Harry Lane (footballer, born 1909)

Henry William Lane (21 March 1909 – March 1977) was an English professional footballer who scored 74 goals in 271 appearances in the Football League playing for Birmingham, Southend United and Plymouth Argyle.[3]

Harry Lane
Personal information
Full name Henry William Lane[1]
Date of birth (1909-03-21)21 March 1909[2]
Place of birth Hednesford, England
Date of death March 1977 (aged about 68)
Place of death Cannock, England
Height 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)[2]
Position(s) Forward
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
Hednesford Town
Rugeley Villa
– Bloxwich Strollers
1930–1933 Birmingham 2 (0)
1933–1938 Southend United 155 (50)
1938–1946 Plymouth Argyle[lower-alpha 1] 50 (9)
1946–1949 Southend United 65 (14)
1949–1950 Chelmsford City
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Career

Lane was born in Hednesford, Staffordshire. A forward, he joined Birmingham from Staffordshire local football.[2] He made his debut in the First Division on 29 November 1930, deputising for Johnny Crosbie at inside right in a game at Bolton Wanderers which Birmingham lost 2–0. Lane played once more that season,[5] but was unable to establish himself as a first-team player. He was released in May 1933 and joined Southend United of the Third Division South.[2]

Lane played 177 games in all competitions for Southend in nearly five seasons with the club, scoring 58 goals at a rate of one every three games.[6] He was their leading scorer in the 1935–36 season with 17 goals,[7] and followed up with another 17 the next season, including two hat-tricks.[8] In March 1938, he moved up to the Second Division with Plymouth Argyle.[2][9]

He was a regular in Plymouth's first team until the Second World War put an end to competitive football, though without scoring as freely as he had for Southend.[1] He remained with Plymouth for a couple of months playing in the wartime regional league,[1][4] and later made guest appearances for Nottingham Forest, Northampton Town, West Bromwich Albion and Port Vale in wartime competition.[2][10] In May 1946, Lane rejoined Southend. He contributed 21 goals in 75 games over the next three seasons, finally retiring from professional in May 1949 at the age of 40.[1][6] In 1949, Lane signed for Chelmsford City. On 24 August 1949, Lane became the oldest ever debutant for the club in a 2–1 win against Barry Town.[11]

Lane died in Cannock, Staffordshire, in 1977 aged about 68.[2]

Statistics

Source:[12]

Club Season Division League Cups Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Birmingham 1930–31 First Division 200020
Southend United 1933–34 Third Division South 39940439
1934–35 Third Division South 258422910
1935–36 Third Division South 4012654617
1936–37 Third Division South 3616414017
1937–38 Third Division South 15540195
Total 1555022817758
Plymouth Argyle 1937–38 Second Division 11200112
1938–39 Second Division 36610376
1939–40 Second Division 310031
Total 50910519
Southend United 1946–47 Third Division South 3813334116
1947–48 Third Division South 23100231
1948–49 Third Division South 400040
Total 6514336817
Career total 27273261129884

Notes
  1. Plymouth Argyle total includes three games and one goal from the abandoned 1939–40 Football League season.[3][4]

References
  1. "Harry Lane". GoS–DB. Greens on Screen. Retrieved 2 December 2012.
  2. Matthews, Tony (1995). Birmingham City: A Complete Record. Derby: Breedon Books. p. 104. ISBN 978-1-85983-010-9.
  3. Joyce, Michael (2004). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: SoccerData (Tony Brown). p. 151. ISBN 978-1-899468-67-6.
  4. "Results 1939–40". GoS–DB. Greens on Screen. Archived from the original on 15 February 2012. Retrieved 2 December 2012.
  5. Matthews, p. 173.
  6. "Harry Lane". Southend United FC Database. Archived from the original on 25 July 2011. Retrieved 22 April 2009.
  7. "Season 1935–36". Southend United FC Database. Archived from the original on 25 July 2011. Retrieved 22 April 2009.
  8. "Season 1936–37". Southend United FC Database. Archived from the original on 25 July 2011. Retrieved 22 April 2009.
  9. Knight, Brian (1989). Plymouth Argyle: A Complete Record 1903–1989. Derby: Breedon Books. p. 137. ISBN 978-0-907969-40-2.
  10. Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 167. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
  11. "BLOG 4 - 21st March 2010". The Chelmsford City Historian. 21 March 2010. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
  12. Harry Lane at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
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