Stuart Leary - Thoughts and Memories

Saw him play both cricket and football when I was a very young Addick .. t b h as a footballer he did not leave much of an impression other than that he was a 'deep lying' centre forward, a number 10 rather than a 9 in the days before over analysis of players and positions .. as a cricketer, Kent v Surrey when the game was always played at the Rectory Field Blackheath .. again, the main talking point was that he was also a CAFC player. In those days, dual sports professionals were not that unusual

I remember seeing him play and always liked him. I think I was influenced by Dad who would tell everyone he was the most underrated player in the side. Also remember his cricketing days. I seem to recall that he scored a rapid and mainly aerial 50 in one of the annual Kent v Surrey games played at the Rectory Field.

Class oozed from Stuart Leary, silky player, both in football and cricket. Despite being a 'deep lying centre forward' a great scoring record. Always had 'time on the ball'. And always had time for chat and autographs in the old stand bar after the game. See my previous comments on Stuart in previous discussions which included one of my most treasured memories,(I was behind this goal)....here it is again... Memories of watching the other Charlton trio playing crick et often at the Rectory field at Blackheath, Dartford etc ie Cowdrey ,(was on the Charlton board for a while) Ufton and Leary. Leary batted 4 or five, brilliant slip fielder and occasional spinner.

It was never clear why he left Charlton, couldn't agree a contract with the Glikstens and I remember he went on 'strike' for a while and eventually moved to QPR when they were temporarily playing at the old White City with no clear ending...a sad end to a great career.

I'm too young to have seen him play for Charlton but I did see him play cricket for Kent and had his autograph in my now sadly lost childhood autograph book.

A magician!

My Dad's favourite player. Did see him play, with Sam Lawrie on the right wing but can't recall him very well. (I was probably more interested in the sand pit.)

Timely to reminisce about Leary. Current team stylishly work the ball out of defence into a seeming wasteland. Half way line and edge of opponents box was Leary territory - he begged, cajoled,and demanded the ball throughout the game, and mostly he got his way. His peers early on dubbed him the 'Master' - an outdated expression now but nevertheless the ultimate accolade. Leary, was an elegant industrious player somewhat upright in stance but with a gifted first touch, and a remarkable vision for what should follow his possession. Whilst Leary remains one of the top goalscorers for the club the rich memories of those who saw a lot of him in action will focus around the quality of his passing.....always on the ground -long raking through balls into spaces that did not seem to exist. Much has been said about his symbiotic working relationship with Johhny S - it was a pairing that not only caught the eye, but contained threat and excitement. So.... Leary would control games - very memorable occasions early 60's....CAFC bottom - Luton top with the addicks coming away from the old Kenilworth Road 5-2 winners, and 3rd Round FA Cup at White Hart Lane the addicks losing to the Spurs great double team 3-2, but with a 2nd half performance that brought the house down. In both of these matches Leary was described widely as being both unplayable, and being in the moment the outstanding player in the Country

Cricket not football was Leary's first passion....he scored 4 to 5 centuries per season over a long career, and occasionally bagged 5 wickets with a sort of leg spin. It was in the field however that Leary excelled. You would consider yourself fortunate to miss any of those hundreds for unlike football where he had style and panache once firmly established at the crease he became a pusher and a scraper.

For those of us who got more than a glimpse of the Leary style our football watching would have been shaped forever - it is not called the beautiful game for nothing, and we should grateful for the experience.

Narrowly missed him as a Charlton player as he was transferred to QPR some weeks before I was taken to The Valley for my first game.

I saw him bat for Kent quite a few times though and would concur, particularly in the early to mid sixties, that he was not the most exciting batsman to watch generally working the ball away to leg for singles when he scored. In his defence though He often found himself wandering in at number five with only a few runs on the board and had a "shoring up" role to perform. I'm talking pre Denness and Luckhurst as regular openers. Lucky in fact would often come in at six or seven and help Stuart rebuild the innings. As others have said he was a brilliant close fielder most usually at leg slip and his leg spin was useful as a partnership breaker from time to time.

He did manage to lead the six hit league one year in the very early days of the John Player league which was quite some achievement for a reputed defensive batsman.

RIP Stuart. Those who saw you play football or cricket remember you with affection.

SoundAsa£ said:

Quite simply the best Charlton player I have seen in 59 years of supporting The Lovely Red Boys!

that's quite a claim .. better than Firmani ? .. Mendonca .. of course it's all a matter of errrrrrr opinion int'it

He was the last of a breed. Probably as good a cricketer as he was a footballer.

I would have to put Stuart very near the best player I saw for Charlton if not the best, he came over to play for Charlton and had 2 years national service here played for England at under 23 level and should have played for the England team, but the FA refused as he was born in South Africa.
I am not sure who was the best player out of him and Eddie Firmani as a boy I liked Eddie better but we sold him at a young age

SoundAsa£ said:

Lincsaddick said:

SoundAsa£ said:

Quite simply the best Charlton player I have seen in 59 years of supporting The Lovely Red Boys!

that's quite a claim .. better than Firmani ? .. Mendonca .. of course it's all a matter of errrrrrr opinion int'it

Well, Colin Cameron said the same thing.....also if you look in the Valiant 500 book, I believe there is a list (by vote) of the best ever player for Charlton.....Stuart was the favourite.

as I wrote (a long way) above, his career at CAFC was virtually over by the time I was a regular Valleyite ..

I was lucky to see him play and clearly recall his raking cross-field passes (usually to Sammy Lawrie on the right wing) and the crowd "swooning" at his skill with prolonged applause. Once I recall him being closed in by 3 defenders on the by-line only to out fox them all by bringing his right foot around his left and toe punting a pass along the line to our left back. The crowd just gasped. Also saw him playing in an charity cricket match at Bexleyheath CC ground Park View Road Welling when he was hitting sixes over the football stand roof just for fun. "Stylish" describes him well with a talent few footballers had at the time and a great pleasure to watch.