Mick Leach - My alltime favourite

Have a look at this one lads against Burnley in our 72/73 promotion season, Mick scores the first and creates the 2nd.....now we are getting really nostalgic


http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=RV21XoGDXGg

 

I feel a fraud as I'm just numb to the team I've always followed with passion. Just had to remind myself why I love this club so much. I'll probably have to get the wedding photos out now!!!

 

Thank you Danish for retrieving this for those of us of a certain vintage and reminding me why I bother. There's a lovely post from Brix on page 1 as well.

 

Thank you danish.

I wasn't on this board when you posted the OP but Mick is one my favourites as well.

His move from centre forward to midfield was inspired. He became twice the player & will always be remembered by me.

 

I'm travelling for next 2 days, so in advance of Friday - Happy Birthday Mick.
Never forget, long after the chaff has left us ( been kicked out ) we'll still be QPR.
Each of us for our own personal reasons, each of us, with our own brand of love.


Stick that blue flag where it hurts!!!
Come on you rrrrrrrrrs

 

My lasting memory will be the goal at Villa Park. If I remember right it was a great header. Great goal and great match. Brought home a bit of turf from the pitch as a keepsake.

 

Well done Danish. Those of us of a certain vintage still hold Mick up there with the best this little old club of ours has to offer........

Will be remembered long after those currently plying their trade for us have departed.......

 

In times of trouble and strife (i.e. just about always for the R's) this is the thread to ressurect. Nice one Danelaw.

Half an hour to spare? Enjoy this, last game of 75-76 season, classic line up (Mick Leach sub). Keepers don't wear gloves. Two men on the posts at corners. Midfielders who defend and attack, all over the pitch. Centre halves who can pass (see McLintock's for our second). A winger who is everywhere. 31,000 in the ground. Just how good is Gerry Francis?

Unbeaten at home for the whole season. 27 points from the last 30 (when it was 2 points for a win - W13, D1, L1, equivalent of 40 points today).

 

Thanks for posting that Stan.

I will look at the video on Saturday morning (hopefully) & then compare with our performance against manure!

Micky Leach, Ian Watson, Frank sibley & many others. All wonderful players who gave their all for Queens Park Rangers None of those I mentioned ever received the full credit they deserved but I will always remember them.

 

The Judean Peoples front ?

 

What a lovely thread this is in honour of a good man. I presented his wife with a bouquet of flowers once at an event. A lovely couple they seemed. She was from Sweden I think. Thanks again for the thread.

 

Not one of the star names but always done a good job when called for, an unsung star.

 

Stan that video of the Leeds game is great, never tire of watching it, plus Leeds were a bloody good side in those days.....

 

Excellent post. Mick was an honest hard working player who in truth was never a fans favourite prior to 75-76. When the R's sold Rodney they gave the 10 shirt to Mick for a while and I think he was relieved when Stan arrived in 73(?). The man who changed the way Mick played and improved him immeasurably was Dave Sexton. He had him playing behind the front two and he scored many crucial goals in that fantastic season. It soon became apparent to all then that Mick had talents not previously seen.

 

From ‘boo-boy’ to crowd favourite – GOAL magazine helps us remember QPR’s unsung star, Mick Leach

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While flicking through the 296 editions of GOAL magazine in preparation for writing my next ‘Brief guide’ article here on Goals and Wickets, I came across this picture of former Queens Park Rangers legend, Mick Leach with his wife Jenny.
The feature was ‘MEET THE GIRL BEHIND THE MAN’, one which lasted throughout the magazine’s life. This is the only photograph in the series where the player’s wife is looking away from the camera. Maybe Jenny was a touch camera shy or possible just distracted?
Sharing it with my friend Phil Stevens who has written books about West Ham United but grew up with Mick, the Morgan twins and Derek Bellotti, he told me how much Jim Gregory had helped the couple in the early days of their marriage.
While at Liverpool University in the mid 1970’s, where Phil and I became friends playing football for the University team, Mick got us tickets for Rangers’ away game against Everton in 1976. Sadly, I didn’t meet him to say thanks.
Mick’s transformation from ‘boo-boy’ to crowd favourite was a strange process but one with the right outcome. Gradually, over the seasons, the jeers stopped and a well earned respect was established.
He played over 300 games for the club between 1964 and 1978 through the 3rd Division years, the rise into the First Division in 1968/69, the drop back down again and the rise in the mid 1970’s including the 1975/76 season when QPR were First Division runners up to the mighty Liverpool.
Initially a centre forward, Mick’s most successful years were after he dropped back into a left sided midfield role where he scored some important goals, playing alongside Terry Venables and then Don Masson. It was during this later phase of his Rangers’ career that gradually, the crowd began to change their opinion of him to the point where he was a firm favourite.
I remember a super goal Mick scored one grey afternoon at the Loftus Road end while he was still playing as a striker. He cut back inside from a wide position on the left leaving his marker on his backside. He then calmly stroked the ball outside the diving keeper’s left hand into the far right corner of the net.
A class goal from a class player.
Sadly, Mick died of cancer in 1992 at the age of 44.
RIP Mick Leach

"Well done for featuring Mick. He was undoubtedly one of the good guys. I had the privilege of knowing him well and he was a great servant to QPR as well as to local youth football in our area of South London where Mick lived."

"Thanks for reading and commenting, Martin. My friend Phil Stevens who I played with at Liverpool University and whose books I mention elsewhere on the site, grew up with Mick and the Morgan twins and Derek Bellotti. Phil also always talked very highly of Mick."

http://www.goalsandwickets.co.uk/fo...elps-us-remember-qprs-unsung-star-mick-leach/

 

Nice find Killy......

 

Found on the web that Jenny was Jim Gregory's niece...... So I guess she wasn't Swedish! That's a 40 year old false memory expunged! Anyway two nice people.

 

Micky and Dave Thomas
Come on the wall

 

I've just watched it Stan. THANK YOU

Now to get ready to leave for the Bush to make my comparison!

 

Today marks the 25th anniversary of the passing of, for me at least, a true legend of a man when the term legend is so overused.
Thought it remiss not to bring this thread up once more. I know for myself at least that I revisit this thread once or twice a year as it helps me remember why so much heart is put into this club.
RIP Mick, never ever forgotten.