We all love wee Lewie, but to compare him to shades is an insult to one of the finest left backs ever to wear the colours
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We all love wee Lewie, but to compare him to shades is an insult to one of the finest left backs ever to wear the colours
Nope, and I haven't even seen Shaedler play!
It was probably The Record but I remember a photo of a mid winter training session and Schaedes was in skins... Hard as nails. I love Lewis but even David Murphy never came close to how good he was in that position.
Probably young, not deluded, and never had the chance to see Shades in the flesh.
Shades was the hardest full back I have ever seen ( hard not dirty), his tackle prior to Alan Gordon's 2nd (Hibs 7th) at Tyncastle epitomises that but you must remember that was over 40 years ago.
Youngsters now will see Lewis's achievement of being the only Hibs player to have won both cups as remarkable, (which it is), and will make comparisons with previous players.
To get back to Alan Gordon and that goal, he was one of the best headerers of a ball, (if that's a word) I have ever seen. I remember a diving header against Aberdeen as well and if he hadn't listened to a shout from Tony Higgins at Elland Road we would have beaten Leeds Utd too,
GGTTH
Shades was a brick **** house on a motorbike and a very fine player :-) with a ridiculously long throw. I doubt there was any player looked forward to playing against him. Shades was a fitness fanatic with muscles on his muscles before being fit was fashionable!
I can't say I remember any cynical stuff either like what the Sloop was a master at ... and at it quite often he was too :-)
Lewis is a legend but for other reasons.
Completely agree about comparing players, indeed anything, from different eras. It's just not fair.
Add: I think much of Shades "hardness" came from being a black belt in something or other which gave him the benefit of being able to put himself about with little likelihood of being hurt himself.
Different players and comparing them is wholly unrealistic. What is true is that both of them (had Erich lived obviously) would have been receiving free drinks from grateful Hibs fans years after they had finished playing. Both will continue to live fondly in my memory.......
Pat Stantons tongue in cheek description of Erich was "he's fast , he's hard, he wins the ball and gives it to someone who can do something with it" Erich was a good bit more than that, he was a real character who would run thru brick walls, one of the fittest players of his era.