Len Townsend
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Leonard Francis Townsend[1] | ||
Date of birth | 31 August 1917 | ||
Place of birth | Brentford, England | ||
Date of death | August 1997 (aged 79–80)[1] | ||
Place of death | Seaford England | ||
Position(s) | Inside right | ||
Youth career | |||
Isleworth Town | |||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1935–1937 | Hayes | 52 | (64) |
1937–1947 | Brentford | 33 | (12) |
1940 | → Plymouth Argyle (guest) | 7 | (10) |
1940–1941 | → Leeds United (guest) | 11 | (11) |
→ Belfast Celtic (guest) | |||
1946 | → Colchester United (guest) | 1 | (3) |
1947–1949 | Bristol City | 74 | (45) |
1949–1950 | Millwall | 5 | (1) |
1950–1952 | Guildford City | ||
International career | |||
1943 | Irish League XI | 1 | (1) |
Managerial career | |||
1952 | Ashford Town (assistant) | ||
1952–1953 | Hayes | ||
1954–1958 | Maidenhead United | ||
1958–1961 | Slough Town | ||
1964–1969 | Maidenhead United | ||
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
Leonard Francis "Len" Townsend (31 August 1917 – August 1997) was an English football inside right who made over 110 Football League appearances either side of the Second World War for Brentford, Bristol City and Millwall.[1] After dropping into Non-League football he became a manager, serving Hayes, Slough Town and in two spells, Maidenhead United.[2] Townsend's achievements with Maidenhead United saw him added to the club's Hall of Fame in 2005.[2]
Playing career
Hayes
An inside right, Townsend joined Athenian League side Hayes from Isleworth Town as a 17-year-old in 1935.[2] He had a prolific two seasons in front of goal for the club, scoring 64 goals in 52 appearances.[2] He departed the club at the end of the 1936–37 season.[2]
Brentford
Townsend initially joined hometown club Brentford as an amateur in the second half of the 1936–37 season, before signing a professional contract at the end of the campaign.[3] He spent the 1937–38 season in the club's reserve team, scoring 19 goals in his first 15 London Combination appearances.[3] With the first team struggling in Division One during the first half of the 1938–39 season, manager Harry Curtis handed Townsend his professional debut for a match versus Huddersfield Town on Christmas Eve 1938.[4] Townsend capped his debut with the winner in a 2–1 victory.[4] He scored again in the following two games, netting in a 2–2 draw with Portsmouth and scoring both goals in a 2–0 victory over Everton.[4] Townsend made two further appearances in January 1939 without scoring and lost his place in the team to new signing Tommy Cheetham.[3][4] Townsend finished the 1938–39 season with four goals in five games.[4]
The break-out of the Second World War in September 1939 saw competitive football suspended for the duration of the war. During the war, Townsend scored 102 goals in 120 appearances,[3] a record which included four hattricks and one double hattrick.[5] He returned to Football League action in the 1946–47 season, scoring 9 goals in 33 games in a disastrous campaign, which saw the Bees relegation to Division Two for the first time since 1935.[4] Townsend departed Griffin Park at the end of the season, having made 41 competitive appearances and scored 14 goals.[3]
Plymouth Argyle (guest)
Townsend joined Plymouth Argyle as a guest during the Second World War in January 1940.[6] In a spell lasting until the end of the 1939–40 season, Townsend scored 10 goals in 9 games.[6]
Leeds United (guest)
Townsend joined Leeds United as a guest in November 1940.[7] In a spell lasting until March 1941, he scored 14 goals in 12 games.[7]
Belfast Celtic (guest)
While stationed in Northern Ireland, Townsend guested for Belfast Celtic.[3]
Colchester United (guest)
While stationed at Colchester Garrison in January 1946, Townsend took advantage of a rule which allowed soldiers of the garrison to appear for Colchester United as a guest.[8] He made one appearance at Layer Road, scoring a hattrick in a 3–1 victory over Guildford City on 19 January.[8]
Bristol City
Townsend and Brentford teammates Dai Hopkins and Frank Clack signed for Division Three South side Bristol City prior to the beginning of the 1947–48 season.[3] He had a happy two seasons with the club, scoring 50 goals in 80 appearances and topping the Division Three South goalscoring charts in his first season.[3][7] He formed a formidable goalscoring partnership with Don Clark, though the pair's exploits failed to bring any success in the league.[9][10]
Millwall
Townsend joined Division Three South club Millwall in 1949.[3] He made just five appearances and scored one goal during the 1949–50 season.[11]
Guildford City
Townsend dropped into Non-League football and signed for Southern League side Guildford City in 1950, reuniting with former Bristol City manager Bob Hewison.[2] He departed the club in 1952, after helping the Sweeney to two successive Southern League Cup finals.[9]
Representative career
While guesting for Belfast Celtic, Townsend appeared for the Irish League representative team in a match against their League of Ireland counterparts on 26 April 1943.[12] He scored in the 2–2 draw.[13]
Managerial and coaching career
Guildford City
While a player with Guildford City, Townsend combined his playing duties with that of first team coach.[2]
Ashford Town
Townsend had a short spell as assistant manager at Ashford Town in the early 1950s.[2]
Hayes
Townsend returned to Hayes as manager in 1952, taking over from former Brentford teammate George Wilkins.[2] He presided over a mediocre 1952–53 Athenian League campaign, before being replaced by Wilkins.[2]
Maidenhead United
Townsend was appointed manager of Corinthian League side Maidenhead United in 1954.[2] He presided over the first period of success in the club's history,[14] winning two Berks & Bucks Senior Cups, the Corinthian League Memorial Shield and the league title in his final season with the club.[2] Townsend departed the Magpies in 1958.[2]
Slough Town
Townsend joined Corinthian League side Slough Town as manager in 1958.[2] With a number of his former Maidenhead United players in his squad, Townsend had a frustrating time with the club, failing to challenge in the league and finishing as runners up in the Berks & Bucks Benevolent Cup in 1959–60, though he managed to win the Southern Combination Cup in 1958–59.[15] After finishing bottom of the Corinthian League in the 1960–61 season, Townsend was released as manager.[2]
Return to Maidenhead United
Townsend rejoined Maidenhead United as manager in 1964.[2] Now managing at Athenian League Premier Division level, Townsend failed to manage the Magpies to success in the league, though he won his third Berks & Bucks Senior Cup with the club in 1966. He resigned in 1969 and was honoured with a place in the club's Hall of Fame in 2005.[2] As of September 2014, Townsend's 473 matches in charge of Maidenhead is more than any other of the club's managers.[16]
Personal life
Townsend served for six years with the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry during and after the Second World War.[2] After retiring from football, Townsend was a London-based sales representative for both Carborundum and Tex Abrasives before retiring in May 1982. Townsend lived in Sleaford before his death in 1997.[9]
Honours
As a manager
- Corinthian League (1): 1957–58
- Berks & Bucks Senior Cup (3): 1955–56, 1956–57, 1965–66
- Corinthian League Memorial Shield (1): 1956–57[17]
- Southern Combination Cup (1): 1958–59[15]
As an individual
Career statistics
Club | Season | League | FA Cup | Total | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Brentford | 1938–39[4] | First Division | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 4 |
1945–46[4] | — | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | |||
1946–47[4] | 29 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 33 | 9 | ||
Total | 33 | 12 | 8 | 2 | 41 | 14 | ||
Colchester United (guest) | 1945–46[8] | Southern League | 1 | 3 | — | 1 | 3 | |
Millwall | 1949–50[18] | Third Division South | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 |
Career total | 39 | 16 | 8 | 2 | 47 | 18 |
References
- ^ a b c "Len Townsend". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 20 October 2015.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s "Hayes & Yeading United FC: The Official Website". Retrieved 5 October 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i Haynes, Graham; Coumbe, Frank (2006). Timeless Bees: Brentford F.C. Who's Who 1920–2006. Harefield: Yore Publications. p. 162. ISBN 978-0955294914.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i White, Eric, ed. (1989). 100 Years Of Brentford. Brentford FC. pp. 375–379. ISBN 0951526200.
- ^ Brentford Football Club Official Matchday Magazine versus Bournemouth 04/09/04. 2004. p. 47.
- ^ a b "Greens on Screen Database". greensonscreen.co.uk. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
- ^ a b c "Leeds United F.C. History". Retrieved 5 October 2014.
- ^ a b c "Len Townsend – Players – Colchester United". Retrieved 5 October 2014.
- ^ a b c Woods, David; Leigh Edwards (1997). Bristol City FC – The First 100 Years. Redcliffe Press. ISBN 1-900178-26-5.
- ^ Woods, David (1994). Bristol Babe The First 100 years of Bristol City FC. Yore Publications. ISBN 1-874427-95-X.
- ^ "Millwall Players S to Z". Retrieved 5 October 2014.
- ^ Haynes, Graham (1998). A-Z of Bees: Brentford Encyclopaedia. Yore Publications. p. 74. ISBN 1 874427 57 7.
- ^ "NORTHERN IRELAND REG LG v LEAGUE OF IRELAND, 26 April 1943". 11v11.com. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
- ^ "History – Abridged Club History 1870 – date – Maidenhead United". Pitchero. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
- ^ a b "SloughTownFC.net – The Official Website of Slough Town FC – Club Honours". www.sloughtownfc.net. Retrieved 5 October 2014.
- ^ "Drax earns his place in Magpies hall of fame". Retrieved 5 October 2014.
- ^ "Epsom & Ewell Football Club". Retrieved 5 October 2014.
- ^ "Millwall Season 49/50 Stats". www.millwall-history.org.uk. Retrieved 8 June 2017.
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- 1917 births
- 1997 deaths
- Footballers from Brentford
- English footballers
- Association football inside forwards
- English Football League players
- Southern Football League players
- Hayes F.C. players
- Brentford F.C. players
- Colchester United F.C. players
- Bristol City F.C. players
- Millwall F.C. players
- Guildford City F.C. players
- Ashford United F.C. players
- Slough Town F.C. players
- Maidenhead United F.C. players
- Hayes F.C. managers
- Maidenhead United F.C. managers
- Slough Town F.C. managers
- Belfast Celtic F.C. wartime guest players
- Plymouth Argyle F.C. wartime guest players
- Leeds United F.C. wartime guest players
- English football managers
- Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry soldiers
- Irish League representative players
- Chelsea F.C. wartime guest players