FKAM
21st December 2006, 10:41 AM
Good summary this. I love the bit about Chelsea. Remember it well.
I personally think the author has exaggerated somewhat, regarding Lawrence's accuracy when crossing the ball, but I'll let that go.
(Source: Boy from Brazil).
'I remember hearing that Kamara had signed two wingers. Fifty thousand pounds a piece.
The one people had heard of was the ex-Everton and Man City winger Peter Beagrie; a player people had obviously seen the best of and a typical City signing of 'past his best' and 'playing his career out'.
The other was lesser known. A pineapple-haired Londoner from Leicester named Jamie Lawrence who people had heard of, but never really thought about. A lad, indeed, who a Foxes supporting friend of mine described as 'was supposed to be "one for the future" but never got there when the future turned up'. Best of all, he'd managed to get into football solely through being in prison for his part in various robberies! The first footballer whose transfer fee didn't match the amount stolen in various armed raids!
Sunderland had spotted him whilst he playing for Cowes Sports on the Isle of Wight (a team who, themselves, had spotted him in a game against the prison in which he was residing!) The Sunderland manager at the time, one Terry Butcher, offered him a one-year professional contract. He then moved to Darlington before Leicester came in for him.
Jamie was a revelation; a barrel-chested pacey winger that the opposition bounced off. He'd beat them with pace or his physique. Time after time after time. His ball control was not exactly like that of a Maradona, or even a Murray; more a "constantly six-feet in front of him and run after it" player; an Andy Kiwomya who could batter the opposition into submission. He was full of running; one of the most hard-working players I've ever had the fortune of seeing. A different type of player to those we've seen more recently: HE LOOKED LIKE HE CARED! He wasn't afraid of anyone, either in size or in reputation.
During our promotion season, he created so many goals with his precision passing and exceptional crossing, even managing to chip in with a few important ones himself. A meandering run from the half-way line to put us into a 4-0 half-time lead against Norwich. He controlled a live Sky game by himself, managing to be everywhere at once, his display culminating in a tap-in just before half-time to give us the lead in what eventually became a 2-1 defeat at St Andrews. The one of the fourteen at Wolves who had battled his way to a one-on-one with the keeper to give us certain Premier League football before being unceremoniously bundled over by former Bantam Dean Richards.
He probably deserved more than a second place in the player of the year vote in the promotion season, but second is the highest you're ever going to get if Stuart's around. The fact that he beat the three top scorers of the season in their respective best season of their careers speaks volumes as to the fans thought for him.
The moment that most summed up to me what Jamie was about was not the brilliant left-foot curler against Reading, not virtually the same goal (one of two) against West Ham in the amazing 5-4 game, not the terrific lob against Gillingham, not the vast array of phosphorescent hair colours we were shown in his time at the club and not even the time he appeared on Soccer AM's 'Showboating'!
None of these.
The archetypal Jamie moment was during the pinnacle of our recent history in the elite: the 2-0 win over Chelsea in August 2001. The ball comes to the new Italian Chelsea left-back Christian Panucci, recently on as sub, inside his half and not au fait with the speed of the English game, proceeds to 'fanny' about on the ball in an attempt to slow the pace. Jamie takes off from his position a good 25-yards away and unsubtley thunders towards him. What did he not see? All the 20,000 people in the ground saw it. It's not as if there was anyone blocking his view. To a oft-heard shout of "'Ave 'Im, Jamie!" from my seat in Block D of the Sunwin Stand, he threw himself into a tackle which not only took the ball perfectly cleanly but crunched through said defender and left him screaming in mid-air before landing in a heap on the floor. Jamie got up with the ball and carried on running. No foul said the referee.
Jamie moved on to Walsall after his contract expired and has since left the Saddlers. Rumours would have Colin Todd signing him back when space in the squad comes available and I, for one, would welcome him back with open arms.'
I personally think the author has exaggerated somewhat, regarding Lawrence's accuracy when crossing the ball, but I'll let that go.
(Source: Boy from Brazil).
'I remember hearing that Kamara had signed two wingers. Fifty thousand pounds a piece.
The one people had heard of was the ex-Everton and Man City winger Peter Beagrie; a player people had obviously seen the best of and a typical City signing of 'past his best' and 'playing his career out'.
The other was lesser known. A pineapple-haired Londoner from Leicester named Jamie Lawrence who people had heard of, but never really thought about. A lad, indeed, who a Foxes supporting friend of mine described as 'was supposed to be "one for the future" but never got there when the future turned up'. Best of all, he'd managed to get into football solely through being in prison for his part in various robberies! The first footballer whose transfer fee didn't match the amount stolen in various armed raids!
Sunderland had spotted him whilst he playing for Cowes Sports on the Isle of Wight (a team who, themselves, had spotted him in a game against the prison in which he was residing!) The Sunderland manager at the time, one Terry Butcher, offered him a one-year professional contract. He then moved to Darlington before Leicester came in for him.
Jamie was a revelation; a barrel-chested pacey winger that the opposition bounced off. He'd beat them with pace or his physique. Time after time after time. His ball control was not exactly like that of a Maradona, or even a Murray; more a "constantly six-feet in front of him and run after it" player; an Andy Kiwomya who could batter the opposition into submission. He was full of running; one of the most hard-working players I've ever had the fortune of seeing. A different type of player to those we've seen more recently: HE LOOKED LIKE HE CARED! He wasn't afraid of anyone, either in size or in reputation.
During our promotion season, he created so many goals with his precision passing and exceptional crossing, even managing to chip in with a few important ones himself. A meandering run from the half-way line to put us into a 4-0 half-time lead against Norwich. He controlled a live Sky game by himself, managing to be everywhere at once, his display culminating in a tap-in just before half-time to give us the lead in what eventually became a 2-1 defeat at St Andrews. The one of the fourteen at Wolves who had battled his way to a one-on-one with the keeper to give us certain Premier League football before being unceremoniously bundled over by former Bantam Dean Richards.
He probably deserved more than a second place in the player of the year vote in the promotion season, but second is the highest you're ever going to get if Stuart's around. The fact that he beat the three top scorers of the season in their respective best season of their careers speaks volumes as to the fans thought for him.
The moment that most summed up to me what Jamie was about was not the brilliant left-foot curler against Reading, not virtually the same goal (one of two) against West Ham in the amazing 5-4 game, not the terrific lob against Gillingham, not the vast array of phosphorescent hair colours we were shown in his time at the club and not even the time he appeared on Soccer AM's 'Showboating'!
None of these.
The archetypal Jamie moment was during the pinnacle of our recent history in the elite: the 2-0 win over Chelsea in August 2001. The ball comes to the new Italian Chelsea left-back Christian Panucci, recently on as sub, inside his half and not au fait with the speed of the English game, proceeds to 'fanny' about on the ball in an attempt to slow the pace. Jamie takes off from his position a good 25-yards away and unsubtley thunders towards him. What did he not see? All the 20,000 people in the ground saw it. It's not as if there was anyone blocking his view. To a oft-heard shout of "'Ave 'Im, Jamie!" from my seat in Block D of the Sunwin Stand, he threw himself into a tackle which not only took the ball perfectly cleanly but crunched through said defender and left him screaming in mid-air before landing in a heap on the floor. Jamie got up with the ball and carried on running. No foul said the referee.
Jamie moved on to Walsall after his contract expired and has since left the Saddlers. Rumours would have Colin Todd signing him back when space in the squad comes available and I, for one, would welcome him back with open arms.'