The Bolton Wanderers and England footballer Nat Lofthouse was not only one of the most prolific and popular players of the 1950s, he was an icon of his time. He stood for everything that was seen as noble and heroic about the game in the immediate postwar period.If there was ever a template for the comic-strip character Roy of the Rovers, it was Lofthouse, a modest, muscular No 9 who was renowned for his daring exploits and fearless displays of courage.
Lofthouse was a one-man club, enjoying a 60-year association with Bolton, first as a player — scoring a record 285 goals in 505 appearances — then as a coach, a scout, manager and president. Although he stood at only 5ft 9in, he was a