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[RUHRLYASLEEVESUP]

[M4]

[Guest]

 

Len White spent almost exactly nine years on Tyneside and with 153 goals is the third top scorer in the club’s history. He joined from Rotherham in February 1953 and was sold to Huddersfield in February 1962, much to the dismay of the supporters.

 

Although Len was an important member of the squad in his first five seasons, fame and acclaim would come relatively late. His career on Tyneside only really took off in the 1957/58 season from when he moved to centre-forward and became a true Gallowgate hero.

 

During the fifties United liked to play with contrasting wingers and with Bobby “dazzler” Mitchell on the left they usually had a direct, speed-merchant on the right. With excellent speed off the mark, the ability to challenge and beat opponents and an old-fashioned efficiency to cross long balls, Len fitted the brief perfectly. 

 

He was a versatile forward, terrier like and endowed with any amount of fighting spirit and although he was only 5’ 7” he was stocky and determined.

Possessing a cracking shot in both feet, he had the sharpness, composure and strength to score from short or long distance.

 

And, despite his small size, Len had a tremendous leap and strong neck muscles which enabled him to beat a big man and head for goal. A significant number of his goals on Tyneside were headers.

 

1957/58 was the first season in which Len was used primarily as a centre-forward and it proved to be the turning point in his career. He became a Tyneside hero; a hard-working, alert spearhead with explosive pace and a tremendous goal-getting record.

 

His performances subsumed the best of his wing style into his centre-forward play using his speed, balance and dribbling skill, allied with a deceptive body swerve. 

 

Len would like to sit relatively deep and make spectacular, long, mazy runs through the middle, invoking the Gallowgate roar once reserved for Jackie Milburn’s dashes. Add in drives of dynamite and dynamic leaps in the air and you had performances of dazzle, thunder and flash. 

 

Bob Stokoe said at the time that: “I have always said that Len would be a great player if he would only believe in himself”. The fans certainly did, with favourable comparisons being made to United greats Albert Shepherd and Hughie Gallacher.

 

On his day many judged him to be the most effective centre-forward in the land and he appeared twice for the Football League against the Irish and Scottish League teams.

 

Len was selected ahead of Brian Clough when Nat Lofthouse pulled out due to injury for the game against the Irish League in 1957/58, scoring a stunning seven-minute hat-trick in front of the Kop in a 5-2 victory.

 

But although Len was often strongly tipped for a full international cap, the call-up never came. It was said at the time that Len was one of the best uncapped centre-forwards in the game, with Milburn claiming he was the best.

 

In 1960/61 Len was scoring so regularly that he had every chance of surpassing Hughie Gallacher record number of League goals scored in a season. But in the last seconds of the match at leaders Tottenham on the 22nd March hard-man Dave Mackay’s heavy challenge badly tore the ligaments in his left ankle.

 

Although he had hoped to be fit for the new season, his ankle was still sore after a practice game and it was revealed that he was not expected to return until October and would receive “electrical treatment.” Miraculously, within days, he was deemed fit enough to play. 

 

Len was not happy about being rushed back and struggled to regain his form. Clubs started to make bids for him and although United kept rebuffing them, he was eventually used in part-exchange for Huddersfield inside-forward Jimmy Kerray.

 

 

 

[Tsunami]

My dad absolutely adored Len White.

[Guest]

5 minutes ago, Tsunami said:

My dad absolutely adored Len White.

It is amazing how many supporters (who saw him play) felt exactly the same, he must have been a very special player.

[Charlies]

https://x.com/robertmdaws/status/1704561186899997111?s=20

[Coffee_Johnny]

31 minutes ago, Charlies said:

https://x.com/robertmdaws/status/1704561186899997111?s=20

Save you hitting the link. Ted and George Robledo.
Ted (1928-1970), NUFC 1949-1953 p37 0 goals, left-sided wing back; and George (1926-1989) same 4 years, p146 82 goals, striker.

[Holloway]

Versus the Mackems, Roker end 1980. Perfectly captures the era 

[Nowhere Man]

Probably the wrong thread tbh but found one of my boxes of memorabilia in the loft today. I only went up to get a lamp and it ended up being 2 hours. 
So much crap couldn’t find the others. 
Some ‘epic’ games anyway..

 

 

[frankpingel]

On 22/09/2023 at 12:25, Holloway said:

Versus the Mackems, Roker end 1980. Perfectly captures the era 

My second visit, still remember the sound when they scored. 

[Holloway]

1 minute ago, frankpingel said:

My second visit, still remember the sound when they scored. 

Stan Cummings ?

[frankpingel]

Just now, Holloway said:

Stan Cummings ?

Yer. I'd been year before and it was 1-1.  I was 14 and got hit on the head by a steel toe cap thrown by them. Away days were crazy.

[Whitley mag]

On 22/09/2023 at 12:25, Holloway said:

Versus the Mackems, Roker end 1980. Perfectly captures the era 

Great times football will never be the same and glad I was in my younger years to experience it. Nothing like the buzz of an away game back then and wondering if you were going to make it home in one piece.

[Nowhere Man]

26 minutes ago, frankpingel said:

Yer. I'd been year before and it was 1-1.  I was 14 and got hit on the head by a steel toe cap thrown by them. Away days were crazy.

Ouch ?

Just a can of piss for me..

[Holloway]

22 minutes ago, Whitley mag said:

Great times football will never be the same and glad I was in my younger years to experience it. Nothing like the buzz of an away game back then and wondering if you were going to make it home in one piece.

Those trips to Joker park were mental from start to finish. I remember being in central station to get the train there and it was so packed there was surges going on, it was like being in the Gallowgate

[Holloway]

32 minutes ago, frankpingel said:

Yer. I'd been year before and it was 1-1.  I was 14 and got hit on the head by a steel toe cap thrown by them. Away days were crazy.

[Holloway]

Scallies at Manors station early 80s

[frankpingel]

Imagine if Football Specials were around now. No seats and most, if not all, windows out by the time you've crossed the Tyne. 

[Whitley mag]

15 minutes ago, Holloway said:

Those trips to Joker park were mental from start to finish. I remember being in central station to get the train there and it was so packed there was surges going on, it was like being in the Gallowgate

Aye the old pacer train to Seaburn was an experience great days.

[Tsunami]

I was in the Clock Stand paddock next to the Fulwell End. There were a good few Newcastle fans in there, felt we were the better team that day, especially up to the their goal.

[Scoreboard82]

1 hour ago, Holloway said:

Scallies at Manors station early 80s

Am sure I remember the away fans being escorted along Blackett St, past Eldon Square green? Hard to believe looking back.

[Nowhere Man]

Anyone go to ‘ZOOTS’ before the match?

 

???

[Dancing Brave]

1 hour ago, Holloway said:

Scallies at Manors station early 80s

" Chelsea where are you "  

[Holloway]

9 minutes ago, Dancing Brave said:

" Chelsea where are you "  

Or 'fuck it's the wag man' '

[Wandy]

On 14/04/2023 at 09:15, magvicar said:

This was against West Ham when I was about 15.

I was in the Gallowgate end also at that game. This was a petrol bomb thrown in the Leazes corner with the east stand where the away fans were generally put in those days.

This was in the days when our crowds were sometimes 13,14,15  and 16 thousand for most of the season. Mind you we were in the second division and the ground was a bit ramshackle.

 

I remember just seeing a big flame erupt for a short while and the West Ham fans quickly segregating to leave a sort of circle around the petrol bomb.

 

 

I remember the song sung in the next home match we played against West Ham.

He's only a poor little hammer.

His clothes are all tattered and torn.

He came for a fight so we set him alight.

And now he won't come anymore.

 

Funnily (or not so funny) enough I was in the Leazes end in this game and the police were ready and waiting to catch the fans singing. Many were dragged out and I was nearly dragged out myself by managing to absorb into the crowd a bit and all the bigger lads were dragged out.

 

Anyone remember this?

I mean, it's not funny or clever but as a young kid you generally get dragged along with the crowd and are very impressionable.

 

I was stood outside the magpie the day West Ham came and I watched a dad and his young son walking past us all stood outside. They were on the other side of the road.

I remember this very clearly. The man was carrying the old type (obviously) ADIDAS bag with West Ham on it and a few skinheads spotted them and ran over and give the bloke a bit of a kicking in front of his kid.

I was gutted for them but luckily the kicking was more half-hearted and no harm was done other than for the bloke and his kid having some of their day ruined.

 

I was a little bit of a rebel myself in those days but although impressionable I drew the line at any of that garbage.

 

Wasn't there a similar incident in the live-on-TV home game v West Ham in 1986 when we won 4-0? I wasn't actually at that game but watched it on the telly, and midway through the game there was a massive bang that went off, and apparently it was in the West Ham end once again.