Paul Madeley

Lore & Background

Born in the Beeston area of Leeds, West Riding of Yorkshire, Madeley signed for Leeds from non-league Farsley Celtic in May 1962 and made his debut in January 1964. He played in every position except goalkeeper and wore every shirt from No. 2 to No. 11 (and occasionally No. 12). His versatility earned him the nickname 'The Eleven Pauls', used in the 1972 FA Cup Final song Leeds United. He scored the crucial away goal against Juventus in the 1971 Fairs Cup final. He once signed a new contract on virtually a blank piece of paper, telling manager Jimmy Armfield, 'I just want to play for Leeds.'

In Their Own Story

The floodlights at Elland Road hummed their low electric note. It was the eighty-second minute, the score level, and the home crowd had been on their feet for twenty minutes straight. A cross came in from the left, looping high over the penalty area. The striker rose, his head tracking the ball, his body coiling for the strike. And then, from the six-yard line, a shape exploded upward. Madeley was not tall, not by a long measure, but in that instant he seemed to stretch, his body a grey-and-white blur against the darkening sky. One hand. Just one hand, fingers splayed, catching the ball on the very tip of his index finger and tipping it over the bar. The net never trembled. The roar that followed was not a cheer but a physical force, a wall of sound that bounced off the stands and pressed down on the pitch. Madeley landed on his back, rolled once, and was already on his feet, pointing forward, screaming at his defenders to hold their line. He did not smile. He never smiled after a save. He simply turned, walked back to his line, and waited for the next one.

Reader's Guide

Madeley made his England debut in 1971 against Northern Ireland at right-back. He later partnered Bobby Moore at centre-back for Moore's 100th cap against Scotland in 1973. His final cap came against the Netherlands in a friendly at Wembley in 1977. He was asked by Alf Ramsey to replace injured Leeds teammate Paul Reaney at the 1970 World Cup but declined, saying he needed a rest and was unlikely to play. After retiring in 1980, he invested in a sports goods shop in Leeds and worked for his family's DIY business, which was sold for £27 million in 1987. He had a benign brain tumour removed in 1992, a mild heart attack in 2002, and was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2004. He was portrayed by actor Chris Moore in the 2009 film The Damned United.

Did You Know?

• Madeley played in every position except goalkeeper for Leeds United.
• His nickname was 'The Eleven Pauls'.
• He scored the crucial away goal against Juventus in the 1971 Fairs Cup final.
• He signed a new contract on virtually a blank piece of paper.
• He declined a call-up to the 1970 World Cup squad because he wanted to rest.