Len Badger

Leonard 'Len' Badger (born 8 June 1945) is a former English footballer who played as a right-back. Born in Tinsley Park, Sheffield he spent the majority of his career at Sheffield United before moving on to a shorter spell at Chesterfield where he finished his career.

Len Badger
Personal information
Full name Leonard Badger
Date of birth (1945-06-08) 8 June 1945
Place of birth Darnall, Sheffield, England
Position(s) Right-Back
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1962–1976 Sheffield United 458 (7)
1976–1978 Chesterfield 46 (0)
Total 504 (7)
National team‡
England U18 7 (0)
1964–1968 England U23 13 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 08:43, 25 April 2012 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 08:43, 25 April 2012 (UTC)

Career

Sheffield United

Badger was born and brought up in the Tinsley Park area of Sheffield.[1] He was an England schoolboy international who served his apprenticeship at Bramall Lane, and progressed through the junior ranks at Sheffield United and Sheffield Boys, before making his league debut for the Blades against Leyton Orient at Bramall Lane on 26 April 1963.[2]

By the end of the 1963–64 season he established himself as first choice at right back, replacing club stalwart Cec Coldwell and remained a regular there until 1975.[3] His stylish full-back displays, meant it was not long before he took over as captain and, at the time, he was one of the youngest skippers in the league.[4] Badger's left-back colleagues of the early and mid-sixties included Graham Shaw and Bernard Shaw, but it was the arrival of Ted Hemsley in 1968 that provided him with his most fruitful partnership which continued through one of United's most successful post war periods from 1969–1972.

His attacking instincts, along with those of Hemsley, showed well as United just failed to win promotion in the 1969–70 season. Badger was an ever present in the Division Two promotion winning side of the 1970–71 season, and although he failed to find the net in that particular season, he will be best remembered for buccaneering runs and crosses from the right-wing and for his occasional thunderous shot from 25 yards or more.[1]

In his time with United he made 458 league appearances with seven goals.

Chesterfield

Badger left Bramall Lane soon after the arrival of new Blades manager Jimmy Sirrel being sold to Chesterfield on 1 January 1976. He played for a further two seasons for the Spireites making 46 appearances before a series of knee injuries ended his career.[3]

International career

Badger played seven times for England Youths, thirteen times for England U23s and for the Football League side. Had he not been a contemporary of George Cohen and Keith Newton, Len would have undoubtedly won many full England caps.[4] He shared with Alan Woodward the dubious distinction of being widely regarded as the best player in his position at the time never to win a full international cap.[5]

Personal life

Following his retirement Badger became a publican in the Chesterfield area.[3]

Career statistics
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Sheffield United 1962–63[6] Division One 1 0 0 0 1 0 — 2 0
1963–64[7] 7 0 1 0 1 0 1[lower-alpha 1] 0 10 0
1964–65[8] 36 0 3 0 1 0 0 0 40 0
1965–66[9] 41 1 2 0 1 0 1[lower-alpha 1] 0 45 1
1966–67[10] 35 0 4 0 3 0 3[lower-alpha 1] 0 45 0
1967–68[11] 42 0 4 0 1 0 2[lower-alpha 1] 0 49 0
1968–69[12] Division Two 40 2 1 0 1 0 2[lower-alpha 1] 0 44 2
1969–70[13] 42 2 2 0 3 0 2[lower-alpha 1] 0 49 2
1970–71[14] 42 0 1 0 2 0 4[lower-alpha 2] 0 49 0
1971–72[15] Division One 42 1 1 0 5 0 — 48 1
1972–73[16] 35 0 2 0 5 0 4[lower-alpha 3] 0 46 0
1973–74[17] 40 0 1 0 1 0 3[lower-alpha 4] 0 45 0
1974–75[18] 37 1 2 0 4 0 3[lower-alpha 5] 0 46 1
1975–76[19] 18 0 — 1 0 4[lower-alpha 6] 1 23 1
Total 458 7 24 0 30 0 29 1 541 8
Chesterfield 1975–76[20] Division Three 15 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 15 0
1976–77[20] 25 0 4 0 2 0 0 0 31 0
1977–78[20] 6 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 7 0
Total 46 0 5 0 2 0 0 0 53 0
Career Total 504 7 29 0 32 0 29 1 594 8
  1. Appearances in Sheffield & Hallamshire County Cup
  2. 2 appearances in Sheffield & Hallamshire County Cup, 2 appearances in Watney Cup
  3. 1 appearance in Sheffield & Hallamshire County Cup, 2 appearances in Texaco Cup, 1 appearance in Watney Cup
  4. 2 appearances in Sheffield & Hallamshire County Cup, 1 appearance in Texaco Cup
  5. 1 appearance in Sheffield & Hallamshire County Cup, 2 appearances in Texaco Cup
  6. 1 appearance in Sheffield & Hallamshire County Cup, 3 appearances and 1 goal in Anglo-Scottish Cup

References
  1. "They Played At The Lane". Sheffield United matchday programme. January 1989.
  2. Clarebrough, Denis (1989). Sheffield United F.C., The First 100 years. Sheffield United Football Club.
  3. Denis Clarebrough & Andrew Kirkham (2008). Sheffield United Who's Who. Hallamshire Press. p. 38. ISBN 978-1-874718-69-7.
  4. "A to Z Encyclopedia". Sheffield United matchday programme. 31 August 1985.
  5. Flashing Blade (Issue 29) - Sheffield United matchday fanzine. March 1993. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  6. Clarebrough & Kirkham (2012). Sheffield United The Complete Record. p. 415.
  7. Clarebrough & Kirkham (2012). Sheffield United The Complete Record. p. 417.
  8. Clarebrough & Kirkham (2012). Sheffield United The Complete Record. p. 419.
  9. Clarebrough & Kirkham (2012). Sheffield United The Complete Record. p. 421.
  10. Clarebrough & Kirkham (2012). Sheffield United The Complete Record. p. 423.
  11. Clarebrough & Kirkham (2012). Sheffield United The Complete Record. p. 425.
  12. Clarebrough & Kirkham (2012). Sheffield United The Complete Record. p. 427.
  13. Clarebrough & Kirkham (2012). Sheffield United The Complete Record. p. 429.
  14. Clarebrough & Kirkham (2012). Sheffield United The Complete Record. p. 431.
  15. Clarebrough & Kirkham (2012). Sheffield United The Complete Record. p. 433.
  16. Clarebrough & Kirkham (2012). Sheffield United The Complete Record. p. 435.
  17. Clarebrough & Kirkham (2012). Sheffield United The Complete Record. p. 437.
  18. Clarebrough & Kirkham (2012). Sheffield United The Complete Record. p. 439.
  19. Clarebrough & Kirkham (2012). Sheffield United The Complete Record. p. 441.
  20. "Sky is Blue - The Chesterfield FC history resource". Sky is Blue - The Chesterfield FC history resource. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
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