Famous Fulham Players: No 50 Johnny Haynes

1952-70, 658 appearances, 158 goals

Haynes was Fulham, is Fulham. He is the player Bobby Charlton was told to model himself on, the complete footballer. It is tempting to reach for modern comparisons, but those who saw him say that there is no modern player who can play like Haynes, who had that presence that only the very greatest players have, whose passing (with the old heavy ball, remember) was otherworldly, and whose will to win astounded opponents and team-mates alike. He appeared in the 1958 and 1962 World Cup finals, but a car-crash in '62 robbed him of his pace and his game finally came down to earth. The Johnny Haynes Stand at Craven Cottage is a fitting tribute, and he has recently been immortalised as a statue outside the ground. "The Maestro". There will never be another like him.

If it's not too pretentious, references, thanks, etc: Dennis Turner's indispensible "Fulham, The Complete Record", Martin Plumb's three volumes: "Johnny Haynes, The Maestro", "Tales from the Riverbank vols 1 and 2", Bobby Robson "Farewell but not Goodbye", George Cohen "My Autobiography", Alan Mullery "The Autobiography", Michael Heatley "Match of My Life - Fulham", Michael Joyce "Football League Players' Records 1888-1939", Barry Hugman "Premier and Football League Players' Records 1946-2005", Gordon Mills for permission to excerpt his comments, other Fulham fans who may not wish to be associated with this list but whose input was extremely valuable.