Bobby langton

Bob Langton (born 8 September 1918 - 13 January 1996, Burscough) was an English football player. He played for such teams as Bolton Wanderers, Preston North End and Blackburn as well as representing England eleven times and scoring once.

Early life

His father, Bill Langton, was a boatman on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal, and his mother' Alice (Blinkhorn), died in 1928 when Bob was only ten years old. Bob had four brothers and three sisters and attended St. John's Church of England School in Burscough until he was fourteen. Shortly after leaving school he began playing football for Burscough Vics in the Southport & District Amateur League. In October 1937 Bob went on trial to Blackburn Rovers and the following month Rovers signed him as a professional for a fee of £50.

Playing career

He made his first team debut after four games of the following season at outside left in place of the injured Billy Guest in a 4-0 defeat of Swansea Town. He went on to score 14 goals in 37 appearances as Rovers under manager Bob Crompton went on to win the Second Division Championship.

The 1939-40 season saw Rovers play three games in the First Division before war was declared and the competition suspended. Bob, having just passed his 21st birthday, was amongst the first to receive his call-up papers. He was assigned to the Welsh Regiment and was sent to India where he was to spend the next five years. He continued to play football, mainly in the Bombay area, for his regiment and also for the province and service representative teams.

In November 1944 he returned to England but after a month's leave he was posted to Warrenpoint in Northern Ireland. While in Ulster he guested for Glentoran and was selected for the Irish League and played in the Irish Cup Final. He finally resumed his career with Rovers following his demob in January 1946 and the following September was selected to play for England in the first post-war international against Northern Ireland at Windsor Park, Belfast. In a forward line that also included Tom Finney, Raich Carter, Tommy Lawton and Wilf Mannion, England ran out 7-2 winners with Langton scoring the seventh goal. Langton, a direct speedy left winger with a powerful shot, went on to play 11 times for England.

In August 1948 Langton was transferred to Preston North End in an exchange deal that was valued at over £20,000, then a world record. Despite teaming up with the legendary Tom Finney, Langton's period at Deepdale was not judged a great success with North End being relegated to the Second Division and in November of the following season he was transferred to First Division Bolton Wanderers for a similar fee. At Burnden Park he teamed up with Nat Lofthouse and went on to enjoy one of his most successful spells in football. He was selected for the F.A. Representative team that toured Australia in 1951 and went on to play for Wanderers in the famous 1953 F.A. Cup Final against Blackpool in what is still known as the "Stanley Matthews Final". This proved Langton's last game for Bolton and in September 1953 he returned to Ewood Park where he would end his career in league football. Under manager Johnny Carey he was a member of a legendary Blackburn forward line that also included Frank Mooney, Eddie Crossan, Tommy Briggs and Eddie Quigley which in 1954-55 season scored 114 league goals with each player reaching double figures.

In May 1956 he retired from league football at the age of 37 and the following month returned to Northern Ireland to join Ards where he spent a season, scoring 12 goals in 41 appearances.

He was then persuaded by manager Oscar Hold to join a team of ex-professionals that he had assembled at non-league Wisbech Town. He spent three years with Wisbech including a short spell at Kidderminster Harriers, before ending his career as a player by signing a one month contract with Colwyn Bay in October 1960.

Later life

After finishing playing Langton did some scouting for Accrington Stanley and had spells as trainer/coach at Kings Lynn and Wisbech before returning home for good and becoming manager of his local Burscough Football Club in 1965. During his five years in charge the club won the Lancashire Combination championship and the Lancashire Junior Cup. He left the club in 1971, it was his last involvement in senior football.

Bob Langton died after a short illness on Saturday 13th January 1996. A little over two years later the road past Burscough Football Club's Victoria Park ground was named Bobby Langton Way in his honour.