Joe Laidlaw
Joseph Daniel Laidlaw (12 July 1950 – 18 November 2021) was an English professional footballer who played as a midfielder for six league clubs over a 15-year period spanning three decades.
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Joseph Daniel Laidlaw[1] | ||
Date of birth | 12 July 1950 | ||
Place of birth | Wallsend, England | ||
Date of death | 18 November 2021 71) | (aged||
Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
Youth career | |||
1965–1967 | Middlesbrough | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1967–1972 | Middlesbrough | 109 | (20) |
1972–1976 | Carlisle United | 151 | (44) |
1976–1979 | Doncaster Rovers | 128 | (27) |
1979–1980 | Portsmouth | 60 | (19) |
1980–1982 | Hereford United | 62 | (8) |
1982 | Mansfield Town | 4 | (0) |
1984-1985 | Waterlooville | 41 | (8) |
Total | 555 | (126) | |
Managerial career | |||
Selsey | |||
Fareham Town | |||
Chichester | |||
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
Career
Laidlaw was born in Wallsend, growing up as a Newcastle United fan. He started playing locally for Swalwell[2] before becoming an apprentice at Middlesbrough.[3] He signed his first professional contract in August 1967 and went on to make over 100 appearances for the club. In July 1972 he moved on to begin a four-year stint with Carlisle United[4] before a three-year spell with Billy Bremner's Doncaster Rovers. In June 1979 he moved to Portsmouth for a fee of £15,000.[5] Appointed club captain he quickly became a firm favourite with Portsmouth's fans, the Fratton Faithful. In a memorable roller-coaster first season he led Pompey to promotion, this being achieved on the last day of the season after the club beat Northampton 2–0 and Bradford City lost 1–0 to Peterborough United. The following December Laidlaw was sold to Hereford United for £15,000, his last match having been a 1–0 defeat at Barnsley the preceding month.[6] He played a further 62 league games for The Bulls scoring eight goals[7] before ending his career with a very brief spell at Mansfield Town. After his professional career ended he returned to the south coast to live, and played for Waterlooville before then managing Selsey (initially as player-manager), Fareham Town[8] and Chichester City United.
Style of play
A combative player,[9] Laidlaw was one of that generation who bridged the gap between terminological eras, beginning his career as a wing-half and ending it as a midfielder[10] despite playing a similar role throughout.[11]
Personal life
When asked about his biggest dislike he responded shaving and the person he'd most like to meet was Paul Newman.
Death
Laidlaw died on 18 November 2021, at the age of 71.[12]
References
- "Joe Laidlaw". Barry Hugman's Footballers.
- Pre-League Career
- "Rothmans Football Year Book,1970–71" Peskett, R & Williams, T: Harpenden, QAP,1970 ISBN 0-362-00071-9
- Transfer Details
- "Portsmouth, from Tindall to Ball" Farmery, C: Southend-on-Sea, Desert Island Books, 1999 ISBN 1-874287-25-2
- "Rothmans football yearbook 1981–82" Rollin, J (Ed) London, QAP, 1981 ISBN 0-362-02044-2
- "The PFA Premier League and Football League Players' Records 1946–98" Hugman, B: Harpenden, Queen Anne Press, 1998 ISBN 1-85291-585-4
- Fareham details
- Joe.htm Character profile
- As football moved from 2–3–5 to 4-3-3/4–2–4
- "Every team needs a Joe Laidlaw- a tough battler to win the ball all over the park and keep everyone up to their job"- Portsmouth manager Frank Burrows quoted in The News, 10 March 1980, article by Mike Neasom "Laidlaw fit for Stockport clash"
- Portsmouth mourning death of promotion-winning captain