Lofthouse would later say; The miners of Britain are the finest fellows in the world. Billy Wright had defensive prowess; Tom Finney, pinpoint crossing accuracy; Stan Matthews, a mesmeric array of tricks. We may also very occasionally send you information about the museum via Facebook. He was elbowed in the face, tackled from behind and brought down by the goalkeeper. That game launched one of the best periods of his career, which previously Lofthouse had been decidedly unsatisfied with, receiving little praise for his international efforts, and little respect from anyone barring Bolton fans. Despite the double strike many, including leading football writer John Thompson remained unconvinced. 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 ran a pub for a while, whilst still coaching at his one and only club but the lure of football proved too great. The team was struggling, the club was struggling. The key to his appeal, beyond his fantastic abilities on the pitch, was his humility. But the Wanderers policy was that if you played for them you couldnt run a pub. Out on the pitch at Burnden Park I learned more from George in an hour than I could from most people in a year. Nat was the youngest of four boys. But you always associate Nat with Bolton. 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. 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. . 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 OBE was awarded to him in 1994. The project, funded by the people of Bolton and fans of the club, is due to be completed on August 27, 2013, or what would have been Lofthouse's 88th birthday. In 1953, it all came together. Lofthouse scored twice against Belgium in a match that ended 44. Bolton's new number 9, Eoin Doyle, whilst playing for League Two side Swindon last season. 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. Mr Lofthouse, known as the Lion of Vienna, died on 15 January aged 85. ". His father, Robert, was a coal bagger and head horse keeper for the Bolton Corporation but once his footballing skills come to the fore it was quickly apparent that there was no way Nat would be following in Dads footsteps full time. 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. As it turned out, the England team ended up on the receiving end of a brutal match. Elliotts pass to Baily was impressive. During his playing career, Nat Lofthouse was deservedly celebrated for his numerous on-pitch achievements. He holds this record to this day. 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. Pushing the tubs made me fitter than I had ever been before. George Hunt, who was a very fine centre forward himself, [He won 3 England caps scoring once and netted 169 times in 294 games in a war-interrupted playing career] and he possesses the rare ability to pass on to youngsters his own deep knowledge of the game. All in all, he tallied up 255 goals in 452 league games, and 30 goals in 51 cup matches. The England camp was tense as dawn broke in Vienna, Austria, on the morning of 25 May 1952. During the game, Nat was told to play in net, and being the kind of child that relished the opportunity to get on the field, didn't complain. The military nature of this event was further underscored by the presence of so many British soldiers in uniform. At the age of 11 in 1936, Lofthouse tagged along with one of his brothers to watch his older sibling play for the school that they both attended, Castle Hill. 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. Six years later, he was promoted to the head coach position, and the following year, he took to managing the club. Between 1950 and 1958, he played 33 times for the England national football team. 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. Nat Lofthouse was a 'Bevin Boy', one of thousands of young men conscripted to work in Britain's mines by Ernest Bevin, the coalition government's Minister of Labour and National Service during. Lofthouses story wasnt as black and white as many modern accounts would have readers believe. In 1953, it all came together. Once Lofthouse arrived Hunt moved to right-half and was later transferred to Sheffield Wednesday. The title came from a prestigious match against Austria in 1952. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Nat Lofthouse began playing football as a very young boy. Lofthouse wasn't just a career Bolton man, he was a lifetime Bolton man. Instead, Lofthouse would famously climb the walls at Burnden Park in order to get into the ground for free. Bolton born and bred, Lofthouse was signed by Bolton Wanderers as a 14 year old apprentice in 1939. Nat Lofthouse scored a brace in Boltons 2-0 win. When he wasnt on form, neither was the team. Thankfully for Bolton, the games in which Lofthouse wasnt on song were becoming fewer and fewer. goals in 33 games for the Three Lions including two in the 1952 match against Austria which earned him the nickname the Lion of Vienna. In 195253, he was named FWA Footballer of the Year. 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. As a result, Nat Lofthouse was nicknamed the Lion of Vienna. A one-club man, he played over 400 games for Bolton Wanderers and earned 33 caps for England (as well as his famous nickname). This was touched on to Lofthouse on the halfway line by Finney. Lofthouse is rightly remembered as the archetypal one-club man, but to call him that is to do him a disservice. On 22 March 1941, he made his debut for Bolton, scoring two goals in a 5-1 victory over Bury. It was, perhaps, fitting that Finney played a key role in the famous goal. M4 3BG, 2023 National Football Museum. [3] There was a national wave of sympathy for United, who three months earlier had suffered grievously in the Munich air disaster. he said to me always try to bang in one or two and remember, its goals that count. Harry Johnston (1951) and Syd Owen (1959), among others and more apparent candidates, Stanley Matthews and Tom Finney, won this award for their model-professional status, loyalty to club and country, and scrupulously fair approach to the game. 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. In what was only his seventh cap, he was already well accustomed to the no-holds-barred criticism that came with being Englands centre forward. That statue is a fitting tribute to a man who gave his all, for both club and country throughout his life. From an early age, Nat was a Bolton Wanderers supporter. Bolton Wanderers Beat Manchester United at Wembley: Bolton players chair their Captain and hero Nat Lofthouse with the cup, at the end of the match. [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. The 1958-59 campaign provided a final high point in Lofthouses international career. 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. Lion Of Vienna Suite, a Bolton Wanderers community. As far as the future was concerned, these results were not isolated, and these signs were already in evidence. Nat Lofthouse OBE, the Bolton Wanderers and England legend, has passed away aged 85, leaving countless memories. You just say Nat. Seven minutes before the end, the climax occurred. What made Lofthouses feats all the more remarkable was the manner in which he shrugged them off. After failing to score in the win over Scotland at Hampden the centre forward went on Englands 1952 summer tour. Football was also a significant sport for the two nations. 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. Herbert Chapman: Arsenal FC And Huddersfield Town Manager, Miguel Muoz: First To Win European Cup As Player And Manager, Sir Bobby Robson: More Than A Football Manager In Tyneside. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. By 1951 it had begun to recover from the wars ravages. He scored both goals in the 1958 FA Cup Final, the second seeing him charge both keeper and ball over the line. He later served as chief scout, caretaker manager, executive manager and as the clubs president from 1986. Read |Dixie Dean: footballs first great number nine. In the next two seasons he continued scoring regularly with the 1955-56 campaign particularly notable. 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. Honours:1 FA Cup RIP Nat Lofthouse. He was probably the last of the old fashioned centre forwards, leading the line with toughness, taking plenty of knocks and giving them out too. 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. On 2 December 1989, he was made a Freeman of Bolton. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. When he was in the team, we played to him. The view was clearly shared by the selectors as it was back in reserve with Newcastles Jackie Milburn at the head of Englands attack. That changed in the 1952-53 season. 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.. The total number of free kicks might seem insignificant today, but for soccer in the 1950s was significant. 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. Returning on the bus after the game he was shocked to find Tommy Lawton waiting for him. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. These cookies do not store any personal information. His strength and power were again prominent when he won the single honour of his career. He said of his career; For me Football is pleasure with pay. 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. For England he scored a phenomenal 30 goals in 33 games. On top of running the Castle Pub after his retirement, Lofthouse maintained a number of different positions with Bolton Wanderers. The only thing worse was when I said yes.' The tour began with a 1-1 draw between England and Italy in Florence. In his 14 years at Bolton between . 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. We had to do something quickly and we had no identity at that time. 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. As a result, Nat Lofthouse was nicknamed the Lion of Vienna. The Bevin Boy program came to an end in 1948. On that day, Lofthouse was wearing a brand new pair of shoes, a major luxury at the time. 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. As a result of the United States defeat in the 1950 World Cup in Brazil, the national team lost its confidence when playing outside their comfort zone of the Home International Championships. By the end of the match, he had done just that, and earned the title of The Lion of Vienna in the process. A single man did not give up. 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. He made the best out of every situation and was often the first to say that he was happy to be earning a living by playing the game that he loved so much. Nat Lofthouse was one of the post-war giants of football who had a glittering career with Bolton Wanderers, his only club, and England. 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. [11] They had two children, a son, Jeff, and a daughter, Vivien. He was forced to retire at the age of 35 because of his persistent injuries. Thousands of England fans attended it. The performance certainly cemented Nats place as Englands number nine and six goals for the Football League against the Irish League further underlined it. He was born with Bolton in his blood, and he played his football, lived his life in a way that reflected that. 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. When Lofthouse was given another shot at the FA Cup, he didn't let it slip away. However, partially due to this, Nat Lofthouse did not always experience the utter adoration of the fans. We are a registered charity; Matilda is a Texan in Paris and Mark is a Georgian (the country) in New York. According to Bolton Wanderers, the statue proposal has received a phenomenal reception and is well on target for the scheduled due date. Due to hostilities, Lofthouse didnt make his league debut for Wanderers until the 1946-47 season. Caps:33 (30 goals) On foreign soil, the English brave and plucky had triumphed over technologically superior opponents against all odds. 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. 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. 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. An England international, Nat Lofthouse played his entire club career for his hometown club, Bolton Wanderers, scoring 255 goals in 452 league appearances. He then played in the 2-2 draw with Wales in November 1958 but, at 33 years old, and even though he had scored 29 times in 37 games for his club that proved to be his final cap and he ended his international career with an outstanding record of 30 goals in 33 starts. Despite Ocwirks efforts, Lofthouse was able to slip past him. We will not pass your details on to any third parties. 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. On 25 May 1952, Lofthouse earned the title 'Lion of Vienna' after scoring his second goal in England's 3-2 victory over Austria. It was important not to strike the ball too soon. Known as the 'Lion of Vienna,' Nat Lofthouse was the epitome of the down-to-earth football star of the 1940s and 1950s. Two goals in a 5-1 win gave a taste of what was the come. Its difficult to discuss Nat Lofthouse without resorting to clichs. [3] Lofthouse went into a challenge with the United keeper Harry Gregg and barged him into the net to score. Playing career [ edit] 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. The team nearly went back up at the first time of asking but a third-place position would not be enough for them. Nat was discovered by James Entwistle, the Mayor of Bolton at the time. All Rights Reserved. Yet, Lofthouse loved being on the field and was going to take every opportunity he had. 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.

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