Les Gaunt
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Leslie Gaunt[1] | ||
Date of birth | 3 January 1918 | ||
Place of birth | Leeds, England | ||
Date of death | 24 July 1985[1] | (aged 67)||
Place of death | Perth, Australia[1] | ||
Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)[2] | ||
Position(s) |
Right back | ||
Youth career | |||
1934–1935 | Leeds United | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1935–1947 | Leeds United | 33 | (0) |
1947–1950 | Reading | 71 | (0) |
Newbury Town | |||
International career | |||
England Schoolboys | 2 | ||
Managerial career | |||
Newbury Town | |||
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
Leslie Gaunt (3 January 1918 – 24 July 1985), known prior to 1948 as Leslie Goldberg, was an English professional
Early life
Gaunt was born Leslie Goldberg in Leeds in 1918 to a Russian Jewish immigrant family.[4] His father was a boot riveter.[4] He attended the Lovell Road School, where he became the star player of the school's football team, single-handedly leading it to the final of the Leeds Schools Cup in 1933, although he was ill on the day of the final and missed the match.[4] The previous year he had been picked for England schoolboys for a game against Wales at Wembley Stadium, and also played against Scotland, as well as captaining the Yorkshire Schoolboys team.[4] After signing for Leeds as an amateur, he joined the club's ground staff in 1934, and signed as a professional the following year.[4] He made his debut in 1937, replacing Bert Sproston in the team.[4] However, after he had made 21 league appearances, the Football League was suspended when World War II broke out.[4]
During the war he guested for Leeds, as well as Aldershot Town, Arsenal, Brentford and Reading, and served in the army in India.[4][2] Returning to England, he was stationed in Hythe, where he met his future wife Peggy.[4] After the war he returned to Leeds, but saw his opportunities limited by Eddie Bannister and Jim Milburn.[4] In 1947 he was transferred to Reading. After starting to experience antisemitism on a regular basis,[4] he changed his surname to Gaunt by deed poll in 1948.[4] In 1950 he broke his leg in a game against Norwich City,[4] an injury which ended his playing career after 71 league appearances for Reading.[1]
After leaving Reading he managed
He died in Perth, Australia in 1985 at the age of 67.[4][1]
Career statistics
Club | Season | League | FA Cup | Total | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Leeds United | 1937–38[5]
|
First Division | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
1938–39[5]
|
16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 | ||
1946–47[5]
|
14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | ||
Career total | 33 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 0 |
References
- ^ a b c d e "Les Gaunt". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
- ^ a b c "Goldberg: Leslie (Les) (aka Les Gaunt)". Leeds United F.C. History. Retrieved 12 October 2016.
- ^ "Goldberg Leslie Leeds United 1938". Vintage Footballers. Retrieved 5 July 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Anthony Clavane (2012). Does your rabbi know you're here?. Quercus. pp. 30–44.
- ^ a b c "Leeds United Players Details : No.152 : Goldberg: Leslie (Les) (aka Les Gaunt)". Leeds United F.C. History. Retrieved 8 June 2017.