Walter Langton (footballer)
Walter "Warhorse"[1] Langton (6 February 1867−1952)[2] was an English footballer who played as a left back and centre forward for 18 seasons with Doncaster Rovers, holding the record for being their longest serving player.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 6 February 1867 | ||
| Place of birth | Alfreton, Derbyshire, England | ||
| Date of death | 4Q 1952, aged 85 | ||
| Place of death | Doncaster, West Riding of Yorkshire | ||
| Playing position(s) | Left back / Centre forward | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| Mexborough | |||
| 1887−1905 | Doncaster Rovers | 45 | (0) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only | |||
Hailing from Greenhill Lane near Alfreton, Derbyshire, he was the son of Fanny and Samuel Langton. He followed his father, working as a coalminer.[3] After some time playing for Mexborough, he moved to play for Doncaster Rovers in 1887 at around the age of 19 where, being an amateur, he worked as a slotting machinist at the GWR railworks. Langton started off in the left back position, moving to centre forward in the 1890−91 season, then latterly returning to left back.[1]
He scored at least 55 goals in his career at Doncaster - in his early days many goals weren't accredited to a player in the records. The first recorded goals were a brace on 9 February 1889 in a 2−2 draw against Newark. In his next season Langton scored at least 14 out of the 34 matches that the team played, including 5 against Newark in an 8−0 victory on 1 February 1890. In 1890−91 it was 11 goals out of the 19 games Rovers played.[1]
On 5 November 1898, he scored against Huddersfield in the Yorkshire League in the still standing joint record 14−0 Doncaster win.[4][1]
Langton was the only recorded scorer of penalties for Rovers up till 1898. The first one recorded was in a 3−3 draw against Sheffield Strollers in front of a crowd of 6,000 in the Sheffield and Hallamshire Challenge Cup on 18 February 1893 at the Olive Grove, Sheffield. In all he is listed as having scored 8 goals from the spot.[1]
After the 1904−05 season with Doncaster, Langton retired from playing the game.[1]
Personal life
He was married to Lilian in 4Q 1880 in Doncaster, and had 4 children though none survived past 20 years.[5][6] He died in Doncaster in 4Q 1952.[1]
Honours
- Midland Alliance League runners up: 1890−91
- Midland League champions: 1896−97, 1898−99
- Midland League runners up: 1900−01
- Yorkshire League runners up: 1898−99
- Sheffield and Hallamshire Senior Cup winners: 1890−91