Tributes paid as Nat Lofthouse dies
Former England football international Nat Lofthouse OBE has died aged 85, his club Bolton Wanderers announced on its website.
Lofthouse made more than 450 appearances for the Trotters, scoring 255 goals for the club between 1946 and 1960.
He also represented England 33 times and scored 30 goals.
Bolton announced Lofthouse had died peacefully in his sleep at his nursing home on Saturday night.
Bolton chairman Phil Gartside told www.bwfc.co.uk: "On behalf of everyone at Bolton Wanderers Football Club, I would like to extend our deepest condolences to Nat's family, who are very much in our thoughts at this time.
"Nat undoubtedly is a Bolton Wanderers legend. He was a one-club man and our football club meant as much to him as he did to us. We will miss him but we will celebrate his life, his legacy and great times that he brought to Bolton Wanderers."
After finishing playing in 1960 after a serious knee injury, Lofthouse remained at the club in a number of off-field positions including chief coach, chief scout, caretaker manager and club president, in which he remained until his death.
Malcolm Clarke, chairman of the Football Supporters' Federation, described Lofthouse as "a true legend" and pointed to his loyalty as a one-club man.
Mr Clarke told BBC Radio Five Live: "What is very rare these days is to have a one-club footballer at the top like he was, playing for Bolton for the whole of his career, scoring a fantastic number of goals both for them and for England. A true legend of the game undoubtedly."
Of where Lofthouse ranks in English footballing history, Mr Clarke added: "These things are always difficult to assess but I would certainly say he was in the top 10 of English footballing heroes."
Sunday, 16 January 2011
Tributes paid as Nat Lofthouse dies - News - Stornoway Gazette
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