It was no more than Nat Lofthouse deserved. 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. Having seen off Blackburn Rovers, Liverpool and Middlesbrough, Bolton were drawn to play Stoke City Stanley Matthews and all in the two-legged quarter final. Once Lofthouse arrived Hunt moved to right-half and was later transferred to Sheffield Wednesday. 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. 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. There was nowhere left to. Charity No: 1050792, Open every day 10am 5pm (last admission 4pm), Email: info@nationalfootballmuseum.com Lofthouse scored twice against Belgium in a match that ended 44. The FA XI were unbeaten in their 11 matches but Lofthouse still managed to finish on a losing side. For 47 years after the program wound up, Bevin Boys were not recognized as full contributors to the war effort (despite being conscripted). 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. It would have certainly resulted in a straight red card by today's standards, but was adjudged to be fair at the time. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. On the pitch his place in the national side was gone, replaced as spearhead by Manchester Uniteds Taylor. He later served as chief scout, caretaker manager, executive manager and as the clubs president from 1986. 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. He was the club's top scorer in 11 out of the 13 seasons between 1946-47 and 1958-59, with his highest tally in a season resting at 35 goals, attained in that final season of 1958-59. Lion Of Vienna Suite, a Bolton Wanderers community. 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. After receiving a congratulatory telegram from hero Lawton he had a debut to remember grabbing both goals in a 2-2 draw, beating former ballet dancer Vladimir Beara with a close-range shot from a cross from Les Medley and Johnny Hancocks then provided a pinpoint centre which Nat converted with a diving header. Urbis Building Bolton born and bred, Lofthouse was signed by Bolton Wanderers as a 14 year old apprentice in 1939. He was a pivotal figure in one of the true golden ages of the beautiful game, ending his career as the leading goal scorer for both his club and his country, with a reputation as one of the game's true greats. Lofthouse wasn't very good in goal though, conceding seven goals in his first outing. I could only nod like a dim-wit. He earned the nickname by leading England to victory over Austria in Vienna on 25 May 1952. 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. Nat charged forward with the ball, in typical Lofthouse fashion receiving an elbow in the face and a tackle from behind. Hurt scoring the winner against Ireland, Lofthouse missed the November 1953 match against Hungary at Wembley where the home team were hammered 6-3 and also suffered a wrist injury causing him to withdrew from the squad that went on a short tour in 1954 which included a 7-1 humbling at the hands of the same Hungarian team in Budapest. When the goalkeeper tried to give Lofthouse the money for his pint, Lofthouse refused. Celebs . Caps:33 (30 goals) However, theres little doubt that financial pragmatism aside, his heart was always in Bolton and with Wanderers. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. 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. However, partially due to this, Nat Lofthouse did not always experience the utter adoration of the fans. Over the next few years, Lofthouse set about exhausting the superlatives available with his goalscoring. On foreign soil, the English brave and plucky had triumphed over technologically superior opponents against all odds. Lofthouse would later say; The miners of Britain are the finest fellows in the world. ". I learnt to take hard knocks without feeling them. On 24 August 2013, a statue was dedicated. Lofthouse stood unmarked on the right side of the penalty area when Sewell crossed the ball. In the Daily Herald, Clifford Webb wrote; Every man-jack did a heros job, but the player who provided the really tremendous thrill for the frantically cheering English colony was Nat Lofthouse. Italy had already won the World Cup twice, and football had returned to its former glory following the war. Even at that time, Bolton was an unfashionable club that hadn't exactly been lighting up the league for 10 years, and Nat felt this was slowing down his career. 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. It was one of the first instances of a personal worrisome streak that was completely at odds with his public persona. In spite of his prolific scoring, it took England selectors a few seasons to notice the boy from Bolton, Lofthouse's first England cap came in November of 1950 at the late age of 25. Entwistle, like Lofthouse, was an avid Wanderers fan and was named to the club's board in 1937. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. 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. The only thing worse was when I said yes.' We will normally only contact you via e-newsletter. "'He was everything a centre forward should be and was a great one-club man.". The great Nat Lofthouse was born to humble beginnings on the 27th of August, 1925 to Richard and Sarah Lofthouse. In July 1961, Lofthouse accepted a boot cleaner and assistant trainer position at Burnden Park. Its difficult to discuss Nat Lofthouse without resorting to clichs. Between 1950 and 1958, he played 33 times for the England national football team. In April 1998, train operator Virgin CrossCountry named locomotive 47807 Lion of Vienna in Lofthouse's honour at Bolton station. After gaining eight corners to Englands none, the Austrians dominated for most of the game. Indeed, many of the stereotypes we now associate with players from the sepia-tinged era of the 1950s have their roots in Lofthouses own story. 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). Due to hostilities, Lofthouse didnt make his league debut for Wanderers until the 1946-47 season. 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. He was forced to retire at the age of 35 because of his persistent injuries. I could hear the hounds setting off after me but I knew it was basically down to me and [Austrian goalkeeper Josef] Musil. The sickening collision between striker and keeper left Lofthouse knocked out cold. We are a registered charity; He was famous for entertaining the clientele with some of the many stories about his time as a professional footballer. It was an unexpected win against all odds. 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.. In addition to their colorful rosettes, red, white, and blue rattles, and chants of England, they instilled a carnival atmosphere around the stadium, evoking the atmosphere associated with an FA Cup match. The two co-founded the Lion of Vienna Suite community and write about Bolton Wanderers because someone has to. Read |Duncan Edwards: the original, greatest boy wonder. As always, football matches were symbolic.. Despite this disappointment the player ended the season on a high when he was named Footballer of the Year. 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 key to his appeal, beyond his fantastic abilities on the pitch, was his humility. The tour began with a 1-1 draw between England and Italy in Florence. 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.. My body became firmer and harder, I learned to take hard knocks without feeling them. [3], On 26 November 1958, Lofthouse made his final England appearance, against Wales, at the age of 33, and he officially retired from the game in January 1960 because of an ankle injury, although his final league game was not until 17 December of that year, when he suffered a knee injury against Birmingham City. For Nat, the expectations were even greater. When they won a late corner, they flooded forward, leaving Lofthouse alone with a single marker on the halfway line. Despite the double strike many, including leading football writer John Thompson remained unconvinced. 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. Nonetheless Lawtons legend was cemented locally and Nat became a huge fan, often travelling to Goodison Park to watch him play for Everton. In September 1952, Nat Lofthouse scored six goals in an interleague game against the Irish League. Drawing 2-2 and with the Austrians pressing for a famous win, an England counter-attack saw Lofthouse put through on goal. Half a century after Victory in Europe Day (VE Day), they were finally recognized as contributors to the war effort by Queen Elizabeth II. 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. 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. The wording of the epithet is indicative both of the era and the man himself. Nat's time in that role also didn't go to plan and the legend was relieved of his duties in 1972. Instead, Lofthouse honed his skills on the empty lots and wasteland that were more than common around the northwest during the day. Please tick if you would like to receive information in this way. A vote of the Football Writers Association members, which functions like a jury, selected the professional player who best exemplified footballers precepts and examples as the player of the year. On the domestic front Lofthouse enjoyed an outstanding 1952-53 season. Sculptor Sean Hedges Quinn will depict the captain leading his team onto the pitch and will be emblazoned with Nat's final words: "I've got the ball now, it's a bit worn, but I've got it.". And, by today's standards, Nat Lofthouse would make his modern day equivalents look like little kittens. Both men were among the inaugural inductees to the Hall Of Fame. Cousin mourns UK football's 'Lion of Vienna' - NZ Herald 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. The poor performance of England against Italy almost certainly played a role in the games outcome against Austria. We don't charge goalkeepers around here.". 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. That season he topped the First Division goalscoring charts with 30 goals. This time he only managed to score a brace, the fourth and fifth goals in a 5-1 victory at Burnden Park. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. Thousands of England fans attended it. 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. Lofthouse was at his imperious best, plundering goals at a rate that even the sportswriters who had grown up watching the likes of, The England camp was tense as dawn broke in Vienna, Austria, on the morning of 25 May 1952. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. The team nearly went back up at the first time of asking but a third-place position would not be enough for them. Lofthouse was chosen to represent Bolton schools against Bury. 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. Lofthouse stands eighth in the list of English football's top division all time goalscorers.[4]. It happened a lot in our day as it were, of course. Nat Lofthouse was born on 27 August, 1925 in Bolton, Lancashire, England, UK, is an Actor. His lifelong dedication to the club was not work, but a manifestation of who he was. Nostalgia Quiz: The Lion of Vienna and the rest of the Bolton Wanderers The evening of Saturday, 15 January 2011, Nat Lofthouse passed away at the Bolton nursing home. 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. 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. Following his first go at managing the club, Lofthouse took an administrative manager role at Burnden Park before being appointed as the club's chief scout. Having served his apprenticeship in wartime football, Lofthouse went on to become a star of peacetime football. Our vision is to provide everyone in the world with a free and open-access education about the history of soccer with our online content compilation. He hesitated before he emerged at my side. In 1968, he spent a brief time as caretaker manager of the club and took over the job full-time on 18 December. This was touched on to Lofthouse on the halfway line by Finney. Nat Lefthouse Biography, Career Info, Records & Achievements - Sportskeeda Only two players from Manchester United's side that lost to Aston Villa in the previous year's final took the field on May 3, 1958, Bill Foulkes and Bobby Charlton, and a further two were survivors of the disaster. A year ago today, Bolton Wanderers announced plans to immortalize the Lion of Vienna with a statue in front of the Reebok Stadium. This came at the end of another fine season for Wanderers in which he scored 17 goals in 31 league matches and finally won a major domestic honour, bagging the two goals that saw Wanderers capture the FA Cup, seeing off a Manchester United team decimated by Munich 2-0 to give Lofthouse his winners medal having scored in every round of the competition. 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. Nat Lofthouse. Lion of Vienna Suite - Bolton Wanderers "The banks had called time on us. In 1978, he became the club's executive manager. The same was true of his debut, which arrived in 1940, aged just 15. 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. In 2003, Nat Lofthouse retired from Bolton Wanderers for a second time. by ReadTheLeague | May 24, 2021 | The Big Feature. Lofthouse had made his Wanderers debut back in 1941 aged 15, scoring. Football hero: Nat Lofthouse - Manchester Evening News He was elbowed in the face, tackled from behind and brought down by the goalkeeper. Nat Lofthouse Hall of Fame Profile - National Football Museum Known as the 'Lion of Vienna, Nat Lofthouse was the epitome of the down-to-earth football star of the 1940s and 1950s. His devotion to Alma was matched only by his love of Bolton, and true to form, that Saturday Nat got married in the morning then played football in the afternoon at Burnden Park. Known as the Lion of Vienna, he scored 255 goals for . On 2 December 1989, he was made a Freeman of Bolton. Football was also a significant sport for the two nations. As with the other definitive match of his career, the match was emotionally charged, this time due to the fact that the opponents, Manchester United, had been decimated only three months earlier in the tragic Munich Air Disaster. 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. 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. The military nature of this event was further underscored by the presence of so many British soldiers in uniform. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. He scored a goal but was on the losing side in the famous 1953 FA Cup Final (aka 'The Matthews Final'), having previously scored in each round. Be in no doubt, the greatest number 9 and Bolton's finest son is of course Sir Nat Lofthouse. Seven minutes before the end, the climax occurred. Bolton finished in the top half of the table for 6 of those 13 seasons. He later admitted that the experience in the mines helped his football career saying that his stint; helped toughen me both physically and mentally. These cookies do not store any personal information. His father was a coal-bagger for the community's co-operative before becoming the head horse keeper for Bolton Corporation. In 1945 19-year-old Nat played a big part as Wanderers captured the War Cup (North). Lofthouse Lofthouse was dubbed the "Lion of Vienna" after scoring the second goal in England's 3-2 triumph over Austria on May 25, 1952. A year to the day after his death, Bolton Wanderers chairman Phil Gartside announced plans for one to be built and for the statue to be situated outside the Reebok Stadium. 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 was born with Bolton in his blood, and he played his football, lived his life in a way that reflected that. In the spring, he was awarded the Football Writers Association (FWA) Footballer of the Year title, a clear indication that he had achieved the status of a model professional. Never again will you say that England has lost the will to fight. The plaudits for the Lion of Vienna didn't stop after he hung up his boots though. Because the move came before the age of player power and agents controlling moves, Nat didn't have any say in the matter. As it transpired, Nats first day reporting to Burnden Park in 1939 was also Britains first full day at war with Germany. In the first match of that campaign they travelled to London to play Chelsea matching him up against hero Tommy Lawton. 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. On 25 May 1952, Lofthouse earned the title 'Lion of Vienna' after scoring his second goal in England's 3-2 victory over Austria . Nat was discovered by James Entwistle, the Mayor of Bolton at the time. 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. Two goals on his England debut against Yugoslavia wasnt enough to convince the notoriously finicky and often mystifying FA selection committee, but when he was recalled a year later, he took an iron grip on Englands number 9 shirt, one he wouldnt fully relinquish for another five years. Doug Holden, another star of the legendary 1950s edition of Bolton, provided a succinct summation of Lofthouses influence on the team. In response to penalty appeals, the referee awarded a corner. I would say without fear or favor the man was more important to Bolton from 82 onwards than ever he was in the 50s.". When he was in the team, we played to him. The 285 goals he scored between 1946 and 1961 still make him Boltons top goalscorer. For the Daily Mail, Roy Peskett described the events clearly. 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. In the 16 international matches played since November 1949, 10 have been won, and only two have been lost.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'historyofsoccer_info-medrectangle-4','ezslot_5',182,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-historyofsoccer_info-medrectangle-4-0'); From Englands perspective, it was necessary to note that Austria had defeated Scotland twice during this run and achieved a 2-2 draw at Wembley. [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. Who was known as the Lion of Vienna? - idswater.com Musil had to commit fully before I struck the ball. 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. Lofthouse was the recipient of various honours after retiring from the game. In the second half, the Wanderers looked the better team, as the thrown-together nature of Manchester United began to show. [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. Two players were so injured they were never able to take to the football pitch again, and the final player, goalkeeper Ray Wood, was still recovering from injuries sustained. Nat would again take the caretaker reins on three more occasions including the summer of 1971 (in between seasons) and, briefly, in 1985 between Charlie Wright leaving and Phil Neal getting the job. The total number of free kicks might seem insignificant today, but for soccer in the 1950s was significant. Many would travel more than a mile down into the earth for around eight hours per day of very hard, physical work. The paradigm that would come to define a golden era in the history of one of Englands oldest clubs was now set in stone. The Lion of Vienna With the war over, the legendary Nat Lofthouse was finally able to start his career officially. Upon coming home, he was the recipient of a stern scolding from his mother for ruining his brand new shoes. A one-club man with a passionate love for his hometown and his club, his decision to remain at Burnden Park for his entire career was never truly in his hands, with no freedom of contract meaning the club had absolute power over their player. 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. Instead, Lofthouse honed his skills on the. 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. Playing career [ edit] He ran a pub for a while, whilst still coaching at his one and only club but the lure of football proved too great. 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. Times during and just after the war were hard for Bolton, especially after the "golden age", and Bevin Boys were commonly seen as cowards or unpatriotic men seeking to avoid the dangers of active combat. 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. The Bolton Wanderers reached the final again five years later. Additionally, he and Tom Finney had the England scoring record together until Jimmy Greaves came along. He also topped the list of Division 1 scorers with an impressive tally of 30 goals. Lofthouse had thunderous, crashing shots, coupled with a burning desire to get in the right place to unleash them. The main target was Nat Lofthouse, who was struck in the neck, while Elliott and Sewell required treatment from England trainer Jimmy Trotter.