Bronco Layne

[Magic Rat]

33 minutes ago, steelcityowlsfan said:

I believe it was more down to the fact Springett kept goal for England in a 5-0 loss to France in a friendly. After this Ramsey went with Banks which was harsh on Springett.

 

Maybe one of our older members can confirm?

 

I think you’re right.

 

Though I don’t remember the match itself I do recall Ron losing his place in the team because he took the major part of the blame for a heavy defeat.

[optimisticowl]

1 hour ago, room0035 said:

My dad used to tell me that Lane, Swan would have been in the England Team for the final in 66 and but for an injury before the tournament Springett would have been in goal.

 

Could you imagine 3 Owls in the 1966 world cup winning team, the goal that never was would not have been an issues as with Ron in goal they never would have got 3.

 

Swan’s last England appearance was in 1962, his ban came in 1964, so it’s very unlikely that the ban ruined his international career. As for who was better than the other, that’s just a matter of opinion, however Alf Ramsey picked his team and it won the World Cup, he couldn’t do much better than that could he?

 

David Layne remains the unknown quantity, however had he become the first choice England striker, he would no doubt have been sold on to the likes of Man Utd, as per the club’s standard procedure in those days. I used to know David back in the 70’s, he once told me that the prison football team would have walked the English third division, due to the amount of locked up ex pro footballers in it.

 

 

[dumboldowl]

4 hours ago, Geedee said:

I thought he run a pub called the top hat but it's 30 years ago when I went in. 

The amount we drank and the years that have pasted do not not aid the memory

 

 

Is that shorthand for the years that have past, and the times you've been pasted?

[dumboldowl]

39 minutes ago, optimisticowl said:

 

Swan’s last England appearance was in 1962, his ban came in 1964, so it’s very unlikely that the ban ruined his international career. As for who was better than the other, that’s just a matter of opinion, however Alf Ramsey picked his team and it won the World Cup, he couldn’t do much better than that could he?

 

David Layne remains the unknown quantity, however had he become the first choice England striker, he would no doubt have been sold on to the likes of Man Utd, as per the club’s standard procedure in those days. I used to know David back in the 70’s, he once told me that the prison football team would have walked the English third division, due to the amount of locked up ex pro footballers in it.

 

 

 

On the Sunday that the scandal broke in the People newspaper they also said something (I can't remember the exact wording after 55 years) regarding next week telling the readers about the players of one famous 1st Division club having a collection on the team bus whilst travelling to an away match, to recompense the home team for letting them win.

 

There was nothing about it in the following weeks edition,and there has never been a mention of it ever since. If there had been then the jails would have been even fuller, and probably all the additional cons would not necessarily have been players.

[torryowl]

2 hours ago, steelcityowlsfan said:

I believe it was more down to the fact Springett kept goal for England in a 5-0 loss to France in a friendly. After this Ramsey went with Banks which was harsh on Springett.

 

Maybe one of our older members can confirm?

your nearly right ...was the bad winter of 63 and ron hadn't played for a while due to the weather ,the match was a euro nations cup game in paris which England lost 5-2 and ron got blamed for 2 of the goals and lost his place after that game to banks …...

[Ibbo48]

3 minutes ago, dumboldowl said:

 

On the Sunday that the scandal broke in the People newspaper they also said something (I can't remember the exact wording after 55 years) regarding next week telling the readers about the players of one famous 1st Division club having a collection on the team bus whilst travelling to an away match, to recompense the home team for letting them win.

 

There was nothing about it in the following weeks edition,and there has never been a mention of it ever since. If there had been then the jails would have been even fuller, and probably all the additional cons would not necessarily have been players.

 

That’s correct dumbold. I remember it well. I was delivering Sunday papers at the time and it was definitely stated that the following week there would be even bigger names exposed.

Rumour was that the players were from a famous club across the Pennines.

The following weeks People mentioned a couple of lower league players and nothing more was said of the high profile players  that were set to be exposed that week.

The whole thing then seemed to die a death over the following weeks

[steelcityowlsfan]

1 minute ago, torryowl said:

your nearly right ...was the bad winter of 63 and ron hadn't played for a while due to the weather ,the match was a euro nations cup game in paris which England lost 5-2 and ron got blamed for 2 of the goals and lost his place after that game to banks …...

Thank you.

 

I was told Ron got blamed for some of the goals which may have just helped Sir Alf with his choice. Nevertheless Ron was a quality keeper and remains our best ever in his position.

[torryowl]

Just now, steelcityowlsfan said:

Thank you.

 

I was told Ron got blamed for some of the goals which may have just helped Sir Alf with his choice. Nevertheless Ron was a quality keeper and remains our best ever in his position.

by some distance the best I've seen for us and only behind banks & shilton of the England keepers in my lifetime . 

[trevdi9]

2 hours ago, TrickyTrev said:

I listened to the show and I also wondered if Bronco Layne would be mentioned.

 

I’m too young to remember him myself but a good friend of mine and long time poster on Owlstalk who’s sadly no longer with us, Wolfman Jack used to bang on about Bronco Layne all the time when we worked together and I know he would have been in touch with last nights show to share his stories about him.

 

He sounded like an outstanding player.

He was

Wolfie was spot on

 

[torryowl]

3 minutes ago, trevdi9 said:

He was

Wolfie was spot on

 

he certainly was …..layne  & hirst are the front two in my best eleven 

[dumboldowl]

5 minutes ago, A12owl said:

Brilliant. I just had to sing a long with it. 

Presumably everyone who saw him play will remember the day he allegedly smashed a villa players teeth out and got sent off. There were hundreds of cushions raining down from the North stand in protest. Cushion throwing a regular event when the crowd showed their disapproval. 

Those were the days.

And hisdad. 

 

Bronco denied the allegation, and when the Villa players pointed to the blood on his knuckles he told the ref that he'd cut his hand on the grass !!

 

My cushion went airborne, despite the fact that it had cost sixpence and those wooden seats were bloody uncomfortable in those days.

[dumboldowl]

29 minutes ago, Ibbo48 said:

 

That’s correct dumbold. I remember it well. I was delivering Sunday papers at the time and it was definitely stated that the following week there would be even bigger names exposed.

Rumour was that the players were from a famous club across the Pennines.

The following weeks People mentioned a couple of lower league players and nothing more was said of the high profile players  that were set to be exposed that week.

The whole thing then seemed to die a death over the following weeks

 

 Didn't they win the title shortly after?

But Shhhhh, we're not allowed to talk about it.

[Ibbo48]

9 minutes ago, A12owl said:

Brilliant. I just had to sing a long with it. 

Presumably everyone who saw him play will remember the day he allegedly smashed a villa players teeth out and got sent off. There were hundreds of cushions raining down from the North stand in protest. Cushion throwing a regular event when the crowd showed their disapproval. 

Those were the days.

And hisdad. 

I was in the North that day. If I’d had a cushion to chuck, I’d have chucked it. I can’t remember exactly what happened in the build up to the sending off but everyone was incensed. As I remember,  that was the first major cushion throwing incident.

As others have said, Bronco was the best centre forward I’ve seen in blue and white before or since.  He was our Dooley at the time.

He was strong and absolutely deadly in the box. It’s a tragedy that he’s remembered for all the wrong reasons and not for the outstanding player he was

[optimisticowl]

Layne’s goals per game ratio was a magnificent 1.42

Hirst’s was 2.77, which is  exactly the same as Mark Brights.

John Ritchie comes in at 2.66

Whilst Derek Dooley scored 64 in 63 games, which will never be beaten IMHO.

However John Fantham’s ratio is 2.63, which is absolutely superb for a mid-field player.

 

 

 

 

[Bulldog]

Before my time but I think I'm correct in saying the people (newspaper) who broke the story about "Match rigging" actually had Kay as man of the Match! I'll stand corrected if I'm wrong 

[Ibbo48]

11 minutes ago, optimisticowl said:

Layne’s goals per game ratio was a magnificent 1.42

Hirst’s was 2.77, which is  exactly the same as Mark Brights.

John Ritchie comes in at 2.66

Whilst Derek Dooley scored 64 in 63 games, which will never be beaten IMHO.

However John Fantham’s ratio is 2.63, which is absolutely superb for a mid-field player.

 

 

 

 

Must admit. Never thought of Fantham as a midfield player.

A classic inside forward in my eyes but I guess when Alan Brown adopted the ‘wingless wonders’ formation then that’s what he became. Great player.

[Blatter]

3 hours ago, steelcityowlsfan said:

I believe it was more down to the fact Springett kept goal for England in a 5-0 loss to France in a friendly. After this Ramsey went with Banks which was harsh on Springett.

 

Maybe one of our older members can confirm?

That’s pretty much as I remember it too.Can’t remember Ron being injured but there was a heavy defeat that he seemed to take some of the blame for. Banks and Springett were both great keepers but Banks just shaded it by 1966 I thought. Neither were big by today’s standards but extremely agile and very safe hands.

I’m certain to this day though that Swan Kay and Layne would have made that team ahead of Charlton, Stles and Hunt, they were that good. Such a waste of talent.

Alf Ramsey was still sorting out his best lineup during the run in and famously stated he didn’t necessarily pick the best players available to him, but those best suited to his system. It was unconventional at the time as there were no out and out wingers.

[dorian gray]

8 hours ago, Buckwheat said:

There was a phone on Praise & Grumble about cult heroes. All the usual suspects were nominated but missing was to me the best centre forward I've ever seen, and that includes Hirsty. We all know he was sent down the river and made an example of but that's water under the bridge. Personally I think he and Swanny were the scapegoats for the other criminals. His record with the Owls were 52 goals in 74 appearances ALL in the top division. On the verge of becoming an England player at 24 when the above mentioned s**t happened. Today he'd be worth multi millions in the transfer market yet ended up running a pub in Brightside ( The Crown?). Went in a few times and the guy was a real gentleman. Loved the song too about him "tearing across the Hillsborough plain". Used to stand at the bottom of the Leppings Lane as a kid and watched him tear through defences as if they weren't there. Worra player.

i don't much care for england results, i'd like to see us win, but i ain't holding my breath. but the one thing in footy that does make me 'hold my breath' is watching my beloved 'SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY' now because i'm a pot hunter i've supported the owls since 69 through glory after glory.

there (seriously) was a time when i used to go away with others (and plenty more did at the time) just to see how many wednesday fans turned out for the day, at the time an away draw at wrexham, chester, stockport, grimsby etc. was fantastic.

but one of the most staggering days was at home when (i forget the opposition) lane and swan came back onto the field to be introduced to the crowds applause, i just stood there, stunned, they had taken bets on a game for us to LOSE whilst wearing OUR SHIRTS, they were international footballers (not new starters on a tenner a week).

i understand swan is quoted as saying 'we let a lot of people down, and it will be with me until i die.' he is likely correct on that, but nothing whatsoever is worthy of the darkest time in sheffield wednesday history being brought up again.

i hope the 150 bast@rd quid they won was worth it, somehow i doubt it.

[Utah Owl]

8 hours ago, The Claw said:

 he and Swanny were the scapegoats

At the time of the scandal, people wanted big names punished and Wednesday were amongst the biggest back then. The papers claimed to have revelations about major involvement all over the top clubs but once it came out about our 3 the other revelations never surfaced. Seems like someone had "words". It was a complete stitch up.

[Sham67]

2 hours ago, optimisticowl said:

Layne’s goals per game ratio was a magnificent 1.42

Hirst’s was 2.77, which is  exactly the same as Mark Brights.

John Ritchie comes in at 2.66

Whilst Derek Dooley scored 64 in 63 games, which will never be beaten IMHO.

However John Fantham’s ratio is 2.63, which is absolutely superb for a mid-field player.

 

 

 

 

 

I think you mean games per goal ratio.