Others become icon in a single moment. Journeyman keeper Jimmy Glass made just three appearances on loan at Carlisle United in 1999, yet the last-gasp goal he scored to prevent relegation to the Conference enshrined his name in Cumbrian folklore.
Nor will anyone forget Roy Essandoh, a jobbing striker who answered an ad on teletext, joined Wycombe Wanderers on a two-week deal and promptly scored the winner in an FA Cup quarter-final.
Chris ‘Budgie’ Kelly’s contribution to Leatherhead was, admittedly, rather more substantial. A nimble striker of considerable skill, he scored prolifically, and often spectacularly, over the course of six seasons with the Tanners.
Nevertheless, it was a single fortnight in the winter of 1975 that propelled the 26-year-old upholsterer to national fame.
Having scored a late winner to down Brighton in the FA Cup third round, Kelly appeared on that evening’s Match of the Day to ‘discuss’ the Tanners’ prospects of beating top-flight Leicester City in the next round.
“We’d all gone for a meal afterwards,” recalls Peter McGillicuddy, who played in midfield for Leatherhead. “He’d had a few beers, but he wasn’t half cut. The BBC sent a car, dragged him out and took him into London. Then he opened his mouth.”
“Leicester? They’re rubbish,” Kelly told a somewhat startled Jimmy Hill. “We’ll stuff them in the next round.”
Within hours, the Daily Mail had dubbed Kelly the ‘Leatherhead Lip’. Kelly, a natural extrovert, revelled in the role and before long was lobbing hand grenades from the back pages of national newspapers, Nationwide and even Tomorrow’s World.
Denne historien er fra July 26, 2020-utgaven av The Non-League Football Paper.
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Denne historien er fra July 26, 2020-utgaven av The Non-League Football Paper.
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SHAKERS REVEL IN MAKING HISTORY
DAVE McNabb says Bury's FA Cup heroes are proud to be writing their own chapters in club history.
WILCOX: WE FEEL COMPLETE WITH WIN
RUSS WILCOX'S verdict after watching his Gainsborough Trinity side outmuscle and outplay their hosts was that it was \"probably our most complete performance\".
CRACKER BY KABIA TOPPLES TUDORS!
ASSISTANT boss Stewart Yetton said his Truro City side were good value for their win over table-toppers Hemel Hempstead Town.
BRAKES PUT STOP ON BORO BATTLERS
SEPARATED only by goal difference before kick-off, these sides remain neck and neck in the embryonic table after playing out 90 minutes in the October sunshine that was a great advert for the division.
BOSS COTT'S GOT A REALLY GOOD THING WITH ROVERS
STEVE Cotterill hailed Forest Green Rovers’ first class performance as they produced a spirited comeback to topple fellow high-flyers Eastleigh at the Silverlake Stadium.
SKIPS STEER HEED'S SHIP
GATESHEAD captains of the past and present are playing a lead role in helping the National League club move on from the departure of FA Trophy-winning manager Rob Elliot.
FA CUP PREVIEW: SWEET! 'DREAM' DRAW IS CHANCE OF OUR LIFETIME
DAVE NORTHFIELD says minnows Biggleswade FC were like 'kids in a sweet shop' when they drew out York City in what he describes as the 'draw of a lifetime'.
PARKER'S HEART IS STILL AT HOME
FORMER England right-back Paul Parker has revealed he would never completely rule out a return to management – but says he would only do so for one of his beloved local clubs.
LOCALS RALLY TO REBUILD BRIDGE
WHEN committee members at Bamber Bridge set out to raise £30,000 to protect the club's future, they were apprehensive about the response they'd get.
RUTHLESS BEES FIND THEIR FEET
ASTERLING second-half performance resulted in league leaders Barnet brushing aside a Boston United outfit that led at the interval through Keaton Ward’s early strike.