckingham sold them all. (Although, to be fair, he did buy Clarke in the first place and coudn't really do much to prevent his departure.)

Ironically we actually had a bloody good manager in Bedford Jezzard, but the directors' decision to sell Mullery without informing anyone else not only cost us one of the best young talents but also one of our most successful managers.

[ffcne]

Graham Leggatt carried me into the ground  once as a five or six year old.
Not sure of the circumstances think my Dad had a connection in some way.
But i got reminded of the fact on a regular basis throughout the following years.
Great memories , standing outside the Chancellors waiting for my Dad to have his few pints
before the game.