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Undid revision 1193229828 by GiantSnowman (talk): the source suggests he played for them a few times casually during recovery and never signed any terms so cannot be considered to part of his youth "career" (unlike with Notts)
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==Early career==
==Early career==
Leuty never intended upon a professional career in football, instead opting to undertake an apprenticeship as an engineer with [[Rolls-Royce Limited|Rolle-Royce]]. He would go on to spend around nine years with the company. As an apprentice, he had unsuccessful trials with [[Bolton Wanderers F.C.|Bolton Wanderers]] and [[Chesterfield F.C.|Chesterfield]] during the 1937–38 season.<ref name="et_15mar55"/> Leuty signed as an amateur for Derby County in the 1938–39 season,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-telegraph/137838437/ |newspaper=Evening Telegraph |title=Leon Leuty joining Derby as an amateur |page=30 |date=31 March 1955}}</ref> after being spotted by them while playing for Derby Corinthians. Shortly before the outbreak of war, he damaged his knee and later had a spell playing for [[Rolls Royce Leisure F.C.]] following his recovery.<ref name="et_15mar55"/>
Leuty never intended upon a professional career in football, instead opting to undertake an apprenticeship as an engineer with [[Rolls-Royce Limited|Rolle-Royce]]. He would go on to spend around nine years with the company. As an apprentice, he had unsuccessful trials with [[Bolton Wanderers F.C.|Bolton Wanderers]] and [[Chesterfield F.C.|Chesterfield]] during the 1937–38 season.<ref name="et_15mar55"/> Leuty signed as an amateur for Derby County in the 1938–39 season,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/evening-telegraph/137838437/ |newspaper=Evening Telegraph |title=Leon Leuty joining Derby as an amateur |page=30 |date=31 March 1955}}</ref> after being spotted by them while playing for Derby Corinthians. Shortly before the outbreak of war, he damaged his knee and later had a spell playing with [[Rolls Royce Leisure F.C.|Rolls Royce Leisure]] following his recovery.<ref name="et_15mar55"/>


==Club career==
==Club career==

Revision as of 19:08, 2 January 2024

Leon Leuty
Leuty in 1950
Personal information
Full name Leon Harry Leuty[1][2]
Date of birth (1920-10-23)23 October 1920
Place of birth Shrewsbury, England
Date of death 19 December 1955(1955-12-19) (aged 35)
Place of death Nottingham, England
Position(s) Central defender
Youth career
1938–1945 Derby County
→ Notts County (wartime guest)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1945–1950 Derby County 131 (1)
1950 Bradford Park Avenue 19 (0)
1950–1955 Notts County 188 (3)
Total 338 (4)
International career
England B 5
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Leon Harry Leuty (23 October 1920 – 19 December 1955) was an English professional footballer who played as a central defender, most notably for Derby County and Notts County. Leuty had originally played as an inside-right during his youth and moved into a central-defensive position while playing as a wartime guest for Notts County. He undertook an engineering apprenticeship with Rolle-Royce, where he stayed for nine years.

He was part of the Derby team which won the 1946 FA Cup Final, although he never received a senior England cap on the national team. Leuty became ill in late 1955 and died in hospital in December 1955 with kidney troubles.

Early life

Leuty was born in Meole Brace, Shrewsbury before moving with his family to Derby around the age of three. At the first school he attended, Pear Tree, he began to play football as a goalkeeper. He recalled that having lost his first game by conceding eight goals, he did play as a goalkeeper thereafter. At his next school, a local church school, he began playing as an inside-right before moving into a defensive position.[3]

As he began to become recognised locally, he played in numerous trial matches at international level.[4] He secured a position on the Derby Boys team at the age of ten and played for them for around three seasons.[3] In September 1934, aged 13, he was recognised for his performances in schoolboy team cricket to be awarded the Hoare Cricket Trophy.[5]

Early career

Leuty never intended upon a professional career in football, instead opting to undertake an apprenticeship as an engineer with Rolle-Royce. He would go on to spend around nine years with the company. As an apprentice, he had unsuccessful trials with Bolton Wanderers and Chesterfield during the 1937–38 season.[3] Leuty signed as an amateur for Derby County in the 1938–39 season,[6] after being spotted by them while playing for Derby Corinthians. Shortly before the outbreak of war, he damaged his knee and later had a spell playing with Rolls Royce Leisure following his recovery.[3]

Club career

Derby County

During World War II, while working as an engineer for Rolls-Royce, he accepted an invitation to play for Notts County as a wartime guest.[7] Having played in various different positions during his youth, it was only while at Notts County that he became comfortable in the centre-half position, under the coaching of then manager Frank Womack.[3] While playing for Notts County, he caught the attention of Derby, who recalled him under rules that governed amateur players at the time.[7] On his debut game for Derby's first team as an amateur, they won a record 10-0 against Mansfield Town. He proceeded to play in Derby's next game before returning to Notts County for the remainder of the season, where he defeated his parent club during a cup-tie game.[3]

He signed a professional contract with Derby County in May 1945[7] and played for them in the 1946 FA Cup Final.[8] Towards the end of 1949, reports were circulating that Leuty was keen on a transfer away from Derby, although neither player nor club commented.[9]

Bradford Park Avenue

In early March 1950, Derby announced an intention to listen to offers for Leuty.[10] Bradford Park Avenue submitted a bid for around £20,000 and sent two club directors to meet personally with Leuty. At this time, Leuty was described by the Bradford Observer as being "one of the country's best center-half backs",[11] while the club were battling to avoid relegation.[12] Bradford ultimately signed Leuty for a fee exceeding £24,000, at the time believed to be the second highest fee for a player, behind the £26,000 paid by Preston North End for Eddie Quigley the same season. Despite interest from several other first division clubs, including a matching bid from Sunderland, Leuty opted to join the Bradford club,[13] after previously saying he did not wish to join them. At this time, he was described by The Nottingham Guardian as being "one of the best centre-halves in the country".[14]

Notts County

Leuty never settled at Bradford and transferred to Notts County in 1950, the same club he played for as a wartime guest. The fee was estimated in the region of £25,000.[7] He made his club debut on 23 September 1950, in a game against Preston North End.[15] He was reported in 1953 to be keen on a move away from the club.[16]

From early 1955, Leuty had a regular feature in the Evening Telegraph, discussing his career and future ambitions. He remarked that he felt the game had "speeded up" in the seasons following World War II, but that he felt as fit as he ever had, with no intentions to retire in the near future. When asked about his most memorable game up until that point, he discussed the 1945–46 FA Cup sixth round tie against Aston Villa, recalling it as a "thriller", as they came from behind to win the game 4–3 within the final five minutes.[17]

International career

Leuty played for the England national football B team on at least five separate occasions,[7] and captained the team on two occasions.[18] He was tipped as being promoted to the senior team, having been a reserve on several occasions.[12] He was selected to play for England against Scotland as part of a benefit match for the Burnden Park disaster fund, held in August 1946.[19][7] He was described by the Daily Mirror in 1950 as being "England's best uncapped centre half".[20] Leuty was regarded by some as being the most likely challenger to Stoke City's Neil Franklin as a centre-half starter for England.[9]

Death

Leuty was initially admitted to hospital in November 1955. After being discharged, he spectated a game against Plymouth where he was described as being "far from well", and was re-admitted in December to have a blood transfusion. Despite again being discharged, he was re-admitted at the advice of the club doctor with kidney troubles. He died on 19 December 1955, leaving a widow and two children.[21] He was later reported to have been suffering with Leukemia.[22]

Following his death, funds were raised for the family through a charity match and a testimonial match, with amounts of £1,750 and £500 respectively provided to his widow.[23]

Honours

Derby County

References

  1. ^ "Leon Harry Leuty".
  2. ^ "Leon Leuty". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "My career was nearly over before it had even started!". Evening Telegraph. 15 March 1955. p. 22.
  4. ^ "Unlucky Leuty". Liverpool Echo. 24 September 1949. p. 15.
  5. ^ "Cricket Trophy Presentation to Derby boy player". Evening Telegraph. 28 September 1934. p. 12.
  6. ^ "Leon Leuty joining Derby as an amateur". Evening Telegraph. 31 March 1955. p. 30.
  7. ^ a b c d e f "Leon Leuty - Notts County". Football Post. 23 December 1950. p. 3.
  8. ^ "Profile". therams.co.uk. 29 July 2009. Archived from the original on 10 January 2010. Retrieved 29 October 2013.
  9. ^ a b "Leon Leuty now seeking a transfer?". Evening Sentinel. 22 August 1949. p. 6.
  10. ^ "Derby want offers for Leon Leuty". Manchester Evening News. 7 March 1950. p. 12 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  11. ^ "Bradford want Leuty for tomorrow's game". Bradford Observer. 10 March 1950. p. 6 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  12. ^ a b "Notts County's bid for Leuty". Nottingham Evening News. 20 September 1950. p. 1.
  13. ^ "Bradford sign Leuty: Fee topped £24,000". Bradford Observer. 16 March 1950. p. 8 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  14. ^ "Leon Leuty signed by Bradford". The Nottingham Guardian. 16 March 1950. p. 6.
  15. ^ "Leon Leuty makes his debut". Evening Post. 23 September 1950. p. 6.
  16. ^ "Notts County on the spot: Manager and three stars want to go". Daily Herald. 24 August 1953. p. 6.
  17. ^ "The boss says he'll let me pack up in four years!". Evening Telegraph. 24 March 1955. p. 142.
  18. ^ Tom Keetley (28 September 2010). "Ten of the Magpies' best players". This Is Nottingham.
  19. ^ "These are soccer stars". Birmingham Gazette. 5 September 1946. p. 4.
  20. ^ "England's 'best uncapped centre half' is for transfer". Daily Mirror. 8 March 1950. p. 10.
  21. ^ "Death of Leon Leuty Shocks Supporters". Evening Post. 20 December 1955. p. 6.
  22. ^ "Leuty suffered with Leukemia". Derby Daily Telegraph. 4 January 1990. p. 48 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  23. ^ "Leon Leuty Fund". Evening Telegraph. 16 November 1956. p. 32.
source: https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Leon_Leuty&diff=prev&oldid=1193231240

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