Nobby Lawton
Encyclopedia
Norbert "Nobby" Lawton was an English
footballer who played as an inside forward
or wing half
for various English clubs in the 1960s and early 1970s.
Born in Newton Heath
, Manchester
, Lawton began his football career with Manchester United
, joining the club as an amateur in 1956. He was also involved in the club's 1957 FA Youth Cup title. Following the Munich air disaster
in 1958, Lawton gave up his job with a local coal merchant to sign professional forms with Manchester United. However, while playing for the club's reserve team, Lawton succumbed to a heavy bout of the flu, leading to double pneumonia
and the temporary loss of the use of his legs.
He was out of action for several months but eventually made his debut for the first team on 9 April 1960, playing at inside left in a 3–2 win over Luton Town
at Kenilworth Road
. Over the next couple of seasons, Lawton forged a partnership with Bobby Charlton
on the left side of the United forward line, even scoring a hat-trick against Nottingham Forest
on Boxing Day
1961, but by the 1962–63 season he was increasingly deployed as a wing half. The emergence of Pat Crerand
, however, meant that Lawton's first team opportunities became increasingly limited and he was sold to Preston North End
in March 1963.
In his first season at Preston, Lawton captained the Lancashire side to the FA Cup final, where they lost to Bobby Moore
's West Ham United
side. He continued to captain the side for the next three seasons, before a succession of knee injuries forced his sale to Brighton & Hove Albion
in September 1967. He spent a further three seasons with Brighton before dropping down to the Fourth Division
to play for Lincoln City
in 1970. He retired from professional football in 1972 and took several jobs before returning to Newton Heath in 1977 to work for an export packaging firm.
He died from cancer in April 2006 (shortly after his 66th birthday) and is survived by his wife, their two children and their 6 grandchildren.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
footballer who played as an inside forward
Inside forward
In football, the position of inside forward was popularly used in the late nineteenth and first half of the 20th centuries. The inside forwards would support the centre forwards, running and making space in the opposition defence, and, as the passing game developed, supporting him with passes...
or wing half
Wing half
In association football, the position of wing half or wing half back) was popularly used in the late nineteenth and first half of the 20th centuries...
for various English clubs in the 1960s and early 1970s.
Born in Newton Heath
Newton Heath
Newton Heath is an urban area of the city of Manchester, in Greater Manchester, England. It is east north east of Manchester city centre and has a population of 9,883....
, Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, Lawton began his football career with Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
, joining the club as an amateur in 1956. He was also involved in the club's 1957 FA Youth Cup title. Following the Munich air disaster
Munich air disaster
The Munich air disaster occurred on 6 February 1958, when British European Airways Flight 609 crashed on its third attempt to take off from a slush-covered runway at Munich-Riem Airport in Munich, West Germany. On board the plane was the Manchester United football team, nicknamed the "Busby Babes",...
in 1958, Lawton gave up his job with a local coal merchant to sign professional forms with Manchester United. However, while playing for the club's reserve team, Lawton succumbed to a heavy bout of the flu, leading to double pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
and the temporary loss of the use of his legs.
He was out of action for several months but eventually made his debut for the first team on 9 April 1960, playing at inside left in a 3–2 win over Luton Town
Luton Town F.C.
Luton Town Football Club is an English professional football club based since 1905 at Kenilworth Road, Luton, Bedfordshire. The club currently competes in the fifth tier of English football, the Conference National, for the third consecutive season during the 2011–12 season.Formed in 1885, it was...
at Kenilworth Road
Kenilworth Road
Kenilworth Road Stadium is a football stadium in Luton, Bedfordshire, England. It has been home to Luton Town Football Club since 1905, when financial complications forced the club to leave its previous location at Dunstable Road...
. Over the next couple of seasons, Lawton forged a partnership with Bobby Charlton
Bobby Charlton
Sir Robert "Bobby" Charlton CBE is an English former professional football player, a member of the England team who won the World Cup and Ballon d'Or for European Footballer of the Year in 1966...
on the left side of the United forward line, even scoring a hat-trick against Nottingham Forest
Nottingham Forest F.C.
Nottingham Forest Football Club is an English Association Football club based in West Bridgford, Nottingham, that plays in the Football League Championship...
on Boxing Day
Boxing Day
Boxing Day is a bank or public holiday that occurs on 26 December, or the first or second weekday after Christmas Day, depending on national or regional laws. It is observed in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and some other Commonwealth nations. In Ireland, it is recognized as...
1961, but by the 1962–63 season he was increasingly deployed as a wing half. The emergence of Pat Crerand
Pat Crerand
Patrick Timothy "Paddy" Crerand is a Scottish-born former footballer of Irish descent. After six years at Celtic he moved to Manchester United where he was a member of teams that won the English League title twice, the FA Cup and European Cup...
, however, meant that Lawton's first team opportunities became increasingly limited and he was sold to Preston North End
Preston North End F.C.
Preston North End Football Club is an English professional football club located in the Deepdale area of the city of Preston, Lancashire, currently playing in the third tier of English league football, League One...
in March 1963.
In his first season at Preston, Lawton captained the Lancashire side to the FA Cup final, where they lost to Bobby Moore
Bobby Moore
Robert Frederick Chelsea "Bobby" Moore, OBE was an English footballer. He captained West Ham United for more than ten years and was captain of the England team that won the 1966 World Cup...
's West Ham United
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
side. He continued to captain the side for the next three seasons, before a succession of knee injuries forced his sale to Brighton & Hove Albion
Brighton & Hove Albion F.C.
Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club are an English association football club based in the coastal city of Brighton & Hove, East Sussex. They currently play in the Football League Championship, the second tier of the English football league system....
in September 1967. He spent a further three seasons with Brighton before dropping down to the Fourth Division
Football League Fourth Division
The Fourth Division of The Football League was the fourth-highest division in the English football league system from the 1958–59 season until the creation of the Premier League prior to the 1992–93 season...
to play for Lincoln City
Lincoln City F.C.
Lincoln City Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Lincoln, Lincolnshire. The club are currently members of the Conference National in 2011–12 following relegation from the Football League....
in 1970. He retired from professional football in 1972 and took several jobs before returning to Newton Heath in 1977 to work for an export packaging firm.
He died from cancer in April 2006 (shortly after his 66th birthday) and is survived by his wife, their two children and their 6 grandchildren.