Gary Sprake RIP

Gareth Sprake (3 April 1945 – 18 October 2016) was a Welsh professional footballer. A goalkeeper, he played for Leeds United and Birmingham City and also won 37 caps for Wales.

Sprake became known during his career as a goalkeeper who was brilliant, but occasionally prone to appalling mistakes.[1][2] He spent more than a decade as the number 1 keeper at Leeds during a period when they were a dominant side in the English domestic game.

I'm sure they once played careless hands at half time after he let in a howler.

They did at Liverpool. :-)

Hi Saddo,After Gary Sprakes mistake it was the Liverpool fans on the kop who started singing Careless Hands rather than the song being played at halftime.

I don't think they sang it until after the quick witthed DJ played it at HT, Culvin, although I could be wrong.

Anyway, Gary landed the best left hook I've ever seen on a football field. Think it's on youtube. Back in a mo.

Here we are. Fantastic punch on Bobby Gould, who was no angel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EzGUobdyuA

Yea,Sprakey landed a right Gud Un there..And he only received a booking...That LEEDS UNITED team What a Great,Great team that was.

Damned United. Great film. Leeds under Revie were a bunch of thugs.

I didn't miss many home games in those days Kenny. The atmosphere was magical, if Leeds scored first then that was usually game over.

I agree they could dish it out but there were some brutal defenders in that era, every team in the league  had at least 2 enforcers.

Although Leeds had 4 or 5

played for the greatest club team I have ever seen. 1969-1973. by 74 they were already just past their very peak.(and still reached the European cup final and should have beat Munich)

Very sad - always put in a great performance for Wales iirc.
Nice video kenny. Can't imagine the nuclear handbag fallout if that happened today.

"Following his retirement, Sprake worked as a salesman for a short period before becoming a borough council training officer in Solihull, a job which he remained in for over 14 years."!

How times have changed.

Enjoyed John Cleese's portrayal. Captured the Leeds man's poetic and romantic side.

"Yang-tse Kiang, river of the eastern dream. Teeming with carp and trout and perch and ... bream."

Brian Clough vs. Don Revie (1974) - TV interview straight after Clough was sacked....great !
.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SQbLb4vFtg

Yea,that interview is quite funny.The Don did OK ,he more than held his ground.

Sprake was great comedy value at times along with Stepney and the plethora north of the border.