This season Prostate Cancer UK is the official charity of The
Football League. To celebrate, we've asked bloggers from each of
the 72 clubs to count down their top five strikers to have worn the
No9 shirt, in recognition of the fact that prostate cancer
affects one in nine men.
Top Chap: Lee Chapman helped Leeds to the final First Division title. Photo courtesy of Action Images
Here blogger Tim Nichol, from thescratchingshed.com,
selects Leeds' five best No9s… and one to forget!
5. Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink (1997-99)
After winning the league in 1992, Leeds faltered. In 1996-97 Rod
Wallace was the club's top scorer with eight goals, before Jimmy
Floyd Hasselbaink, a 25 year-old from Surinam, was spotted by
Howard Wilkinson at Boavista. In two seasons Hasselbaink ripped
through the opposition, scoring 34 goals in 69 appearances,
shooting Leeds to European football once again.
4. Mark Viduka (2000-04)
Viduka won over the faithful in style during his first season as
he single-handedly destroyed Liverpool in a 4-3 victory at Elland
Road in November 2000. The Duke's services as Leeds' No9 didn't end
there, though, as he scored 40 goals in 84 games. An impressive 22
goals in 2002-03 was enough to stave off Leeds' Premiership exile
for one more year.
3. Lee Chapman (1990-93 & 1996)
The list wouldn't be complete without Lee Chapman. Scoring 62
goals in 137 appearances between 1990-93, Chapman was part of the
Leeds team that won the Second Division in 1990, and two years
later helped fire Leeds to the final First Division title before
the dawn of the Premiership age. Chapman was part of a great team
that brilliantly banished a decade of misery.
2. Mick Jones (1967-75)
Neil Warnock's favoured line-leader Luciano Becchio is, in many
ways, the spitting image of former Blade Mick Jones. Leaving for
Leeds when Warnock was a teenager, Jones stamped his authority up
front, scoring 111 goals in 312 appearances. A largely unsung hero,
he helped Don Revie's Leeds to two Fairs Cups, two league titles
and an FA Cup.
1. John Charles (1948-57 & 1962)
A legend in the truest sense of the word, the 'Gentle Giant'
established himself as a centre-half before being tried up front.
In his first season as No9 Charles scored an unbelievable 42 goals
in 39 league appearances, before helping Leeds win promotion to the
First Division. He was captured by Juventus in 1957 for a then
world record fee of £65,000.
And the worst …
Ian Rush (1996-97)
Rush joined Leeds in 1996 with 229 goals to his name at Liverpool.
A large part of his decision was his expectation of becoming Sgt
Wilko's successor. Wilkinson was sacked within a month, and Rush
only scored three times in 36 games before being given a free
transfer at the end of the season. He didn't score for any of his
next three teams.
Follow Tim on Twitter @TSSLUFC