WE are very sorry and sad to report that popular former West Ham goalkeeper Lawrie Leslie passed away this morning, age 84. Scottish international (5 full caps) Lawrie was signed from Airdrie for £14,000 in 1961 and made 57 league and four cup appearances for Hammers between 1961-63 before moving to Stoke City.

Extract from our book, WEST HAM: IN MY DAY

LAWRIE LESLIE’s form for West Ham throughout the 1961-62 season was remarkable and it came to a memorable climax on Easter Saturday, when Hammers played Arsenal at Upton Park.

He remembers: “Early in the second-half and with the scores level at 1-1, I dived at the feet of Arsenal’s Geoff Strong and broke a finger. I went off to have it strapped up and John Lyall took over from me in goal."

In Lawrie’s absence, 10-man West Ham quickly conceded two more goals and were 3-1 down with 20 minutes to go. At that moment, Upton Park roared its approval as Lawrie reappeared from the players’ tunnel like a latter day ‘Braveheart’, wearing a numberless claret-and-blue shirt, black shorts and a strapping on his damaged hand. “I couldn’t go back in goal,” says Lawrie, “so Ron Greenwood just told me to play on the right wing and try and make a nuisance of myself.”

He did more than that. In fact, Lawrie produced a series of dazzling runs that tormented Arsenal’s Irish International left-back Billy McCullough. Inspired by Lawrie’s astonishing performance, which included an audacious overhead kick, West Ham fought back and reduced the arrears when Martin Peters crossed for John Dick to head home.

In the dying minutes, Lawrie took off on another mazy run which forced McCullough to concede a corner. From the resultant flag-kick, there was a scramble in the Arsenal goalmouth and amid near hysteria on the Upton Park terraces, Bill Lansdowne stabbed home the equaliser from close range.

The game ended in an amazing 3-3 draw and Lawrie left the field to a thunderous ovation from the West Ham fans.

Lawrie says: “It was a great comeback and we nearly nicked a winner right at the end as well! I couldn’t play in the last three matches of the season but the hand healed during the summer and I was fit and raring to go when the new season began the following August.”