In that game, Blackpool came back from 3-1 down to win 4-3, largely thanks to the heroics of Matthews, although he was no doubt helped by the fact that the Wanderers were effectively down to 10 men throughout much of the second half as Eric Bell was playing through a torn hamstring. RIP Nat Lofthouse. Mr Lofthouse, known as the Lion of Vienna, died on 15 January aged 85. This time he only managed to score a brace, the fourth and fifth goals in a 5-1 victory at Burnden Park. Doug Holden, another star of the legendary 1950s edition of Bolton, provided a succinct summation of Lofthouses influence on the team. He won that. In 1943, Nat Lofthouse was called upon to serve as a Bevin Boy at the Mosley Common coal mine. Ridding had been prominent in Nat Lofthouse's successful rise and had led the Trotters to the 1953 and 1958 FA Cup finals, famously winning the second one. [12], Lofthouse died on 15 January 2011, aged 85, in a nursing home in Bolton. Lion Of Vienna Suite, a Bolton Wanderers community. On that day, Lofthouse was wearing a brand new pair of shoes, a major luxury at the time. In a rare show of off-field bullishness, Lofthouse later remembered that he made it his sole purpose to make one particular writer eat his words even if he choked. His most memorable performance, which won him the nickname the "Lion of Vienna", was for England against Austria in May 1952. We will normally only contact you via e-newsletter. His lifelong dedication to the club was not work, but a manifestation of who he was. 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. Instead, Lofthouse honed his skills on the empty lots and wasteland that were more than common around the northwest during the day. In fact, there's a very funny joke from Lofthouse's time behind the bar: Harry Gregg (the Manchester United goalkeeper that Nat famously clattered over the goal line for Bolton's second goal in the 1958 FA Cup final) was driving through Bolton and decided to stop at the Castle Pub for a drink. The same was true of his debut, which arrived in 1940, aged just 15. One false start for his school team aside he was drafted in as a last-minute replacement in goal and conceded seven he began exhibiting a prodigious knack for goalscoring early on. An England international, Nat Lofthouse played his entire club career for his hometown club, Bolton Wanderers, scoring 255 goals in 452 league appearances. During the Second World War, both countries were major allies of Nazi Germany. If he fails again to accept changes from the clean breakaways against Italy, England will be doomed. Lofthouse was well aware of his uncertain status, saying later, I knew I played poorly in Florence [but] I wasnt prepared for the reception I received in the press.. Owning the public house was not the most rewarding career choice to the man who only wanted to see his boyhood club do well. Thousands of people gather for the funeral of former Bolton Wanderers and England football legend Nat Lofthouse. Read |Dixie Dean: footballs first great number nine. 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. On 1 January 1994, he was appointed an OBE and on 18 January 1997, Bolton decided to name their East Stand at their new Reebok Stadium after him. Mr Davies recalled the significant efforts Nat had made during the early eighties to raise money to help Wanderers avoid bankruptcy. He had been clattered by a defender as he shot and was carried from the field. The Reds came close several times, including a shot that went off the post, but it was Bolton's day, and in the 50th minute Nat Lofthouse sealed that with his infamous second goal. His last appearance for Bolton came on Nov. 17, 1960, a draw against Birmingham, after missing all of the 1959-60 season due to an ankle injury sustained in a pre-season tour of South Africa. He holds this record to this day. Lofthouse soon played for the Bolton Schools XI and made his debut in a 7-1 win over Bury Schools. For England he scored a phenomenal 30 goals in 33 games. In his 1999 book, Bolton Wanderers, Dean Hayes illustrated what a typical day looked like for Lofthouse: "Bevin Boy Lofthouse's Saturdays went like this: up at 3.30 a.m., catching the 4.30 tram to work; eight hours down the pit pushing tubs; collected by the team coach; playing for Bolton. There was a light breeze and intermittent rain during the game. Nat Lofthouse was one of the post-war giants of football who had a glittering career with Bolton Wanderers, his only club, and England. For as much as Bolton Wanderers shaped him, his career and his life, he too left an indelible mark on the club, defining the team's most iconic era and playing a pivotal role in saving the club during its most ignominious age. He looked like a boxer at the end of a tough 15 rounds when he left the field. After gaining eight corners to Englands none, the Austrians dominated for most of the game. Known as the Lion of Vienna, he scored 255 goals for . Lofthouse played his last match against Birmingham City in December 1960 due to an ankle injury. Boltons top-flight status stabilised as Lofthouse began to find his feet, and in 1950/51 he enjoyed a true breakthrough season, netting 17 times and being granted his first opportunity to prove his mettle on the international stage. Henry Winter: Nat Lofthouse was a leader, a lion and a legend Instead of scarring him, the experience seemed to instill a sense of purpose when it came to scoring goals which was reflected throughout his career. Lofthouse stands eighth in the list of English football's top division all time goalscorers.[4]. That was the last moment of real glory for Lofthouse's playing career, and for Bolton as well. [9], Already a Bolton Wanderers player having joined them in 1939 Lofthouse was conscripted in 1943 and worked in Mosley Common colliery as a Bevin Boy. People like Tom Finney and myself, people like that. The Lion of Vienna, Fifty Years a Legend (Edinburgh, 1989); Billy Wright, The Worlds My Football Pitch (London, 1953); Percy M Young, Bolton Wanderers (London, 1961); England Beat Austria, Path Film; Dave Russell, Deeply Honoured: The Rise and Significance of the British Sporting Award. It would have certainly resulted in a straight red card by today's standards, but was adjudged to be fair at the time. . Lofthouses early life was typical of many of those who played in the final era before wages exploded, when the sport was still very much a working mans game. [3] Shoulder charging the goalkeeper was a legitimate tactic at the time, but Lofthouse later admitted that his challenge was a foul. Lofthouse returned to the National line-up for the October 1951 home international draw with Wales and then got both goals in the 2-0 win over Ireland in November followed by another in a 2-2 draw with Austria where he headed home an Alf Ramsey free kick after 76 minutes to level the scores. The United lost emotion on the whole game at the end. The 1958-59 campaign provided a final high point in Lofthouses international career. Read |Sir Stanley Matthews and the story of Englands humble wizard. But he continued banging in goals with either foot or his head for his club and the selectors eventually decided they couldnt ignore him. 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. Please enter the following information to sign up. Phillips, a 78-year-old Minden resident, was Lofthouse's cousin (their mothers Lily and Jane were sisters) and said the man dubbed the "Lion of Vienna" would be shocked at all the fuss. That's the two words that go together and the thing about Nat was, as well, that you don't need to put his surname there, do you? Bolton were then beaten in the semi-final by Derby County. I learnt to take hard knocks without feeling them. In the first match of that campaign they travelled to London to play Chelsea matching him up against hero Tommy Lawton. Quite possibly the best football magazine in the World, 2023 All Rights Reserved - Read The League Built by B[]X, RIDE TO HELL. He also topped the list of Division 1 scorers with an impressive tally of 30 goals. Returning on the bus after the game he was shocked to find Tommy Lawton waiting for him. When he was in the team, we played to him. 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. Writing in his 1954 autobiography Goals Galore, Lofthouse discussed his time in the mines: "The job proved to be the best I could possibly have had. The award was given in recognition of his great skill with the ball at a time when English football was not known for its aesthetic beauty. All in all, he tallied up 255 goals in 452 league games, and 30 goals in 51 cup matches. In 4th position is Ian Rush on 233 goals, then David Herd on 223 goals. NAT THE LION | Read The League For England, the Austria game provided two firsts. It didnt take long for Lofthouse to start getting attention from professional clubs and in 1939 at the age of just 14 he was persuaded by Bolton Wanderers manager Charles Foweraker to sign for his local club with a little help from another important man in the city. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. Lofthouse mourned by Bolton and England | Inside UEFA This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. In a football match bearing the weight of sport, politics, and differing ideologies, Lofthouse approached the pitch as though it were a battlefield, sacrificing his body (and probably a few brain cells) to win an important, poignant, and unexpected, victory for England. BBC News - Nat Lofthouse: Life of football legend Now they faced Austria, one of the worlds best teams, and one who had seriously threatened Englands precious unbeaten record at home to continental teams just one year before. Nat joined Burnden Parks backroom staff several years ago, eventually becoming the clubs manager in August 1968. Sign up to our fortnightly newsletter below. The title came from a prestigious match against Austria in 1952. After that 1958 final, Bolton had started slipping and were ultimately relegated to the old Second Division in 1964. His most memorable performance,. Lofthouse opened the scoring but Austria came back, and with the game deadlocked at 2-2, began to exert significant pressure. NAT LOFTHOUSE is a name that rings through the annals of English football history like few others. Nat Lofthouse: the Lion of Vienna and the gent of Bolton Once Lofthouse arrived Hunt moved to right-half and was later transferred to Sheffield Wednesday. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. . (Subs) Franz Pelikan, Stotz, Koller, Dekkerif(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'historyofsoccer_info-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_11',185,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-historyofsoccer_info-large-leaderboard-2-0'); Gilbert Merrick, Alf Ramsey, William Eckersley, William Wright, Jack Froggatt, James Dickinson, Tom Finney, John Sewell, Nat Lofthouse, Edward Baily, William Elliott. Two goals in a win against Bury immediately had the few hardy souls willing to brave the football during the Blitz abuzz with excitement. He was declared English Footballer of the Year, an accolade he was given on the eve of the famed Stanley Matthews Final in the FA Cup. Richard Lofthouse brought up his family on a weekly wage of just 2 10s. Former Bolton captain Kevin Davies and then manager Owen Coyle were among the pallbearers.[16]. To open the scoring, he swiveled on his right foot and hit a volley with his left foot. Lofthouse returned to Burnden Park full-time in 1968 spending a mostly nondescript three-year spell as manager. Indeed, he did little to dissuade attention from Spurs early on in his career, and readily admitted that had Fiorentina made good on their interest in the early 1950s, the money they were offering would have been too good to turn down.
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