Leighton James Interview part 2

To view part one of the interview click http://www.thefootballnetwork.net/main/s37/st132932.htm

14) How do Burnley fans compare with those of other clubs that you played for?

Loyal, committed, fickle - all fans have a right to voice an opinion and criticise when when they feel it's right to, after all they are the lynch pin of a football club so need to know what's going on and have their voices heard. Claret fans are honest, both when they are happy but also they are not afraid to let the club know when they aren't which is the key to a relationship between the fans and their club.
 
15) What was your opinion of Bob Lord?

He was a wonderful man who kept his club in the top flight for 27 years. He was a great chairman who was prudent and wasn't prepared to jeopardise the long-term future of the club with top-name impulse buys.
 
16) Much has been said recently about players having no loyalty to a club. Did such a thing exist when you played? And do you think it exists now?

Loyalty definitely existed when I was a player, for example more players were offered, and signed, long term contracts that they stuck to. Nowadays there is no loyalty, it's not just players that don't have it, it's clubs as well. There is no loyalty to managers or players and fans are expected to pay more and more each season. I think that part of this problem is agents. There is no need for agents as a club and a player should do business directly - why should all that money in football go to agents when it could be spent on much better things?
 
17) What's the most controversial thing you did in your career both on and off the pitch?

On the pitch - when I defied Adamson and played for Wales after being asked to drop out of the international squad for a game on Wednesday to save myself for the club game on the Saturday. I told him that it was an honour to play for my country and I would do so, and I would also give it my all when I returned back to my club for the Saturday game.
off the pitch = No comment!!!!
 
18) Which of your team-mates did you rate the most?

John Angus and Keith Newton - I had "ultimate respect" for these two
 
19) Who do you think was the best player in the division when you made your debut?

George Best
 
20) What are your memories of the "Orient" game?

After the "Orient" game there was a huge feeling of relief and of never wanting to play another game like that. However I remember after the game walking straight to the medical room as I didn't want to be in the dressing room talking to people about my feelings for a founder member of the football league nearly dropping out of the league altogether. I also remember Frank Clark, the Orient manager, shaking hands with me and saying that was one game he didn't mind losing.
 
21What was the conversation with "George Courteney" towards the end of the Orient game and how many minutes did we play?

Good question!! There was a conversation with the ref but I will never say what we discussed, however I don't think that we played 90 minutes.
 
22) What do you really think of Robbie Savage?

I think that he is an ordinary player who was around at the right time when ordinary players were in the money. But I also say good luck to him.
 
23) Have you any regrets about your time at Burnley?

YES!!
 
24) What do you think would have become of you in life if it wasn't for football?

I would have become a lollipop man 30 yrs earlier!! Haha!
I think I would have been a rugby player as I also played rugby at school and was actually a better rugby player than football player, however I didn't enjoy the academic side of rugby so went down the football route. 
 
Thanks to all the posters of the message board for your questions.  Many thanks to Leighton for taking the time to answer them and jjames82 for making this possible