[Link]

'Better stop dreaming of the quiet life 'cos it's the one we'll never know'

Cheers for the link / video Bubbs. Particularly enjoyed the cup final replay clips.

Such a shame his knees (I think it was his knees) ultimately cost him a better career. When he first came into the team in the promotion season (was it the 3-2 defeat against Bournemouth?), it was an immediate revelation. Gray had gone the year before, Thomas was out fot the rest of the season, Pennyfather was awful and Pardew wasn't the player he became once Madden came along. The midfield was terrible. Then this guy came in and instantly we had someone that had almost the complete game for a central midfielder. Great passing range, rarely wasting a long or short ball, great work rate, positionally excellent, incredible determination but physically playing just on the right side of the law, and he inspired others (particularly Pardew) to much greater performances. On top of which, he was a fantastic (though against Leeds, lucky) penalty taker.

The next season he was injured from the off and we had re-purchased Gray who started the season brilliantly (though went downhill that season as his physical condition decreased), Thomas came back and Pardew also started well in the Prem (including a fantastic match winning performance against Everton). Madden kept almost regaining fitness but never quite making it. Sadly that resulted in the urban myth about him and Steve Coppell's estranged wife (really......Coppell would have put him on the bench next to him and rewarded him with a Cup Final medal at the season end?)

It's sad he couldn't physically become the player his skills marked him out to be.

Edited by David of Kent (17 Jul 2013 1.21pm)