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Tuesday, December 25, 2007

Jim Langley (RIP) Remembered by His Son

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The funeral for Jim Langley was held last Friday, with a number of former players in attendance. Below is an obituary from last Friday with warm memories from his son, Peter.

Ealing Gazette - December 21, 2007
The QPR swansong that gave Langley unexpected finale.

Jim Langley only joined QPR for a quiet end to his playing career after a fruitful time with Fulham and England - but ended up with the most cherished memory of them all, writes Chris Longhurst.
Langley, who passed away last week aged 78, ended up a Wembley winner in the Rs' famous 1967 League Cup final team and helped the team to promotion from the old third division.
His son Peter Langley, 53, told the Gazette: "He left to join QPR really to have a rest because he felt his career was coming to an end!
"He wanted to take it easy and thought being at a team in the third division would be just the kind of relaxing experience he was looking for.
"Instead he found himself there when they were right on the upswing and that is unquestionably where he experienced his greatest joy as a player, winning the double and getting to play club football at Wembley."
Langley, whose funeral takes place today (Friday) at Breaks-pear crematorium left some happy memories behind at both clubs - who both praised the defender this week.
And Peter says his dad - whose hobby was collecting cigarette cards - was very fond of his time with both clubs.
"Dad loved his time at Fulham," he said. "That was where he really got to experience the fame of being a professional football player. It led to all sorts of socialising and my brother and sister and myself used to have no choice but to be dragged down to Craven Cot tage every weekend to watch him in action.
"We would sit in the cottage where the club's lounge bar and snooker table were and after the game there would always be a crowd of people in there having a drink and a laugh.
"Us kids were older by the time of the '67 final so we no longer got forced to go and watch him, but we still went anyway. My sister's hero was Rodney Marsh and watching Dad in the same team as him was amazing.
"He found the football did take its toll on him but he never complained and was very highly thought of by the manager Alec Stock.
"When dad was playing for Hillingdon Borough in 1969, they beat Luton Town in the second round of the FA Cup.
"Luton were being managed by Stock and he told dad before the game that if Hillingdon won he would eat his famous Trilby hat.
"After the game, Dad saved it from being eaten by claiming it for himself and he always kept it as a memento."
Langley joined Fulham from Brighton for £12,000 in 1957 and was with them when his second call up to the England team came in 1958 which saw him head to Wembley for the first time. On that occasion England won 2-1 against Portugal with both goals scored by Bobby Charlton.
After eight years with Fulham Jim joined QPR and was in the 1966-67 team which clinched both the third division title and the League Cup.
In March this year the club marked the 40th anniversary of that triumph and Peter went along to represent his father who was too ill to attend.
"Dad meant a lot to the club for what he helped them achieve and it was wonderful to be there and hear everyone pay tribute to him," Peter said. Ealing Gazette

Also Earlier obituaries for Jim Langley

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