24 Hours in A&E: Libby tells of meeting footballing vicar husband

Libby Leadbeater, 44, appeared on 24 Hours in A&E after being injured while playing hockey.

While on the show, which aired at 9pm on Wednesday (January 24), she told of her relationship with a former Hereford United striker who gave up football to become a vicar.

Richard Leadbeater was ordained at Birmingham Cathedral in 2010, just over a decade after taking centre stage at Edgar Street.

RELATED NEWS:

• Former Hereford United star, Richard Leadbeater, becomes a vicar
• Herefordshire farmers and cider makers on BBC TV show
• TV show to shine light on mystery surrounding 5,000-year-old Herefordshire tomb

“My passion for the game had started waning while my passion for being involved in the ministry was increasing,” he said at the time.

“One of the things I wrestled with towards the end of my career was being paid to play sport. When you are paid to play it stops being a sport and starts becoming a business. I found the two were often an uneasy fit.”

Libby had a cut above her eye after taking part in trials for the England Masters hockey team, but this was patched up by staff at Queen's Medical Centre (QMC) in Nottingham.

Libby Leadbeater was treated for a cut above her eye after being hit in the face with a hockey stick. Picture: Channel 4

Talking about her relationship with the now Rev Leadbeater, who scored 13 goals for United in 33 appearances over two spells, she said they met when she had just left university – but there was no spark and she thought he was self-centred. She was proved wrong though as he later became a vicar.

Libby tells of meeting Richard 'Leddy' Leadbeater, a footballer who became a vicar

He was a professional football for Wolves at the time, and met on a sports camp for children in the summer.

OTHER NEWS:

• This historic Herefordshire pub needs a big refurb before it finally reopens
• Teenager barred from every Hereford pub, bar, and nightclub ahead of trial
• 'Absolute carnage' on 'dangerous' packed Hereford train

"Someone had told me there was a footballer on the camp who knew Graham Taylor, the greatest ever Watford manager and my hero," she said on the programme, referring to him as Leddy.

"So I sought him out and asked him loads and loads and loads of questions about Graham Taylor, which he probably thought was very weird and boring."

Libby struggled to watch Hereford United striker

One of the highlights of his career, which ended aged 26, was undoubtedly his spell with Hereford, during which time he won the hearts of Bulls fans who witnessed his hat-trick in a 4-1 demolition of rivals Kidderminster Harriers on New Year’s Day, 1998.

Former Hereford United professional footballer Richard Leadbeater became a vicar. Picture: James Maggs

Libby said she thought he was very flippant and everything was a joke to him when they first met, and he was quite self-centred and focused on himself and his football.

But she couldn't have been more wrong – later finding out he was a deep thinker and kind. She admitted she had no idea he would end up being a vicar though.

She said she struggled to watch him play football though as the crowd said "unkind things" and "it's abuse often", she said.

24 Hours in A&E can be watched on Channel 4's website.