The football world is mourning the death of former Leeds United legend Paul Madeley who has died at the age of 73 after a long battle with Parkinson’s Disease; a one-club man who played in one of the best sides of his day and a character the great Don Revie once referred to as his “Rolls Royce.”
Beeston-born Madeley was a key figure in Don Revie's heralded yet infamous Leeds side of the late 1960s and 1970s, alongside the likes of Peter Lorimer, Norman Hunter, Billy Bremner and Johnny Giles, rarely missing a game in 10 years.
He made his first appearance for Leeds aged 19 in 1964 having signed from non-league Farsley Celtic and spent his entire playing career at Elland Road, winning two First Division titles, the FA Cup and the League Cup under the manager Don Revie. He also played 24 times for England during the 1970s.
Such was his versatility he played in every position on the pitch for his club except goalkeeper and wore every shirt from number 2 to number 11 while on the odd occasion also found himself contributing from the bench in the number 12 jersey.
But it was as an attacker that Madeley was most effective when Leeds won their first trophy as they lifted the League Cup in 1968 having beaten Arsenal 1-0 at Wembley, while three years later he scored the crucial away goal against Juventus which meant Leeds won the 1971 Fairs Cup.
The following season he was an ever-present for Leeds, not missing a game as United were runners-up in the First Division though they did go on to lift the FA Cup that season after defeating Arsenal with Madeley once more playing in a number of different positions throughout the campaign.
His ability to play in various roles eventually attracted the attention of England boss Alf Ramsey and after politely declining to travel to the 1970 World Cup as an understudy he was eventually awarded his first full international cap in 1971.
His bow came against Northern Ireland in Belfast in the 1970/71 British Home Championship fixture, this time at right-back, a position he was to win the majority of his six-year international career.
When Trevor Cherry joined Leeds as a replacement for Terry Cooper in the summer of 1972 Madeley was on the move once again, this time to the centre of defence, wearing the number five jersey as Leeds lost the FA Cup final to Sunderland, and the European Cup Winners Cup final a few days later against AC Milan.
Madeley eventually tasted the glory he so deserved in 1974 when Don Revie’s side finally lifted the First Division title having finished second for three seasons in a row at the start of the decade, missing just three matches in a season which culminated in a European Cup final defeat to Bayern Munich.
The club stalwart eventually called time on his playing career in 1980 after 16 years at the West Yorkshire club before working at the family DIY business which he would later sell to Payless Group for £27 million in 1992.
On hearing of his sad passing his former club Tweeted: "Everyone at Leeds United is deeply saddened to hear of the passing of legend Paul Madeley. Our thoughts are with his family and friends."
A statement from his family read:“Paul Madeley passed away peacefully today surrounded by his family in Leeds. The late Don Revie christened him his 'Roll Royce' and to us he was just that - a class act as a husband and a father who always had time for everyone he met."
