Cyril Lawrence (12 June 1920 – 14 April 2020) was an English professional footballer who played as a winger. He played in the English football league for Blackpool, Rochdale and Wrexham.[2][3]
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 12 June 1920[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Salford, England[1] | ||
| Date of death | 14 April 2020 (aged 99) | ||
| Place of death | Farnworth, England | ||
| Position(s) | Winger | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1938–1939 | Blackpool | 0 | (0) |
| 1947–1950 | Rochdale | 44 | (5) |
| 1950–1952 | Wrexham | 50 | (9) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
During World War II, Lawrence enlisted in the Royal Navy and was posted to the King George V-class battleship as a gunner. He saw service in the Atlantic, Mediterranean, Arctic and Pacific, in the pursuit and destruction of the German battleship Bismarck, on Arctic convoys to supply the Soviets, and at the Battle of Okinawa and the final surrender of the Japanese home islands.[4]
He married his wife Clara in 1944, while on shore leave. After the war, he returned to his football career, transferring from Blackpool to Rochdale where he played between 1947 and 1950, before joining Wrexham for two years. He retired from his football career 1952.[4] In 2017, aged 97, Lawrence visited Spotland Stadium, the home of Rochdale.[5]
He died on 14 April 2020, aged 99, at Royal Bolton Hospital in Farnworth, Greater Manchester, after contracting COVID-19 disease during the pandemic.[4]
References
edit- ^ a b "Cyril Lawrence". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 22 July 2018.
- ^ "ROCHDALE : 1946/47 - 2013/14". Neil Brown. Retrieved 22 July 2018.
- ^ "WREXHAM : 1946/47 - 2007/08". Neil Brown. Retrieved 22 July 2018.
- ^ a b c "99 Year Old Man and Ex-Pro Footballer Beaten by Coronavirus". Salford Star. 15 April 2020. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
- ^ Former Dale Player Cyril Lawrence Visits The Crown Oil Arena
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