David Beckham once admitted he was scared of facing one of football’s toughest players.
The Beckham surname has evolved into a significant brand over the last twenty years, with the midfielder’s remarkable passes, accurate free kicks, and appealing appearance garnering substantial fame both on and off the field.
The ex-England international rose to prominence at Manchester United, subsequently transferring to Real Madrid during the Galacticos period, and concluding his career with MLS team LA Galaxy.
Nevertheless, prior to making his mark at Old Trafford, Beckham undertook a one-month loan at Preston North End in 1995.
During this time, he faced Fulham, whose midfield featured one of football’s most formidable tacklers, Terry Hurlock.
After securing a 3-2 victory, with Beckham scoring from a free-kick, the future United star remarked to reporters: “I recall Terry Hurlock participating in the match. I made sure to avoid him throughout the game, for obvious reasons.
“However, I did score a free-kick in that match, and it was a different phase in my career, a memorable time that I reflect on fondly.”
Hurlock was a formidable ball-winning midfielder whose career was not without its share of controversy.
While at Celtic, he received a straight red card for delivering an off-the-ball elbow to the face of a Rangers player. On that day in 1991, two of his teammates were also dismissed, prompting manager Graeme Souness to issue a public apology afterward.
Upon joining Millwall in 1987, Hurlock was dubbed ‘Terry Warlock’ by fans, and he is also honored in Brentford’s Hall of Fame, having played six seasons with the club during the Third Division from 1980 to 1986.
In an interview with the Daily Mail, Hurlock once claimed that Wimbledon tough guy Vinnie Jones was ‘too clever to approach me on the pitch,’ while he also confessed to wanting to “strangle” future Chelsea icon Dennis Wise after encountering him daily in training.
Hurlock explaining: “We’d be running past them on the pitch, eyeing them up. Wally [Downes]. Vinnie. Little Dennis. I wanted to strangle him.
“You’d be shouting across, ‘Crazy Gang’? We’re the real f***ing Crazy Gang. We’re Millwall.”
FourFourTwo named Hurlock as the toughest footballer of the 1990s in 2023.
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