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===Later career===
===Later career===
He went on a [[Free transfer (association football)|free transfer]] in July 1983. He moved on to [[Aldershot F.C.|Aldershot]].<ref name="kent"/> With 22 goals in 39 league games he helped [[Len Walker]]'s "Shots" to a fifth-place finish in the Fourth Division in [[1983–84 Football League|1983–84]], though they were seven points short of [[Bristol City F.C.|Bristol City]] in the promotion zone. He spent [[1984–85 Football League|1984–85]] with [[Vic Halom]]'s [[Rochdale A.F.C.|Rochdale]], scoring four times in 15 league games. He then moved on to [[Burnley F.C.|Burnley]] under [[Martin Buchan]] and [[Tommy Cavanagh]]. He became the first black player to represent Burnley when he debuted against [[Bradford City A.F.C.|Bradford City]] on 24 November 1984.<ref name=black/> He played 31 league games in [[1985–86 Football League|1985–86]], scoring eight goals. Lawrence then signed with [[Peterborough United F.C.|Peterborough United]] and scored eight goals in 33 league games in [[1986–87 Football League|1986–87]] under [[John Wile]] and [[Noel Cantwell]]. In January 1988, he moved to his seventh different Fourth Division club, after putting pen to paper with [[Chris Turner (footballer, born 1951)|Chris Turner]]'s [[Cambridge United F.C.|Cambridge United]]. After 13 goalless league games in [[1987–88 Football League|1987–88]] he departed the [[Abbey Stadium]] for [[National League (division)|Conference]] club [[Kettering Town F.C.|Kettering Town]]. He later played for [[Aylesbury United F.C.|Aylesbury United]] and [[Bourne Town F.C.|Bourne Town]] before retiring.
He went on a [[Free transfer (association football)|free transfer]] in July 1983. He moved on to [[Aldershot F.C.|Aldershot]].<ref name="kent"/> With 22 goals in 39 league games he helped [[Len Walker]]'s "Shots" to a fifth-place finish in the Fourth Division in [[1983–84 Football League|1983–84]], though they were seven points short of [[Bristol City F.C.|Bristol City]] in the promotion zone. He spent [[1984–85 Football League|1984–85]] with [[Vic Halom]]'s [[Rochdale A.F.C.|Rochdale]], scoring four times in 15 league games. He was signed to [[Burnley F.C.|Burnley]] for a £20,000 fee in November 1984.<ref>{{cite web |title=Les Lawrence* |url=https://www.clarets-mad.co.uk/feat/ed35/les_lawrence_341719/index.shtml |website=Clarets Mad |access-date=11 May 2024 |language=en}}</ref> He became the first black player to represent Burnley when he debuted against [[Bradford City A.F.C.|Bradford City]] at [[Turf Moor]] on 24 November 1984.<ref name=black/> He played 31 league games in [[1985–86 Football League|1985–86]], scoring eight goals. Lawrence then signed with [[Peterborough United F.C.|Peterborough United]] and scored eight goals in 33 league games in [[1986–87 Football League|1986–87]] under [[John Wile]] and [[Noel Cantwell]]. In January 1988, he moved to his seventh different Fourth Division club, after putting pen to paper with [[Chris Turner (footballer, born 1951)|Chris Turner]]'s [[Cambridge United F.C.|Cambridge United]]. After 13 goalless league games in [[1987–88 Football League|1987–88]] he departed the [[Abbey Stadium]] for [[National League (division)|Conference]] club [[Kettering Town F.C.|Kettering Town]]. He later played for [[Aylesbury United F.C.|Aylesbury United]] and [[Bourne Town F.C.|Bourne Town]] before retiring.


==Career statistics==
==Career statistics==

Revision as of 10:27, 11 May 2024

For the physicist, see Leslie Lawrance Foldy.

Les Lawrence
Personal information
Full name Leslie Oliver Lawrence[1]
Date of birth (1957-05-18) 18 May 1957 (age 67)
Place of birth Wolverhampton, England
Height 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)[2]
Position(s) Forward
Youth career
Stourbridge
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1975–1977 Shrewsbury Town 14 (2)
1977 Telford United
1977–1982 Torquay United 189 (46)
1982–1983 Port Vale 8 (0)
1983–1984 Aldershot 39 (23)
1984–1985 Rochdale 15 (4)
1985–1986 Burnley 31 (8)
1986–1988 Peterborough United 33 (8)
1988 Cambridge United 13 (0)
1988 Kettering Town
1988–1989 Aylesbury United 24 (3)
1990–1991 Bourne Town 18 (16)
1992–1994 Bourne Town 53 (29)
Total 437 (71)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Leslie Oliver Lawrence (born 18 May 1957) is an English former footballer who played as a forward. He scored 105 goals in 395 league and cup games during a twelve-year career in the Football League, most of which was spent in the Fourth Division.

Lawrence began his career at Stourbridge before joining Shrewsbury Town in 1970. Two years later he joined Torquay United via Telford United. After 54 goals in 215 league and cup games for Torquay, he signed with Port Vale in July 1982. He played eight games of their promotion winning campaign, before transferring to Aldershot in July 1983. Leaving the "Shots" in 1984, he then spent a season each at Fourth Division sides Rochdale, Burnley, Peterborough United, and Cambridge United, before moving into non-League football with Kettering Town, Aylesbury United and Bourne Town.

Early life

Leslie Oliver Lawrence was born in Wolverhampton on 18 May 1957 to a Jamaican immigrant.[3]

Career

Early career

Lawrence played for Southern League side Stourbridge, before joining Shrewsbury Town of the Third Division. He made his debut at Gay Meadow against Swindon Town on 6 September 1975, becoming the first black player to represent Shrewsbury Town.[3] He played 19 league games in 1975–76 and 1976–77, as the "Shrews" lifted the Welsh Cup in 1977 under Alan Durban's stewardship.

Torquay United

He then signed with Mike Green's Fourth Division club Torquay United via non-League Telford United for the 1977–78 campaign. He became the club's top scorer during the 1978–79 season with 19 goals.[4] After finishing ninth in 1979–80, Torquay dropped to 17th in 1980–81. He played 215 games in all competitions, scoring 54 goals.

Port Vale

Lawrence joined John McGrath's Port Vale in July 1982.[5] He made his debut as a substitute in a League Cup round one match against Rochdale on 30 August 1982.[5] He made his full debut in a 2–0 home win over Hereford United on 9 October 1982, but failed to establish himself in the first-team, and made just eight appearances in the 1982–83 Fourth Division promotion winning campaign.[5]

Later career

He went on a free transfer in July 1983. He moved on to Aldershot.[5] With 22 goals in 39 league games he helped Len Walker's "Shots" to a fifth-place finish in the Fourth Division in 1983–84, though they were seven points short of Bristol City in the promotion zone. He spent 1984–85 with Vic Halom's Rochdale, scoring four times in 15 league games. He was signed to Burnley for a £20,000 fee in November 1984.[6] He became the first black player to represent Burnley when he debuted against Bradford City at Turf Moor on 24 November 1984.[3] He played 31 league games in 1985–86, scoring eight goals. Lawrence then signed with Peterborough United and scored eight goals in 33 league games in 1986–87 under John Wile and Noel Cantwell. In January 1988, he moved to his seventh different Fourth Division club, after putting pen to paper with Chris Turner's Cambridge United. After 13 goalless league games in 1987–88 he departed the Abbey Stadium for Conference club Kettering Town. He later played for Aylesbury United and Bourne Town before retiring.

Career statistics

Source:[7]

Club Season Division League FA Cup Other Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Shrewsbury Town 1975–76 Third Division 5 0 0 0 0 0 5 0
1976–77 Third Division 9 2 1 0 0 0 10 2
Total 14 2 1 0 0 0 15 2
Torquay United 1977–78 Fourth Division 34 5 1 0 3 1 38 6
1978–79 Fourth Division 45 17 3 1 2 1 50 19
1979–80 Fourth Division 42 14 3 1 4 2 49 17
1980–81 Fourth Division 26 5 1 1 2 0 29 6
1981–82 Fourth Division 42 5 2 1 5 0 49 6
Total 189 46 10 4 16 4 215 54
Port Vale 1982–83 Fourth Division 8 0 0 0 1 0 9 0
Aldershot 1983–84 Fourth Division 39 23 2 0 5 2 46 25
Rochdale 1984–85 Fourth Division 15 4 1 0 2 1 18 5
Burnley 1984–85 Third Division 10 2 0 0 2 0 12 2
1985–86 Fourth Division 21 6 0 0 2 1 23 7
Total 31 8 0 0 4 1 35 9
Peterborough United 1986–87 Fourth Division 12 4 1 0 3 0 16 4
1987–88 Fourth Division 21 4 2 1 5 1 28 6
Total 33 8 3 1 8 1 44 10
Cambridge United 1987–88 Fourth Division 13 0 0 0 0 0 13 0
Aylesbury United[8] 1988–89 Conference 19 1 3 1 0 0 22 2
1989–90 Isthmian League Premier Division 5 2 1 0 0 0 6 2
Total 24 3 4 1 0 0 28 4
Bourne Town 1990–91[9] United Counties League
Premier Division 		18 16 0 0 0 0 18 16
1992–93[9] United Counties League
Premier Division 		38 27 0 0 0 0 38 27
1993–94[9] United Counties League
Premier Division 		15 2 0 0 0 0 15 2
Total 71 45 0 0 0 0 71 45
Career total 437 139 21 6 36 9 494 154

Honours

Shrewsbury Town

Port Vale

References

  1. ^ "Les Lawrence". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
  2. ^ Rollin, Jack, ed. (1980). Rothmans Football Yearbook 1980–81. London: Queen Anne Press. p. 282. ISBN 0362020175.
  3. ^ a b c Hern, Bill; Gleave, David (2020). Football's Black Pioneers. Leicester: Conker Editions. pp. 168–169. ISBN 9781999900854.
  4. ^ Edwards, Leigh (1997). The Definitive Torquay United F.C. The Association of Football Statisticians. p. 57. ISBN 1-899468-08-0.
  5. ^ a b c d Kent, Jeff (1996). Port Vale Personalities. Witan Books. p. 168. ISBN 0-9529152-0-0.
  6. ^ "Les Lawrence*". Clarets Mad. Retrieved 11 May 2024.
  7. ^ Les Lawrence at the English National Football Archive (subscription required)
  8. ^ "Les Lawrence Profile | Aylesbury United FC". aylesburyunitedfc.co.uk. Retrieved 2 March 2017.
  9. ^ a b c Jeremy Biggs Hereward Sports UCL Review 1991 p38
  10. ^ Kent, Jeff (1990). "From Rags to Riches (1979–1990)". The Valiants' Years: The Story of Port Vale. Witan Books. pp. 258–290. ISBN 0-9508981-4-7.
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