What do you remember about.... LAWRIE MADDEN

[MAL]

Wow.............Laurie Madden.

 

I watched Laurie in his first few seasons at Wednesday. I can remember when we signed him and Wilkinson had brought him out of non league football or something like that. Looking back, i think Laurie had packed up football to concentrate on his education. Anyway, i remember saying to my mate " This player is out of non league, what is Wilkinson playing at !!!! " On the pitch, Laurie ran as if one leg was about a foot shorter than the other and looked about 45 years of age. However, it soon became clear why Wilkinson had placed so much faith in him. Not fancy at all, but Mr dependable. He was no nonsense and did a solid job at the back. Yes, he was very under-rated and was a good defender. Laurie didn't stand out on the pitch, but he was always there in the right places. A fans favourite for sure and no doubt because he looked and played a bit different. Consumate professional and well respected at Wednesday.

 

There are a few other things i remember about Laurie other than what he did on the pitch. I can remember going to watch an England u21 game at Hillsborough. Mark Hateley scored a hat trick !! I was in the old south stand and was near the director's box. Laurie walked in wearing a sheepskin coast and it was tied with a piece of string !!! No joke, a piece of string. I thought, they can't be paying him much (I was about 14 at the time). The other one was after the the league cup final victory over Man Utd and it showed the Wednesday lads at a function and Nigel Pearson was about to speak. Anyway, the whole room were being rowdy, so Laurie stood up and said " Quite please, can we settle down " and the room fell silent. Laurie said it in a head master's voice and you sense the respect people had for him. At that point i understood that Laurie had been much more than a player to Wednesday and with the likes of Danny Wilson, Pearson etc, it was no wonder the club was starting to go places. All about characters !!

 

Finally, the late substitution on the cup final day. That was big Ron for you and why it marked him out as a great man and a good manager. He didn't need to bring Laurie on, but he knew he wouldn't get another chance and so on he came with a only minutes left. It still brings a tear to my eye when i think about now. Laurie running onto the wembley pitch in his Wednesday shirt and no-one deserved it more than him. Then he goes and skins that player on the wing !! I'd never seen him do that before. Talk about saving the best till last !! What a lovely gesture from Ron to Laurie. I remember his wife at the end of the game saying as much and recognising Ron's kindness to Laurie that day. They don't make  em like that anymore, both Big Ron and Laurie. Thanks for starting this thread, it has brought back some lovely memories. I salute you Mr Laurie Madden. Mr ordinary, who made a difference. 

 

Quoting this, just for the reason of it being a damn good post.

[Guest everydays_wednesday]

Man Utd 1 Owls 2 Lawrie Madden had Mark Hughes in his pocket......best man to man making I have ever seen.

[TANGLED UP IN BLUE]

I Had a bit of a problem with my L's n R's when I was a young un so I just used to call him The Twuck. 

 

 Top post Mick de Lyons TOP bloke Lawrie Madden 

[Geedee]

Not the greatest footballer by any means but made up for his short falls with 100% work rate. He was a wilko style footballer through and through.

In football you can't have 11 stars if you want a great team. You have also to have 'wiley old professionals' like lawrie

Edited November 12, 2014 by Geedee

[Errol Flashman]

When I joined Sheffield Wednesday in 1983 a local estate agent informed me that they behaved differently in Sheffield.

Curious, I asked: 'In what way?'

He replied: 'Down south they stab you in the back, up here we stab you in the chest.'

Lawrie Madden