The Glovers travel to Carlisle United this coming Saturday for a Halloween fixture and we take a look at a player who has represented both sides and certainly knows where the ghoul… sorry, goal, is!
(That might not be the last Halloween joke I squeeze into this article… how many can you spot?)
Today we look at arguably one of the best strikers to grace the Huish Park pitch in the Football League era, but Paddy Madden didn’t quite make the same impact at Carlisle, his first team on this side of the Irish Sea.
Of course, Madden’s goal for Yeovil in the League One play-off final was both a fantastic trick and one heck of a treat for the Glovers fans, the ability to wrap the outside of his right boot around the ball was something special to get the finest day in Yeovil’s history off to the best possible start.
Madden started his career in his homeland of Ireland, initially he played with Bohemians and was already finding a way of scoring goals at every level, scoring for Bohemians’ reserves to alert clubs to his ability.
He would join Shelbourne on loan in 2009, just a few months after making his Bohs debut in late 2008.
His spell with The Reds would see a return of eight goals from little over a dozen games and that even included a goal against Bohemians – his own employers – in a cup game.
Upon his return to Bohemians he would make more of an impression on the first team scoring his first goal shortly after, as the 2010 season ticket around, Madden was scoring for fun and goblin up chances created time and time again.
During June of 2010, he scored nine goals in just five matches and was rightly named player of the month.
The 2011 transfer window would bring Madden to England when Carlisle United came in for him and according to local papers in the north had to fend off interest from Celtic and others with much more pulling power.
Madden signed a two-and-a-half year deal on Deadline Day in January and his English adventure was underway.
He played for Carlisle for almost two years in total, but only made seven league starts for the Cumbrians and only scored two goals.
However, he did make a 20 minute appearance, from the bench, in the 2011 Johnstones Paint Trophy final where Carlisle beat Brentford.
Ironically, his first goal for Carlisle came against Yeovil, in a dramatic 3-2 win for the Blues in February 2012.
In October of the same year, Madden joined Yeovil on loan for a three month spell as Gary Johnson looked to bolster his attacking options.
A relative unknown to many Glovers fans, but they were to know all there is to know about him very shortly.
On his debut for Yeovil, at home to Colchester, Madden scored twice to match his entire tally at Carlisle in just half an hour.
The first, a screamer of a volley and another where he ghosted past the defence to slot home.
He had made an impact and went on a run of scoring against Tranmere, Shrewbury and Stevenage to really get the Glovers moving.
His final game of the loan spell saw another brace, this time against Leyton Orient, before it was announced that he had signed a permanent deal at Huish Park.
His next game came 12 days later and it brought another brace against Sheffield United.
Those two games would kick start of run scoring in eight consecutive games, notching eleven times in that stint.
He was haunting opposition defenders and the team was flying higher than a witch on a broomstick.
The rest of this campaign is on a constant loop in the minds of Glovers fans, but there were more goals, including one against Carlisle.
In total, he would score 24 league goals to end up as top scorer in the division and that alerted the Republic of Ireland manager.
Giovanni Trappatoni called Madden into the senior side and he would make a 20 minute appearance for his country against Wales in August 2013.
His play off heroics for Yeovil had seen the Glovers promoted to the highest point they’ve ever been and Paddy was set for a season in the Championship.
However, a combination of injury and loss of form saw his chances limited and in November of 2013 he was put on the transfer list.
With January fast approaching he signed a deal with Scunthorpe United in League Two, a deal was agreed and a six-figure fee was paid.
Madden was back in the goals almost immediately and had five more to his name before the season had finished.
He would play a part in their promotion campaign before become the first outfield player in 16 years to start every game of the season for Scunthorpe in their League One campaign the following year.
In those 55 games he scored 17 goals and ended with another club’s golden boot and even more end of season awards.
Paddy Madden has been voted in the greatest Yeovil Town side of the Football League era and retains his admiration for both his former employers.
Those two sides meet this Saturday and tickets are available for Yeovil fans on the day.
Madden scored many a goal at Huish Park and Paul Sturrock’s men need your support to help the goals and the points start flowing, click HERE to buy tickets for all The Glovers’ home games.
