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Oh, I'm not saying he was big, my old man is just under six foot and he's eighty five but it's not like being 5'8" these days. According to wiki Nat Lofthouse was only a touch over 5'9".
Yes I think you're right billyblade Wright did play at that time and he was good but your face had to fit in them days and joes obviously didn't same goes with Jimmy Hagen utb
I only saw Joe play in the last season of his career when my Dad started taking me regularly. Before then I'd just gone to the odd reserve game, but my Dad had always waxed lyrical to me about him and Jimmy Hagen and even then I could see why. Joe made it look so easy and his understanding with Hodgey was superb, almost telepathic.
I met Joe years later, well after he had retired at the Cavendish club on Bank Street. I was with my Mrs to be and he was with his lovely wife. We were in the Latino lounge watching a turn and I'd first spoken to him (haha) in the Gents. I told him (well blurted out), that I was a Blade and he was my Dad's favourite player along with Hagen. Joe told me Jimmy was different class and was very modest.
We were standing up watching the act (I can't recall who it was) and the couple sat with Joe and his wife got up left and he waved us over to sit with them. It was like I'd been asked to take court with a King, I couldn't believe my luck, there were so many things that I wanted to ask him. The problem was that I was totally in awe of the great man and tongue-tied. I bet he thought I had a speech impediment. I regret to this day that I didn't ask him more than what he was up to etc.
I've never had a problem talking to any of our players past and present since then except for a certain TC, who also still left me in a bit awe on the odd occasions we've met despite being so easy to talk to, and so I guess it's a bad case of hero-worship for the true greats that I've got.
Joe was and is one of our all time great players.
That is one fine hat. <3
Great memories. Hodgy and Joe Shaw were my boyhood heroes - looking back I don't know why I was never very much aware of Graham Shaw, who, after all, won 5 England caps, something which Joe Shaw never achieved. The only bit where my memory is different from yours is that I gained a fear of playing Orient and Bristol City, whose big centre-forwards (Tom Johnston and John Atyeo) did seem to unsettle Joe. I think they both scored hat-tricks at the Lane in the late 50s (I can't find the details at the moment), and I certainly remember a feeling of pessimism when they were playing. Although perhaps it made a big impression on me precisely because it was so unusual.
I was going to write disagreeing with what you said, but having looked at some of the details, I realise that our collective memories have probably exaggerated some things. Joe was on the small side for a centre-half, and was smaller than the centre-forwards he marked, but the difference was not as much as I thought. I found it hard to believe that Lofthouse was not taller than you say, but it appears to be true. Looking at team photos of the period, Joe was probably about average height in the squad. One of my most vivid early memories of a game is a match when a bloke standing next to us spent the whole 90 minutes shouting for Joe Mercer to be sacked; Mercer had signed a big, traditional centre-half (Barrass), and dropped Joe Shaw. The difference between the 2 players was enormous, and we soon returned to the idea of a ball-playing centre-half. Perhaps the man in the crowd was Pinchy's dad? We lost 7-2 at home to Rotherham, and hoofball was ditched soon after.
Sorry you didn't have more time for Graham Shaw. I modelled my own game on his effective and stylish performances at left back. I particularly admired his skill with the two footed blocking tackle (probably illegal nowadays) by which he (and I ) were able to take tricky right wingers - of which there were umpteen in those days- out of the game.
I am sure it was my loss. I was a goalkeeper (not very good) from as young as I can remember, and my dad and older brother were huge Joe Shaw admirers - my brother had a letter published in Soccer Weekly (?) saying Billy Wright was not fit to lace Joe Shaw's boots, which I was proud of at the time! We always stood behind the goal, so perhaps I was less aware of the full-back's art. Or perhaps it was a case of a good defender doing his job well not attracting attention. But I just don't have memories of his game.
It was indeed Billy Wright. He was the David Beckham of his day. Even married a member of a popular female vocal group.
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