During World War II, nearly 48,000 men served in the coal mines, the majority of which were chosen at random during the conscription process, with that number including volunteers. 102 Years of Burnden Park: Part Two - Lion Of Vienna Suite In response to penalty appeals, the referee awarded a corner. Former Bolton Wanderers and England striker Nat Lofthouse, one of the greats of a golden post-war generation, died in his sleep at the age of 85, the club announced on Sunday. His funeral service was attended by more than 500 invited guests and members of the public. Bolton finished in the top half of the table for 6 of those 13 seasons. He was born on March 24, 1919, in Blyth, Northumberland, England. The plan was for the statue to be funded by public donations, with help from the club. For England, the Austria game provided two firsts. Because the move came before the age of player power and agents controlling moves, Nat didn't have any say in the matter. That didn't last long though, as soon as Lofthouse was placed up front and the goals flowed. A forward for Bolton Wanderers for the entirety of his career, Nat Lofthouse was an English professional footballer. 16 January 2011 #1. Following his discovery, Nat Lofthouse was signed by then-Bolton manager Charles Foweraker, who had, at that point, been manager of the club for 25 years (and would manage for a further five years). However, theres little doubt that financial pragmatism aside, his heart was always in Bolton and with Wanderers. Speaking During his "Nat Lofthouse: This Is Your Life" show, Lofthouse had said of his time as manager: "I think the worst thing Bolton Wanderers' directors ever did was ask me to be manager. Not long after his retirement from football, Nat took control of the Castle Pub on Tonge Moor Road in Bolton. Andy is a UK-born, football fanatic who follows the trials and tribulations of Aston Villa and his local non-league side, Stafford Rangers. Both men were among the inaugural inductees to the Hall Of Fame. Bolton as a team were struggling to reassert themselves with their pre-war team dismantled and Foweraker retiring, and that process was made considerably more difficult by the shadow both psychological and financial cast by the Burnden Disaster, a crush that killed 33, in 1946. Known as the 'Lion of Vienna,' Nat Lofthouse was the epitome of the down-to-earth football star of the 1940s and 1950s. That is, a sane person that wasn't scared of facing the Lion of Vienna on the pitch. On top of running the Castle Pub after his retirement, Lofthouse maintained a number of different positions with Bolton Wanderers. After failing to score in the win over Scotland at Hampden the centre forward went on Englands 1952 summer tour. Telephone: 0161 605 8200. It was a friendly against the old Yugoslavia, with Nat scoring both England goals in a 2-all draw. [14] Lofthouse stands eighth in the list of English football's top division all time goalscorers.[4]. In 1953, it all came together. The climax of the match led Peskett to show his joy: This was more than any other British triumph to have befallen a side abroad this was an ending to a schoolboys story., The Daily Express Desmond Hackett writes, For Austria, it was the win they never saw coming.. [7] A campaign, backed by Gordon Taylor, the chief executive of the Professional Footballers' Association and former Bolton player, was started, aiming to get Lofthouse knighted. Nats prolific strike rate in the war leagues left Wanderers in little doubt as to his abilities, but the cessation of the conflict and resumption of the football league ushered in a tough period of acclimatisation for club and player. Nat charged forward with the ball, in typical Lofthouse fashion receiving an elbow in the face and a tackle from behind. His efforts did see him awarded the title of FWA Footballer of the Year, an accolade that went nicely with the moniker, his most famous, that hed earned the year before. The Lion of Vienna With the war over, the legendary Nat Lofthouse was finally able to start his career officially. Foweraker was the club's most successful manager ever, bring the FA Cup trophy to Bolton on three occasions in a span of seven seasons (1923, 1926, and 1929). The statue's pose was chosen by the club's fans as well as Nat Lofthouse's surviving family. Lofthouse was at his imperious best, plundering goals at a rate that even the sportswriters who had grown up watching the likes of Dixie Dean and others agreed was exceptional. Lofthouse was one of the inaugural inductees to the National Football Museum Hall Of Fame in 2002, attending the event to collect his award alongside other greats of the game, including his friend and former England team-mate Sir Tom Finney. Nonetheless Lawtons legend was cemented locally and Nat became a huge fan, often travelling to Goodison Park to watch him play for Everton. Towards the end of the 1956-57 season there was some doubt over whether Lofthouse would remain at Bolton and it was all because of a pub. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. For the recognition of club and country, a statue stands outside Boltons stadium.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[728,90],'historyofsoccer_info-box-3','ezslot_4',180,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-historyofsoccer_info-box-3-0'); England toured Europe briefly in summer 1952 and played matches against politically sensitive opponents Italy and Austria. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Lofthouse was buried on 26 January 2011 as thousands turned out to say goodbye at Bolton Parish Church. How many goals in total did Lofthouse score in the 33 matches he played for England? The number 9 shirt is traditionally for the club's top goal scorer, a shirt that has been cursed at Bolton for years. Nat Lofthouse was one of the post-war giants of football who had a glittering career with Bolton Wanderers, his only club, and England. What made Lofthouses feats all the more remarkable was the manner in which he shrugged them off. That changed in the 1952-53 season. [18], list of English football's top division all time goalscorers, "Nathaniel Lofthouse - Goals in International Matches", "Bolton Wanderers and England legend Nat Lofthouse dies aged 85", "This is Your Life (1969 - 1993) @ EOFFTV", "11 football greats who have suffered with dementia", "Bolton Wanderers 0 Chelsea 4: match report", "Mourners hail Nat Lofthouse as 'credit to Bolton', "1953 - The Matthews. A runner-up medal and the Footballer of the Year award came to him in 1953, and a winners medal and the FA Cup in 1958. he said to me always try to bang in one or two and remember, its goals that count. ALTHOUGH he earned a great deal of his reputation, and indeed his nickname, for one performance, Nat Lofthouse, The Lion of Vienna was a tremendous servant for his country for eight years, bagging 30 goals in just 33 games, and for his club for over 30 years. Having served his apprenticeship in wartime football, Lofthouse went on to become a star of peacetime football. He also topped the list of Division 1 scorers with an impressive tally of 30 goals. There was nowhere left to. Needless to say, the whole country and a good portion of the 100,000 fans packed into Wembley that day were behind the battered and bruised Manchester side. The wording of the epithet is indicative both of the era and the man himself. Charity No: 1050792, Open every day 10am 5pm (last admission 4pm), Email: [email protected] After retiring from playing football, Lofthouse became the assistant trainer at Burnden Park on 10 July 1961 and was then appointed chief coach at the club in 1967. There have been many claims that Lofthouse and Tommy Lawton went to the same school but in fact Lawton went to nearby Folds Road. Cousin mourns UK football's 'Lion of Vienna' - NZ Herald He made his debut in wartime football and in 1943 he became a Bevin boy, one of 48,000 men who were sent to work in the coal mines rather than the armed services in World War II. The youngest of four sons, Nathaniel Lofthouse was born in Bolton on 27 August 1925. He said: I would have an hour or two off to receive coaching from George and firmly believe that these private coaching sessions played a big part in my advancement. He started his countrys next 12 internationals scoring 13 times. For England he scored a phenomenal 30 goals in 33 games. please support us. But after Taylors tragic death at Munich he was included in the 40-man squad for the 1958 World Cup but failed to make the final 22. The great Nat Lofthouse was born to humble beginnings on the 27th of August, 1925 to Richard and Sarah Lofthouse. It made me fitter than ever I had been before. Soon after Lofthouse's death a swell of support for a statue to be built in his memory started. To be awarded the label of Lion, once reserved for realm's greatest warriors, is to be christened with one of England's most enduring symbols. The new forward scored twice but Lawton matched his feat and Chelsea scraped to a 4-3 win. In 2003, Nat Lofthouse retired from Bolton Wanderers for a second time. ], On 3 May 1958, almost five years to the day after losing the 1953 final, Lofthouse captained Bolton in the 1958 FA Cup Final against Manchester United. This evening, the Prater Stadium in the Soviet sector was crowded by cheering, khaki-clad British soldiers waving Union Jacks. The crowd in the stands cheered Lofthouse on.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'historyofsoccer_info-large-mobile-banner-2','ezslot_14',187,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-historyofsoccer_info-large-mobile-banner-2-0'); As Lofthouse recalls, I heard the hounds running after me. Musil began running but stopped before he reached me. In 1978, he became the club's executive manager. However, the lead was short-lived. [10] He married Alma Foster in 1947 and they remained married until her death in 1985. He also led his side to the FA Cup final, giving them a 2nd minute lead against Blackpool to compete a record of scoring in every round. Instead, Lofthouse honed his skills on the. Upon coming home, he was the recipient of a stern scolding from his mother for ruining his brand new shoes. Lofthouse scored twice against Belgium in a match that ended 44. The main target was Nat Lofthouse, who was struck in the neck, while Elliott and Sewell required treatment from England trainer Jimmy Trotter. The plaudits for the Lion of Vienna didn't stop after he hung up his boots though. He looked like a boxer at the end of a tough 15 rounds when he left the field. In 1985, at the age of 60, Lofthouse became caretaker manager at the club again and became president in 1986. Why was Nat Lofthouse called the Lion of Vienna? - Sage-Answers In his 14 years at Bolton between . You would be very hard-pressed to find a sane person that had a negative thing to say about Nat Lofthouse. Still more fans entered and the crush resulted in the death of 33 people. Before becoming Bolton's chief scout, he became an administrative manager at Burnden. An England international, Nat Lofthouse played his entire club career for his hometown club, Bolton Wanderers, scoring 255 goals in 452 league appearances. Once Lofthouse arrived Hunt moved to right-half and was later transferred to Sheffield Wednesday. His mother stayed at home and cared for the four boys. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. He had even handed a transfer request in several times, unsurprisingly rejected by the club in the days before there were agents to campaign on his behalf. There was then a Cup Winners Cup played between the winners of the North and South tournaments. Two goals in a 5-1 win gave a taste of what was the come. Promised a new bike if he scored a hat-trick in the match he actually went four better, getting all the goals in a 7-1 win, establishing himself as one to watch. Nathaniel Lofthouse OBE (27 August 1925 15 January 2011) was an English professional footballer who played as a forward for Bolton Wanderers for his entire career. NAT Lofthouse, one of the most famous of all Boltonians and the town's best-loved sporting son, has died at the age of 85. There was a tense atmosphere in both countries in 1952 when memories of recent misfortunes were mixed with a present sense of injustice and a zeal for spiritual and national renewal. He was elbowed in the face, tackled from behind and brought down by the goalkeeper. Nat was discovered by James Entwistle, the Mayor of Bolton at the time. Its difficult to discuss Nat Lofthouse without resorting to clichs. Compared to the broadsheets, tabloid match reports treat the occasion as a related event to the war. In front of 65,500 fans at the Prater Stadium, including hordes of British soldiers, Lofthouse gave England the lead when he smacked home a half-volley from 12 yards after being set up by Jackie Sewell. With the extensive scouting networks and multi-tiered academies of nowadays simply not existing in the 1930s, Lofthouse was staring into the footballing abyss as he left school at 14. From the very height of his celebrity to the very end of his life, almost everybody that Lofthouse or Lofty, as he insisted on being called met came away with memories of a genial, friendly, generous soul. Everyone left with a scar or bruise.. According to Bolton Wanderers, the statue proposal has received a phenomenal reception and is well on target for the scheduled due date. Known as the 'Lion of Vienna, Nat Lofthouse was the epitome of the down-to-earth football star of the 1940s and 1950s. We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. . We are a registered charity; He later served as chief scout, caretaker manager, executive manager and as the clubs president from 1986. The funeral was held 11 days later with 500 invited guests and members of the public inside Bolton Parish Church. Lofty: Nat Lofthouse, England's Lion of Vienna - Google Books Even earning the maximum wage, financial security for his family wasnt secured beyond his playing days, and he tried his hand at both working as a paint salesman and running a pub. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'historyofsoccer_info-leader-1','ezslot_12',186,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-historyofsoccer_info-leader-1-0');White shirts were worn by Austria and red by England. Nat Lofthouses statue now stands proudly outside the University of Bolton Stadium. Matilda is a Texan in Paris and Mark is a Georgian (the country) in New York. Sun 16 Jan 2011 13.15 EST The footballer Nat Lofthouse, who has died aged 85, won 33 England caps during a career spent entirely with one club, Bolton Wanderers. The day for Bevin Boys was a long and tough one. Between 1950 and 1958, he played 33 times for the England national football team. Had Lofthouse not been a Bolton Wanderers player, life would have been extremely difficult for him. 16 January 2011 #1. Italy had already won the World Cup twice, and football had returned to its former glory following the war. Bolton Wanderers On the Trot: Internationals, The Nat Lofthouse Stand - Bolton Blogroll. Six years later, he was promoted to the head coach position, and the following year, he took to managing the club. This was the first time the team played behind the Iron Curtain, and it was also the first peacetime match in Continental Europe with a significant away following.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'historyofsoccer_info-box-4','ezslot_8',183,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-historyofsoccer_info-box-4-0'); As many as 1,400 tickets were assigned to British troops, although many more were obtained through the black market. Harry sees Nat manning the bar and the two talk for a while with Gregg finally ordering a pint. Having failed to find the net in his past two internationals, a run which had scuppered more than a few promising youngsters England careers, Boltons star was aware of a concerted campaign in the press to have him replaced by Newcastles brilliant Jackie Milburn. Nat responds: "That's alright, Harry. Ultimately, the Hungarians cruelly exposed Englands insecurities in May 1954 and November 1953 against Continental opposition. Due to hostilities, Lofthouse didnt make his league debut for Wanderers until the 1946-47 season. During his playing career, Nat Lofthouse was deservedly celebrated for his numerous on-pitch achievements. Lofthouse would later say; The miners of Britain are the finest fellows in the world. During the war, he was one of 48,000 men who were sent to work in the coal mines rather than the armed services with a . Honours:1 FA Cup Named the Lion of Vienna after scoring three goals for England v Austria Nat was a Legend for Bolton Wanderers.and England. Football Legends - Nat Lofthouse - BBC Archive He said of his career; For me Football is pleasure with pay. His career and life, like so many of the players he shared the pitch with, seems so improbable when compared to modern stars both in terms of achievements and circumstances that its hard to separate the man from the legend. As a result, Nat Lofthouse was nicknamed the Lion of Vienna. Thread starter leefer; Start date 16 January 2011; leefer Loyal Member. Lofthouse was witness to a Bolton Wanderers golden age of top flight success throughout the 1930s and although the Trotters won three FA Cups in Nat's life time, he was too young to witness the 1926 and 1929 wins over Manchester City and Portsmouth. When the goalkeeper tried to give Lofthouse the money for his pint, Lofthouse refused. After a brief stint as the caretaker, Nat Lofthouse was named the full-time manager of Bolton Wanderers and stayed in the post until 1970. Sign up to our fortnightly newsletter below. We will not pass your details on to any third parties. Awarded an O.B.E in 1994, Lofthouse suffered from dementia in his later years and passed away at the age of 84 in 2011. But work down the mine toughened him physically and the caustic humour of his fellow miners made sure he never became arrogant about his success on the field.". The military nature of this event was further underscored by the presence of so many British soldiers in uniform. That's the thing more than anything else. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[336,280],'historyofsoccer_info-leader-2','ezslot_15',169,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-historyofsoccer_info-leader-2-0');In 452 Football League appearances for Bolton, he scored 255 goals. Nat Lefthouse Biography, Career Info, Records & Achievements - Sportskeeda In the second half, the Wanderers looked the better team, as the thrown-together nature of Manchester United began to show. Be in no doubt, the greatest number 9 and Bolton's finest son is of course Sir Nat Lofthouse. This win made for up defeat in the 1953 FA Cup Final, the same year he was selected as the Footballer of the Year by the FWA. In 1953, it all came together. The view was clearly shared by the selectors as it was back in reserve with Newcastles Jackie Milburn at the head of Englands attack. He later admitted that the experience in the mines helped his football career saying that his stint; helped toughen me both physically and mentally. I learnt to take hard knocks without feeling them. In doing so he was elbowed in the face, tackled from behind, and finally brought down by the goalkeeper. But you always associate Nat with Bolton. Club Chaplain Phil Mason added: "We are absolutely delighted with the work Sean has done; the image captures Nat perfectly - his strength both physical and mental and his great sense of purpose on and off the field. He won that. The two co-founded the Lion of Vienna Suite community and write about Bolton Wanderers because someone has to. The key to his appeal, beyond his fantastic abilities on the pitch, was his humility. Football was also a significant sport for the two nations. By 1942, all males in the United Kingdom aged 18-51 (with a few exceptions) were eligible to be conscripted by the government into wartime service. His most memorable performance,. This time he only managed to score a brace, the fourth and fifth goals in a 5-1 victory at Burnden Park. There were England Soccer players dotted among them, their red shirts feeling like poppies in a field of corn as they were carried high in triumph to their dressing-room on the shoulders of the Dorsets, the Warwicks, the Signalmen, and the Gunners. M4 3BG, 2023 National Football Museum. The OBE was awarded to him in 1994. Bolton's new number 9, Eoin Doyle, whilst playing for League Two side Swindon last season. Nat Lofthouse had endured well against a battering from the Italian defenders, despite these suggestions of poor performance. All the while, he kept scoring for his country as well as for his club, finishing on an incredible 30 goals in 33 caps and taking the record as the national teams all-time top goalscorer jointly with Finney. By 1951 it had begun to recover from the wars ravages. But he came back before the final whistle as Nat's valiant display earned him the nickname, 'Lion of Vienna'. Even his nickname, the Lion of Vienna, is something you wouldn't dream of bestowing upon the modern player. For as much as Bolton Wanderers shaped him, his career and his life, he too left an indelible mark on the club, defining the teams most iconic era and playing a pivotal role in saving the club during its most ignominious age. Please enter the following information to sign up. A few years later, on Sept. 4, 1939, the day after World War II broke out in Europe, as nearly all of the Bolton first team went off to war, Lofthouse went to Burnden Park, put pen to paper and signed for Bolton Wanderers as a youth player.
Epic V8 Surfski For Sale, Baylor Basketball Forum, Articles W