Spur of the moment
Frederic Kanoute
All that despite breaking his leg three times during his career. Little doubt he'd have won more had it not been for three broken legs plus a whole series of minor injuries during his career. He was known as the Iron Man but critical absences during the season following our Double win almost certainly cost both him and the club a second successive League Champions medal as we missed out on the title by just 4 points.
The following December 1963 we were leading Utd 2-1 on aggregate in the SF second leg of the Cup-Winners Cup at OT when he was stretchered off after just eight minutes with a broken leg, thus reduced us to ten men for the rest of the match. No subs in those days!
So for the second year in succession injury put paid to any chance of him and us winning a trophy as we inevitably went on to lose that SF tie 3-4 on aggregate.
'The break was a serious one, and it took nine months before he attempted a comeback.[16] Playing for Tottenham's reserves at home to Shrewsbury Town on 12 September 1964, he broke the same bone a second time, this time in a challenge with Peter Dolby.[17][18] Mackay returned at the start of the 1965–66 season having missed a year and a half of first-team football.[17]'
His 18-month absence took its toll on the team as our challenge for trophies continued to recede over that period.
He may have been known as the Iron Man but he was also very human.
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