Gerry Lightowler
Encyclopedia
Gerard A "Gerry" Lightowler (5 September 1940 – 26 July 2008) was an English
professional footballer, who played more than 200 games for his hometown club Bradford Park Avenue
. He also played for Bradford City
, Guiseley
and in the United States
with Los Angeles Wolves
.
, England
on 5 September 1940 and attended St. Bede's Grammar School
. He was a left back, who started his football career with one of his hometown clubs, Bradford Park Avenue
. He signed amateur forms with Park Avenue in 1958, making his first team debut in the final game of the 1958–59
season when Avenue defeated Aldershot
5–1. In September 1961, Lightowler signed his first full-time professional contract with Avenue, before going on to play 229 league and cup games with the club, during which time he scored two goals, one in the league and another in the FA Cup
. Of his games, 208 were in the league.
In March 1968, Lightowler left Park Avenue to move to the United States
, where he joined North American Soccer League
side Los Angeles Wolves
. He spent just seven months in the United States where he played 28 games, scoring three goals, before he returned to Bradford, after signing for Division Four
team Bradford City
under the management of Jimmy Wheeler
. City finished fourth during the 1968–69
season, earning promotion
to Division Three
. However, Lightowler was released during the summer having played just 12 games, 11 of which were in the league, for City. Following his release, he joined nearby non-league club Guiseley
.
and was a steward and committee member of Gomersal Cricket Club, in Gomersal
, West Yorkshire
.
He died in July 2008 at the age of 67. Following his death, his former teammate Bobby Ham
, with whom he played at both Bradford clubs, described him as "a great lad with a fantastic sense of humour".
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...
professional footballer, who played more than 200 games for his hometown club Bradford Park Avenue
Bradford Park Avenue A.F.C.
Bradford Association Football Club, previously also known as Bradford and since its reformation in the 1970s now referred to as Bradford Park Avenue, is a football club based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England...
. He also played for Bradford City
Bradford City A.F.C.
Bradford City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, playing in League Two....
, Guiseley
Guiseley A.F.C.
Guiseley A.F.C. are an English football club from Guiseley, West Yorkshire, England.-History:Founded in 1909 by a local group of enthusiasts, the club’s first success came in 1913 when they won the local Wharfedale League...
and in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
with Los Angeles Wolves
Los Angeles Wolves
Los Angeles Wolves are a former United States professional soccer team, owned by Jack Kent Cooke, that played for two seasons during the 1960s...
.
Career
Lightowler was born in BradfordBradford
Bradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
, England
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...
on 5 September 1940 and attended St. Bede's Grammar School
St. Bede's Grammar School
St. Bede's Grammar School, in Heaton, Bradford, West Yorkshire is a Roman Catholic boys' Secondary school and specialist science college close to Bradford city centre.-School history:...
. He was a left back, who started his football career with one of his hometown clubs, Bradford Park Avenue
Bradford Park Avenue A.F.C.
Bradford Association Football Club, previously also known as Bradford and since its reformation in the 1970s now referred to as Bradford Park Avenue, is a football club based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England...
. He signed amateur forms with Park Avenue in 1958, making his first team debut in the final game of the 1958–59
1958-59 in English football
The 1958–59 season was the 79th season of competitive football in England.-Diary of the season:August 1958: The Football League season begins with the new national Third and Fourth divisions that have been created from the old Third Division North and Third Division South.September 1958: Manchester...
season when Avenue defeated Aldershot
Aldershot F.C.
Aldershot Football Club was an English Football League club, which was wound up in the High Court in March 1992. They became the first Football League club since Accrington Stanley to resign from the League during the course of a season. The club was nicknamed the Shots for both the last syllable...
5–1. In September 1961, Lightowler signed his first full-time professional contract with Avenue, before going on to play 229 league and cup games with the club, during which time he scored two goals, one in the league and another 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...
. Of his games, 208 were in the league.
In March 1968, Lightowler left Park Avenue to move to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, where he joined North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League
North American Soccer League was a professional soccer league with teams in the United States and Canada that operated from 1968 to 1984.-History:...
side Los Angeles Wolves
Los Angeles Wolves
Los Angeles Wolves are a former United States professional soccer team, owned by Jack Kent Cooke, that played for two seasons during the 1960s...
. He spent just seven months in the United States where he played 28 games, scoring three goals, before he returned to Bradford, after signing for Division Four
Football League Fourth Division
The Fourth Division of The Football League was the fourth-highest division in the English football league system from the 1958–59 season until the creation of the Premier League prior to the 1992–93 season...
team Bradford City
Bradford City A.F.C.
Bradford City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Bradford, West Yorkshire, playing in League Two....
under the management of Jimmy Wheeler
Jimmy Wheeler (footballer)
James 'Jimmy' Wheeler is a former footballer. He played as striker for Reading where he played 406 league games, scoring 147 goals...
. City finished fourth during the 1968–69
1968-69 in English football
The 1968–69 season was the 89th season of competitive football in England.-First Division:Leeds United won the League for the first time in their history, finishing six points ahead of Liverpool...
season, earning promotion
Promotion and relegation
In many sports leagues around the world, promotion and relegation is a process that takes place at the end of each season. Through it, teams are transferred between divisions based on their performance that season...
to Division Three
Football League Third Division
The Football League Third Division was the 3 tier of English Football from 1920 until 1992 when after the formation of the Football Association Premier League saw the league renamed The Football League Division Two...
. However, Lightowler was released during the summer having played just 12 games, 11 of which were in the league, for City. Following his release, he joined nearby non-league club Guiseley
Guiseley A.F.C.
Guiseley A.F.C. are an English football club from Guiseley, West Yorkshire, England.-History:Founded in 1909 by a local group of enthusiasts, the club’s first success came in 1913 when they won the local Wharfedale League...
.
Personal life
Lightowler was married to Sandra. He was also interested in cricketCricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
and was a steward and committee member of Gomersal Cricket Club, in Gomersal
Gomersal
Gomersal is a village in the metropolitan county of West Yorkshire, England. It is south of Bradford, east of Cleckheaton, and north of Heckmondwike and close to the River Spen....
, West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
.
He died in July 2008 at the age of 67. Following his death, his former teammate Bobby Ham
Bobby Ham
Robert Stanley "Bobby" Ham is a retired English footballer who played for Bradford Park Avenue, Gainsborough Trinity, Bradford City, Preston and Rotherham. He also managed Gainsborough, Matlock and Guiseley.-Speedway:...
, with whom he played at both Bradford clubs, described him as "a great lad with a fantastic sense of humour".