1949 Lawton, Tommy
Birth Date
6th October 1919
Birthplace
Farnworth, Lancashire
Occupation
Centre-Forward
Biographical Text
Tommy Lawton, one of the biggest stars of the time, played for Exeter City in 1949 in a benefit game for Steve Walker. Several months earlier he had scored four times for Notts County in a 9-0 win over the Grecians.
Tommy, who had first been capped by England in 1938, was playing for third division Notts County when he came to Exeter on 4 April 1949 to appear for the Grecians against Southampton in Steve Walker's Benefit match in front of nearly 11,000 spectators. Such 'guest appearances' were relatively common at the time; Stanley Matthews, for instance, turned out for Torquay United a few years later.
Nearly thirty at the time, Tommy Lawton was one of the best-known names in the game and had earlier played for Burnley and Everton before the war and Chelsea between 1945 and 1947. His career then took an unusual turn when, after a contract dispute with Chelsea and now lured by various inducements, he dropped down into Division Thrre South to sign for Notts County for a British record transfer of £40,000. He was to remain at Meadow Lane for five years with Notts gaining promotion in 1950. He then switched to Brentford in 1952 (where he became player-manager) before finishing his career with Arsenal in the top flight. His final England game had been six months before his Exeter City 'appearance' and he later managed Kettering Town and Notts County.
The irony of Tommy's night in City's colours was that he was actually playing in the same league as the Grecians between 1947 and 1950. This can be seen by the crowds that the visit of his team drew to St James' Park: 16,942 in February 1948; 14,000 in March 1949 (three weeks before Steve Walker's game) and 10,241 in the final game of 1949/50. The crowds were flocking to Meadow Lane too: City's visit in 1948/49 drew 37,647 (with Tommy scoring four in a 9-0 win) followed by 32,167 watching the 3-3 draw in 1949/50 (when a later game against Torquay United was witnessed by 43,456).
Tommy Lawton experienced financial problems and ill-health in later life and died in 1996.
Tommy, who had first been capped by England in 1938, was playing for third division Notts County when he came to Exeter on 4 April 1949 to appear for the Grecians against Southampton in Steve Walker's Benefit match in front of nearly 11,000 spectators. Such 'guest appearances' were relatively common at the time; Stanley Matthews, for instance, turned out for Torquay United a few years later.
Nearly thirty at the time, Tommy Lawton was one of the best-known names in the game and had earlier played for Burnley and Everton before the war and Chelsea between 1945 and 1947. His career then took an unusual turn when, after a contract dispute with Chelsea and now lured by various inducements, he dropped down into Division Thrre South to sign for Notts County for a British record transfer of £40,000. He was to remain at Meadow Lane for five years with Notts gaining promotion in 1950. He then switched to Brentford in 1952 (where he became player-manager) before finishing his career with Arsenal in the top flight. His final England game had been six months before his Exeter City 'appearance' and he later managed Kettering Town and Notts County.
The irony of Tommy's night in City's colours was that he was actually playing in the same league as the Grecians between 1947 and 1950. This can be seen by the crowds that the visit of his team drew to St James' Park: 16,942 in February 1948; 14,000 in March 1949 (three weeks before Steve Walker's game) and 10,241 in the final game of 1949/50. The crowds were flocking to Meadow Lane too: City's visit in 1948/49 drew 37,647 (with Tommy scoring four in a 9-0 win) followed by 32,167 watching the 3-3 draw in 1949/50 (when a later game against Torquay United was witnessed by 43,456).
Tommy Lawton experienced financial problems and ill-health in later life and died in 1996.
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