Loughran Joe Image 2 Birmingham City 1936

Description

Left half Joe Loughran was born in Tantobie, near Consett, County Durham, and played for Medomsley Juniors in 1931 and Dudley College in 1932 from where he joined First Division Birmingham in August 1933. In 1934-35 he featured for England in a junior international against Scotland. He made his Football League debut in October 1935 in a 2-1 home win against Chelsea, and played regularly during the 1935-36 season. He was described as “a keen tackler with clever ball control and an ideal type of half back who makes every possible opportunity for his forwards”.

Appearances were harder to come by the following season, at the end of which, in May 1937, he moved on to Luton Town after 2 goals in 34 appearances. He played for Luton for 2 seasons, making 25 appearances, before signing for Burnley in July 1939, just before the outbreak of the Second World War. After the conflict he returned to Burnley, helping them to promotion to the First Division in 1947 as Second Division runners up and playing for two more years in the top flight, from September 1948 settling in at right back where he spent the rest of his career, before joining Southend United in September 1949 after 73 appearances for The Clarets. He stayed four seasons at Roots Hall, finally retiring in May 1953 at the age of nearly 38 after scoring once in 158 games for The Shrimpers.