Tommy Lawton
Encyclopedia
Thomas "Tommy" Lawton was an English association footballer
who rose to fame a short time before the outbreak of the Second World War and enjoyed a successful career which lasted until well into the 1950s.
, Lawton's precocious talent won him a trial for the England schoolboy team in which he scored a hat trick
but this never led to a junior cap. In 1935, he signed for Second Division
club Burnley
. Lawton later wrote, "I remember my first meeting with Hughie Gallacher
. It was after I had had a bad game for Burnley Reserves against Derby County Reserves. I was walking off the pitch with my heart in my boots when Hughie, who was the Derby centre forward, came up to me and said, "Look, son, you must learn to cover the ball with your body. If you are being tackled on your right, keep the ball on your left foot, so your opponent will have to come across you to get at it, and it's the same the other way round. If you do that they won't take it from you." I shall never forget the great Hughie Gallacher for that."
Despite flat feet
and needing to wear orthotics, as a striker, he rapidly achieved fame for his pace, heading ability and two-footed effectiveness in front of goal.
By the start of 1937, 17-year-old Lawton had been bought by First Division
Everton
for £6,500 to play alongside the phenomenal, but ageing, Dixie Dean
. Exposure and experience in the top flight led to his selection for England
in the international against Wales
in October 1938, two weeks after his nineteenth birthday. Lawton scored from the penalty spot in the 4-2 defeat. England would play seven more internationals before the outbreak of World War II
, with Lawton playing in all of them. He scored in the first six of these games, equalling a record for goals in consecutive internationals held by Tinsley Lindley
and Jimmy Windridge
, and never equalled since. He also scored 34 goals for Everton in the final season before World War II
, helping the club to win the league title.
For the duration of the war, Lawton served in the army
as a physical training instructor. As well as continuing to play for Everton, under wartime conditions he also guested for other clubs, which led to some unusual situations.
On Christmas Day 1940, he played for Everton against Liverpool
at Anfield
in the morning and for Tranmere Rovers at Crewe Alexandra in the afternoon. Explaining this later, he said, 'The Tranmere people came into the dressing room and asked if anyone wanted to play as they were two men short. I said, "Go on, I'll help you out." And I did.'
He also guested for Chester
, scoring five times in a match against a Royal Air Force
XI in May 1943, and ventured into Scottish football, guesting for Greenock Morton
.
Post-war, he joined Chelsea
for £11,500. He made his debut for Chelsea in their friendly match against touring Soviet
side FC Dynamo Moscow
in November 1945, scoring with a powerful header in a 3-3 draw. Lawton scored 26 goals in 34 league games in the 1946-47
season, but struggled to settle in London and came into conflict with Chelsea manager Billy Birrell
, which resulted in him requesting a transfer.
Despite being at the peak of his playing career, he shocked the football world with a move to Third Division
Notts County
for a record transfer fee of £20,000, probably attracted by manager Arthur Stollery, who had formerly been physiotherapist
at Chelsea. At County, he immediately realised an iconic status and real rapport with the Nottingham
public, scoring 103 goals in 166 appearances for the club over five seasons and helping them win promotion to Division Two
in 1950. Lawton was capped 23 times for England, scoring 22 goals, including a further sequence of five consecutive internationals in which he scored.
In 1952, Lawton took the player-manager role at Brentford
but enjoyed little success. During his time at the club he appeared in the film The Great Game
. In November 1953 he joined Arsenal
for £10,000 and saw out his professional playing career there. In his two years for the Gunners he scored 15 goals in 38 matches, including one in the Gunners' 1953 Charity Shield win over Stanley Matthews
' Blackpool
.
He retired from playing at the end of the 1954-55 season
after a career which lasted 20 years. By the time he played his last game, he was 35 years old.
|-
|1935-36
||rowspan="2"|Burnley
||rowspan="2"|Second Division
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|1936-37
||18||11||||||||||||||||
|-
|1936-37
||rowspan="4"|Everton
||rowspan="4"|First Division
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|-
|1937-38
||39||28||||||||||||||||
|-
|1938-39
||38||34||||||||||||||||
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|1939-40
||3||4||||||||||||||||
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|1946-47
||rowspan="2"|Chelsea
||rowspan="2"|First Division
||34||26||||||||||||||||
|-
|1947-48
||8||4||||||||||||||||
|-
|1947-48
||rowspan="5"|Notts County
||rowspan="3"|Third Division South
||19||18||||||||||||||||
|-
|1948-49
||36||20||||||||||||||||
|-
|1949-50
||37||31||||||||||||||||
|-
|1950-51
||rowspan="2"|Second Division
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|1951-52
||29||12||||||||||||||||
|-
|1951-52
||rowspan="3"|Brentford
||rowspan="3"|Second Division
||10||2||||||||||||||||
|-
|1952-53
||24||13||||||||||||||||
|-
|1953-54
||6||2||||||||||||||||
|-
|1953-54
||rowspan="3"|Arsenal
||rowspan="3"|First Division
||9||1||||||||||||||||
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|1954-55
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|1955-56
||8||6||||||||||||||||
383||235||||||||||||||||
383||235||||||||||||||||
was more successful but Lawton could hardly resist the opportunity to manage Notts County when it arose. County's dream appointment ended in disappointment and relegation to the Second Division at the end of the season and Lawton decided to retire.
A short-lived appointment as a scout was followed by a period of some financial difficulty, hardly mitigated by fees for a column in the Nottingham Evening Post
. Everton arranged a testimonial match for him in 1972. He returned to management with Kettering Town for the 1963–64 season as a caretker follwowing the resignation of Wally Akers
, but the season ended with Kettering being relegated from the Southern League Premier Division
.
Lawton's health deteriorated in his old age and he died in November 1996, aged 77, as a result of pneumonia. His ashes are lodged at The National Football Museum. In 2003 Lawton was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame
in recognition of his talents. The Hall of Fame is also housed at the National Football Museum
.
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
who rose to fame a short time before the outbreak of the Second World War and enjoyed a successful career which lasted until well into the 1950s.
Playing career
Born in Farnworth, LancashireFarnworth
Farnworth is within the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton in Greater Manchester, England. It is located southeast of Bolton, 6 miles south-west of Bury , and northwest of Manchester....
, Lawton's precocious talent won him a trial for the England schoolboy team in which he scored a hat trick
Hat Trick
Hat trick, hat-trick or hattrick may refer to:* hat-trick — in various sports, achieving three goals, wickets, etc. in a single match* Hattrick — online football management game** Hattrick Limited — producers of this game...
but this never led to a junior cap. In 1935, he signed for Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
club 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...
. Lawton later wrote, "I remember my first meeting with Hughie Gallacher
Hughie Gallacher
Hugh Kilpatrick "Hughie" Gallacher was a Scottish football player in the 1920s and 1930s. In 624 senior games, Gallacher scored 463 times....
. It was after I had had a bad game for Burnley Reserves against Derby County Reserves. I was walking off the pitch with my heart in my boots when Hughie, who was the Derby centre forward, came up to me and said, "Look, son, you must learn to cover the ball with your body. If you are being tackled on your right, keep the ball on your left foot, so your opponent will have to come across you to get at it, and it's the same the other way round. If you do that they won't take it from you." I shall never forget the great Hughie Gallacher for that."
Despite flat feet
Podiatry
Podiatry is a branch of medicine devoted to the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disorders of the foot, ankle, and lower leg. The term podiatry came into use first in the early 20th century United States, where it now denotes a Doctor of Podiatric Medicine , a specialist who is qualified by their...
and needing to wear orthotics, as a striker, he rapidly achieved fame for his pace, heading ability and two-footed effectiveness in front of goal.
By the start of 1937, 17-year-old Lawton had been bought by 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....
Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
for £6,500 to play alongside the phenomenal, but ageing, Dixie Dean
Dixie Dean
William Ralph Dean , better known as Dixie Dean, was an English football player. Dean originally started his career with Birkenhead based Tranmere Rovers before moving on to Everton, the club he had supported as a child, where he became one of the most prolific goal-scorers in English football...
. Exposure and experience in the top flight led to his selection for England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
in the international against Wales
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
in October 1938, two weeks after his nineteenth birthday. Lawton scored from the penalty spot in the 4-2 defeat. England would play seven more internationals before the outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, with Lawton playing in all of them. He scored in the first six of these games, equalling a record for goals in consecutive internationals held by Tinsley Lindley
Tinsley Lindley
Tinsley Lindley was an English footballer. He was considered one of the 19th century's great centre forwards. His passes and shots at goal were very precise, he was very clever and an excellent team player. An elegant and technically superb player.He was the son of Leonard Lindley who was a lace...
and Jimmy Windridge
Jimmy Windridge
James Edwin "Jimmy" Windridge was an English footballer who played as an inside forward. He made more than 250 appearances in the Football League for Small Heath/Birmingham, Chelsea and Middlesbrough, and played eight times for England.-Football career:Born in Small Heath, Birmingham, Windridge...
, and never equalled since. He also scored 34 goals for Everton in the final season before World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, helping the club to win the league title.
For the duration of the war, Lawton served in the army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
as a physical training instructor. As well as continuing to play for Everton, under wartime conditions he also guested for other clubs, which led to some unusual situations.
On Christmas Day 1940, he played for Everton against Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
at Anfield
Anfield
Anfield is an association football stadium in the district of Anfield, Liverpool, England, with a seating capacity of 45,522. It has been the home of Liverpool F.C. since their formation in 1892 and was originally the home of Everton F.C. from 1884 to 1892, before they moved to Goodison Park...
in the morning and for Tranmere Rovers at Crewe Alexandra in the afternoon. Explaining this later, he said, 'The Tranmere people came into the dressing room and asked if anyone wanted to play as they were two men short. I said, "Go on, I'll help you out." And I did.'
He also guested for Chester
Chester City F.C.
Chester City Football Club was an English football team from Chester. The club was founded as Chester F.C., and joined the Football League in 1931, spending most of their time in the lower divisions. They changed their name to Chester City in 1983. Chester won their first league title in 2004, the...
, scoring five times in a match against a Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
XI in May 1943, and ventured into Scottish football, guesting for Greenock Morton
Greenock Morton F.C.
Greenock Morton Football Club are a Scottish professional football club, who currently play in the Scottish Football League First Division. The club was founded as Morton Football Club in 1874, making it one of the oldest senior Scottish clubs....
.
Post-war, he joined Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
for £11,500. He made his debut for Chelsea in their friendly match against touring Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
side FC Dynamo Moscow
FC Dynamo Moscow
Dynamo Moscow is a Russian football club based in Moscow, currently playing in the Russian Premier League. Dynamo's traditional kit colours are blue and white...
in November 1945, scoring with a powerful header in a 3-3 draw. Lawton scored 26 goals in 34 league games in the 1946-47
1946-47 in English football
The 1946–47 season was the 67th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:The 1946–47 season was the first to feature a full football programme since the 1938–39 campaign. Eighty-eight teams competed over four divisions. Liverpool went top of the First Division with a 2–1 away win over...
season, but struggled to settle in London and came into conflict with Chelsea manager Billy Birrell
Billy Birrell
William "Billy" Birrell was a Scottish football player and manager.He played for Raith Rovers and Middlesbrough, winning the Second Division title with the latter in 1927, before moving into management. He returned to Raith to become manager before leaving for Bournemouth in 1930 and then Queens...
, which resulted in him requesting a transfer.
Despite being at the peak of his playing career, he shocked the football world with a move to Third Division
Football League Third Division
The Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...
Notts County
Notts County F.C.
Notts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system...
for a record transfer fee of £20,000, probably attracted by manager Arthur Stollery, who had formerly been physiotherapist
Physical therapy
Physical therapy , often abbreviated PT, is a health care profession. Physical therapy is concerned with identifying and maximizing quality of life and movement potential within the spheres of promotion, prevention, diagnosis, treatment/intervention,and rehabilitation...
at Chelsea. At County, he immediately realised an iconic status and real rapport with the Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...
public, scoring 103 goals in 166 appearances for the club over five seasons and helping them win promotion to Division Two
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
in 1950. Lawton was capped 23 times for England, scoring 22 goals, including a further sequence of five consecutive internationals in which he scored.
In 1952, Lawton took the player-manager role at Brentford
Brentford F.C.
Brentford Football Club are a professional English football club based in Brentford in the London Borough of Hounslow. They are currently playing in Football League One....
but enjoyed little success. During his time at the club he appeared in the film The Great Game
The Great Game (1953 film)
The Great Game is a 1953 British sports comedy-drama directed by Maurice Elvey and starring James Hayter, Thora Hird and Diana Dors. It was based on a play by Basil Thomas. Many of the scenes were shot at Griffin Park the home of Brentford F.C....
. In November 1953 he joined Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
for £10,000 and saw out his professional playing career there. In his two years for the Gunners he scored 15 goals in 38 matches, including one in the Gunners' 1953 Charity Shield win over Stanley Matthews
Stanley Matthews
Sir Stanley Matthews, CBE was an English footballer. Often regarded as one of the greatest players of the English game, he is the only player to have been knighted while still playing, as well as being the first winner of both the European Footballer of the Year and the Football Writers'...
' Blackpool
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
.
He retired from playing at the end of the 1954-55 season
1954-55 in English football
The 1954–1955 season was the 75th season of competitive football in England, from August 1954 to May 1955:-Overview:* Chelsea win the League Championship for the first time.* Newcastle United win the FA Cup....
after a career which lasted 20 years. By the time he played his last game, he was 35 years old.
Career statistics
http://www.national-football-teams.com/v2/player.php?id=20316|-
|1935-36
The Football League 1935-36
The 1935–1936 season was the 44th season of The Football League.This season saw two significant changes in the First Division. Prior to this season Aston Villa and Blackburn Rovers had been the only ever-present members of English football's top division...
||rowspan="2"|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...
||rowspan="2"|Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
||7||5||||||||||||||||
|-
|1936-37
The Football League 1936-37
The 1936–1937 season was the 45th season of The Football League.-Final league tables:The tables below are reproduced here in the exact form that they can be found at website and in Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79, with home and away statistics separated.Match results...
||18||11||||||||||||||||
|-
|1936-37
The Football League 1936-37
The 1936–1937 season was the 45th season of The Football League.-Final league tables:The tables below are reproduced here in the exact form that they can be found at website and in Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79, with home and away statistics separated.Match results...
||rowspan="4"|Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
||rowspan="4"|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....
||10||3||||||||||||||||
|-
|1937-38
The Football League 1937-38
The 1937–1938 season was the 46th season of The Football League.-Final league tables:The tables below are reproduced here in the exact form that they can be found at website and in Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79, with home and away statistics separated.Match results...
||39||28||||||||||||||||
|-
|1938-39
The Football League 1938-39
The 1938–1939 season was the 47th season of The Football League.-Final league tables:The tables below are reproduced here in the exact form that they can be found at website and in Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79, with home and away statistics separated.Match results...
||38||34||||||||||||||||
|-
|1939-40
The Football League 1939-40
-Overview:The 1939–1940 season was the 48th season of competitive football in England. The kick-off in all divisions took place on Saturday, 26 August 1939. On 1 September 1939, Germany invaded Poland...
||3||4||||||||||||||||
|-
|1946-47
The Football League 1946-47
-Overview:The 1946–1947 season was the 48th completed season of The Football League.This season was the first to feature a full football programme since the 1938–39 campaign.-Final league tables:...
||rowspan="2"|Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
||rowspan="2"|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....
||34||26||||||||||||||||
|-
|1947-48
The Football League 1947-48
-Overview:The 1947–1948 season was the 49th completed season of The Football League.-Final league tables:The tables below are reproduced here in the exact form that they can be found at website and in Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79, with home and away statistics...
||8||4||||||||||||||||
|-
|1947-48
The Football League 1947-48
-Overview:The 1947–1948 season was the 49th completed season of The Football League.-Final league tables:The tables below are reproduced here in the exact form that they can be found at website and in Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79, with home and away statistics...
||rowspan="5"|Notts County
Notts County F.C.
Notts County Football Club are an English professional football club based in Nottingham. They are the oldest of all the clubs in the world that are now professional, having been formed in 1862. They currently play in League One of The Football League, the third tier of the English football system...
||rowspan="3"|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....
||19||18||||||||||||||||
|-
|1948-49
The Football League 1948-49
-Overview:The 1948–1949 season was the 50th completed season of The Football League.-Final league tables:The tables below are reproduced here in the exact form that they can be found at website and in Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79, with home and away statistics...
||36||20||||||||||||||||
|-
|1949-50
The Football League 1949-50
-Overview:The 1949–1950 season was the 51st completed season of The Football League.-Final league tables:The tables below are reproduced here in the exact form that they can be found at website and in Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79, with home and away statistics...
||37||31||||||||||||||||
|-
|1950-51
The Football League 1950-51
-Overview:The 1950–1951 season was the 52nd completed season of The Football League.-Final league tables:The tables below are reproduced here in the exact form that they can be found at website and in Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79, with home and away statistics...
||rowspan="2"|Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
||30||9||||||||||||||||
|-
|1951-52
The Football League 1951-52
-Overview:The 1951–1952 season was the 53rd completed season of The Football League.-Final league tables :The tables below are reproduced here in the exact form that they can be found at website and in Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79, with home and away statistics...
||29||12||||||||||||||||
|-
|1951-52
The Football League 1951-52
-Overview:The 1951–1952 season was the 53rd completed season of The Football League.-Final league tables :The tables below are reproduced here in the exact form that they can be found at website and in Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79, with home and away statistics...
||rowspan="3"|Brentford
Brentford F.C.
Brentford Football Club are a professional English football club based in Brentford in the London Borough of Hounslow. They are currently playing in Football League One....
||rowspan="3"|Second Division
Football League Second Division
From 1892 until 1992, the Football League Second Division was the second highest division overall in English football.This ended with the creation of the FA Premier League, prior to the start of the 1992–93 season, which caused an administrative split between The Football League and the teams...
||10||2||||||||||||||||
|-
|1952-53
The Football League 1952-53
-Overview:The 1952–1953 season was the 54th completed season of The Football League.-Final league tables :The tables below are reproduced here in the exact form that they can be found at website and in Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79, with home and away statistics...
||24||13||||||||||||||||
|-
|1953-54
The Football League 1953-54
-Overview:The 1953–1954 season was the 55th completed season of The Football League, which ran from August 1953 until April 1954.-Final league tables :...
||6||2||||||||||||||||
|-
|1953-54
The Football League 1953-54
-Overview:The 1953–1954 season was the 55th completed season of The Football League, which ran from August 1953 until April 1954.-Final league tables :...
||rowspan="3"|Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
||rowspan="3"|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....
||9||1||||||||||||||||
|-
|1954-55
The Football League 1954-55
-Overview:The 1954–1955 season was the 56th completed season of The Football League.-Final league tables :The tables below are reproduced here in the exact form that they can be found at website and in Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79, with home and away statistics...
||18||6||||||||||||||||
|-
|1955-56
The Football League 1955-56
-Overview:The 1955–1956 season was the 57th completed season of The Football League.-Final league tables :The tables below are reproduced here in the exact form that they can be found at website and in Rothmans Book of Football League Records 1888–89 to 1978–79, with home and away statistics...
||8||6||||||||||||||||
383||235||||||||||||||||
383||235||||||||||||||||
Later life
A second attempt at the player/manager role at non-league Kettering TownKettering Town F.C.
Kettering Town Football Club are a football club originating in Kettering, Northamptonshire but currently based in the nearby village of Irthlingborough. The club play in the Conference National after winning the Conference North in 2007–08...
was more successful but Lawton could hardly resist the opportunity to manage Notts County when it arose. County's dream appointment ended in disappointment and relegation to the Second Division at the end of the season and Lawton decided to retire.
A short-lived appointment as a scout was followed by a period of some financial difficulty, hardly mitigated by fees for a column in the Nottingham Evening Post
Nottingham Evening Post
The Nottingham Post is an English tabloid newspaper which serves Nottingham, Nottinghamshire and parts of Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Lincolnshire....
. Everton arranged a testimonial match for him in 1972. He returned to management with Kettering Town for the 1963–64 season as a caretker follwowing the resignation of Wally Akers
Wally Akers
Walter William George "Wally" Akers was an English professional association football player either side of the Second World War.-Playing career:...
, but the season ended with Kettering being relegated from the Southern League Premier Division
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...
.
Lawton's health deteriorated in his old age and he died in November 1996, aged 77, as a result of pneumonia. His ashes are lodged at The National Football Museum. In 2003 Lawton was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame
English Football Hall of Fame
The English Football Hall of Fame is housed at the National Football Museum, currently being relocated to Manchester, England. The Hall aims to celebrate and highlight the achievements of the all-time top English footballing talents, as well as non-English players and managers who have become...
in recognition of his talents. The Hall of Fame is also housed at the National Football Museum
National Football Museum
The National Football Museum was a museum in Preston, Lancashire, England founded to preserve, conserve and interpret several important collections of association football memorabilia. It was built outside Deepdale, which as of 2010 is the oldest continuously used football league ground in the world...
.