Harry Lane (footballer, born 1909)
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Henry William Lane[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 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[a] | 50 | (9) |
| 1946–1949 | Southend United | 65 | (14) |
| 1949–1950 | Chelmsford City | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
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]
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 could not 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 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]