Nat Lofthouse

[Lady Whistledown]

Died last night aged 85 as per the BBC
BBC Sport - Football - Bolton legend Nat Lofthouse dies at 85

A proper legend of the English game that one

 

[16bha]

That is a really sad piece of news. A true legend passes on.

 

[Art Vs Science]

Didn't know that. Very sad news. A legend indeed

 

[Lady Whistledown]

30 goals in 33 games for England, what would we give for that now?

The very definition of an old fashioned centre forward.

 

[Herne Hill Seagull]

In an era where the word legend is chucked about like so many penny sweets, he actually was one. And a one club man to boot. A loss, no mistake.

 

[itszamora]

RIP.

 

[The Peanut Roaster]

Old school legend. Fact.

The current lot wouldn't be worthy enough of licking the man's boots, let alone lacing them.

 

[Tim Over Whelmed]

Very sad and a great player, RIP big fella

 

[Lady Whistledown]

In an era where the word legend is chucked about like so many penny sweets, he actually was one. And a one club man to boot. A loss, no mistake.

Says it way better than I did

 

[GT49er]

I always loved his story about Matthews and Finney. When asked which was the best winger, he unhesitatingly replied "Finney" - when asked to explain, he said that Matthews was briliant - he could just put the ball on to his head so that all he had to do was run into the penalty area and jump. "How was Finney better than that?" he was asked. "Well," he said, "Finney does the same, but always with the laces pointing away from you!"

(For the younger posters on here, balls used to be made of leather, weighed about five kilograms when wet, and had laces in them to tie them over the inflatable bit in the middle)

 

[User Removed]

What a player, and what a goalscoring record (255 in 452 games for Bolton).

However, also the player who barged in to Man Utd keeper Harry Gregg in the 1958 FA Cup Final for the second goal of a Bolton 2-0 victory!

 

[perth seagull]

However, also the player who barged in to Man Utd keeper Harry Gregg in the 1958 FA Cup Final for the second goal of a Bolton 2-0 victory!

That makes him even more of a hero!

 

[hitony]

Without doubt a player where the word Legend can be confidently used.

 

[Stumpy Tim]

Without doubt a player where the word Legend can be confidently used.

This. I somehow don't think we'll be saying the same about Wayne Rooney or John Terry in 60 years time

 

[empire]

sad news,what a legend

 

[Hotchilidog]

True legend. Very sad news.

 

[Beach Hut]

RIP - Huge Legend

 

[Lord Bamber]

In an era where the word legend is chucked about like so many penny sweets, he actually was one. And a one club man to boot. A loss, no mistake.

Most very definatley.

Shame more modern players dont follow this!

RIP Nat.

 

[Gully]

This. I somehow don't think we'll be saying the same about Wayne Rooney or John Terry in 60 years time

...I think you are right here, it is unlikely that two players could go from being referred to as a chav and thug to legendary status, without some massive transformation in their character. Rooney and Terry are likely to be almost completely forgotten, certainly not the type of player to have a stand named after them!

For me the all time greats are the likes of Villa and Radford in the FA Cup, Busby and Robson as managers, Lofthouse and Matthews as club players, Ward and Zamora for the Albion...I don't consider Rooney or Terry to be worthy of consideration on anywhere near the same terms.

RIP Nat.

 

[severnside gull]

a real hero when I was a kid RIP