Larrett Roebuck (27 January 1889 – 18 October 1914) was an English professional footballer who played in the Football League for Huddersfield Town as a left back.[5] He was the first Football League player to be killed in the First World War.[3]
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Larrett Roebuck[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 27 January 1889 | ||
| Place of birth | Jump, England | ||
| Date of death | 18 October 1914 (aged 25)[2] | ||
| Place of death | near Beaucamps-Ligny, France[3] | ||
| Height | 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)[4] | ||
| Position(s) | Left back | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| –1913 | Silverwood Colliery | ||
| 1913–1914 | Huddersfield Town | 17 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Personal life
editAs a boy, Roebuck worked as a trammer at Silverwood Colliery and after being sentenced to one month's imprisonment for stealing a watch in 1904, he enlisted in the territorial section of the York and Lancaster Regiment.[3][6] Over the next seven years, he was stationed in India and Ireland and was promoted to lance corporal, but was demoted back to private in 1910 for "misconduct".[3] He married in 1908 and had four children.[3][6] Roebuck was discharged into the reserves in 1912 and likely returned to work as a miner prior to becoming a professional footballer in 1913.[3] After Britain's entry into the First World War in August 1914, he was mobilised by the York and Lancaster Regiment and arrived on the Western Front in September 1914.[6] On 18 October 1914, Roebuck was recorded as "presumed dead" after an attack near Beaucamps-Ligny during the Race to the Sea.[3] His death was confirmed by two comrades in January 1915.[3] Roebuck is commemorated on the Ploegsteert Memorial to the Missing.[2]
Career statistics
edit| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Huddersfield Town | 1913–14[7] | Second Division | 17 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 19 | 0 |
| Career total | 17 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 19 | 0 | ||
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Joyce, Michael (2012). Football League Players' Records 1888 to 1939. Nottingham: Tony Brown. p. 251. ISBN 978-1905891610.
- ^ a b "Casualty Details". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "18 October 1914 Larrett Roebuck killed in action on this day". The Western Front Association. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
- ^ "The coming of the big ball: the Second Division: Huddersfield Town". Athletic News. Manchester. 18 August 1913. p. 5 – via British Newspaper Archive.
- ^ Thomas, Ian; Hodgson, Alan; Ward, John (2007). 99 Years & Counting – Stats & Stories – Huddersfield Town History. Huddersfield Town Football Club. ISBN 978-0-9557281-0-5.
- ^ a b c "Tragedy of Huddersfield Town star Larrett Roebuck killed at Ypres". YorkshireLive. 11 November 2011. Retrieved 4 December 2021.
- ^ "Player Profile – Larrett Roebuck". HTAFC Archive. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
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