Brian Labone
Encyclopedia
Brian Leslie Labone was an English
footballer who played for and captained Everton
. A one-club man, Labone's professional career lasted from 1958 to 1971, during which he won the Football League championship twice and the FA Cup
once. He also played 26 times for the England national football team
.
-born Labone chose to join Everton at 17 in July 1957 instead of going to university. His debut for the first team was in 1958. He was widely regarded as one of the best central defenders of his era. He was a strong tackler, good in the air, adequately fast but he rarely used his left foot.
Labone made 451 League appearances for Everton and a total of 534 in all competitions. He scored two league goals and was booked only twice throughout his career. Labone played in the championship
teams of 1962-63 and 1969–70, in the FA Cup
winning team of 1966
, and in the FA Cup final of 1968
. Brian showed his high opinion of Everton in a simple quote "One Evertonian is worth twenty Liverpudlians"
Labone played 26 times for England
between 1962 and 1970. He withdrew from England's 1966 World Cup squad because of his imminent marriage but played in three of the four games in the World Cup in 1970 in Mexico.
In 1970-71 Labone sustained a serious injury to his Achilles tendon
and retired from playing.
as voted for by the fans at the start of the 2003/2004 season to mark the clubs 125th anniversary.
Whilst returning home from an Everton fans awards evening at The Winslow Hotel in Walton
, Labone died suddenly after collapsing in the street close to his Lydiate
home at the age of 66.
Another former Everton captain, Kevin Ratcliffe
, paid the following tribute: "Brian was Everton. If you could put together a team of every player that has ever captained Everton, every one of us would turn to Brian to lead us out. He will always be known as the captain of Everton". Everton Chairman Bill Kenwright
also paid tribute by saying: "On the foot of the Dixie Dean
statue outside Goodison Park are the words "Footballer - Gentlemen - Evertonian"..........those words summed up Dixie - and they apply, equally, to the great Brian Labone." Part of Everton's home ground, Goodison Park
, was named in his honour.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
footballer who played for and captained Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
. A one-club man, Labone's professional career lasted from 1958 to 1971, during which he won the Football League championship twice and the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
once. He also played 26 times for the England national football team
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
.
Playing career
LiverpoolLiverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
-born Labone chose to join Everton at 17 in July 1957 instead of going to university. His debut for the first team was in 1958. He was widely regarded as one of the best central defenders of his era. He was a strong tackler, good in the air, adequately fast but he rarely used his left foot.
Labone made 451 League appearances for Everton and a total of 534 in all competitions. He scored two league goals and was booked only twice throughout his career. Labone played in the championship
Football League First Division
The First Division was a division of The Football League between 1888 and 2004 and the highest division in English football until the creation of the Premier League in 1992. The secondary tier in English football has since become known as the Championship....
teams of 1962-63 and 1969–70, in the FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
winning team of 1966
1966 FA Cup Final
The 1966 FA Cup Final was a football match played on 14 May 1966. It was contested by an Everton team that was the first team to reach an FA Cup Final without conceding in the preceding rounds and Sheffield Wednesday at Wembley....
, and in the FA Cup final of 1968
1968 FA Cup Final
The 1968 FA Cup Final was contested by West Bromwich Albion and Everton at Wembley. West Brom won by a single goal, scored by Jeff Astle three minutes into extra time. The goal meant that Astle had scored in every round of that season's competition....
. Brian showed his high opinion of Everton in a simple quote "One Evertonian is worth twenty Liverpudlians"
Labone played 26 times for England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
between 1962 and 1970. He withdrew from England's 1966 World Cup squad because of his imminent marriage but played in three of the four games in the World Cup in 1970 in Mexico.
In 1970-71 Labone sustained a serious injury to his Achilles tendon
Achilles tendon
The Achilles tendon , also known as the calcaneal tendon or the tendo calcaneus, is a tendon of the posterior leg. It serves to attach the plantaris, gastrocnemius and soleus muscles to the calcaneus bone.- Anatomy :The Achilles is the tendonous extension of 3 muscles in the lower leg:...
and retired from playing.
Post-playing and death
Labone maintained his links with Everton where he worked as a guide for guests & visitors and a website columnist. Labone was included in Everton's 'Greatest Ever Team'as voted for by the fans at the start of the 2003/2004 season to mark the clubs 125th anniversary.
Whilst returning home from an Everton fans awards evening at The Winslow Hotel in Walton
Walton, Merseyside
Walton, originally known as Walton-on-the-Hill, in Liverpool, Merseyside, England, is an area situated to the north of Anfield and the east of Bootle and Orrell Park. It is largely residential, with a diverse population.-History:...
, Labone died suddenly after collapsing in the street close to his Lydiate
Lydiate
-Future:In 2009 planning permission was sought to be a marina on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal by Bells Lane.-Notable residents:*Ian Callaghan, former professional footballer, owned an insurance agency near the Weld Blundell....
home at the age of 66.
Another former Everton captain, Kevin Ratcliffe
Kevin Ratcliffe
Kevin Ratcliffe is a former Welsh footballer who spent most of his career playing for Everton. He was born in Mancot, near Queensferry in North Wales.-Club career:...
, paid the following tribute: "Brian was Everton. If you could put together a team of every player that has ever captained Everton, every one of us would turn to Brian to lead us out. He will always be known as the captain of Everton". Everton Chairman Bill Kenwright
Bill Kenwright
Bill Kenwright CBE is a leading West End theatre producer and film producer.He is also the Chairman of Everton Football Club, an English professional football club from the city of Liverpool....
also paid tribute by saying: "On the foot of the Dixie Dean
Dixie Dean
William Ralph Dean , better known as Dixie Dean, was an English football player. Dean originally started his career with Birkenhead based Tranmere Rovers before moving on to Everton, the club he had supported as a child, where he became one of the most prolific goal-scorers in English football...
statue outside Goodison Park are the words "Footballer - Gentlemen - Evertonian"..........those words summed up Dixie - and they apply, equally, to the great Brian Labone." Part of Everton's home ground, Goodison Park
Goodison Park
Goodison Park is a football stadium located in Walton, Liverpool, England. The stadium has been home to Everton F.C. since its completion in 1892 and is one of the world's first purpose-built football grounds...
, was named in his honour.
External links
- BBC Online report of his death.
- Everton mourn former captain Labone, Daily Telegraph, 25 April 2006.