[divinewind]

The first time i saw him was playing for Orient against us The Hawthorns, and we couldn't get the ball off him.
We signed him the next season after we went up.

On the back page of Shoot magazine they used to do profiles of players, likes dislikes, etc. They featured Laurie and asked him who the most difficult opponent he had played against was.
He put, nobody.

[baggybazza]

Re: Laurie Cunningham
« Reply #20 on: Yesterday at 06:01:03 PM »
Quote
Quote from: Atomic on Yesterday at 04:12:20 PM

No he wasn't. I know Albion fans love Laurie, me included but flippin heck we do talk some rubbish sometimes.

Look at Ronaldo's goal record and that alone tells you how far he is ahead of Laurie. I posted before in another post, Messi scored more goals in one season than Laurie managed in his career.





Rose tinted glasses and all that?

You may well talk rubbish my friend, but I don't.

As someone else says, the game was different then, pitches were often mud heaps, sometimes rock hard frozen and rutted, and on occasion so sandy they as well have been playing on the beach.

Tackling had yet to be outlawed, two feet up, both off the floor and over the ball was quite normal. Physical intimidation was just part of the game.

Laurie played at a time when being protected by the ref was unheard of and yet he thrived.

He was a gem, and given today's prevailing conditions would have been a world superstar.

Like I said, maybe you talk rubbish, but I don't. You may not agree, that's your call, but stow the insults, they aren't needed, they aren't welcome and in my case they won't be meekly ign



HERE HERE!!!!.....
                                             

[Atomic]

You may well talk rubbish my friend, but I don't.

As someone else says, the game was different then, pitches were often mud heaps, sometimes rock hard frozen and rutted, and on occasion so sandy they as well have been playing on the beach.

Tackling had yet to be outlawed, two feet up, both off the floor and over the ball was quite normal. Physical intimidation was just part of the game.

Laurie played at a time when being protected by the ref was unheard of and yet he thrived.

He was a gem, and given today's prevailing conditions would have been a world superstar.

Like I said, maybe you talk rubbish, but I don't. You may not agree, that's your call, but stow the insults, they aren't needed, they aren't welcome and in my case they won't be meekly ignored.

Woh, chill my friend with the melodrama you're reminding me of a woman  .

I weren't insulting you, if you read properly I said "We" not "you", meaning that we as Albion fans do look at our own team and players differently to what general football fans do. It's natural I suppose but it does cloud judgement.

Friends now? 

[Mikkyk]

Slight side note, but is the Three Degrees statue up yet?

[Chipperfan]

Woh, chill my friend with the melodrama you're reminding me of a woman  .

I weren't insulting you, if you read properly I said "We" not "you", meaning that we as Albion fans do look at our own team and players differently to what general football fans do. It's natural I suppose but it does cloud judgement.

Friends now? 

So let me get this straight. You quote my post, speak directly of talking rubbish, but then say that it wasn't a direct reference to my quote but a general observation about football fans.

Some folks don't much like being called out and they do make lame attempts to excuse their bad behaviour don't they?

Not you of course, just a general observation.

[Atomic]

So let me get this straight. You quote my post, speak directly of talking rubbish, but then say that it wasn't a direct reference to my quote but a general observation about football fans.

Some folks don't much like being called out and they do make lame attempts to excuse their bad behaviour don't they?

Not you of course, just a general observation.

That's correct sir. If you wish to interpret it differently that is, however, your right.

[baggiejohn]

Hi Chipperfan/ Atomic,

For what it's worth, I interpreted Atomic's "we", as a collective we, not a specific we.

Also, for what it's worth, I saw George Best play a number of times & for every brilliant thing he did, he did 5 things that didn't come off.

& finally also, I was at Filbert Street when Laurie Cunningham destroyed Leicester. & destroyed them he did. But he was clapped off the field by every single member of the crowd that day. That's when people used to go to football to watch football.

[glosterbaggie]

If I remember he was "taken out" in training by one of our own.That was the thuggery football was then.

[TheJacko2000]

Hi Chipperfan/ Atomic,

For what it's worth, I interpreted Atomic's "we", as a collective we, not a specific we.

Also, for what it's worth, I saw George Best play a number of times & for every brilliant thing he did, he did 5 things that didn't come off.

& finally also, I was at Filbert Street when Laurie Cunningham destroyed Leicester. & destroyed them he did. But he was clapped off the field by every single member of the crowd that day. That's when people used to go to football to watch football.

Afternoon John, you told me in a post a couple of weeks back your first match was against QPR, Brian Little/Gary Megson era.

On topic I certainly wasn't lucky enough to see the Pearl play, and I'm dubious about the claims re Messi/Ronaldo, though I'm equally dubious of similar claims of Best's prowess.

[baggiejohn]

Afternoon John, you told me in a post a couple of weeks back your first match was against QPR, Brian Little/Gary Megson era.

On topic I certainly wasn't lucky enough to see the Pearl play, and I'm dubious about the claims re Messi/Ronaldo, though I'm equally dubious of similar claims of Best's prowess.

My first game watching the Albion was indeed against QPR, but my first game watching professional football was way before that. As I recall, in the Ray Pointer, Burnley & Graham Leggett Fulham era.

The game featuring Laurie Cunningham at Filbert Street is well etched in my memory, the only player to have destroyed Leicester is a similar manner to Laurie Cunnnigham, was George Best in a 5 - 1 victory to Man Utd

[The Black Pearl]

If I remember he was "taken out" in training by one of our own.That was the thuggery football was then.

I think that is when he moved to Real Madrid, he got badly injured and never reached the same heights again.

How good was he, in my humble opinion, up with the very best, but, because of the above injury, he did not have the longevity of Ronaldo and therefor, can not truly be rated for his achievements in the same way. There is no doubt in my mind, had he played in todays era, on todays pitches, with more protection from the rules, referees and culture, he would have been an absolute world star.

[Chipperfan]

I think that is when he moved to Real Madrid, he got badly injured and never reached the same heights again.

How good was he, in my humble opinion, up with the very best, but, because of the above injury, he did not have the longevity of Ronaldo and therefor, can not truly be rated for his achievements in the same way. There is no doubt in my mind, had he played in todays era, on todays pitches, with more protection from the rules, referees and culture, he would have been an absolute world star.

My point entirely mate. He was very, very special. An extraordinary talent.

[dont ask me to choose luv]

My first game watching the Albion was indeed against QPR, but my first game watching professional football was way before that. As I recall, in the Ray Pointer, Burnley & Graham Leggett Fulham era.

The game featuring Laurie Cunningham at Filbert Street is well etched in my memory, the only player to have destroyed Leicester is a similar manner to Laurie Cunnnigham, was George Best in a 5 - 1 victory to Man Utd

Was Laurie playing for Orient in this game? as surely this pre dates QPR, Little/Megson era or am I missing the obvious? 

[baggiejohn]

Was Laurie playing for Orient in this game? as surely this pre dates QPR, Little/Megson era or am I missing the obvious? 

Err yes.

I lived in Leicester at the time & I was watching Albion as the away team. I moved to the West Midlands in 1986, & stated watching WBA soon after, I am now an Albion convert. I have been watching professional football since 1962, & two players who stood out for me from that era were Ray Pointer from Burnley & Graham Legget, who was a Scotland International, & played for Fulham.

[dont ask me to choose luv]

Err yes.

I lived in Leicester at the time & I was watching Albion as the away team. I moved to the West Midlands in 1986, & stated watching WBA soon after, I am now an Albion convert. I have been watching professional football since 1962, & two players who stood out for me from that era were Ray Pointer from Burnley & Graham Legget, who was a Scotland International, & played for Fulham.

Ahh right, got it, that's cleared it up.............sort of.

Anyhow, if the Black Flash was at Albion today, he'd be worth a fortune.

[The Black Pearl]

Ahh right, got it, that's cleared it up.............sort of.

Anyhow, if the Black Flash was at Albion today, he'd be worth a fortune.

If in his prime, in excess of £70million I would think.

[caravanc58]

If in his prime, in excess of £70million I would think.

more than that I reckon, Sterling £50m . a one legged Cunningham would still be a better player.

[throstle]

Laurie really shone in 76-77 and 78-79, but went off the boil slightly in 77-78. Hard to believe it in the context of the following season, but he was out of the side for the first few months of 1978 and played next to no part in our FA Cup run to the semi final.

[dont ask me to choose luv]

If in his prime, in excess of £70million I would think.

Agreed!
I had the pleasure of watching Laurie play for us whilst in my early teens (about 40 years & 8 stone ago) not sure I quite appreciated how good he actually was back then but how I wish we had that kind of entertainment now (oh stop reminiscing you silly old fool)

[botters]

I think that is when he moved to Real Madrid, he got badly injured and never reached the same heights again.

How good was he, in my humble opinion, up with the very best, but, because of the above injury, he did not have the longevity of Ronaldo and therefor, can not truly be rated for his achievements in the same way. There is no doubt in my mind, had he played in todays era, on todays pitches, with more protection from the rules, referees and culture, he would have been an absolute world star.

Apparently one of his own players did his knee in training. Football is a different game now with far better pitches and far more protection for the type of player that Laurie was. I have no doubt he would have been a world class player in this day, as was stated he was born probably 40 years to early. I am delighted that I saw him in his prime at the Hawthorns, this is a player when he played for Real Madrid at Barcelona was applauded off the pitch by the Barcelona supporters after he had torn them apart. If he was playing now he wouldn't have played for us, with respect he would have played at a top, top club. He was a magnificent plate. 

[botters]

Magnificent player even

[The Black Pearl]

Magnificent player even

You can just edit your post.

[dont ask me to choose luv]

You can just edit your post.

TBF he had most defenders on a plate 

[geoff]

He was that good that even the opposition fans clapped him & wanted their club to sign him.
"The 3 Degrees" Those were the days. No team in the land in those days looked forward to playing us.

[botters]

You can just edit your post.

Ok cheers 🍻😊