UK newspapers have been busily heralding Jamie Vardy's incredible scoring exploits for Leicester City by pointing out that he is the second player after Ruud Van Nistelrooy to score in ten successive top flight games since football was invented by a far seeing Sky Sports executive back in 1992.
Those who dispute this history of the origins of the beautiful game have highlighted Jimmy Dunne, the Sheffield United striker who scored in 12 successive games in the 1931-32 season.
Few are mentioning John Aldridge, however. It took Liverpool based journalist Tony Barrett to contact Aldo about his hot streak in 1987. Like Van Nistelrooy and Vardy, Aldridge scored in ten successive matches from the final game of the 1986-87 season t0 the ninth match of the 1987-88.
Liverpool went on to win the 1987-88 title at a canter. He finished as the First Division's top scorer that season, scoring 26 goals. Aldridge admits it hurts that his record isn't being talked about in the same breath as Van Nistelrooy's.
It does hurt that my record hasn’t been talked about. Not because it belongs to me, but it symbolised everything that was great about that Liverpool team. We were full of goals. That team was a centre forward’s dream. With the players I had around me, I’d be gutted if I failed to score even if we won. I had Peter Beardsley just behind me, John Barnes on the left flank and either Craig Johnston or Ray Houghton on the right.
Ironically, at the same time he couldn't buy a goal for the Republic of Ireland, partly because Charlton had him running out to the wings to chase down long passes from the full backs.
Aldridge lavished praise on Vardy. They have a non-League background in common and Aldridge remarks that this gives one an added hunger when you do arrive in the big time. However, he'd be content if Vardy would cease scoring goals now, saying 'I'd be happy if he ends up stuck on ten with me'.
You can read the rest in the Sunday Times.
