Talbot Les Image 1 Blackburn Rovers 1931

Description

Hednesford, Staffordshire born inside forward Les Talbot began his football career with Hednesford Town in 1929 before signing for First Division Blackburn Rovers in August 1930, for whom he made his Football League debut at Manchester United in April 1931, his only first team appearance of his debut season. Initially on the fringes of the first eleven, he became a regular from March 1934, and by the time of his transfer to Cardiff City as part of a two player deal which also saw Albert Pinxton also travel to Ninian Park in June 1936, he had scored 21 goals in 96 appearances for Rovers.

He had three seasons at Ninian Park, scoring 23 goals in 110 appearances before returning to the Midlands to join Walsall in June 1939, but his career at Fellows Park was severely interrupted by the outbreak of The Second World War later that summer. During the War he also guested for Bath City, however after the War he returned to play for Walsall, helping them to reach the League South Cup Final against Bournemouth, retiring from playing in August 1947 after 6 goals in 26 peacetime appearances for The Saddlers.

Following his retirement he remained active in football as a coach, including working in the Netherlands from 1949 to the early 1970’s, coaching among other clubs Heracles Almelo, AZ Alkmaar and FC Eindhoven. In 1953 and 1964 he won the Championship of The Netherlands with respectively Racing Club Heemstede (RCH) in 1952 and DWS in 1964.

His brother was Alec Talbot who played centre half for Aston Villa.

NB in the photograph he stands with hands on the shoulders of Blackburn Rovers team mate Bill Imrie before Blackburn’s match with West Bromwich Albion at The Hawthorns on 19th September 1931, a match Rovers lost 4-1.