Scott Laurie Image 1 Arsenal 1947

Description

Born in Sheffield, right back Laurie Scott played junior football for Bolton Woods in 1933 and joined Second Division Bradford City as a youth player in May 1935, making his debut in an FA Cup tie against Blackburn Rovers in February 1936, and playing 42 games for The Bantams, mostly as a winger, before, in February 1937, he was signed by Arsenal. Though he only played as a reserve for the first two years at the club before the start of World War Two, during which Scott joined the Royal Air Force as a PT instructor, he still guested as a player for the RAF, Arsenal and Sheffield United, and played for England in wartime matches.

By the time peace broke out, Scott had grown into being one of the country’s most assured full backs, known for his pace and composure on the ball. He made his official first-team debut for Arsenal against West Ham United in the FA Cup in 1946, and his League debut on the first day of the 1946-47 season; he also made his official England debut against Ireland in September of that year. Arsenal won the First Division title in 1947-48, but after that Scott was blighted by injury; he was stricken with a bout of appendicitis in 1948, and then injured his knee whilst playing in an international for England against Wales on 10th November 1948.

Scott was out for the rest of the 1948-49 season and his appearances for Arsenal were limited for the next few seasons. However, he still figured in Arsenal’s 1950 FA Cup-winning side and after a successful run in the England B side, he was picked for England’s squad for the 1950 FIFA World Cup. By now though, he was 33, and had not played for his country for two years; England’s first choice right back for the entire tournament was Alf Ramsey, and Scott did not play a single minute. In 1950-51 Scott played 17 matches for Arsenal, but with his injury often recurring, he was no longer automatic first-team choice, sharing the right back position with Walley Barnes. In all he played for Arsenal in 126 official matches (and 191 unofficial wartime matches), and 17 times for England between 1946 and 1948 (plus 16 wartime caps). He also won 7 England B caps between 1947 and 1950, one of which was unofficial.

He joined Crystal Palace as player manager in October 1951. He managed the Eagles (then known as the Glaziers) for three years, but with little success making 30 appearances as a player before hanging up his boots at the end of 1952. However the club had to apply for re-admission to the Football League at the end of the 1953-54 season. He later had stints with non-league Hendon between 1954 and 1957, and then Hitchin Town from 1958 to 1968, reaching the semi-finals of the FA Amateur Cup twice with the latter.

NB in the photograph he is on the right hand side with team mates Ronnie Rooke and Reg Lewis.