Andy is a UK-born, football fanatic who follows the trials and tribulations of Aston Villa and his local non-league side, Stafford Rangers. Any hopes of the Three Lions traditional end-of-season tour being a relatively sedate one had been dashed in their opening game, a frustrating 1-1 draw in Florence in which Englands Italian opponents had resorted to the, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window), Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window), Nat Lofthouse: the Lion of Vienna and the gent of Bolton, Remembering the disaster of 1991/92, Bayern Munichs worst season in modern history, Rio, 1989: Chilean skullduggery, hidden razor blades and Brazilian flares, Brighton and Crystal Palace: the rise of a rivalry separated by 39 miles, The madness of Liverpools first foray into European competition, The tale of Queens Park: the early innovators who became last of the amateurs, Bobby Robson, Ipswich Town and a brutal quest for the 1981 treble. In doing so he was elbowed in the face, tackled from behind, and finally brought down by the goalkeeper. 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. When he was in the team, we played to him. Half a century after Victory in Europe Day (VE Day), they were finally recognized as contributors to the war effort by Queen Elizabeth II. On that day, Lofthouse was wearing a brand new pair of shoes, a major luxury at the time. He netted in every round of the FA Cup in 1953, including the final, only to be thwarted by the wizardry of Stanley Matthews and a hat-trick from Stan Mortensen in one of the most famous finals of all time. Quick off the mark, an ability to shoot with either foot, with strength and agility in the air an innate ability to be in the right place at the right time. This evening, the Prater Stadium in the Soviet sector was crowded by cheering, khaki-clad British soldiers waving Union Jacks. Six years later, he was promoted to the head coach position, and the following year, he took to managing the club. When Lofthouse was given another shot at the FA Cup, he didn't let it slip away. He grew up without much in the way of material comforts; his first sight of Bolton Wanderers came after shinning up a drain pipe at the clubs Burnden Park home rather than paying the threepence for schoolboy admission. he said to me always try to bang in one or two and remember, its goals that count. The performance certainly cemented Nats place as Englands number nine and six goals for the Football League against the Irish League further underlined it. 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. Lofthouse returned to Burnden Park full-time in 1968 spending a mostly nondescript three-year spell as manager. Drawing 2-2 and with the Austrians pressing for a famous win, an England counter-attack saw Lofthouse put through on goal. A forceful player, he combined physical strength with a powerful shot in either foot or a strong header. Any hopes of the Three Lions traditional end-of-season tour being a relatively sedate one had been dashed in their opening game, a frustrating 1-1 draw in Florence in which Englands Italian opponents had resorted to the dark arts on more than one occasion. Over his international career, launched at such a late age, he scored 30 goals in 33 games, a scoring ratio that is unmatched by any England player with more than 5 appearances to this day. On foreign soil, the English brave and plucky had triumphed over technologically superior opponents against all odds. Three months earlier, United had been involved in the Munich air disaster. Lofthouse earned full international recognition when he was called up to play for his country against Yugoslavia at Highbury in November 1950. In the following days Weekly Dispatch, John Robertson wrote; Lofthouses first goal left me open-mouthed. His strength and power were again prominent when he won the single honour of his career. His funeral service was attended by more than 500 invited guests and members of the public. Overcrowding resulted in spectators spilling over onto the touchline. There was nowhere left to. That season he topped the First Division goalscoring charts with 30 goals. Lofthouse, battered and semi-conscious, was taken from the field but returned as a passenger minutes later, still proving fit enough to shoot an effort 30 yards into the goal. He later admitted that the experience in the mines helped his football career saying that his stint; helped toughen me both physically and mentally. An estimated crowd of 85,000 turned up at Burnden Park with fans climbing in after the gates had been shut. The day for Bevin Boys was a long and tough one. We were introduced and I stood there tongue-tied, Nat would later recall. 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. He was capped 33 times for the England national football team between 1950 and 1958, scoring 30 goals and giving himself one of the greatest. 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. According to Bolton Wanderers, the statue proposal has received a phenomenal reception and is well on target for the scheduled due date. Lofthouse is rightly remembered as the archetypal one-club man, but to call him that is to do him a disservice. The two co-founded the Lion of Vienna Suite community and write about Bolton Wanderers because someone has to. 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. On the domestic front Lofthouse enjoyed an outstanding 1952-53 season. The Bolton Wanderers reached the final again five years later. Thompson would later write: I came away with the impression that Lofthouse was game and persistent, a fine footballer, but not quite an England leader. By Henry Winter 16 January 2011 8:10pm Never again will you say that England has lost the will to fight. On 22 March 1941, he made his debut for Bolton, scoring two goals in a 5-1 victory over Bury. Before halftime, the English defense opened up, allowing Dienst to fire past Merrick and level the scores.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'historyofsoccer_info-large-mobile-banner-1','ezslot_13',167,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-historyofsoccer_info-large-mobile-banner-1-0'); As the game progressed, it became more fraught. Nat was always a big boy and because of that, often found himself in goal, acting as the last line of defense for whatever ragtag side he found himself playing on. On this occasion, he relieved himself of day-to-day duties at the club but remained on board as an ambassador for the Trotters, attending matches and club events for years to come. He was made the club's Vice President for life in 1969. Despite the tense situation in Austria and Germany, British troops crossed into the Soviet sector for the match in May 1952, which took place in the Soviet sector of Vienna.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'historyofsoccer_info-medrectangle-3','ezslot_6',181,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-historyofsoccer_info-medrectangle-3-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'historyofsoccer_info-medrectangle-3','ezslot_7',181,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-historyofsoccer_info-medrectangle-3-0_1');.medrectangle-3-multi-181{border:none!important;display:block!important;float:none!important;line-height:0;margin-bottom:15px!important;margin-left:auto!important;margin-right:auto!important;margin-top:15px!important;max-width:100%!important;min-height:250px;min-width:250px;padding:0;text-align:center!important}, The historian Percy Young briefly described the situation regarding the two matches. His most memorable performance, which won him the nickname the "Lion of Vienna", was for England against Austria in May 1952. . Caps:33 (30 goals) Nat charged forward with the ball, in typical Lofthouse fashion receiving an elbow in the face and a tackle from behind. It was then more than five years until he made his league debut for the club, but he eventually played against Chelsea on 31 August 1946, when he scored twice in a 43 defeat. 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.". He perhaps justified a claim to an earlier call-up by scoring both goals in a 22 draw against Yugoslavia at Highbury on his debut. 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.. If anything, this inspired a more violent second half, with both sides desperate for a meaningful win. My body became firmer and harder, I learned to take hard knocks without feeling them. Lofthouse was a constant at the head of the Wanderers goalscoring charts and his exploits, which included four goals in a win for an FA XI over the Army were finally rewarded by the international selectors in 1950 when, after scoring the only goal in the B teams win over the Netherlands at St James Park he went on the FA tour of Canada and North America. RIP Nat Lofthouse. Cathedral Gardens Although the England players have not yet abandoned hope, the home team was 2-1 favorites to win this match. Not once after that did Nat protest or fight Bolton's decision. Nat's time in that role also didn't go to plan and the legend was relieved of his duties in 1972. In 1957, he assumed captaincy of the club. 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. On 25 May 1952, Lofthouse earned the title 'Lion of Vienna' after scoring his second goal in England's 32 victory over Austria. A) 20 B) 30 C) 40 By the end of the match, he had done just that, and earned the title of The Lion of Vienna in the process. Instead, Lofthouse honed his skills on the empty lots and wasteland that were more than common around the northwest during the day. Nat joined Burnden Parks backroom staff several years ago, eventually becoming the clubs manager in August 1968. A one-club man, he played over 400 games for Bolton Wanderers and earned 33 caps for England (as well as his famous nickname). He ran a pub for a while, whilst still coaching at his one and only club but the lure of football proved too great. Accepting his award from a local councilman, he was unaware that the man in front of him sat on the board of Bolton Wanderers, until he asked if Lofthouse would like to play for them. Prior to Lofthouses arrival on the scene Wanderers had relied on former Spurs star George Hunt for the majority of their goals. Please tick if you would like to receive information in this way. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. On 25 May 1952, Lofthouse earned the title 'Lion of Vienna' after scoring his second goal in England's 3-2 victory over Austria . Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. ], 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. Matilda is a Texan in Paris and Mark is a Georgian (the country) in New York. Not long after his retirement from football, Nat took control of the Castle Pub on Tonge Moor Road in Bolton. Bolton won the game 20 with Lofthouse scoring both goals, the second of which was highly controversial and remains a talking point to this day. Thousands of England fans attended the game at the Praterstadion in Viennas Soviet Zone, as evidenced by the Path film of the game. 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. 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. In the second half, the Wanderers looked the better team, as the thrown-together nature of Manchester United began to show. Nat was the youngest of four boys. May 1958. 16 January 2011 #1. Bolton finished in the top half of the table for 6 of those 13 seasons. He is still Bolton's top scorer of all time. 1968 rolled around and Nat Lofthouse was appointed caretaker manager of the club. Its difficult to discuss Nat Lofthouse without resorting to clichs. 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. He was elbowed in the face, tackled from behind and brought down by the goalkeeper. We had to do something quickly and we had no identity at that time. His father was a coal-bagger for the community's co-operative before becoming the head horse keeper for Bolton Corporation. The key to his appeal, beyond his fantastic abilities on the pitch, was his humility. That changed in the 1952-53 season. The stands were filled with British troops, who had remained stationed throughout Austria in the aftermath of the war. 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. 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). Born and bred in Bolton, Lofthouse earned his. The view was clearly shared by the selectors as it was back in reserve with Newcastles Jackie Milburn at the head of Englands attack. The funeral was held 11 days later with 500 invited guests and members of the public inside Bolton Parish Church. In 195253, he was named FWA Footballer of the Year. 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. The Mayor of Bolton, Alderman Entwhistle who was also a director of the club approached the youngster and asked him to sign and, along with the manager they managed to stop the local lad from leaving town although as he had already been a regular spectator at Burnden Park. 6) Centre forward Nat Lofthouse earned the title Lion of Vienna when he scored his second goal in England's 3-2 victory over Austria in 1952. Urbis Building It was one of the first instances of a personal worrisome streak that was completely at odds with his public persona. The wording of the epithet is indicative both of the era and the man himself. 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. 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. Bolton Wanderers and England legend Nat Lofthouse ( 'The Lion of Vienna' ) dies aged 85Nat Lofthouse epitomised the kind of English centre forward that has . [5], On 7 April 1993, he appeared as a special guest on the TV guest show This Is Your Life, in which the on-screen guests included Tom Finney and Harry Gregg, while others including Bobby Charlton, Gary Lineker and Ian Rush appeared on screen to pay tribute to Lofthouse as they were unable to appear alongside Lofthouse due to other commitments. Wanderers gave the then 15-year-old his debut on 14 March 1941 in a wartime match with Bury again providing the opposition. 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. Still more fans entered and the crush resulted in the death of 33 people. Several players in the match played below their level, with Nat Lofthouse one of those.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'historyofsoccer_info-banner-1','ezslot_10',184,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-historyofsoccer_info-banner-1-0'); In the Daily Telegraph, Frank Coles wrote, One of the question marks is against Lofthouse. Born in Bolton, Lancashire, in 1925, Lofthouse joined the town's main club on 4 September 1939 and made his debut in a wartime 51 win against Bury on 22 March 1941 when he scored two goals. He won 33 caps for England between 1950 and 1958, scoring 30 goals, with one of the highest goals-per-game ratios of any England player. The same was true of his debut, which arrived in 1940, aged just 15. Nat was discovered by James Entwistle, the Mayor of Bolton at the time. There was then a Cup Winners Cup played between the winners of the North and South tournaments. The main target was Nat Lofthouse, who was struck in the neck, while Elliott and Sewell required treatment from England trainer Jimmy Trotter. He featured in the 1954 World Cup side. He scored both goals in the 1958 FA Cup Final, the second seeing him charge both keeper and ball over the line. 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. Had Lofthouse not been a Bolton Wanderers player, life would have been extremely difficult for him. As far as Englands league goalscorers are concerned, Nat Lofthouse is 37th all-time. Whilst there was no official league football in 1945-46 (Wanderers finished 3rd in the Football League North) the FA Cup was restarted. [10] He married Alma Foster in 1947 and they remained married until her death in 1985. "He was probably one of the best centre forwards England ever had, very aggressive and combative with great speed. As he regretted later, I never saw the ball enter the Austrian net for the goal of my life.. In the next two seasons he continued scoring regularly with the 1955-56 campaign particularly notable. Doug Holden, another star of the legendary 1950s edition of Bolton, provided a succinct summation of Lofthouses influence on the team. 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. Lofthouse received a 10 signing-on fee and put pen to paper for Bolton on 4 September 1939 the day after Britain had declared war on Germany causing the abandonment of the Football League season. Sources: Daily Express, Daily Mail, Daily Telegraph, The Times, Daily Mirror, The Guardian, Daily Herald; Nat Lofthouse, Goals Galore, Nat Lofthouse. On 2 December 1989, he was made a Freeman of Bolton. Nat Lofthouse. Long after his star had ascended, he could still be found riding the bus from his nearby home to Burnden Park, delighting in surprising fans who were discussing his performances on the pitch unbeknownst of his presence. One of those matches would turn out to be the definitive 90 minutes of his England career, at what was then called Praterstadion in Vienna on the 25th of May, 1952. 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. [12], Lofthouse died on 15 January 2011, aged 85, in a nursing home in Bolton. [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. My legs became stronger and when I played football I felt I was shooting with greater power.". 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. On the pitch his place in the national side was gone, replaced as spearhead by Manchester Uniteds Taylor. He slid the ball past the keeper but was knocked cold in the challenge as he did. 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. The goal he scored when coming on as substitute for the injured Tommy Taylor against Finland in Helsinki was the 29th for his country taking him past Steve Bloomer as Englands all-time leading scorer. The team was struggling, the club was struggling. Like many aspiring youngsters one of Nats early jobs at the club was cleaning the boots of the senior pros and he always paid special attention to those of star forward Ray Westwood, one of the players he had cheered from the sideline when a star-struck spectator. It would have certainly resulted in a straight red card by today's standards, but was adjudged to be fair at the time. Nathaniel Nat Lofthouse, OBE (27 August 1925 15 January 2011) was an English professional footballer who played for Bolton Wanderers for his whole career. In April 1998, train operator Virgin CrossCountry named locomotive 47807 Lion of Vienna in Lofthouse's honour at Bolton station. Be in no doubt, the greatest number 9 and Bolton's finest son is of course Sir Nat Lofthouse. In 1943, Nat Lofthouse was called upon to serve as a Bevin Boy at the Mosley Common coal mine. 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. After gaining eight corners to Englands none, the Austrians dominated for most of the game. Lofthouse once said of the Preston Plumber; He was that good he could cross the ball making sure the laces were facing away from my head.. Harry Gregg, a survivor of the crash who would go on to be one of United's best goalkeepers ever, could only manage to deflect the shot. During Lofthouses career, Vienna played a crucial role. The youngest of four sons, Nathaniel Lofthouse was born in Bolton on 27 August 1925. By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. "'He was everything a centre forward should be and was a great one-club man.". Lofthouse found the step up in quality in First Division defences hard to cope with, and he briefly considered leaving the game, as well as entertaining an offer from Tottenham, then of the Second Division. The great Nat Lofthouse was born to humble beginnings on the 27th of August, 1925 to Richard and Sarah Lofthouse. For the Daily Mail, Roy Peskett described the events clearly. Outside the church, it was former Bolton manager Jimmy Armfield (1971-1974) who perhaps summed it all up best: "It's the fact that he was a one-club man. Although he was too young for military service Nat did his bit for the war effort, being one of three members of the 35-strong Bolton playing staff to work as a Bevin Boy and coal miner (the other 32 all joined the armed forces mostly signing up for the 53rd Bolton Field Regiment almost immediately after war broke out signed). Prisoner Of A Dubious Peace. Thousands of people gather for the funeral of former Bolton Wanderers and England football legend Nat Lofthouse. As the decade wore on, the clouds began to disperse. After a 2-0 away win at the Victoria Ground where Ray Westwood bagged both goals the second leg was played seven days later and tragedy struck. After the game for Castle Hill, Nat asked the school side's manager for more games. Lofthouse was buried on 26 January 2011 as thousands turned out to say goodbye at Bolton Parish Church. He really was the complete centre-forward. This was a one-off and Bolton came from behind to get the better of Chelsea 2-1 at Stamford Bridge with goals from Hunt and Lol Hamlett. The title came from a prestigious match against Austria in 1952. There may have been no better example of this than in 1954 when Serie A side Fiorentina put in a lucrative offer for Lofthouse (one that would have allowed him to live very comfortably after retirement) but the club turned it down. In the 11th minute, Melchior hit Eckersley with a shot that struck his arm. Merrick plucked a corner cross from the air, who threw a long, swerving ball down the middle of the field. 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. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Despite that flirtation with a move to Spurs (they came back in for him a second time in 1954 but were again rebuffed) and an audacious attempt by Fiorentina to take him to Italy, Lofthouse remained a one-club man. The club remained close to him after that, and he served as its general manager, scout, and president as of October 1986. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Everyone left with a scar or bruise.. 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 players were taken off the pitch but, amazingly returned half an hour later to play out a goalless draw with bodies laid out along the touchline covered by coats. Nat Lofthouse, the battering ram with a shrewd brain and heart of lion A one-club man to his boots, the Bolton and England striker dubbed the Tank by the Austrians, was a giant of the game. . Celebs . Six of their colleagues had died in the crash, including United's only goal scorer from that final, Tommy Taylor. The ball came in and fell to Tom Finney, Lofthouses long-time England cohort and close personal friend, who expertly set his centre-forward away. In 1953, it all came together. On Jan. 15, 2011, Nat Lofthouse passed away quietly in his sleep in a Bolton nursing home at the age of 85. In early 1947 he asked for a transfer with Tottenham Hotspur said to be seriously interested in his services but the Bolton board turned the request down and he quickly got back to business finishing the season as the clubs top scorer with 18 goals, a feat he repeated in the following campaign. On 24 January 2011 in Bolton Wanderers first home game since his death against Chelsea, a pre-match period of a minute's silence, thunderous applause, black-and-white footage of Lofthouse in action and the laying of floral tributes by Kevin Davies and John Terry took place before the start of the match. A forward for Bolton Wanderers for the entirety of his career, Nat Lofthouse was an English professional footballer.