Peter Lorimer
Encyclopedia
Peter Patrick Lorimer is a former footballer who formed part of the much-admired and feared Leeds United
team of the 1960s and 1970s.
An attacking midfielder renowned for his vicious shooting, (he has been regarded as having the hardest shot in football history) Lorimer was at the more cultured end of a Leeds United side under Don Revie
which was built on a platform of out-playing and out-muscling opponents. He is currently a director on the board at Leeds, and also provides commentary on Yorkshire Radio
on occasions.
He didn't feature in the first team picture again for two years (and again this was one isolated appearance), but a club record was duly set.
appearances and scoring 19 goals, more than any other player at Leeds United managed that season. Thereafter his place and No.7 shirt was assured for the next decade and beyond. A skilful and industrious player who operated best in a drifting position either wide on the right (though not as an orthodox winger – he was more likely to cut in and shoot than stay wide and cross) or behind two main strikers (usually Allan Clarke
and Mick Jones), Lorimer was a frequent and often spectacular goalscorer and earned himself several nickname
s stemming from his powerful shooting – HotShot and Thunderboots were two of the more prevalent. He became renowned for those fearsome strikes, with his shots reaching speeds of up to 90 .He has recorded a 107 mph penalty shot.HASmph.
In the 1966–7 season, Lorimer made his first major headlines when his free kick equaliser against Chelsea
in an FA Cup
semi final was ruled out for a controversial offside call. Chelsea held on to win the game.
and Fairs Cup
in 1968 – their first major trophies under Revie – and Lorimer scored 30 goals during the season. He featured again prominently as they clinched their first League championship in 1969 and just before the end of the decade
, won his first cap for Scotland
.
In 1970, Lorimer was in the side which chased a dream "treble" of League championship, FA Cup
and European Cup
, though they famously ended the season with nothing. Lorimer ended that season with 19 goals again.
Leeds United took the Fairs Cup again in 1971 and then finally won the FA Cup
in 1972. Lorimer picked up winner's medals in both, scoring 29 goals in the Cup winning season, including his best seasonal League tally of 23. A year later, Leeds United were back at Wembley to defend the Cup against Sunderland
and Lorimer became part of FA Cup folklore after an incident in the second half. After being Division 1 runners on five occasions (1964–65, 1965–66, 1969–70, 1970–71, 1971–72), United reclaimed the title in the 1973–1974 season, with Lorimer hitting 14 goals in all competitions as Leeds clinched there second First Division crown.
in the hours before the game that he expected an exhibition performance from Leeds United if they could score early. They didn't and as the second half reached its midway point it was Sunderland who led 1–0 and Leeds United seeking to equalise.
Pushing men forward to support the strikers and find the equaliser meant that Lorimer was one of several Leeds United players in Sunderland's area when the ball was laid back to full back Paul Reaney
to put a high ball across to the far post. Fellow full back Trevor Cherry
, making a late and fast run into the area, met the ball with a meaty diving header which was palmed out brilliantly by Sunderland goalkeeper Jimmy Montgomery
. The ball fell to Lorimer, six yards out and the open goal in front of him, and he hit his shot duly towards the target only for Montgomery, somehow, to react and spring back to his feet, extending an arm at the same time and diverting the ball on to the crossbar and away. Up in the commentary box David Coleman
screamed, 'And Lorimer makes it one each!', but he and everyone else in the stadium was wrong. Lorimer and team-mate Mick Jones had even begun to celebrate the goal before they realised the ball had not crossed the line. Sunderland held on to win 1–0. Leeds United subsequently lost the European Cup Winners Cup final to AC Milan by the same scoreline.
in West Germany
, and he scored in the group game against Zaire
.
Another eventful season with Leeds United followed for Lorimer, as he continued to score goals, managing four as Leeds United progressed to their first European Cup final. Held in Paris
, they played Bayern Munich and lost 2–0, with Lorimer having a goal disallowed due to a dubious offside decision given against captain Billy Bremner
.
That was the last major trophy for which the team built by Revie (who had left the year previously to manage England
) would compete, and the ageing team began to break up. Lorimer, who also made his 21st and final Scotland appearance in 1975, was still not 30 and continued to play as an experienced head amidst a new generation of Leeds United players. Mediocrity summed up the rest of the 1970s for Leeds United and Lorimer left in 1979, no longer a regular player.
and then tried his luck in the North American Soccer League
(NASL). Lorimer played for two clubs: the Toronto Blizzard
(1979–1980) and the Vancouver Whitecaps
(1981–83).
In January 1983 he signed for University College Dublin A.F.C.
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/archive/1983/0117/Pg003.html#Ar00309, before returning to a now-relegated Leeds United, aged 37, for the 1983–84
, two seasons after Leeds had fallen into the Football League Second Division
.
Amazingly, he played under former team-mate Eddie Gray (more than a year his junior) and broke the club's goalscoring record in the process, ending up with 238 goals from 676 appearances by the time new manager Billy Bremner (another of his former team mates) "retired" him just before his 40th birthday at the end of the 1985–86
. However, Leeds were still a Second Division team when Lorimer played his final game for them and it would be another four years before they returned to the First Division.http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=41686
Lorimer played on for a short time in Israel.
and journalist
s turn to when the club is in the news. He has worked as a pundit at games for BBC Radio Leeds
and as a columnist for the local paper, the Yorkshire Evening Post. He currently writes a column in the club's Match Programme and he acts a summariser on every Leeds away match for Yorkshire Radio. His main source of income since retirement has been from running The Commercial Inn pub in the Holbeck
area of the city.
who also deals with the media
on club issues. He was the only person to remain on the board after Ken Bates
takeover of Leeds United A.F.C.
in 2005 as Bates felt his role as fans' representative was important and would help with relations with the Leeds United fans.
Leeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
team of the 1960s and 1970s.
An attacking midfielder renowned for his vicious shooting, (he has been regarded as having the hardest shot in football history) Lorimer was at the more cultured end of a Leeds United side under Don Revie
Don Revie
Donald George 'Don' Revie, OBE, , was an English footballer who played for Leicester City, Hull City, Sunderland, Manchester City and Leeds United as a deep-lying centre forward. After managing Leeds United he managed England from 1974 until 1977...
which was built on a platform of out-playing and out-muscling opponents. He is currently a director on the board at Leeds, and also provides commentary on Yorkshire Radio
Yorkshire Radio
Yorkshire Radio is a British digital radio station broadcasting to Yorkshire on DAB. The station is owned by Leeds United A.F.C. and broadcasts live coverage of all first-team games, plus pop music from the 1960s to the present day.-History:...
on occasions.
Boyish debutant
Lorimer's début for Leeds came, astonishingly, when he was still 15 years of age. He had only signed professional forms in May 1962 but was thrown in for his debut in the September. Lorimer had in fact provisionally agreed to join Leeds' arch rivals Manchester United after they paid a bribe of £5,000 to his parents (based on increases in average earnings, this would be approximately £180,000 in 2009), though the money was returned once he signed for Leeds instead.He didn't feature in the first team picture again for two years (and again this was one isolated appearance), but a club record was duly set.
A regular at 19
Lorimer came to regular prominence in the 1966 season, making 34 League ChampionshipFootball League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
appearances and scoring 19 goals, more than any other player at Leeds United managed that season. Thereafter his place and No.7 shirt was assured for the next decade and beyond. A skilful and industrious player who operated best in a drifting position either wide on the right (though not as an orthodox winger – he was more likely to cut in and shoot than stay wide and cross) or behind two main strikers (usually Allan Clarke
Allan Clarke (footballer)
Allan John Clarke , nicknamed "Sniffer", is a former footballer who played in the Football League for Walsall, Fulham, Leicester City, Leeds United and Barnsley, and won 19 international caps for England.-Early career:Clarke started his career at Walsall and made his debut aged 17, in 1963...
and Mick Jones), Lorimer was a frequent and often spectacular goalscorer and earned himself several nickname
Nickname
A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
s stemming from his powerful shooting – HotShot and Thunderboots were two of the more prevalent. He became renowned for those fearsome strikes, with his shots reaching speeds of up to 90 .He has recorded a 107 mph penalty shot.HASmph.
In the 1966–7 season, Lorimer made his first major headlines when his free kick equaliser against Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
in an FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
semi final was ruled out for a controversial offside call. Chelsea held on to win the game.
A player of honours
Leeds United won the League CupFootball League Cup
The Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
and Fairs Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
in 1968 – their first major trophies under Revie – and Lorimer scored 30 goals during the season. He featured again prominently as they clinched their first League championship in 1969 and just before the end of the decade
Decade
A decade is a period of 10 years. The word is derived from the Ancient Greek dekas which means ten. This etymology is sometime confused with the Latin decas and dies , which is not correct....
, won his first cap for Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
.
In 1970, Lorimer was in the side which chased a dream "treble" of League championship, FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
and European Cup
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
, though they famously ended the season with nothing. Lorimer ended that season with 19 goals again.
Leeds United took the Fairs Cup again in 1971 and then finally won the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
in 1972. Lorimer picked up winner's medals in both, scoring 29 goals in the Cup winning season, including his best seasonal League tally of 23. A year later, Leeds United were back at Wembley to defend the Cup against Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
and Lorimer became part of FA Cup folklore after an incident in the second half. After being Division 1 runners on five occasions (1964–65, 1965–66, 1969–70, 1970–71, 1971–72), United reclaimed the title in the 1973–1974 season, with Lorimer hitting 14 goals in all competitions as Leeds clinched there second First Division crown.
Words which would haunt
Unwisely, Lorimer had said in an on-pitch interview with the BBCBBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
in the hours before the game that he expected an exhibition performance from Leeds United if they could score early. They didn't and as the second half reached its midway point it was Sunderland who led 1–0 and Leeds United seeking to equalise.
Pushing men forward to support the strikers and find the equaliser meant that Lorimer was one of several Leeds United players in Sunderland's area when the ball was laid back to full back Paul Reaney
Paul Reaney
Paul Reaney was a long-serving full back with the Leeds United team of the 1960s and 1970s.Reaney wore the No.2 shirt for Leeds and in a team renowned for its hard approach to the game, he more than held his own....
to put a high ball across to the far post. Fellow full back Trevor Cherry
Trevor Cherry
Trevor John Cherry is a former England and Leeds United footballer who also captained his country. He was a defender who also played for Huddersfield Town and Bradford City, and managed the latter club....
, making a late and fast run into the area, met the ball with a meaty diving header which was palmed out brilliantly by Sunderland goalkeeper Jimmy Montgomery
Jimmy Montgomery
Jimmy Montgomery is a former footballer who played as a goalkeeper. He made a record 627 appearances for his hometown club Sunderland with 537 of these appearances being in the league, after joining the club as a youngster in 1960.-Football career:He made his debut aged only 18 against Walsall,...
. The ball fell to Lorimer, six yards out and the open goal in front of him, and he hit his shot duly towards the target only for Montgomery, somehow, to react and spring back to his feet, extending an arm at the same time and diverting the ball on to the crossbar and away. Up in the commentary box David Coleman
David Coleman
David Coleman, OBE is an English former sports commentator and TV presenter who worked for the BBC for almost fifty years. In 2000, he was awarded the Olympic Order, the highest honour of the Olympic movement....
screamed, 'And Lorimer makes it one each!', but he and everyone else in the stadium was wrong. Lorimer and team-mate Mick Jones had even begun to celebrate the goal before they realised the ball had not crossed the line. Sunderland held on to win 1–0. Leeds United subsequently lost the European Cup Winners Cup final to AC Milan by the same scoreline.
World Cup finals and a European Cup final
In 1974, Lorimer had a fine season in a Leeds United team which proved almost invincible. They started the season with an unbeaten run of 29 League games and coasted to their second title under Revie. Lorimer's season was crowned with a place in Scotland's squad for the 1974 FIFA World Cup1974 FIFA World Cup
The 1974 FIFA World Cup, the tenth staging of the World Cup, was held in West Germany from 13 June to 7 July. The tournament marked the first time that the current trophy, the FIFA World Cup Trophy, created by the Italian sculptor Silvio Gazzaniga, was awarded...
in West Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, and he scored in the group game against Zaire
Zaire
The Republic of Zaire was the name of the present Democratic Republic of the Congo between 27 October 1971 and 17 May 1997. The name of Zaire derives from the , itself an adaptation of the Kongo word nzere or nzadi, or "the river that swallows all rivers".-Self-proclaimed Father of the Nation:In...
.
Another eventful season with Leeds United followed for Lorimer, as he continued to score goals, managing four as Leeds United progressed to their first European Cup final. Held in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, they played Bayern Munich and lost 2–0, with Lorimer having a goal disallowed due to a dubious offside decision given against captain Billy Bremner
Billy Bremner
William John "Billy" Bremner was a Scottish professional footballer, most noted for his captaincy of the Leeds United team of the 1960s and 1970s. He has since been voted Leeds United's greatest player of all time and has a statue outside the South East corner of Elland Road...
.
That was the last major trophy for which the team built by Revie (who had left the year previously to manage England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
) would compete, and the ageing team began to break up. Lorimer, who also made his 21st and final Scotland appearance in 1975, was still not 30 and continued to play as an experienced head amidst a new generation of Leeds United players. Mediocrity summed up the rest of the 1970s for Leeds United and Lorimer left in 1979, no longer a regular player.
Moving on and moving back
He played for York CityYork City F.C.
York City Football Club is an English football club based in York, North Yorkshire. The club participates in the Conference National, the fifth tier of English football. Founded in 1922, they joined the Football League in 1929, and have spent most of their history in the lower divisions...
and then tried his luck in the North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
(NASL). Lorimer played for two clubs: the Toronto Blizzard
Toronto Blizzard (NASL)
The Toronto Blizzard were a professional soccer club based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada that played in the North American Soccer League.-History:The Toronto Metros joined the NASL in 1971. Their home field was Varsity Stadium....
(1979–1980) and the Vancouver Whitecaps
Vancouver Whitecaps (NASL)
The original Vancouver Whitecaps were founded on December 11, 1973 and during the 1970s and 1980s played in the North American Soccer League . The Whitecaps achieved success, winning the 1979 Soccer Bowl. The Whitecaps of that era included international players such as Alan Ball, but also "home...
(1981–83).
In January 1983 he signed for University College Dublin A.F.C.
University College Dublin A.F.C.
University College Dublin Association Football Club known commonly as UCD is the football team of University College Dublin. They play in the League of Ireland. The club, founded in 1895 was elected to the league in 1979 under the management of Dr. Tony O'Neill. Since the 2008 season they have...
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/archive/1983/0117/Pg003.html#Ar00309, before returning to a now-relegated Leeds United, aged 37, for the 1983–84
1983-84 in English football
The 1983–84 season was the 104th season of competitive football in England.- First Division :Liverpool had a great first season under the management of Joe Fagan as they wrapped up their third successive league title and the 15th in their history...
, two seasons after Leeds had fallen into the Football League Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
.
Amazingly, he played under former team-mate Eddie Gray (more than a year his junior) and broke the club's goalscoring record in the process, ending up with 238 goals from 676 appearances by the time new manager Billy Bremner (another of his former team mates) "retired" him just before his 40th birthday at the end of the 1985–86
1985-86 in English football
The 1985–86 season was the 106th season of competitive football in England.- First Division :The championship crown went to Liverpool for the 16th time in their history at the end of their first season under the management of Kenny Dalglish, but they had to fight off some very stiff competition to...
. However, Leeds were still a Second Division team when Lorimer played his final game for them and it would be another four years before they returned to the First Division.http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=41686
Lorimer played on for a short time in Israel.
Remaining in Leeds
Lorimer has remained a dedicated spokesman on the club since retirement – he is always one of the first ex-players broadcastersPresenter
A presenter, or host , is a person or organization responsible for running an event. A museum or university, for example, may be the presenter or host of an exhibit. Likewise, a master of ceremonies is a person that hosts or presents a show...
and journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
s turn to when the club is in the news. He has worked as a pundit at games for BBC Radio Leeds
BBC Radio Leeds
BBC Radio Leeds is the BBC Local Radio service for the English metropolitan county of West Yorkshire.- Frequencies :It broadcasts from its studios at St...
and as a columnist for the local paper, the Yorkshire Evening Post. He currently writes a column in the club's Match Programme and he acts a summariser on every Leeds away match for Yorkshire Radio. His main source of income since retirement has been from running The Commercial Inn pub in the Holbeck
Holbeck
Holbeck is a district in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England.The district begins on the southern edge of the Leeds city centre and mainly lies in the LS11 Leeds postcode area. The M1 and M621 motorways used to end/begin in Holbeck. Now the M621 is the only motorway that passes through the area since...
area of the city.
Man of the fans
In 2004, with the club on its knees financially, Lorimer acted as a go-between who liaised between potential benefactors and supporters as a rescue plan for the club was launched. He is a fans' representative on the board of directorsBoard of directors
A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee the activities of a company or organization. Other names include board of governors, board of managers, board of regents, board of trustees, and board of visitors...
who also deals with the media
Mass media
Mass media refers collectively to all media technologies which are intended to reach a large audience via mass communication. Broadcast media transmit their information electronically and comprise of television, film and radio, movies, CDs, DVDs and some other gadgets like cameras or video consoles...
on club issues. He was the only person to remain on the board after Ken Bates
Ken Bates
Kenneth William Bates is a British businessman and football executive. The current chairman and now owner of Leeds United AFC, Bates was previously chairman and majority shareholder of Chelsea FC from 1982 until 2003....
takeover of Leeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United A.F.C.
Leeds United Association Football Club are an English professional association football club based in Beeston, Leeds, West Yorkshire, who play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system...
in 2005 as Bates felt his role as fans' representative was important and would help with relations with the Leeds United fans.