Len Badger

[ancientblade]

7-0. Scored the 4th goal

remember that one silent thunderbolt at the shoreham end

 

[Grappler]

As many have said so far, his was one of the three names that always got mentioned in that great early 70's side, that I was lucky enough to see as a young lad, "Tony Currie, Alan Woodward and Len Badger". Great player and a legend at the lane.

RIP Len Badger.

 

[Maidenhead]

As with many others Len was our right back when I started watching the Blades and he has always been a Blades hero.

My wife and I were fortunate enough to have a couple of hours with him and a mate of his in the bar at the Holiday Inn on Hull Marina the night before our game there at Easter 2019.

A thoroughly entertaining session with Len's ability to down the booze almost up there with his ability to tell tales.

It was great to meet such a talented man with no delusions of self grandeur.

R.I.P Len.

 

[Robbat]

Great player, Very nice person, king of sliding tackles, I had the pleasure of being presented a trophy by Len and his friend Ted hemsley Will sadly be missed condolences to his family.

 

[spacecake]

Very sad news to wake up to.
I like the description “the TC of the back four” because he did have that bit of quality that made him stand out in, for me, the best Blades team ever.

I remember as kids we used to plague him for autographs, knocking on the door of his house on Bannerdale rd during the summer holidays.
This of course was an era when footballers inhabited the same planet as the rest of us.
He never complained once, always smiling and affable, before asking us for our Autographs! To a bunch of star struck kids he was fantastic.

To say I’m gutted is an understatement.
The world has lost one of the truly good guys and a more than talented footballer.

RIP Len

 

[Paisley Blade]

Coal Aston (Stonelow Fields upper), Dronfield Contact (Stonelow Fields lower) or Dronfield Woodhouse (Carr Lane)? Apperknowle and Hundall are the other two near Dronfield I can think of

I'm thinking Dronfield Woodhouse mate.

 

[Bugboyblade]

Rip legend

 

[diode_blade]

RIP Len
Blades Legend,Can only remember seeing him play a couple of times, very distant memories now.
Condolences to family and friends.

 

[SWFC Fan]

Wednesday fan here so I hope you don't mind me posting.

Just wanted to leave a quick message to pay my respects. RIP Len

My grandad was a blade and he was one of his favourite players.

 

[SUFC Handsworth]

Len was slightly before my time, i must have seen him two or three times as a kid in 1975. Heard all the stories from my dad and other Blades fans of what a great right back he was.

RIP to a true Blades legend

 

[ancientblade]

his trademark sliding tackle from behind the winger and coming away with the ball was unique only seen 1 other player do similar at the lane and that was kyle naughton always reminded me of badge when he did that great player great ambassador great blade

 

[Yellarbellyblade]

Wednesday fan here so I hope you don't mind me posting.

Just wanted to leave a quick message to pay my respects. RIP Len

My grandad was a blade and he was one of his favourite players.

Thanks mate appreciate you making the effort to do this, respect to you

 

[Rawnblade]

My username is a tribute to Len Badger. Rawnblade Widestripe was the Badger Lord in the Redwall books by Brian Jacques.

Len was my favourite player

 

[St Albans Blade]

RIP Len Badger - 1945-2021

Sheffield United is devastated to report the passing today of one of its greatest sons, former captain, Len Badger, following complications from a surgical procedure.

www.sufc.co.uk

The Badger, Hemsley complimentary full-backs partnership was a footballing beauty to behold.



Dropped into a Dronfield pub once and was pleasantly surprised to find this legend as landlord behind the bar!

 

[St Albans Blade]

RIP Len Badger - 1945-2021

Sheffield United is devastated to report the passing today of one of its greatest sons, former captain, Len Badger, following complications from a surgical procedure.

www.sufc.co.uk

Blade through and through...

 

[Kevin Arnott]

4-0 win against Blackburn in Nov 1969? See from 3 mins 33 secs in below video

That one was a bit early for me, I really started to go around 1972 -73. I've been tracking through some stuff and found that on Oct 26th 1974 we beat Birmingham 3-2 at home but can't trace any finer details..... To add to an earlier poster really do think Len Badger Stand is wholly appropriate for the Club and this man.

 

[SWFC Fan]

Thanks mate appreciate you making the effort to do this, respect to you

He was just one of those names that you'd heard of and respect even as a Wednesday fan I think. As I say, my blades supporting grandad (also RIP) loved him. We bought my father in law, also a Blade, one of those ground tours and executive box days for his 60th and Len Badger was one of the hosts. He said that he was lovely, spent a lot of time with him and the other fans on the day. And it was obvious how much knowledge and love he had of United. I'm going to text him in a bit. I know that the photo he took with Len Badger is one of his favourite possessions.

 

[silver blade]

RIP Len Badger - 1945-2021

Sheffield United is devastated to report the passing today of one of its greatest sons, former captain, Len Badger, following complications from a surgical procedure.

www.sufc.co.uk

Another one of my boyhood team gone RIP

 

[Big Hitter]

Like a top flight musician, he looked as if he was classically trained and developed into the cornerstone of our team, first paired with Bernard Shaw then with Ted Hemsley in that never to be forgotten 70-71 promotion side.
As others have said he had perfected the sliding tackle and my other abiding memory of Len was his slightly curved arm action, unique to him, when taking a throw -in.
Many full backs were just tacklers and thump it up the field. Len brought to the position the art of great tackling ability, an impressive tactical awareness, an ability to thread passes up to Woody or TC that produced many of our goals and a sound knowledge of the game.
Well done Len, RIP.
Condolences to your family and friends.

 

[Barry Butlin]

Started going in 1970 so saw him play 5 seasons in the top flight, what a player. Met him several times either in the Italian at Meodowhead or any one of the Pubs in Holmesfield. He was always keen to talk all things Blades, a true Gent RIP Len x

 

[reedy63]

RIP Len Badger best right-back ever. a true Blade legend.
Sincere condolences to his Family and Freinds.

 

[Bladeloyal]

Len was a true blades great and absolutely loved the club .had the privilege of singing the greasy chip buttie song one new years eve with him .
Such a nice proper Sheffield bloke .rest in peace Sir Len

 

[dn5 shaun]

RIP Len not much else to say apart from this guy definitely makes the all time XI

 

[Addison]

I vaguely remember at a very young age being taken to a game by my Dad where Len Badger and Bernard Shaw made their debuts as 16 year olds. In those days if you were good enough it didn't matter what age you were.

A sublime traditional right back whose first priority was to defend, very little got past him. His range of passing was excellent and if he'd played for a fashionable club he'd have been capped by England. As it was he gave great service to England u23's and was only denied a full cap by FA politics. Keith Newton was Englands full back at the 1970 World cup but lesser players such as Chris Lawlor and John Gidman were given the shirt in the years that followed.

One of the first names on my all time great SUFC players list. RIP Len privilege to have watched you.

 

[Corazon]

The best right back I ever saw, in Blades colours or any other.
England v Scotland schools international at Wembley, April 30th 1960

 

[Paisley Blade]

The best right back I ever saw, in Blades colours or any other.
England v Scotland schools international at Wembley, April 30th 1960

Some recognisable names there along with Len.

Barry Fry David Pleat and Ron Harris for England. Bobby Moncur for Scotland.

 

[Blackheath Blade]

Awful news and my sincere condolences to Len's family and friends. Another one of the 70-71 Team to leave us. I met him at the 125 Anniversary Dinner, he was an absolute joy to speak with.

My mum was from Carbrook and she used to take him for walks on the 'Cliffe in his pram when he was a toddler. When I told him this and my mum's name (Iris Turner) he instantly knew her and was absolutely made up. It got a bit emotional to be honest when he learned that she'd died a few years previously.

What a man, what a player, what a Blade. RIP Len Badger - the best right back in the Club's history..

 

[Blade59]

RIP Len

Very sad to here this news.

One of my favourite players from that 70's side. All are true Blades legends but none more so than Len.

 

[Deaneandagana]

Had the pleasure of a brief chat with him in the Railway after the Hull game (Leon Clarke scored all 4) - remember him being absolutely blown away with what Wilder had done at the club.

Top Blade.

 

[Lane Ender]

Absolutely gutted to hear of his passing
Had the pleasure of his company on more than one occasion in the Dronfield Arms true gentleman 100% Blade.
RIP Len