Len Goulden
Encyclopedia
Leonard Arthur Goulden was an English
footballer. His son Roy
was also a footballer.
, London, Goulden began his career with Chelmsford City
, before moving to Leyton
and then West Ham United
in 1933. He remained with the Hammers for six years, making over 250 appearances and scoring 55 goals from his inside forward position. He was an ever-present, along with Joe Cockroft
, during the 1936-37
season.
Goulden also won 14 England
caps during his time at Upton Park
. At a match against Germany in 1938, he scored with a shot that reportedly ripped the net from the crossbar
; he is then reported to have shouted, "Let 'em salute
that one!" His West Ham career was interrupted when World War II
started and he never played another competitive match for the club, though he did win the Football League War Cup
with them in 1940.
Following the conflict, he signed with west London
ers Chelsea
for £4,500 and linked up well with fellow new signings Tommy Lawton
and Tommy Walker - the trio scored 47 goals between them in 1946-47
- though the side failed to make to challenge for honours, coming closest in the FA Cup
, when they lost to Arsenal
in the semi-finals, despite having led 2-0. Goulden retired as a player in 1950, having made 111 Chelsea appearances and scored 17 goals.
in November 1952 for a management opportunity at Watford
. His first match in charge was a 1–1 draw at home to Coventry, and by the end of 1952–53 Goulden had guided his team to a top 10 finish in the Third Division South
. That summer he signed Dave Bewley
, Roy Brown and Maurice Cook, all of whom went on to play key roles during his reign. After guiding Watford to 4th and 7th in the next two campaigns, Goulden stepped down to become a coach midway through the 1955–56 season. However, his successor and former player Johnny Paton
's spell yielded just 2 wins from 15 games, including defeat at the hands of non league clubs Aldershot
and Bedford Town. Goulden took over for the remainder of the season, but was only able to salvage a 21st placed finish.
After three years coaching overseas, Goulden returned to Watford in 1959, as part of new manager Ron Burgess
's coaching staff. Burgess and Goulden's impact was immediate; Watford won promotion from the Fourth Division
in 1960, and very nearly a second consecutive promotion in 1961. Goulden departed the following season, again coaching overseas, before returning to management in England with Banbury United in 1965. Goulden, assisted by his former player Maurice Cook, helped Banbury reach the Southern League
for the first time in their history. After leaving in 1967, Goulden's final role in football came at Oxford United, where he managed the reserve team from 1969.
Goulden died on 14 February 1995, in Plaistow, London.
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. His son Roy
Roy Goulden
Roy Leonard Goulden is an English former professional footballer who played as a inside forward.-Career:Born in Ilford, Goulden is the son of ex-England international Len Goulden. He joined Arsenal in 1953, turned professional in September 1954, and made his debut in February 1959...
was also a footballer.
Playing career
Born in HackneyHackney Central
Hackney Central is the central district of the London Borough of Hackney in London, England. It comprises the area roughly surrounding, and extending north from Mare Street. It is situated north east of Charing Cross...
, London, Goulden began his career with Chelmsford City
Chelmsford City F.C.
Chelmsford City F.C. is an English semi-professional football club based in the town of Chelmsford, Essex. The club are currently members of the Conference South and play at the Melbourne Stadium.-Chelmsford:...
, before moving to Leyton
Leyton F.C.
Leyton Football Club are an English association football club based in Leyton, in the London Borough of Waltham Forest. As of January 2011, they are not in a senior league, after withdrawing from the Isthmian League Division One North...
and then West Ham United
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
in 1933. He remained with the Hammers for six years, making over 250 appearances and scoring 55 goals from his inside forward position. He was an ever-present, along with Joe Cockroft
Joe Cockroft
Joe Cockroft was an English footballer.Cockroft played for Yorkshire Paper Mills, Barnsley Old Boys, Ardsley Athletic, Wombwell, Rotherham United and then Gainsborough Trinity before moving to West Ham United, then of Division Two, in 1933.Signed after a months trial from Gainsborough by Charlie...
, during the 1936-37
1936-37 in English football
The 1936–37 season was the 62nd season of competitive football in England.-Honours:Notes = Number in parentheses is the times that club has won that honour...
season.
Goulden also won 14 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...
caps during his time at Upton Park
Boleyn Ground
The Boleyn Ground, more commonly referred to as Upton Park due to its location in Upton Park, London is the football stadium of West Ham United.-History:...
. At a match against Germany in 1938, he scored with a shot that reportedly ripped the net from the crossbar
Crossbar
- Structural engineering :* A primitive latch consisting of a post barring a door* The top tube of a bicycle frame* The horizontal member of many sports goals including those for hockey, association football, rugby league, rugby union and American football...
; he is then reported to have shouted, "Let 'em salute
Nazi salute
The Nazi salute, or Hitler salute , was a gesture of greeting in Nazi Germany usually accompanied by saying, Heil Hitler! ["Hail Hitler!"], Heil, mein Führer ["Hail, my leader!"], or Sieg Heil! ["Hail victory!"]...
that one!" His West Ham career was interrupted when World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
started and he never played another competitive match for the club, though he did win the Football League War Cup
Football League War Cup
The Football League War Cup was an association football tournament held between 1939 and 1945 which aimed to fill the gaping hole left in English Football by the cancellation of the FA Cup.- Background:...
with them in 1940.
Following the conflict, he signed with west London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
ers Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
for £4,500 and linked up well with fellow new signings Tommy Lawton
Tommy Lawton
Thomas "Tommy" Lawton was an English association footballer who rose to fame a short time before the outbreak of the Second World War and enjoyed a successful career which lasted until well into the 1950s....
and Tommy Walker - the trio scored 47 goals between them in 1946-47
1946-47 in English football
The 1946–47 season was the 67th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:The 1946–47 season was the first to feature a full football programme since the 1938–39 campaign. Eighty-eight teams competed over four divisions. Liverpool went top of the First Division with a 2–1 away win over...
- though the side failed to make to challenge for honours, coming closest 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...
, when they lost to Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
in the semi-finals, despite having led 2-0. Goulden retired as a player in 1950, having made 111 Chelsea appearances and scored 17 goals.
Coaching and management
He remained at Chelsea until 1952, before moving to HertfordshireHertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
in November 1952 for a management opportunity at Watford
Watford F.C.
Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
. His first match in charge was a 1–1 draw at home to Coventry, and by the end of 1952–53 Goulden had guided his team to a top 10 finish in the Third Division South
Football League Third Division South
The Football League Third Division South was a level of English professional football which ran in parallel to Third Division North from 1921 to 1958....
. That summer he signed Dave Bewley
Dave Bewley
David G. Bewley in Bournemouth, England, is a former English professional footballer who played as a full back for several teams in the Football League.-References:...
, Roy Brown and Maurice Cook, all of whom went on to play key roles during his reign. After guiding Watford to 4th and 7th in the next two campaigns, Goulden stepped down to become a coach midway through the 1955–56 season. However, his successor and former player Johnny Paton
Johnny Paton
John "Johnny" Paton is a Scottish former association football player, manager and scout, and later a professional snooker referee. He is currently the oldest surviving Chelsea player and was a special guest of honour at Chelsea Football Club at their centenary dinner, in 2005...
's spell yielded just 2 wins from 15 games, including defeat at the hands of non league clubs Aldershot
Aldershot Town F.C.
Aldershot Town Football Club is an association football club based in Aldershot, Hampshire, England, founded in the spring of 1992 just after the closure of debt-ridden Fourth Division club Aldershot Football Club...
and Bedford Town. Goulden took over for the remainder of the season, but was only able to salvage a 21st placed finish.
After three years coaching overseas, Goulden returned to Watford in 1959, as part of new manager Ron Burgess
Ron Burgess (footballer)
William Arthur Ronald Burgess Burgess was a Wales international footballer, who played at wing-half. Burgess worked as a miner before joining Tottenham Hotspur from his local team Cwm Villa...
's coaching staff. Burgess and Goulden's impact was immediate; Watford won promotion from the Fourth Division
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...
in 1960, and very nearly a second consecutive promotion in 1961. Goulden departed the following season, again coaching overseas, before returning to management in England with Banbury United in 1965. Goulden, assisted by his former player Maurice Cook, helped Banbury reach the Southern League
Southern Football League
The Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales...
for the first time in their history. After leaving in 1967, Goulden's final role in football came at Oxford United, where he managed the reserve team from 1969.
Goulden died on 14 February 1995, in Plaistow, London.
External links
- Profile at englandstats.com
- Len Goulden Photographs