By 1951 it had begun to recover from the wars ravages. A forceful player, he combined physical strength with a powerful shot in either foot or a strong header. The 1958-59 campaign provided a final high point in Lofthouses international career. That is, a sane person that wasn't scared of facing the Lion of Vienna on the pitch. What made Lofthouses feats all the more remarkable was the manner in which he shrugged them off. Lofthouse was the recipient of various honours after retiring from the game. As much as he was a one-club man, Bolton Wanderers will forever remain a one-man club. [8] Nat Lofthouse was an Inaugural Inductee into the English Football Hall of Fame in 2002. His lifelong dedication to the club was not work, but a manifestation of who he was. Unfortunately, Bolton were not able to right their sinking ship under the Lion of Vienna and at the end of the 1970-71 season (after Lofthouse had left the post), Bolton were in 22nd place and relegated to the Third Division (an all-time low until the 1987-1988 season). Bolton Wanderers On the Trot: Internationals, The Nat Lofthouse Stand - Bolton Blogroll. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Before becoming Bolton's chief scout, he became an administrative manager at Burnden. Thousands of England fans attended it. Its capital cities, Berlin and Vienna, were also divided into four by the four Allied Powers (Britain, the United States, the Soviet Union, and France). 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. 102 Years of Burnden Park: Part Two - Lion Of Vienna Suite Nat Lofthouse was Bolton in a way that the modern day equivalent of Kevin Davies, however loved by the fans, could never be. Eulogies were offered by Bolton chairman Phil Gartside and Professional Footballers' Association chief executive Gordon Taylor, a boyhood Bolton fan and former Wanderers player. 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. The third? The evening of Saturday, 15 January 2011, Nat Lofthouse passed away at the Bolton nursing home. 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). 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. 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. 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. And, by today's standards, Nat Lofthouse would make his modern day equivalents look like little kittens. The main target was Nat Lofthouse, who was struck in the neck, while Elliott and Sewell required treatment from England trainer Jimmy Trotter. He slid the ball past the keeper but was knocked cold in the challenge as he did. 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. [17] It was unveiled on 24 August 2013, three days before what would have been Lofthouse's 88th birthday. If anything, this inspired a more violent second half, with both sides desperate for a meaningful win. HE was nicknamed the Lion of Vienna. 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. We will normally only contact you via e-newsletter. Football was also a significant sport for the two nations. The Lion of Vienna With the war over, the legendary Nat Lofthouse was finally able to start his career officially. I would say without fear or favor the man was more important to Bolton from 82 onwards than ever he was in the 50s.". Nonetheless Lawtons legend was cemented locally and Nat became a huge fan, often travelling to Goodison Park to watch him play for Everton. [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. They overcame Southport (Lofthouse got a hat-trick), Accrington Stanley (where he scored twice), Blackpool (where he hit five over the two legs), Newcastle (three more for Lofthouse) and Wolves, where he shockingly failed to score, before beating Manchester United 3-2 on aggregate in the final. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. Nat would again take the caretaker reins on three more occasions including the summer of 1971 (in between seasons) and, briefly, in 1985 between Charlie Wright leaving and Phil Neal getting the job. Bolton Wanderers and England legend Nat Lofthouse ( 'The Lion of Vienna' ) dies aged 85Nat Lofthouse epitomised the kind of English centre forward that has . Not long after his retirement from football, Nat took control of the Castle Pub on Tonge Moor Road in Bolton. After receiving a congratulatory telegram from hero Lawton he had a debut to remember grabbing both goals in a 2-2 draw, beating former ballet dancer Vladimir Beara with a close-range shot from a cross from Les Medley and Johnny Hancocks then provided a pinpoint centre which Nat converted with a diving header. 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. Soon after Lofthouse's death a swell of support for a statue to be built in his memory started. After a brief stint as the caretaker, Nat Lofthouse was named the full-time manager of Bolton Wanderers and stayed in the post until 1970. Disappointing loss aside, Lofthouse scored the first goal of the match just 75 seconds in, meaning he scored in every round of the competition that season. The Bolton boys launched another attack, ending with a Ray Parry shot on goal. He was the club's top scorer in 11 out of the 13 seasons between 1946-47 and 1958-59, with his highest tally in a season resting at 35 goals, attained in that final season of 1958-59. Why was Nat Lofthouse called the Lion of Vienna? - Sage-Answers 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. 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. Read |Dixie Dean: footballs first great number nine. England travelled to to meet an Austria side that at the time were considered among the best in Europe and who had the better of the 2-2 draw at Wembley six months before. The youngest of four sons, Nathaniel Lofthouse was born in Bolton on 27 August 1925. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. There was nowhere left to. Lofthouse played his last match against Birmingham City in December 1960 due to an ankle injury. The Lion of Vienna - Lion Of Vienna Suite A) 20 B) 30 C) 40 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. Harry says to Nat: "that's very nice of you." Thread starter leefer; Start date 16 January 2011; leefer Loyal Member. Known as the 'Lion of Vienna,' Nat Lofthouse was the epitome of the down-to-earth football star of the 1940s and 1950s. Football Legends Nat Lofthouse ( 'The Lion of Vienna' ) R-I-P Nat Lofthouse OBE, the Bolton Wanderers and England legend, has passed away aged 85, leaving countless memories. There was then a Cup Winners Cup played between the winners of the North and South tournaments. His strength and power were again prominent when he won the single honour of his career. On the pitch his place in the national side was gone, replaced as spearhead by Manchester Uniteds Taylor. Sources: Daily Express, Daily Mail, Daily Telegraph, The Times, Daily Mirror, The Guardian, Daily Herald; Nat Lofthouse, Goals Galore, Nat Lofthouse. Known as the 'Lion of Vienna, Nat Lofthouse was the epitome of the down-to-earth football star of the 1940s and 1950s. He really was the complete centre-forward. An England international, Nat Lofthouse played his entire club career for his hometown club, Bolton Wanderers, scoring 255 goals in 452 league appearances. On 22 March 1941, he made his debut for Bolton, scoring two goals in a 5-1 victory over Bury. Read |Sir Stanley Matthews and the story of Englands humble wizard. Wanderers gave the then 15-year-old his debut on 14 March 1941 in a wartime match with Bury again providing the opposition. His devotion to Alma was matched only by his love of Bolton, and true to form, that Saturday Nat got married in the morning then played football in the afternoon at Burnden Park. His final match in an England shirt came just over a month later, a 2-all draw against Wales. He looked like a boxer at the end of a tough 15 rounds when he left the field. He didnt need to be asked twice. In 1952-53, he was named FWA Footballer of the Year. Two goals in a win against Bury immediately had the few hardy souls willing to brave the football during the Blitz abuzz with excitement. Needless to say, the whole country and a good portion of the 100,000 fans packed into Wembley that day were behind the battered and bruised Manchester side. It was taken from 40 yards and swerved like a mad thing past the astonished Robertson in the Chelsea goal.. 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? Bill Ridding, the man that had managed Wanderers for 18 seasons, had left the club just before the start of the 1968-1969 season. He would later serve as the Chairman of the Board on two occasions: in 1952-1953 and again from 1961-1963. Having played his first organised game as an emergency goalkeeper for his older brothers school team, conceding seven times and upsetting his Mum by playing in a new pair of shoes (he would later redeem himself by cleaning them as good as new), he quickly moved into attack his more natural position, due to his size, and established himself as the star centre forward for Castle Hill school.
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