Joe Laidlaw

Joe Laidlaw
Personal information
Full name Joseph Daniel Laidlaw
Date of birth 12 July 1950 (1950-07-12) (age 61)
Place of birth Whickham, England
Height 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Playing position Midfielder
Youth career
1965–1967 Middlesbrough
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
1967–1972 Middlesbrough 109 (20)
1972–1976 Carlisle 151 (44)
1976–1979 Doncaster Rovers 128 (27)
1979–1980 Portsmouth 60 (19)
1980–1982 Hereford United 62 (8)
1982 Mansfield Town 4 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).

Joe Laidlaw (born 12 July 1950) was a combative[1] 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[2] despite playing a similar role throughout.[3] He was born in Whickham and started playing locally for Swalwell[4] before becoming an apprentice at Middlesbrough.[5] 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 onto begin a four year stint with Carlisle[6] before a three year spell with Billy Bremner’s Doncaster Rovers. In June 1979 he moved to Portsmouth for a fee of 15,000 GBP.[7] Appointed club captain he quickly became a firm favourite with 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 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.[8] Laidlaw played a further 62 league games for The Bulls scoring 8 goals[9] before ending his career with a very brief spell at Mansfield. After his professional career ended he returned to the south coast to live, and has managed Fareham Town[10] and Chichester City United F.C.

References

  1. ^ Character profile
  2. ^ As football moved from 1–2–3–5 to 1-4-3-3/1–4–2–4
  3. ^ "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”
  4. ^ Pre-League Career
  5. ^ ”Rothmans Football Year Book,1970–71” Peskett, R & Williams, T: Harpenden, QAP,1970 ISBN 0362000719
  6. ^ Transfer Details
  7. ^ ”Portsmouth, from Tindall to Ball” Farmery, C: Southend-on-Sea, Desert Island Books, 1999 ISBN 1874287252
  8. ^ ”Rothmans football yearbook 1981–82” Rollin, J (Ed) London, QAP, 1981 ISBN 0362020442
  9. ^ “The PFA Premier League and Football League Players’ Records 1946–98” Hugman, B: Harpenden, Queen Anne Press, 1998 ISBN 1852915854
  10. ^ Fareham details