Len Butt (footballer born 1893)
Encyclopedia
Leonard George Butt was an English footballer who played as a half-back
in the 1920s, spending the majority of his career with Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic
.
, he was spotted by a Southampton
player, Bert Lee
, who invited Butt to The Dell for a trial.
Butt signed as a professional in April 1912 and spent the next two years as a reserve team player. On the outbreak of World War I
, Butt enlisted in the 5th Hampshire Regiment and spent much of the next four years serving in India, where he played cricket for his regiment. On returning to Southampton
at the end of the war, he found employment with the Thornycroft
shipbuilding
works at Woolston
. Butt played for the works team, who were then one of the finest non-league teams in Southern England
, and was paid ten shillings a game. During Butt's time with the club, they reached the First Round of the FA Cup
, where they took Burnley
, of the First Division
, to a replay.
Butt's form with Thornycrofts once again attracted the attention of Bert Lee, now Southampton's trainer, and in August 1920 he re-joined the "Saints" as a full-time professional.
Although small for a half-back, Butt was quick into a tackle and his wholehearted attitude earned the nickname "Badger Butt". Butt spent two seasons with Southampton, during which period he made 18 first-team appearances – he was prevented from playing more regularly by the form of the established half-back line-up of Bert Shelley
, Alec Campbell
and Bill Turner
, and was only called into the first team if one of these was injured. His longest run in the side came at the end of the 1920–21 season, when he played 11 matches at left-half, taking over from Turner, who had dropped to right-back as replacement for the injured Tom Parker
.
Butt joined Boscombe
, then playing in the Southern League
, on a free transfer in June 1922 and was appointed team captain. Within a year, Boscombe gained admittance to the Football League Third Division South
as Southern League runners-up, and changed their name to "Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic". Butt remained at Dean Court for a further four years, rarely missing a match in the first three Football League seasons, before retiring in the autumn of 1927.
He continued to play for Cowes on the Isle of Wight
for many years. In 1932, he played at The Dell for Cowes in the Hampshire Senior Cup
final against Isle of Wight rivals, Newport – the Newport side included two ex-Southampton players, Bill Rawlings
and Arthur Dominy
and a crowd of 20,000 witnessed a Newport victory.
in Bevois Street, Southampton and continued to watch Southampton
and Hampshire County Cricket Club
well into his 90s. He died in his 100th year; at the time of his death, he was the last surviving player who signed for Southampton when they were still in the Southern League
.
Defender (association football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
in the 1920s, spending the majority of his career with Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic
A.F.C. Bournemouth
A.F.C. Bournemouth is an English football club currently playing in Football League One. The club plays at Dean Court in Kings Park, Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset and have been in existence since 1899....
.
Football career
Butt was born in Freemantle, Southampton and played his youth football with various local teams. Whilst playing on Southampton CommonSouthampton Common
Southampton Common is a large open space to the north of the city centre of Southampton, England. It is bounded by the districts of Shirley, Bassett, Highfield and Portswood. The area supports a large variety of wildlife, including the largest recorded population of the internationally rare great...
, he was spotted by a Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
player, Bert Lee
Bert Lee (footballer)
Ernest Albert "Bert" Lee was an English professional footballer who played in the 1902 FA Cup final for Southampton, and also made one appearance for England in 1904...
, who invited Butt to The Dell for a trial.
Butt signed as a professional in April 1912 and spent the next two years as a reserve team player. On the outbreak of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Butt enlisted in the 5th Hampshire Regiment and spent much of the next four years serving in India, where he played cricket for his regiment. On returning to Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
at the end of the war, he found employment with the Thornycroft
John I. Thornycroft & Company
John I. Thornycroft & Company Limited, usually known simply as Thornycroft was a British shipbuilding firm started by John Isaac Thornycroft in the 19th century.-History:...
shipbuilding
Shipbuilding
Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and floating vessels. It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation that traces its roots to before recorded history.Shipbuilding and ship repairs, both...
works at Woolston
Woolston, Southampton
Woolston is a suburb of Southampton, Hampshire, located on the eastern bank of the River Itchen. It is bounded by the River Itchen, Hampshire, Sholing, Peartree Green, Itchen and Weston.The area is rich in maritime and aviation history...
. Butt played for the works team, who were then one of the finest non-league teams in Southern England
Southern England
Southern England, the South and the South of England are imprecise terms used to refer to the southern counties of England bordering the English Midlands. It has a number of different interpretations of its geographic extents. The South is considered by many to be a cultural region with a distinct...
, and was paid ten shillings a game. During Butt's time with the club, they reached the First Round of the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
, where they took Burnley
Burnley F.C.
Burnley Football Club are a professional English Football League club based in Burnley, Lancashire. Nicknamed the Clarets, due to the dominant colour of their home shirts, they were founder members of the Football League in 1888...
, of the First Division
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
, to a replay.
Butt's form with Thornycrofts once again attracted the attention of Bert Lee, now Southampton's trainer, and in August 1920 he re-joined the "Saints" as a full-time professional.
Although small for a half-back, Butt was quick into a tackle and his wholehearted attitude earned the nickname "Badger Butt". Butt spent two seasons with Southampton, during which period he made 18 first-team appearances – he was prevented from playing more regularly by the form of the established half-back line-up of Bert Shelley
Bert Shelley
Frederick Albert "Bert" Shelley was an English footballer, who played as a half back for Southampton, for whom he made nearly 450 appearances, before becoming a coach at Southampton...
, Alec Campbell
Alec Campbell (footballer)
Alistair Kenyon Campbell was a professional footballer who played nearly 200 games for Southampton in the first quarter of the twentieth century, before briefly becoming manager at Chesterfield....
and Bill Turner
Bill Turner (footballer)
William "Bill" Turner was an English footballer who played as a half back with Southampton, Bury and Queens Park Rangers in the 1920s.-Football career:...
, and was only called into the first team if one of these was injured. His longest run in the side came at the end of the 1920–21 season, when he played 11 matches at left-half, taking over from Turner, who had dropped to right-back as replacement for the injured Tom Parker
Tom Parker (footballer)
Thomas Robert "Tom" Parker was an English football player and manager.-Southampton:Born in Woolston, Southampton, Parker began playing with local sides, such as Sholing Rangers and Sholing Athletic, before joining Southern League side Southampton as an amateur in 1918, just before the end of the...
.
Butt joined Boscombe
A.F.C. Bournemouth
A.F.C. Bournemouth is an English football club currently playing in Football League One. The club plays at Dean Court in Kings Park, Boscombe, Bournemouth, Dorset and have been in existence since 1899....
, then playing in the Southern League
Southern Football League
The Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales...
, on a free transfer in June 1922 and was appointed team captain. Within a year, Boscombe gained admittance to the Football League Third Division South
Football League Third Division South
The Football League Third Division South was a level of English professional football which ran in parallel to Third Division North from 1921 to 1958....
as Southern League runners-up, and changed their name to "Bournemouth & Boscombe Athletic". Butt remained at Dean Court for a further four years, rarely missing a match in the first three Football League seasons, before retiring in the autumn of 1927.
He continued to play for Cowes on the Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
for many years. In 1932, he played at The Dell for Cowes in the Hampshire Senior Cup
Hampshire Senior Cup
The Hampshire Senior Cup is a cup competition open to football teams affiliated with the Hampshire Football Association. The competition was founded in 1888 and has been contested every year since, with the exception of 1914 to 1919 when it was postponed due to World War I.Despite the...
final against Isle of Wight rivals, Newport – the Newport side included two ex-Southampton players, Bill Rawlings
Bill Rawlings
William Ernest "Bill" Rawlings was an English footballer.-Playing career:Rawlings' career started in 1918 with Southampton, he stayed ten years with the club, from 1918 to 1928. His 193 goals places him third on the club's list of all-time goalscorers, behind Mick Channon and Matthew Le Tissier...
and Arthur Dominy
Arthur Dominy
Arthur Albert Dominy was an English professional footballer, who played as an inside-forward, and football manager, spending most of his career with Southampton....
and a crowd of 20,000 witnessed a Newport victory.
Later career
Butt became the licensee of The Sailors Home pubPublic house
A public house, informally known as a pub, is a drinking establishment fundamental to the culture of Britain, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand. There are approximately 53,500 public houses in the United Kingdom. This number has been declining every year, so that nearly half of the smaller...
in Bevois Street, Southampton and continued to watch Southampton
Southampton F.C.
Southampton Football Club is an English football team, nicknamed The Saints, based in the city of Southampton, Hampshire. The club gained promotion to the Championship from League One in the 2010–2011 season after being relegated in 2009. Their home ground is the St Mary's Stadium, where the club...
and Hampshire County Cricket Club
Hampshire County Cricket Club
Hampshire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Hampshire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1863 as a successor to the Hampshire county cricket teams and has played at the Antelope Ground from then until 1885, before moving to the County Ground where it...
well into his 90s. He died in his 100th year; at the time of his death, he was the last surviving player who signed for Southampton when they were still in the Southern League
Southern Football League
The Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales...
.