In the next two seasons he continued scoring regularly with the 1955-56 campaign particularly notable. 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. As the decade wore on, the clouds began to disperse. Thousands of England fans attended it. It was impossible for Bolton fans to feel this way for long however, he was the club's top scorer that first season after the war, with 21 goals in all competitions. 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. It was an unexpected win against all odds. Having served his apprenticeship in wartime football, Lofthouse went on to become a star of peacetime football. Two goals in a 5-1 win gave a taste of what was the come. After that 1958 final, Bolton had started slipping and were ultimately relegated to the old Second Division in 1964. This evening, the Prater Stadium in the Soviet sector was crowded by cheering, khaki-clad British soldiers waving Union Jacks. Lofthouse was a one-club centre-forward who dedicated his life to Bolton Wanderers. 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. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Nat Lofthouse Biography, Age, Height, Wife, Net Worth, Family 16 January 2011 #1. It would have certainly resulted in a straight red card by today's standards, but was adjudged to be fair at the time. Nat Lofthouse - Bolton Wanderers 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. Lofthouse played his last match against Birmingham City in December 1960 due to an ankle injury. Ultimately, the Hungarians cruelly exposed Englands insecurities in May 1954 and November 1953 against Continental opposition. Nat Lofthouse obituary | Soccer | The Guardian Despite this disappointment the player ended the season on a high when he was named Footballer of the Year. As far as the future was concerned, these results were not isolated, and these signs were already in evidence. [13] He had suffered with dementia. In 1943, Nat Lofthouse was called upon to serve as a Bevin Boy at the Mosley Common coal mine. 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. 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. It was a typical Bolton team, and they won in a typical Bolton fashion: the measured combination of a bit of skill with a healthy helping of muscle. That didn't last long though, as soon as Lofthouse was placed up front and the goals flowed. Posts 7,107 Likes 2 Location swindon wilts. Drawing 2-2 and with the Austrians pressing for a famous win, an England counter-attack saw Lofthouse put through on goal. [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. 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. 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. He wasn't part of an illustrious academy early on, like those you see in the modern game. They could not receive service medals and were not guaranteed a return to their old jobs, unlike those serving in the armed forces. Tensions between the two countries were still high politically, and this showed in the stands and on the pitch. 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. Nostalgia Quiz: The Lion of Vienna and the rest of the Bolton Wanderers The Lion of Vienna - Lion Of Vienna Suite Why was Nat Lofthouse called the Lion of Vienna? His funeral service was attended by more than 500 invited guests and members of the public. 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. Lofthouse was the recipient of various honours after retiring from the game. Boltons all-time greatest player was a gentleman throughout the league. 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. 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. 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. And, by today's standards, Nat Lofthouse would make his modern day equivalents look like little kittens. The tour began with a 1-1 draw between England and Italy in Florence. Andy is a UK-born, football fanatic who follows the trials and tribulations of Aston Villa and his local non-league side, Stafford Rangers. Inducted: 2002, National Football Museum Bolton born and bred, Lofthouse was signed by Bolton Wanderers as a 14 year old apprentice in 1939. Then, in the 83rd minute keeper Gil Merrick cleared the ball from a corner and Tom Finney flicked it on to the centre forward near the halfway line. However, the lead was short-lived. It made me fitter than ever I had been before. Not long after his retirement from football, Nat took control of the Castle Pub on Tonge Moor Road in Bolton. By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. The total number of free kicks might seem insignificant today, but for soccer in the 1950s was significant. It was a close match, and neither side was shy about using force, a game far away from today's well-regulated affairs. 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. 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. England conceded 24 free kicks, while Austria conceded 19. Merrick plucked a corner cross from the air, who threw a long, swerving ball down the middle of the field. He is third in the Premier League (old Division 1) list behind Jimmy Greaves (357) and Alan Shearer (283). On 24 August 2013, a statue was dedicated. 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. For Nat, the expectations were even greater. 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. [14] Nat Lofthouse - Alchetron, The Free Social Encyclopedia 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. Sources: Daily Express, Daily Mail, Daily Telegraph, The Times, Daily Mirror, The Guardian, Daily Herald; Nat Lofthouse, Goals Galore, Nat Lofthouse. In April 1998, train operator Virgin CrossCountry named locomotive 47807 Lion of Vienna in Lofthouse's honour at Bolton station. 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. Lofthouse wasn't very good in goal though, conceding seven goals in his first outing. In the following Sundays game with Austria, England was widely considered as an underdog. It was, perhaps, fitting that Finney played a key role in the famous goal. To open the scoring, he swiveled on his right foot and hit a volley with his left foot. The words so often used to describe how he acted in public fearless, brave, lionheart in the words of Stanley Matthews reflected a reputation as a player of almost biblical determination, but one who was privately beset by worry at various points throughout his career. Nat Lofthouse was born on 27 August, 1925 in Bolton, Lancashire, England, UK, is an Actor. 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. Returning on the bus after the game he was shocked to find Tommy Lawton waiting for him. Read |Sir Stanley Matthews and the story of Englands humble wizard. The Lion of Vienna's impact to Bolton Wanderers was just as important off the pitch as it was on. Instead, Lofthouse honed his skills on the. 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. Nat charged forward with the ball, in typical Lofthouse fashion receiving an elbow in the face and a tackle from behind. That changed in the 1952-53 season. 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. Its difficult to discuss Nat Lofthouse without resorting to clichs. His lifelong dedication to the club was not work, but a manifestation of who he was. 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. [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. The same was true of his debut, which arrived in 1940, aged just 15. You would be very hard-pressed to find a sane person that had a negative thing to say about Nat Lofthouse. 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 . Lofthouse scored twice against Belgium in a match that ended 44. After Jackie Sewell restored the lead, Nat Lofthouse headed against the crossbar. By Paul Ride. The 285 goals he scored between 1946 and 1961 still make him Boltons top goalscorer. In 2003, Nat Lofthouse retired from Bolton Wanderers for a second time. Three months earlier, United had been involved in the Munich air disaster. 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). In the 1930s, Austria had been among the great Central European football nations. By Henry Winter 16 January 2011 8:10pm 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. 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. Retiring from playing in 1960, he was made a President of Bolton Wanderers in 1986, a post he held until his death in 2011. Due to hostilities, Lofthouse didnt make his league debut for Wanderers until the 1946-47 season. An estimated crowd of 85,000 turned up at Burnden Park with fans climbing in after the gates had been shut. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. On 2 December 1989, he was made a Freeman of Bolton. 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. Who was known as the Lion of Vienna? - idswater.com Musil had to commit fully before I struck the ball. In 1978, he became the club's executive manager. He scored both goals in the 1958 FA Cup Final, the second seeing him charge both keeper and ball over the line. It was originally scheduled to take place three days later on his birthday but the date was moved forward to coincide with Bolton's home fixture against Queens Park Rangers. After gaining eight corners to Englands none, the Austrians dominated for most of the game. Quite possibly the best football magazine in the World, 2023 All Rights Reserved - Read The League Built by B[]X, RIDE TO HELL. Lofthouse was in. 102 Years of Burnden Park: Part Two - Lion Of Vienna Suite Additionally, the development of the Cold War affected the trip to Austria. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Celebs . On 25 May 1952, Lofthouse earned the title 'Lion of Vienna' after scoring his second goal in England's 3-2 victory over Austria . [11] They had two children, a son, Jeff, and a daughter, Vivien. 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. Despite Ocwirks efforts, Lofthouse was able to slip past him. Wanderers gave the then 15-year-old his debut on 14 March 1941 in a wartime match with Bury again providing the opposition. There are many stories about footballers of the day who started developing at a later age simply because they were not able to afford even basic footwear and it was a gift of shoes by a family member or friend that really allowed them to get going. 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. Lofthouse opened the scoring but Austria came back, and with the game deadlocked at 2-2, began to exert significant pressure. Lofthouse returned to Burnden Park full-time in 1968 spending a mostly nondescript three-year spell as manager. Lion Of Vienna Suite, a Bolton Wanderers community. Dienst was tripped by Froggatt on the edge of the penalty area, and Huber equalized from the penalty spot. When remembering the menial jobs he was tasked with as youth team coach following his retirement, he reflected that they meant I could stay with Bolton Wanderers. Nathaniel Nat Lofthouse, OBE (27 August 1925 15 January 2011) was an English professional footballer who played for Bolton Wanderers for his whole career. The great Nat Lofthouse was born to humble beginnings on the 27th of August, 1925 to Richard and Sarah Lofthouse. Lofthouse mourned by Bolton and England | Inside UEFA 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. 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.". He was made the club's Vice President for life in 1969. 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. Bolton Wanderers and England legend Nat Lofthouse ( 'The Lion of Vienna' ) dies aged 85Nat Lofthouse epitomised the kind of English centre forward that has . However, partially due to this, Nat Lofthouse did not always experience the utter adoration of the fans. He was elbowed in the face, tackled from behind and brought down by the goalkeeper. Compared to the broadsheets, tabloid match reports treat the occasion as a related event to the war. In the second half, the Wanderers looked the better team, as the thrown-together nature of Manchester United began to show. He said of his career; For me Football is pleasure with pay. 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. Capped 33 times by the Three Lions, Lofthouse picked up the nickname 'the Lion of Vienna' after his two goals against Austria and represented England in the 1954 World Cup. Nat Lofthouse - Wikipedia After the game for Castle Hill, Nat asked the school side's manager for more games. Football Legends - Nat Lofthouse - BBC Archive These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Harry says to Nat: "that's very nice of you." 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. This time he only managed to score a brace, the fourth and fifth goals in a 5-1 victory at Burnden Park. Football hero: Nat Lofthouse - Manchester Evening News 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. My legs became stronger and when I played football I felt I was shooting with greater power.". 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? 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. 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. 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 1956, he finished as the First Divisions top scorer with 33 goals. Austria equalised just two minutes after Nat Lofthouses opening goal in the 25th minute, and while England once again gained the advantage shortly after, the teams went into halftime level at 2-2. I wasn't cut out to be a manager.". The previous week, Nat Lofthouse was heavily criticized, but now hes the great hero, according to the headlines. 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. It was something that Lofthouse would later describe as "the worst moment of his life." He scored 22 goals in 36 games for a Wanderers team that finished 14th. . A one-club man, he played over 400 games for Bolton Wanderers and earned 33 caps for England (as well as his famous nickname). The Lion of Vienna sleeps. They did not have a particularly tough path to Wembley facing mostly Division 2 and 3 sides, although they did knockout Division 1 champions of that season Wolverhampton in the quarter finals. 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. But he continued banging in goals with either foot or his head for his club and the selectors eventually decided they couldnt ignore him. As though fate declared it, Nat's debut for Bolton's first team also came against a Bury side, on March 22, 1941. Everyone left with a scar or bruise.. By the end of the match, he had done just that, and earned the title of The Lion of Vienna in the process. Upon coming home, he was the recipient of a stern scolding from his mother for ruining his brand new shoes. The Bolton boys launched another attack, ending with a Ray Parry shot on goal. Viennas Soviet Zone is home to the Praterstadion, where the match was played. 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. 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. There have been many claims that Lofthouse and Tommy Lawton went to the same school but in fact Lawton went to nearby Folds Road. The new forward scored twice but Lawton matched his feat and Chelsea scraped to a 4-3 win. Lofthouse had thunderous, crashing shots, coupled with a burning desire to get in the right place to unleash them. Sir Tom Finney and Nat Lofthouse together at the National Football Museum Hall Of Fame awards in 2002. 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. The only identity was Nat Lofthouse. That was the last moment of real glory for Lofthouse's playing career, and for Bolton as well. But you always associate Nat with Bolton. 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. 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.