Astonishing
Sunday, July 29, 2012 at 12:14PM It's astonishing to think that on Ledley King's first full start back in 1999 against Derby, he was clattered and picked up an injury that led to surgery on his left knee and a footballing life time of heartache and pain and yet still managed to be the colossus he will always be remembered for. That incident thirty seconds into a match, aged 19, defined the rest of his career of non-training, injections, swelling and the very best of the Premier League's opposing strikers tucked comfortably into his back pocket.
Imagine that. Right from the start you're anchored to the depths and yet still find a way to swim to the top and find yourself on land. Yet how ironic and frustrating that what was probably a run of the mill innocuous challenge set Ledley on this road to only find himself staring back at the depths.
Gladiator.
Reader Comments (29)
I am Ledley Kingus
Amazing to think of the years of pain for the shirt that "The King" went through, and he still managed to be one of the best defenders of all time on his good days, and there were a lot of good days. Players like this don't exist anymore, and i think that is as sad!
long live the king. It is going to take a big match to be a hotter ticket than his testimonial this season.
I can only imagine what kind of career and he would have had and how he would have been lauded without the injury.
Heartbreaking.
Ledley has been a fine example to all those wishing to develop at Tottenham, I am glad that he has called it a day though sad not to see him at his best again at WHL. As a club ambassador he will inspire countless young players to attain and maintain form and ability. Let's hope Vertonghen proves to be a King of the future and that we can unearth his like again. LBK simply the best.
they should name a stand in the new stadium after him. "king stand", would be great if spurs did that.
He'll lead the team out again one day. The way he read the game was natural, and his leadership will shine again as manager.
This sadness at losing our King is only tempered by him staying at our club has Ambassador. I hope one day he is our defensive Coach and helps young Caulker (Silver medal winner) too take over his thrown This will not be the end of his pain and i wish him well and hope he enjoys is new job because he was one player who really loved his badge God Bless you Legend Ledley King.
A great example to all the greedy, self-centred S O Bs who call theirselves professional footballers in todays money dominated game. Sorry you've had to call time on your playing career Ledders.
Ledders the true 'Special One"
Yes and the b*****d who did it doesn't even remember it.
Just like a certaihn Eve reject who seems to like crippling better players
but will swear his innocence like a terrorist saying his ideology is pacifist.
Off topic, but just came across this- captures our last four years wonderfully, really well made:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntcKlWqfdt8&feature=related
Goosebumps.
not half as good as big sol.i bet the spurs medical team are chuffed hes gone.probably all part time now
Hey Anto. Honesty integrity loyalty skill leadership diplomacy never say die attitude to his game. I could go on but I don't think I need to. Please don't compare a true hero and legend to a no good scumbag like judas!
hey anto. not half as good as sol, your having a laugh mate, spurs ratio said it all long live the king, stuff sol
Rory fucking Delap. One of the worst players ever to play in the premier league. Just a hatchet man, no skill or ball control whatsoever. Nothing but a long throw man. Fits Stoke perfectly. How he ever managed to make a career in football let alone con his way into the premier league is beyond me. He's gonna get pelters when Stoke come to the Lane
If I read one more 'Loyal', 'Legend', 'Die for the shirt' piece of crap about Ledley King I think I'll explode. The bloke was injury prone from day one, played himself out of the 2002 World Cup squad with his disastrous showing in that year's league cup final against Andy Cole (which also cost us the trophy and put the skids under Hoddle's management) but has still had more than ten further years of feather-bedded and over-paid part-time employment with Spurs, and gets to be called a hero for his occasional cameos in a club shirt! His 'loyalty' is based on the fact that no 'bigger' club would go near him with his injury record, and it shows how far Spurs are from the winning mentality lacking for nearly thirty years that they've tolerated a player whose contract would have been cancelled by Ferguson or Wenger as soon as the extent of the knee problem became clear, instead leaving central defence as a perennial problem because of King's unreliability. You've had a great run at WHL, Ledley, mostly in the physio's room at a reported £70k per week, but all good things must come to an end!
Ledley King. A loyal legend who would die for the shirt. ( just waiting and hoping for an explosion )
Long live the legend Ledley King also want that explosion
long live the king. legendary loyal in his shirt (that he was willing to die for).
now explode.
boom.
Arsenal want 30million for Van Persie, but hold hold, didnt they sign him for 3million? Thats 10 times more than what they paid for him. Perhaps we should apply the same format to Modric. So that'll be 160million please, and do you need a bag?
Sol was a good defender big strong, a true rock but Ledley was a quality defender he was class. Sol could be out witted but Ledley never and I can never remember anyone overpowering so Ledley's gifts outclassed Sols.. better to compare Ledley with Rio or Moore
Really, in his very first match he sustained the injury that would define his career? That is truly astonishing.
Bear in mind the pain hasn't even begun for Ledley yet. Each day that knee will crumble a bit more and he will be canstantly aware of what he gave us and we have a responsibility to sit our kids and grand kids down and tell them about the legend of ledders so that he continues to be worshipped as he deserves. You hearing this cheshuntboy? Ledders won't skip away with a pocket full of cash. He won't skip anywhere as without the intensive physio and painkilling injections he is a virtual cripple.
And guys I know from elsewhere that anto is a foul mouthed attention seeking sore gooner who is best ignored.
Players like Le Tissier at Southampton or Mabbutt at Spurs were genuinely worthy of the praise apparently required from all Tottenham supporters for King, because they chose to show loyalty when they could have moved elsewhere, whereas King's only option was WHL or the dole. The idea that the modern footballer loves his club more than his pay cheque would be laughable if it wasn't pathetic, and I repeat my earlier comment that the failure to deal with King's perennial injury problems years ago (like Anderton's or Ferdinand's even earlier) is symptomatic of the lack of professionalism which United or Arsenal shook off long since. Make Tottenham a home for crocks like King or Huddlestone if that's what you want, but don't expect success if you do.
Breaking News: Ledley King is Batman !!!
A bit controversial I know, but football is a full-contact-sport! I played twice a week, for years, because I loved it. I played both 5 and 11 aside. I played on concrete, grass, astroturf, and ashfelt, I would've played on broken glass. Throughout this time I broke a Scaphoid, and my Coccyx, I've torn ligaments from the bone, and have been forced to practice the ancient art of mummification dipping the bandages in deepheat - while crunching on pain killers, and anti inflammatorys. I have seen a 26 year old player drop dead on a rain soaked pitch - (RIP DEZ)- I've heard a Tibia crack and rip its way through skin and sock, and an eye socket collapse into a contorted face, and numerous other injurys caused by bone crunching contact.
I went through all of this carnage for the love of football not for a wage. Getting payed to play football is like getting paid to drink alcohol, or have sex, or scratch your nuts. The only reason i stopped playing, and boy do i miss it, is because of mortgage commitments, and school fees. The cartilage in my right knee is like Farmhouse pâté. The scars on my legs, elbows, and chin are my winners medals.
KING, I salute you, but in the words of Monty Python 'you lucky, lucky bastard'
WARNING The following line may be viewed as controversial, I do not wish to offend.
NB. They worked on DEZ for 35 minutes not 2hrs - I worked in the North Middlisex hospital, and was part of the Crash team. We were responsible or descending on death. I have never seen a unresponsive patient worked on for more than an hour, usually, you get 20 minutes from being ejected from the back of the ambulance to the Time of Death being called. Don't get me wrong, please. I was ecstatic that Fabrice made it, but I was left wondering how many more would've!
Losing the point here guys. King did get injured and did continue playing and giving good service. I don't see that l'arse or man u (midfielder recalled from retirement) would have binned him whilst he still made the grade. Those of us who love playing but never made the grade attend matches and buy merch therefore paying players wages so yes lucky lucky bastards but all the same messiahs rather than very naughty boys. (By and large)
Ledley King is and always will be CLASS. You can't measure it. You can't define it. But you know it when you see it. Keep on hating haters, but I will always have a special place for the King in my heart!