Joe Laidlaw

Football player infobox
playername= Joe Laidlaw


fullname = Joseph Daniel Laidlaw
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1950|7|12|df=yes
cityofbirth = Portsmouth
countryofbirth = England
height = height|ft=5|in=8
position = Midfielder
youthyears = 1965–1967
youthclubs = Middlesbrough
years = 1967–1972
1972–1976
1976–1979
1979–1980
1980–1982
1982
clubs = Middlesbrough
Carlisle
Doncaster Rovers
Portsmouth
Hereford United
Mansfield Town
caps(goals) = 109 (20)
151 (44)
128 (27)
060 (19)
062 0(8)
004 0(0)
nationalyears =
nationalteam =
nationalcaps(goals) =

Joe Laidlaw (born 12 July 1950) was a combative [ [http://www.doncasterrovers.co.uk/players/KtoM/Laidlaw,Joe.htm Character profile] ] midfielder who played for six English league clubs over a 15 year period spanning three decades. He 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 [As football moved from 1-2-3-5 to 1-4-3-3/1-4-2-4] despite playing a similar role throughout. ["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", 10th March 1980, article by Mike Neasom “Laidlaw fit for Stockport clash”] He was born in Whickham and started playing locally for Swalwell [ [http://www.swalwelluk.co.uk/sport.html Pre-League Career] ] before becoming an apprentice at Middlesbrough [”Rothmans Football Year Book,1970-71” Peskett, R & Williams, T: Harpenden, QAP,1970 ISBN 0362000719] . He signed his first professional contract in August 1967 and went on make over 100 appearances for the club. In July 1972 he moved onto begin a four year stint with Carlisle [ [http://www.neilbrown.newcastlefans.com/middlesbrough/middlesbrough.htm Transfer Details] ] before a three year stint with Billy Bremner’s Doncaster Rovers. In June 1979 he moved to Portsmouth for a fee of 15,000 GBP [”Portsmouth, from Tindall to Ball” Farmery, C: Southend-on-Sea, Desert Island Books, 1999 ISBN 1874287252] . Appointed club captain he quickly became a firm favourite with the Fratton Faithful. In a memorable roller-coaster first season he lead Pompey to promotion, this being achieved on the last day of the season after the club beat Northampton 2–0 and Bradford lost 1–0 to Peterborough. The following December Laidlaw was sold to Hereford for 15,000GBP, his last match having been a 1–0 defeat at Barnsley the preceding month [”Rothmans football yearbook 1981-82” Rollin, J (Ed) London, QAP, 1981 ISBN 0362020442] . Laidlaw played a further 62 league games for The Bulls scoring 8 goals [“The PFA Premier League and Football League Players’ Records 1946-98” Hugman, B: Harpenden, Queen Anne Press, 1998 ISBN 1852915854] before ending his career with a very brief spell at Mansfield. After his professional career ended he returned to the south coast to live, his latest venture being as part of the management team at Chichester City United F.C., having left Fareham Town [ [http://creeksiders.mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/ Fareham details] ] in somewhat acrimonious circumstances. In February 2008 he was sacked by Chichester City United with joint boss Louis Savage resigning.

References