Leeeeee-burn
There’s a nice article here on AFC Wimbledon’s website in preparation for tomorrow’s pre-season friendly between us. Kick off is 3pm with tickets still available.
Carl Leaburn was at Charlton for eleven years and at Wimbledon for three. He did a season at QPR and finished off at Grays Athletic playing until he was 36.
It’s interesting that he mentions his assists record in his Q&A because that was really his game. He did have a good touch, and would press high and ceaselessly ran the channel’s. He put his gangly frame up against some of the toughest centre-halves playing in those days and never shirked a challenge.
There’s probably no record of his assist or goal involvement count as statistics were limited in those days to goals and appearances.
Addicks and Dons’ fans appreciated his all round game as did every team mate he ever played with but I know it was a real source of frustration certainly among my mates, that as a striker his goal record was poor.
57 goals in 390 games. Son Miles meanwhile, with advice from Dad, plays with a much more selfish streak in him.
Carl was as much a cult hero at Wimbledon as he was at Charlton. He did play three Premier League seasons for the Dons all that time playing at Selhurst Park.
Famously he scored twice away to Palace when tenants beat landlords 3-0 in the 97/98 season. I think I jumped up when I saw that score on the vidiprinter.
He did only score four Premier League goals in total during his three-season spell with Wimbledon.
Carl did score in the ‘things can only get better’ Old Trafford game, but easily my favourite memory was witnessing his hat trick at Ipswich in September 1995. We won 5-1, and were even a goal down. Plenty of beer drunk that day.
Then there was that reaction to getting punched off the ball at Stamford Bridge by Steve Wicks in that incandescent play-off game. I think we all fell in love with Carlo after that.
Carl is an Addicks legend as is his wife Tracey and I think we are all looking forward to Miles getting back on the Valley pitch. Few families have dedicated as much time working for the football club.
What a really nice article. Thank you.
That Chelsea match featured some of the worst refereeing ever…the penalty Chelsea were gifted was at least a metre outside the box and the punch on Carl Leaburn should not only have seen Steve Wicks sent off but arrested and charged with assault, the referee absolutely bottled it. When he came round he had to be held back from getting revenge on Wicks and is rumoured to have said “wait until he gets to Lewisham”. He was brought up there and his father worked at Lewisham railway station.
If only he could have scored a few more goals…
What an experience and Battle of the Bridge and yes sat directly in line with penalty area and just could not believe the decision and yes well remember and was in the Chelsea end and there was an elderly man a CAFC supporter got set on and his face was bloodied.
However there were a few CAFC players who could look after themselves and non more than Paul Millar and many others and how apt he got that goal and a huge deflrction but who care.
Yes the Chelsea supporters and there were quite a few of them going in to the terracing and charging at our supporters.
Did you see the interview shown in the last few months with Lennie Lawrence and it was amazing and the highlights.
I missed that John. Will have to watch it.
Great time at Ipswich, got threatened by a Tractor boy in the car park afterwards.
Somewhere I have a photo of you, me and Carlo, taken at a boxing evening organised by Charlton many years ago.
I remember that hattrick away at Ipswich too! I wasn’t there, I was painting my house and I had a radio resting on a windowsill which was broadcasting the match commentary. When one of the goals went in, I tried celebrating on my ladder and very nearly fell off. After that scary moment, I was less enthusiastic 🙂
CARL WAS SPECIAL AT MANY . IM SURE MILES WILL AS HIS DAD AND BETTER SCORING MANY GOALS.
Carl was very good, Miles will be better .