[Mr. Angry] Les Sealey

[rondwisan]

19/08/2011 08:37 - ManUtd.com, Steve Bartram
Les Sealey: 10 years on


On 19 August, 2001, English football was stunned by the sudden death of Les Sealey, as the former United goalkeeper suffered a fatal heart-attack at the age of 43. A decade on, ManUtd.com pays tribute to Mr Angry, with help from his former colleagues…

Lain prostrate in Middlesex Hospital on 22 April, 1991, Les Sealey was recovering from emergency surgery. Hours earlier, his knee had become infected after being accidentally gashed down to the bone by Paul Williams’ studs during United’s League Cup final defeat to Sheffield Wednesday.

Suddenly, Sealey saw through the post-anaesthesia fog. “It’s the Cup Winners’ Cup final in four weeks’ time,” he blurted to the doctor tending his bedside. “What chance have I got of playing in the big one?”

“Playing?” scoffed the doctor. “You’re lucky to be alive.”

Four weeks later, knee heavily bandaged, Sealey sported the widest grin of all as Sir Alex Ferguson’s underdogs cavorted in the Rotterdam rain. Barcelona had been vanquished, and the charismatic stopper had completed an unlikely comeback to bag his second winner’s medal in under a year after turning his loan from Luton into a permanent move.

“You could see that Les wasn’t fit, but he was prepared to go through the pain in order to play,” says Brian McClair. “When anybody’s injured that is the ultimate question to them: if it was a cup final tomorrow, would you be fit? Les wasn’t, but he played anyway. That tells you a lot about him.”

Sealey’s character had never been in question. A year earlier, in just his third appearance for the Reds, the chirpy Cockney stopper was thrust into the 1990 FA Cup final replay against Crystal Palace after Jim Leighton’s shaky display in the sides’ first meeting. Even at 32, the goalkeeper was earmarked as a weak link and was bombarded by Steve Coppell’s Eagles, but Sealey’s clean sheet and Lee Martin’s fine strike ensured winners’ medals all round.

That display, which earned him a permanent deal, came in the first of four cup finals for Les with United. Beaten in the League Cup finals of 1991 and 1994 but a winner in Rotterdam, the stopper quickly earned the nickname ‘Lucky Les’.

“He came here on loan and ended up with a pocketful of medals,” says Gary Pallister. “I think Les was a bit like a kid in a candy shop, getting the chance to play for United. At a stage of his career where he probably thought that it had all bypassed him, he got this move and suddenly he was playing in cup finals. It was a great time for Les and he was a big part of the dressing room culture.

“He was a proper crafty Cockney. The lads used to liken him to a car salesman. I remember once, a company wanted to do a phone deal with just the players, back when mobile phones were just starting out. They offered us free handsets and we were delighted with that, but then Les piped up and said: ‘Nah, we want free phone calls and all’. He had a chat with them and, before we knew it, we were getting free phones and calls.”

“He was a proper Del Boy character,” echoes Bryan Robson. “He was just so busy and boisterous and bubbly. He always had a bit of banter about him and he was good to have around the dressing room as a result of that. He loved the banter and loved having a bit of fun with the lads.”
Everybody who shared a dressing room with Sealey has a story to tell. For McClair, however, sharing a hotel room with the livewire goalkeeper is forever etched on his mind.

“I had the fortune - though at the time I deemed it the misfortune - of rooming with him on one occasion,” he smiles, wryly. “For whatever reason, probably injury or suspension, our two regular room-mates weren’t there so Les and I ended up in the same room. He was by far the worst room-mate I ever had. He liked to have a late-night fag. In the room that is, not outside. He just opened the window. He also had the telly on as loud as he could possibly have it. I said: ‘Les, what are you doing?’ To which he replied, ‘I can’t sleep.' Funnily enough, neither could I."

Despite his key role in the dressing room, the arrival of Peter Schmeichel starved Sealey of playing time, and he joined Aston Villa in 1991 before moving back to Old Trafford two years later. He made just two more appearances before leaving the club for stints with Blackpool, Leyton Orient, Bury and West Ham (twice). Les’ final appearance in league football came as a substitute for the Hammers at Old Trafford on 11 May 1997, coincidentally the same day as Eric Cantona’s final match.

Sealey took on the role of goalkeeping coach at Upton Park, where the youngsters learning their trade under him included his two sons, Joe and George. Out of the blue, on 19 August, 2001, Les suffered a fatal heart attack. The news stunned football, and especially those who knew him.

“It stopped me in my tracks when I heard,” says Pallister. “To hear of somebody, especially in our line of work - where you keep yourself fit day in, day out - dying of a heart attack… I just couldn’t believe it. It didn’t feel real. You immediately think of his wife, Elaine, and the kids and what a shock it must have been for them as well.”

“I was gobsmacked,” echoes Robson. “Les was such a bright, bubbly character. Anyone who shared a dressing room with him will always remember him. People like Les… they’re the ones you don’t forget. He’ll always be missed.”

[rondwisan]

Mark Bright dishes out the rough stuff during the 1990 FA Cup final replay, but Les has the last laugh



Les prepares to clash with Sheffield Wednesday's Paul Williams in the 1991 League Cup final



Les joins Sir Alex to celebrate beating Barcelona in the 1991 European Cup Winners' Cup final

[rondwisan]

Les celebrates Mark Hughes' killer second goal against Barcelona in Rotterdam



In memory of Les, a wreath lies in the Old Trafford goalmouth as United host West Ham in 2001

[rondwisan]

Les Sealey United's Statistic

[Ucup Carrick]

kiper utama sebelum schmeichel yah...
sayang karirnya mentok gara-gara penyakit...

[rio vander vidic]

baru tau ada kiper united yang namanya Les Sealey

maklum anak baru.....

baju kipernya kocak.....

[hilmydn]

Tetep aja VDS paling bagus kata Sir bobby charlton

[Andi Istiabudi]

REMEMBERING LES SEALEY

We’re thinking of our former goalkeeper Les Sealey who died of a heart attack on this day in 2001 at the age of 43. Here’s the tribute published by the club magazine, Inside United, after his tragic and untimely death.

In a 24-year playing career, Les Sealey travelled as far afield as Plymouth Argyle and Blackpool to play the game he loved, but, at Manchester United, he proved he was far more than a journeyman professional.

Sealey first came to United on a month's loan from Luton Town in December 1989 and he quickly made an impact in the dressing room.

“Les was a very quiet, unassuming man…” joked Brian McClair.”... No, he was exactly the same as you saw him on the pitch! A larger than life figure with a great sense of humour who loved his football and worked hard. He realised he had a marvellous opportunity coming to United and he made the most of it.“

Alex Ferguson was equally impressed and, the following March, he again borrowed Sealey from Luton as back-up for Jim Leighton. And when Ferguson controversially decided to drop Leighton for the 1990 FA Cup final replay, he had no qualms about throwing Sealey into the breach.

“I took a gamble replacing Jim Leighton,” admitted Sir Alex. “But I knew Les had the character and personality to play on the big stage.”

Sealey's solid performance helped United to a 1-0 replay win over Crystal Palace and the 32-year-old keeper was rewarded with a permanent transfer to United. “Every day Les was here was like a birthday for him because he came out of nowhere to play in the cup final,” said team-mate Mike Phelan. “He was always saying, 'I'm happy to be here' and the players took to him because of his attitude. Les was thrust straight into it but his off-the-cuff personality allowed him to adjust quite quickly. He could be relaxed or hyper, loud and funny or sometimes just a pain! With Les, what you saw was what you got.”

Room-mate McClair certainly suffered more than most by his association with Sealey. “Les would watch the telly until about two in the morning and insisted on having the windows open so the room was always freezing,” smiles Choccy. “A great lad, but the worst room-mate I ever had!”

Daft antics didn’t deflect from the fact that Sealey was an excellent and courageous goalkeeper though. He was United’s no,1 throughout the 1990/91 season and his raging refusal to be substituted in the 1991 League Cup final against Sheffield Wednesday, despite a horrific knee injury, said everything about his indomitable character.
“His knee was cut right down to the bone,“ recalls Clayton Blackmore. ”But he didn't want to go off because he was desperate to play in the Cup-Winners' Cup final a few weeks later. He had a big, big heart.“

Against all odds, Sealey declared himself fit for that final against Barcelona and helped United to a famous 2-1 victory. It was the peak of his colourful career and his post-match collapse due to blood poisoning underlined the risk he'd taken just by playing. But then again, bravery and determination was the very least we came to expect from Les Sealey.

United career:
Signed: June 1990
Re-signed: January 1993
Debut: v Queens Park Rangers (a), 14 April 1990
League: 33 apps
FA Cup: 4 (1 sub) apps
League Cup: 9 apps
Europe: 8 apps
TOTAL: 54 (1 sub) apps

Clubs:
Coventry City 1974-1983 (apprentice: April 1974, turned pro: March 1976)
Luton Town 1983-89
(on loan to Plymouth Argyle from October to November 1984 and on loan to Manchester United December 1989 and March to May 1990)
Manchester United 1990-91
Aston Villa 1991-93 (on loan to Coventry City March 1992)
Manchester United 1993-94
Blackpool 1994-95
West Ham 1995-96
Leyton Orient 1996-97
West Ham 1997-98
(on loan to Bury March 1998 before being appointed West Ham's goalkeeping coach)

www.manutd.com

[Andi Istiabudi]

OPINION: WHY SEALEY IS UNITED'S BEST LOAN SIGNING
by Adam Marshall

Whenever I hear talk of Manchester United's best loan signing, and this topic will become even hotter if Odion Ighalo continues this kind of form, Henrik Larsson's name is often nominated in this particular category.

Perhaps it is because his was a genuine stop-gap arrival in the traditional sense of a loan, a short-term option who oozed class and quality in the attack, in 2007.

The move was an undoubted success but the Swede did only score once in the Premier League, three times in all competitions. So, in my view, there are other contenders for the accolade of United's best loan capture.

Carlos Tevez is an obvious alternative - he was fantastic for the Reds but the deal was not your typical loan, stretching over two seasons. It is also fair to say joining Manchester City at the end of it was always going to obviously lose him marks in the respect of this argument!

I remember, in my youth, Ron Atkinson signing Laurie Cunningham and Garth Crooks on loan. Both fine footballers but they never really showed their best form at Old Trafford.

Unlike Les Sealey.

Signing keepers on loan usually went under the radar, it was probably something you would only find out about in the 'News in brief' section on Teletext - a couple of lines of matter-of-fact statement. Mark Crossley, of Nottingham Forest, also had a stint with United around the same time and I think there was more focus on Mal Donaghy returning to Luton Town when Les made the move in the opposite direction.

Jim Leighton was Alex Ferguson's undisputed no.1 and it was not until mid-April of that 1989/90 season when the man from Bethnal Green got his opportunity, at the age of 32.

As is the case with Ighalo, he appeared hell-bent on grabbing it with both hands.

Sealey played in wins over Queens Park Rangers and Aston Villa (2-1 and 2-0) before a young Mark Bosnich made his debut in a goalless home draw with Wimbledon at the end of the month. But Leighton was back in goal for the final two league matches of a disappointing Division One campaign and had played in all of the FA Cup matches en route to the final.

Hence, it was no surprise when the Scotland international lined up against Crystal Palace at Wembley, only for the experienced campaigner's performance in the exciting 3-3 draw to prompt his manager to ponder one of the biggest decisions of his illustrious career.

As Sealey's loan was set to expire at the end of the season, the fact there was a replay meant permission had to be granted to make him available for the second game against Steve Coppell's Eagles. This was granted but there was still widespread shock when the Londoner was actually handed the gloves when the teams were announced for the big match.

After all, the keeper had been, perhaps harshly, blamed by Luton boss Ray Harford for his performance in the League Cup final defeat to Nottingham Forest, a year earlier, at the iconic stadium and dropped from the Hatters' team as a result. Not the best memory to take into this fixture, which was always going to have huge repercussions for Ferguson's tenure.

Yet the manager's faith in Sealey's character and mentality proved well placed. Palace clearly tried to unsettle him with some rough-house tactics but he stood firm, making a few vital saves and keeping a clean sheet. This despite one worrying moment when the camera clearly showed him yelling at his wall 'I can't see' (expletive removed), only to block Andy Gray's free-kick with his legs.

John Motson, in commentary, remarked that the game may always be remembered as the 'Les Sealey Cup final'.

Some 30 years on, the importance of lifting that trophy can never be under-estimated when telling the story of Sir Alex's Manchester United. Sealey, who earned a permanent contract on the back of it, and helped us win the European Cup-Winners' Cup in the following season, would later to return to the club in the 1993/94 season.

Tragically, he died of a heart attack in 2001, aged only 43, which is still hard to come to terms with.

Yet Sealey's place in our history will never be forgotten. And it will take some intervention from Ighalo to usurp him in my mind as our best loan signing. Let's hope the Nigerian does at least have the opportunity to supply his own FA Cup final heroics in May.

The opinions in this story are personal to the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Manchester United Football Club.

www.manutd.com